WORLD RELIGION HINDUISM WHAT IS RELIGION RELIGION the

WORLD RELIGION: HINDUISM

WHAT IS RELIGION ? ?

RELIGION: the way or path or road’ by which we can reach our destiny, we achieve our goals of life. It’s the intermediary between god and man by which we get salvation from this life

HINDUISM

ORIGIN OF HINDUISM VEDIC NON-VEDIC INDO-ARYANS JAINISM & BUDDHISM CULTURAL AMALGAMATION

Concept of God Brahman Have different names & forms: Vishnu, Shiva or Shakti Karma & Reincarnation Law of cause & effect Cycle of birth & death-samsara Spiritual practice – sadhana Salvation - Moksha Concept of Avatars Incarnations of God BASIC TEACHINGS AND CONCEPTS Multiple ways to reach God (Yoga) Bhakti Yoga – path of love & devotion Karma yoga – path of right action Raja Yoga – path of meditation Jnana Yoga – path of mystical understanding 4 Goals of life 4 Stages in life 4 Caste

CONCEPT OF GOD : BRAHMAN "Brahman is knowledge", "I am Brahman”, "The Self (or the Soul) is Brahman" "All this that we see in the world is Brahman", "Brahman is existence, consciousness, and happiness" BRAHMA - CREATOR SHIVA- DESTROYER DIFFERENT NAMES AND FORMS VISHNU - PRESERVER

CONCEPT OF GOD : BRAHMAN RELATION OF GOD & HUMAN SOUL RELATION OF BRAHMAN & ATMAN “ I am the Atman… the Atman is Brahman; there is nothing Anywhere but Brahman; all else is ……unreality”. Pooli, a great woman saint said: “If you do not attain your own self, if you do not experience Supreme bliss, then what is the use of living? Do not dogs and pigs Also live? Do not trees also live? Do not rocks also exist in this world? ” (book: Where are you going, Swami Maktunanda)

Karma & Reincarnation

BRAHMINS Priest Teacher Advisor to rulers KSHATRIYAS Warriors King / Ruler VAISHYAS Merchants Traders SHUDRAS Labors Servant

STUDENT Clothing, subjects, length of schooling differ for each caste HOUSE HOLDER All are obligated to marry & start a household RETIREMENT Forest-dweller Hermit ASCETIC WORLNEGATING Any Person Any Time

DHARMA Virtue And Duties ARTHA Economic & political Success KAMA Pleasure & Aesthetic Enjoyment MOKSHA Release or Liberation

PRACTICES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP Worship (puja) – image of God(murti) - Japa (mantra) – recitation of scriptures Temple worship – Hindu priest (Pandas) – prasada Satsang – gathering for study & discussion – sadhu-sanga (company of righteous people Devotional singing (Bhajhan) – important part of Hindu worship On the path of God, two places of worship mark the stages The material temple, and the temple of the heart, Make your better endeavor, to worship at the temple of heart. (Ilm Magazine)

Birth Jatakarma – Birth Ceremony Namakarma- Naming Ceremony Nishkarmana – First Outing Annaprasana- First Feeding Karnavedha – Ear Piercing Mundan – Hair-cuting Upanayana – Sacred Thread Three Vows – Respect Knowledge, Parents and Society Marriages BIRTH AND MARRIAGE RITUALS Marriage - Sanskar Jathakam- Astrological Chart Mandap – Mangala Sootra- Kanya Daan Fera and Mantra – Saptapadi (Seven Steps) Sindoor- Ashirvada (Blessings)

HINDU SCRIPTURES SCRIPTURE: It is the ‘sacred text’, which plays the major role in Religion. It’s the basis for all human’s life. It defines moral or legal codes, myths and legends, historical Tales, divine revelation, hymns or prayers, words of Prophets or teachers.

HOLY BOOKS: VEDAS root word, Vid means to know, Vedas means knowledge Hymns/ praise to God SAMHITAS Rituals & prayers to guide Oldest – 1028 hymns Handbook by priest CONTENTS BRAHMANAS UPANISHADS Rig-Veda Yajur- Veda ARANYAKAS Sama-Veda BRANCHES Worship & Meditation Mystical/philosophical teachings Chant/ tunes for singing Atharva-Veda Preserves tradition – magical formula

BHAGAVAD - GITA Known as ‘song (gita) of the adorable ones’ Also called ‘new testament of hinduism’ Primarily a dialogue between Bharata brothers I. e. Arjuna and his charioteers, Krishna revealed as Bhagavad or Lord PURANAS Means ‘ancient tales’ Contains stories about gods I. e Rama, Krishna and others. Source for knowledge - Translated into english: Vishnu Purana & Bhagavata Purana RAMAYANA ‘the story of Rama’ is oldest epic poem of India 24, 000 couplet verses tells how God Vishnu manifest in the form of Rama Its story about Rama and Ravana battle as well as Sita and Hanuman. MAHABHARATA ‘the great Bharata’ epic Tells early rivalries in the land of Bharat I. e. Five Pandavas & 100 Kauravas Contain 18, 000 couplets – prime source for knowledge

Hindu Festivals: Diwali = Festivals of light Sanskrit word origin, ‘Dipavali’ means row of light All places, houses Two goddess celebrated: Dates of Diwali decorated with diyas Lakshmi and Kali Lit to help goddess Return of Rama Lakshmi: goddess of Wealth ----Lakshmi And Sita rangooli (lotus) New year festival Falls in Oct & Nov

Celebrates victory of, Good over evils, Light over darkness, Knowledge over ignorance Diwali Legends Killing of Demon Narakaasura • Abducted 16, 000 girls & Earrings of Aditi, mother of gods Islam Eid celebration Eid-ul fitr – overcome bad habits, Actions & thoughts Ismaili Navroz festival: new day • Lord Krishna killed him, freed girls And recovered earrings. The night is black, Kindle the lamp of love With thy love and devotion” Sikhs and Jains • Sikh festival because of release of 6 th Guru (Hargobind Singh, 1619) from prison • Foundation stone of temple at Amritsar (1577) • Attaining Moksha by founder of Jainism, Lord Mahavira Killing of Demon Ravana • Ten arms & ten heads, kidnapped The wife of Ram. • Ram, 14 years of exile from Ayodhya, Killed demon and recovered his wife And returned home in moonless night

HINDU FESTIVALS: HOLI Spring festival of fertility and harvest, referred to 7 th cen. Sanskrit drama, Ratnaval LEGEND OF PRAHALAD AND HOLIKA Harvesting festival In Northern areas & Chitral FESTIVAL OF COLOUR

HINDU FESTIVAL: NAVARATRI(DURGA PUJA) NINE DAYS WORSHIP: Motherhood Durga, Lakshmi & Saraswati of God -God as mother Durga, Mother Goddess --- power---demon Mahishasura (9 days & nights) -Durga met her mother 9 days in a year. -women plant 9 different kinds of food (harvest) Dasera -On 10 th day, image of Durga cast into water - celebrate victory of Rama over Ravana

OTHER HINDU FESTIVALS DESCRIPTIONS Ganesh Chaturthi Birthday of Lord Ganesh. Hanuman Jayanti Birth of Hanuman Krishna Jayanti Birth of Krishna Mahashivratri Dedicated to Shiva Makar Sakrant First festival of solar calendar year Raksha Bandhan Celebrates brotherhood & love Rama Navami Birth of Lord Rama

All religions are same. “Consider his own religion to be best and makes much clamor. But when his mind is illuminated by knowledge, all such quarrelling disappears”. Whatever path men travel Its my path; No matter where they walk It leads to me.