Spreading Hindu spiritualism

[vivek.gms]

Hinduism: Time for reforms and expansion

The more I read about Hinduism, the more I love it. I can’t differentiate growth of Hinduism and <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. One nurtured other and we enjoyed great civilization for thousands of years and will enjoy it for unlimited years ahead. But, the time has come to go beyond <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> once again.

Hinduism evolved over thousands of years. Our great ancestors did research and found many ways to reach God. They said the universal reality is the same (God); different people call it by different names. Through those great efforts we produced concepts like,

 

• Vasudaika Kutumbam –one universal family.
  
• Vedanta- Dwaita & Adwaita dharma.
  
• Concept of Atma.
  
• Bakti, Karma, Jnana and Raja yogas.

It preached equality of all human beings (Hindu or non-Hindu). Like every ancient society we had our Gods. But, at higher levels of realization all of them represented one absolute God.

Apart from concept of God, Hindus also developed defense systems, meditation, yoga, martial arts, astrology, mathematics, medicine and other arts and sciences. In the process <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> became rich, affluent and powerful. A lot of people from across the world migrated to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.

To accommodate expanding society and for convenience, various systems were developed. But, over a period of time some of these systems become out dated. They don’t change with time.

There are mainly two things we need to handle at this stage:

 

• Caste System.
  
• Rituals and number of Gods we have.

We should take steps to make all hindus are equal in society (not just in writings). We should establish systems to make every one equal. Encouraging inter-caste marriages and teaching vedic literature to every hindu are initial steps we can take to move towards our goal of social equality.

Some of our rituals really unnecessary and some of them are incorporated to give benefits to certain sections. We have a lot of Gods. Why? The answer I got after search is every sect that entered <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> bought its own Gods (All ancient societies had separate set of their own Gods). In some places in Andhra Pradesh, village Gods in adjacent villages is different. Now we need to rationalize Gods. It’s for our unity, to remove confusion, making people get red of false assumption/beliefs and for realization of God. Please remember, Hinduism teaches us that at higher levels of consciousness there is only one absolute God. All other Gods, deities, sages, gurus are showing us a way to reach God. Idol worship facilitates this process and it gives a lot of satisfaction. Idols are like keeping photographs of gods with us.

I thought about a few points to make transition or to bring much needed change or rejuvenate the great religion:

 

• Caste system reforms.
  
• Reducing no. of Gods. 10-15 is the ideal number. Every hindu prays to all or any one of these Gods: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Durga, Ganesh and Hanuman. One thing is clear “cow is not a God”.
  
• Martial arts schools. Power listens to power only. We need to strengthen our brothers to fight if necessary.
  
• Schools for Vedanta literature and handling rituals.
  
• Uniting Hindus all over world.
  
• Establishing centre to discuss about God and social systems.
  
• Establishing panel for rewriting some of our religious books.
  
• Expanding Hinduism all over the world. Because it’s the only answer for world peace and the way to realize God.

Please remember Sri Adi Shankaracharya and Swami Vivekananda preached change during their period, opposed some of the systems in Hinduism and united all hindus.

Thanks for reading this article. Discuss your views with me. Please exchange this article with many of your friends, family and discuss this.

[bija]

 

Reducing no. of Gods. 10-15 is the ideal number. Every hindu prays to all or any one of these Gods: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Durga, Ganesh and Hanuman. One thing is clear “cow is not a God”.

 

This is a new concept for me. Reducing Gods. To a set number. Like supermarket shelf items (less confusion)? Please explain?

 

 

 

 

Martial arts schools. Power listens to power only. We need to strengthen our brothers to fight if necessary.

 

This concerns me. Maybe you could explain more please?

[RadhaMukunda]

No, I don't think your idea is sound. There shouldn't be rewriting of ancient books. We have been trying for ages to preserve our holy texts. What would happen if every hundred year people started making some addition to the Bhagavad Gita? After millennia what would be left of the original text? Of course, people can write modern perspective on ancient texts, but never manipulate the original.

 

I am not so sure about reducing Gods either. Let's say my Ishta Deva is Ayyappa. Is that accepted accorded to your selection of Gods? Come on, you cannot make decisions like this. You simply don't have the right to do this.

 

Martial arts is a nice sport. People should practise it, but only if they enjoy it. There is no need to school Hindus specifically in martial arts. In case of what? Fight with muslims? Or are you trying to take over the world?

 

This is exactly what I was afraid of. Followers of Vivekanda who start to get ashamed of their own Hindu religion.

[vivek.gms]

 

This is a new concept for me. Reducing Gods. To a set number. Like supermarket shelf items (less confusion)? Please explain?

 

First we should understand why there are so many gods. Huge no. of Gods exist in India, due to different sects bringing their own Gods. (Each ancient society have its own set of Gods). Sri Krishna during his stay at Gokul, opposes praying of Varun and Indra. When I say reducing GOds, it means we should stop praying to Small Village Gods, Navagrahas, etc.

 

In Hindu system, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Durga and Ganesh are 5 prime Gods and given most importance. Apart from them regionally there are 5-10 other Gods which are believed by people. Reducing no. of Gods will remove confusion and will free people from bondages.

 

"If not agreed please let me know why we need so many Gods?"

[vivek.gms]

 

This is a new concept for me. Reducing Gods. To a set number. Like supermarket shelf items (less confusion)? Please explain?

 

 

 

 

This concerns me. Maybe you could explain more please?

Quote:

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<!-- END TEMPLATE: bbcode_quote -->This concerns me. Maybe you could explain more please?

 

We Hindus are peace loving people. But, its not same with every other community outside India or religion. For self defence we need Martial arts schools. In ancient times all our yogis used to learn martial arts to defend them from animals and it was useful for buddists in various parts of world to defend themselves.

 

Now its time we learn skill with passion to defend ourselves when required. It's practical to be powerful as individual and community. It will help for proper functioning of society.

[vivek.gms]

 

No, I don't think your idea is sound. There shouldn't be rewriting of ancient books. We have been trying for ages to preserve our holy texts. What would happen if every hundred year people started making some addition to the Bhagavad Gita? After millennia what would be left of the original text? Of course, people can write modern perspective on ancient texts, but never manipulate the original.

 

I am not so sure about reducing Gods either. Let's say my Ishta Deva is Ayyappa. Is that accepted accorded to your selection of Gods? Come on, you cannot make decisions like this. You simply don't have the right to do this.

 

Martial arts is a nice sport. People should practise it, but only if they enjoy it. There is no need to school Hindus specifically in martial arts. In case of what? Fight with muslims? Or are you trying to take over the world?

 

This is exactly what I was afraid of. Followers of Vivekanda who start to get ashamed of their own Hindu religion.

Some of our religious texts support caste system and in process degrade some castes. (Please remember I belongs to upper caste and saw people quoting religios texts for scolding/degrading others).

 

Some texts contradict other texts. Why this happened? Our religious texts were modified to suit some castes. We need reforms. Some texts should be modified by appropriet authority.

[Amlesh]

 

Some of our religious texts support caste system and in process degrade some castes. (Please remember I belongs to upper caste and saw people quoting religios texts for scolding/degrading others).

 

Some texts contradict other texts. Why this happened? Our religious texts were modified to suit some castes. We need reforms. Some texts should be modified by appropriet authority.

I don't think we need to modify anything. The text in its pristine/original form are without errors and timeless.

 

It's we that misinterpret them and create Caste System instead of understanding the real essence of Varna Vyavastha.

 

Trying to modify the existing will create more strife... what we might think as good or might sounds good may not be so in substance or in the long run.

 

Sometimes back people created the magna carta for the betterment of this world.. for sometime it appeared so.. but in the end, nevertheless, we have been confronted with the Financial Calamity, Food Shortage et al.

 

The Bibal, Quran and other religious guide whose origin can be traced or religions created due to circumstance do have a nice impact in the begining.. since they have been modified to suit some purpose even though selfless... those religions will certainly not hold the same nice impacts with time.

 

Vedas survived and its text is perfectly valid even now and will continue to do so because it is not a circumstance-wise created religion or religion at all... it is timeless and perfect.

 

Modification is not that important.. it will meet the same dead old end.

[bija]

 

First we should understand why there are so many gods. Huge no. of Gods exist in India, due to different sects bringing their own Gods. (Each ancient society have its own set of Gods). Sri Krishna during his stay at Gokul, opposes praying of Varun and Indra. When I say reducing GOds, it means we should stop praying to Small Village Gods, Navagrahas, etc.

Dear Vivek, I am not Indian born, and have never been to India. So, your back ground is much deeper than mine both in culture, understanding, and heritage.

 

But here is my thought anyhow. In regards to village folk and their Gods, how would you implement in their minds what can be worshipped and what cannot be worshipped?

 

History has proven all over the world, that even if tribal people are invoked to worship some more common deity, they usually still incorporate their traditional customs into the new system.

 

kind regards.

[Amlesh]

What we need is to bring back that same old Truth which is Eternal and Perfect.

[suchandra]

 

What we need is to bring back that same old Truth which is Eternal and Perfect.

 

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Thanks Amlesh - good point!

[theist]

 

What we need is to bring back that same old Truth which is Eternal and Perfect.

I also appreciate this mood. It's not hindu spiritualism or christian spiritualism that is needed it is as Amlesh has said...Eternal Truth.

[Amlesh]

 

I also appreciate this mood. It's not hindu spiritualism or christian spiritualism that is needed it is as Amlesh has said...Eternal Truth.

 

I know what you mean Theist... it's just that many are too much attached to their culture and country that they can't see we are all beyond that.

 

Everybody has to follow one's own culture and know how to respect others culture.

 

But the power of spirit is what which is needed to prime, as what you always tirelessly try to point out.

[Amlesh]

 

 

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Thanks Amlesh - good point!

 

In fact, it's our duty to thank you. You always provide us information in its pristine form.

[suchandra]

 

In fact, it's our duty to thank you. You always provide us information in its pristine form.

 

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Thanks Amlesh, ultimately, since our eternal constitution is to cooperate it is the sanga which leads to success, individuals rather become arrogant, proud, feel offended, etc etc.

 

nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam

eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

tam atma-stham ye ’nupasyanti dhiras

tesham shantih sasvati netaresam

 

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the prime eternal among all eternals. He is the supreme conscious living entity of all conscious living entities, and He alone is maintaining all of them.”

 

[Katha Upanisad 2.2.13]

[theist]

 

I know what you mean Theist... it's just that many are too much attached to their culture and country that they can't see we are all beyond that.

 

Everybody has to follow one's own culture and know how to respect others culture.

 

But the power of spirit is what which is needed to prime, as what you always tirelessly try to point out.

 

Not tirelessly. LOL But it is an important fact for spiritual progress. It is the influence of ahankara that makes one identify as a Indian Hindu or an Arab Muslim or an American Christian. Same force convinces the jiva that he isa stool eating hog.

 

In th beginning a person in some region of the world gets a glimpse of light from his regions holy book and immediately does he identify that truth as coming from that that book and culture alone. He sees 'Hindu spiritualism' or Christian truth. IOW's we cannot conceive of the truth apart from the ahakara that covers us. We try to cover the truth with our own false ego instead of allowing the truth to free us from our false ego.

 

In the beginning it must be like this but we need to grow beyond this level of thought.

[Amlesh]

 

Not tirelessly. LOL But it is an important fact for spiritual progress. It is the influence of ahankara that makes one identify as a Indian Hindu or an Arab Muslim or an American Christian. Same force convinces the jiva that he isa stool eating hog.

 

In th beginning a person in some region of the world gets a glimpse of light from his regions holy book and immediately does he identify that truth as coming from that that book and culture alone. He sees 'Hindu spiritualism' or Christian truth. IOW's we cannot conceive of the truth apart from the ahakara that covers us. We try to cover the truth with our own false ego instead of allowing the truth to free us from our false ego.

 

In the beginning it must be like this but we need to grow beyond this level of thought.

 

I'm really lucky to have the association of the likes of You, Suchandra, Bhaktajan, Bija, Sarva, Mahak... I mean all the Students of Srila in this Forum. And even all those from the different school of thoughts [bishadi, SriKanth, Kaisersose, and all those in the Forum]. I've learnt many things from you all.

 

And of course... that Ahankara is still in me for me to find that tiring. But personally I've improved a lot concerning fearlessness et al by the Cyber Association.

 

Last but not the least Thank you Janva Nitai Das.