Hinduism is probably world's oldest religion. Yoga, Karma, Guru etc. word frequently used by Americans belong to Hindu vocabulary. World know a lot about Hinduism but there are some facts which will bend your mind.
- Hinduism is world's third largest religion, following Christianity and Islam. But what makes it interesting is that 90% of Hindus live in a single nation i.e. India. Now that's amazing.
- Hindus believe in Circular time rather than linear time which is being popularized by western world. Each cycle has four main periods called Yugas - Satya Yuga , Tretha Yuga, Dwapara Yuga, Kali Yuga. In last people become very greedy so everything is destroyed and is started all over again.
- It is the oldest religion. The Rigveda, which is a religious book is written about 3800 years ago. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rig_Veda)
- Rig Veda was orally passed for 3500+ years in parallel. And yet, its current form has no major discrepancies. It is indeed a stupendous achievement that a major body of work can be orally passed between people in such a large nation with no loss in quality/content. (http://elearning.la.psu.edu/rlst001/lesson-2/lesson-2.3)
- Unlike other Religions, Hinduism doesn't consider pursuit of wealth as a sin. It has god and goddesses (Laxmi, Kuber and Vishnu) that represent wealth and prosperity. Hinduism has a 4 level hierarchy - Kama (pursuit of pleasures including sexual/sensual) - Artha (pursuit of livelihood , wealth and power), Dharma (pursuit of philosophy, religion and doing duties to society) andMoksha (liberation) and we progress from the top to bottom.
- Hinduism is the parent religion for 2 of the other major religions of South Asia - Buddhism and Sikhism. It is also closely associated with its sister religion - Jainism.
- The Hindu epic of Mahabharatha - that is often used to teach the principles of Hinduism - is written in 1.8 million words long poem (10X the combined length of the Illiad and Odyssey) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata)
- Unlike all other major religions, we don't have a founder or a prophet (like Moses, Abraham, Jesus, Mohammad or Buddha). According to Hindus, the religion has no origin (again coming back to the circular concept)
- Unlike Christians or Muslims, we go to the temple at any time, any day. There are no special Sabbath, Sunday congregations or Friday prayers.
- Hindus don't mourn for anything and believe that happiness is the highest form of religious achievement. Thus, unlike most other religions there is no sad festivals for us where we are supposed to mourn.
- Hindus hold Ganga as the purest of all waters and believe that bathing in it can purify them of their sins. While part of it is myth, there is also a scientific reason. (http://www.quora.com/Why-is-it-believed-that-the-Ganges-is-self-cleaning/answers/1566428)
- Kumbh Mela. It is considered to be largest peaceful gathering in the world with over 100 million people visiting during the Maha Kumbh Mela in 2013. Most of the sadhus and saints are said to be in samadhi and appear only to kumbh mela (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbh_Mela)
- The most mind boggling thing about Hinduism is the fact that atheism is a part of Hinduism. Take the example of following verse which proves this point - Who really knows? Who will here proclaim it? Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation
Who then knows whence it has arisen?
Whence this creation has arisen
-perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not
the One who looks down on it,
in the highest heaven, only He knows
or perhaps even He does not know.
- Nasadiya Shloka, Rig Veda c.1700 - 1100 BC
0 comments:
Post a Comment