THE BEAUTY OF HINDUISM - THE GREAT ABSORBER, ASSIMILIATOR AND RELIGION OF PEACE

THE BEAUTY OF HINDUISM -  THE GREAT ABSORBER, ASSIMILIATOR AND RELIGION OF PEACE

The Hindu Religion or Hindu Faith defies definition. A Non-Prophetic Religion which originated in the Indian Subcontinent and remained and still remains the dominant socio-cultural force here -with over 1 billion (100 crore) adherents across India and world -  is today world’s third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Hinduism symbolizes the Epitome of Religious Tolerance, Exemplary Social Harmony, the development of Non-Violence (Ahimsa) up to it’s pinnacle, and huge democracy in the manner and form of worship, and it’s richness is best manifest  in the plurality of it’s gods and goddesses and more importantly  in the vast diversity exhibited among it’s followers- culturally, socially and even in matters of Philosophy and rituals.]

Hinduism was born in India in pre-historic times. The Religion took a definitive shape when flocks of Indo-Aryans (A branch of the illustrious Aryan race) appeared on the North-Western frontiers of India. When they reached the land occupying modern Afghanistan, it is believed, then Rig Veda was composed- the first of the Four Vedas, which collectively form the bed rock and foundational base of Hindu Wisdom. The Indo Aryans initially faced some resistance from the local inhabitants, namely the Dravidians but soon a unity was forged and the process of synthesis initiated, which led to the formation of first loose framework of Nascent Hinduism. Hinduism fundamentally is the bye-product of cultural interbreeding between the Newcomer Aryans and Native Dravidians. Thus we find that Hinduism is foundationed in the values of mutual acceptance, social synthesis and win-win paradigm.

Hinduism is the oldest major living institution of the World, it has passed the test of time. It has faced various foreign invasions, revolts, hostile religious movements and various existential threats. It continues to live and flourish inspite of all these. The religion has lived with one of it’s ugliest and cruelest parts for millennia – the most critical manifestation of caste system – untouchability. The practice of untouchability or segregation of lower castes has incidentally become so much associated with the Religion that it is believed by many to have Religious sanction, which in reality is a gross misrepresentation and distortion of the spirit of Hinduism. It is the hijacking of the Agenda of Hinduism to fulfill selfish interests. The Religious Tradition which tends to imbibe the values of Universal love for creation and sees God in all and all in God can never discriminate even between members of different religions forget between co-religionists.

Hinduism is the Great Embracer, it has accepted all the Foreign which came here so much so that the Foreign never remained Foreign and became an integral and inseparable part of this land. But Hinduism is far from impeccable, it’s society has been subject to superstitions and some of the worst social evils, namely sati (the burning of widow on the funeral pyres of her husband, child marriage, and many other social evils, other than the infamous unequal hierarchial social structure (The Caste System).

But it is the dynamism of Hinduism which has always helped it. Right since the Upanishads, then Jainism-Buddhism, followed by Bhakti-Sufi movement and finally the Modern Age of India commencing under the revolutionary Raja Ram Mohan Roy are clear historical events which have rejuvenated the Hindu society and commenced new age revolutions. The secret for this dynamism could lie in the fact that Hinduism has never believed in the Singularity of truth. No religion, no prophet, no scripture, no philosophy is supposed to be the ultimate final word on truth. No one has the monopoly over Truth. Thus the spirit of enquiry for the Spiritual-Religious truth has always been the norm here. Hinduism is a  universal and global religion and the essence of it’s creed may be thus stated in this Sanskrit Prayer – LOKA SAMASTAH SUKHINO BHAVANTU’ (MAY THE ENTIRE WORLD BE HAPPY).

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