Questions from a Hindu in the West

[Guest guest]

The following interesting set of questions arrived on our site.

I think it shows the anguish of a young Hindu in the West

trying to make sense of her religion.....

 

Answers welcome. (They can go directly to her or be sent via the

list).........jay Vivekananda Centre London

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~from Tanuja tanuja89 ~~~~~~~~~

 

To the reader,

I am a student in college in america. i have lived all my life in india and

am really sad to say have not been taught to seek the truth: be it in

religion, in news or even in the day to day school life.

When i did come here many people explained their religions and we debated on

the source of the faith. Christianity, Islam, Judaism all have a point of

start. My question is where and how did the hindu religion start. who

started it? it there a chronological order to the avatars and if so what is

it? The lenghty texts of the upanishads and vedas all have extremely wise

and pious thoughts which i bow down to but i want to know where the faith

that i have stood by and that some one billione people in the world are

following came from?

i am not looking for theories i want to know for sure. Only if I am

convinced of and know my faith with i be able to hold my head up high in

front of others.

The Gita says that the atman must merge with parmatma when it has attained

self realisation. But why did the atman break away from parmatma in the

first place?

i also want to know if there are any historical dates as the formation of

the universe in our religion. what do we believe when we think as to the

formation of the earth?

i am not looking for an idealistic feel good answer. i want to know the

truth. this might sound to you liek a string of complains but to me its the

questions that i must answer to my self and others.

please reply to this message and help me find the right answer.

pranam

Tanuja

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

I cannot recommend a better introduction to the subject than Sw.

Vivekananda on the Vedas and Upanishads, by Sister Gayatriprana:

 

http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/veda.htm

 

 

This is what Swamiji preached and practised for the whole of

humanity, not 'Western or Eastern' listeners.

 

If Tanuja does not find the answers here, she will not find them

anywhere else, except in her own heart.

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

 

 

Ramakrishna, " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda@b...>

wrote:

> The following interesting set of questions arrived on our site.

> I think it shows the anguish of a young Hindu in the West

> trying to make sense of her religion.....

>

> Answers welcome. (They can go directly to her or be sent via the

> list).........jay Vivekananda Centre London

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~from Tanuja tanuja89@h... ~~~~~~~~~

>

> To the reader,

> I am a student in college in america. i have lived all my life in

india and

> am really sad to say have not been taught to seek the truth: be it

in

> religion, in news or even in the day to day school life.

> When i did come here many people explained their religions and we

debated on

> the source of the faith. Christianity, Islam, Judaism all have a

point of

> start. My question is where and how did the hindu religion start.

who

> started it? it there a chronological order to the avatars and if so

what is

> it? The lenghty texts of the upanishads and vedas all have extremely

wise

> and pious thoughts which i bow down to but i want to know where the

faith

> that i have stood by and that some one billione people in the world

are

> following came from?

> i am not looking for theories i want to know for sure. Only if I am

> convinced of and know my faith with i be able to hold my head up

high in

> front of others.

> The Gita says that the atman must merge with parmatma when it has

attained

> self realisation. But why did the atman break away from parmatma in

the

> first place?

> i also want to know if there are any historical dates as the

formation of

> the universe in our religion. what do we believe when we think as to

the

> formation of the earth?

> i am not looking for an idealistic feel good answer. i want to know

the

> truth. this might sound to you liek a string of complains but to me

its the

> questions that i must answer to my self and others.

> please reply to this message and help me find the right answer.

> pranam

> Tanuja

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~