SUMMARY OF SCRIPTURES. Chapter Eight

Hindooism is one of the oldest faiths of the universe. The distinctive feature of this faith is its manner of saving and extension through poetries recited by the sages and Brahmans who were believed to be the highest advocates of cognition. They were the supreme authorization of mind allowed to leave wisdom to the undermentioned coevalss through unwritten chants. non written scriptures or holy books.

Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . “the earliest Bibles of the religion now known as Hindooism are believed to hold been composed between 1200 BCE and 1000BCE by the Aryans who began to settle in North West India in approximately 1500 BCE” . They called this a period of Vedic age ( 2003 ) .

Vedic literatures are claimed to be unwritten manuscripts of original messages heard from the Supreme Gods by the Spiritual Ascetics of the clip. The instructions were through recitation and acquisition by hearing. There are Four Vedas. Rig Veda. Sam Veda. Atharva Veda and Yajur Veda. Each bears a systematic narrative of the faith and its rites for the followings of Hinduism. Each Veda is chronologically divided into four viz. . Samhita. Brahmana. Aranyaka and Upanishads. The Vedic texts were traditionally called ‘shruti’ intending ‘hearing’ in Sanskrit. ‘Smriti’ means memory ( Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) . Sanskrit pronunciation. transition of sound. pitch. initial rhyme of each poetry was given extreme importance at the clip of recitation

Mahabharata and Ramayana are two heroic poems of the Hindu Mythology. written from memory by sages Ved Vyasa and Valmiki severally. They depict narratives of ideal personifications of Human behaviour. embodied with ace human virtuousnesss and powers. These worlds were re embodiments of the Gods and had come to Earth to salvage the good against the bad. The intent was to animate the positive and destruct the evil prevalent in society of that clip. Gita is a series of shlokas. a duologue between Krishna and Arjun. and is considered to be the most of import of all instructions in the Mahabharata. It is besides acclaimed as the best book of direction by intellectuals even till today. Gita clarifies confusions of the human head and suggests righteous solutions to every state of affairs of day-to-day life.

THE BEGINNINGS OF HINDUISM. Chapter Thirteen

“Vedic faith is the faith of the Aryans and the chief beginning of our cognition

about it comes from the Vedas” ( Cole. O. W. and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) . The Vedic Religion of the Aryans remarks. Aryans were people of European Origin who spread westward every bit far as Ireland and Eastward every bit far as Iran and India. They entered India in approximately 1700 BCE and replaced the laterality of the Indus Valley Culture with their ain ( Cole. O. W. and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) .

Forces of nature were worshipped as Supreme beings and forfeits were offered to pacify them in times of natural catastrophes. Intermingling of Aryans and Dravidians brought approximately newer signifiers of Gods and divinities and developed into idol worship. Hymns of the Rig Veda. the oldest of the four Vedas in ‘Purush Sukta’ a text of the aboriginal adult male provinces. Brahmans were created from the oral cavity of the Purusha. Kshatriyas were created from his weaponries. Workers. Vaishyas from his thighs and Shudras from this pess ( Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) . The caste system was prevailing in the same hierarchy. Further. the Sun came from the oculus of the Purusha. Gods Agni and Indra from his oral cavity. Earth from his pess ( Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) .

The Aryans believed in a cosmic principal. Balance of nature. saving and care of natural resources. a carbon monoxide being with the Universe was the attack of life. “Much of the accent in Aryan Religion was upon a successful happy life” ( Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) .

The Hindus still observe spiritual rites of idolizing all animals of nature. the heavenly organic structures in the Universe and forces of Nature as Gods. divinities and still chant anthem from the Vedas on auspicious occasions as per the Hindu calendar explains a Hindu. Rig-Veda Brahmin in a personal penetration.

SOME ASPECTS OF HINDUISM TODAY. Chapter SEVENTEEN.

Hindooism is a faith of diverse tolerance. flexible attack. and systematic rites for the well being of every subdivision of society. It has promoted multiple beliefs and religions but the ultimate purpose of the faith has ever been – redemption from enduring. Liberation from the rhythm of life and decease. And attainment of province of ultimate cloud nine. in unison with the cosmic energy of the Universe.

India has been ruled. plundered and governed by many dynasties. male monarchs. Emperors and Rulers of the World for more than 50 centuries. Despite this history it has managed to maintain its original faith Hinduism intact and alive even today. Through triumphs and lickings have come alterations in its pattern. But it has ever ameliorated to accommodate itself with the times and got recognized as an unfastened minded faith. Convenient readings of the spiritual rites gave birth to several schools of idea. Cults and motions of Hinduism in the West. ISKCON in 1980s. Prabhupada in the United States. Advait. Brahma Kumari. Mahesh Yogi. and many others amassed members of other civilizations into this faith ( Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) . The wane and tide of its popularity continued. before and after Indian independency in 1947.

“Sir Sarvapali Radhakrishnan. Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethical motives at Oxford and President of India ( 1962-67 ) was an rational who brought up an consciousness of the reconditeness of Hinduism to the remainder of the universe. ” ( Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) . Swami Vivekananda in the World conference of faiths in Chicago gave a fascinated talk on Hinduism and elated its position in all other known faiths of the universe.

United Kingdom is home to maximal figure of Indian Hindus today. Students are free to analyze Religions of the universe in school. Nonnatural speculation. based upon Vedanta has gained popularity with the westerners without interfering into their spiritual beliefs ( Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) .

It is hard to follow a life style. codification of behavior laid down by Hinduism in the signifier of celibacy. abstention from intoxicant. drugs. baccy and vegetarianism But the kernel of the codification is to better and heighten quality of human life. both mental and physical for all persons in any society.

A scientific footing in the name of faith is the true apprehension of Hinduism.

FAMILY RITUALS AND CEREMONIES. CHAPTER SEVEN.

All Hindus have specific spiritual rites for every juncture or event in life. But they vary as per bomber caste and line of descent. All Brahmans are connected to one of the four Vedas and their rites excessively trace to the same. The Rig Vedic Brahmins have different rites than the YajurVedic Brahmins. Categorization of the samskaras. traditional rites is good divided as per Vedas. Sub castes. Familial beginning –gotra. household roots- divinities and so the household in individual. There is a systematic process laid down for all household events and all Hindus and Brahmins are cognizant of their specifications of rites for happy and sad occasions in the household. This is to invalidate contentions and ambiguity of executing rites for each one of them. All the rites have a scientific footing much beyond the comprehension of the common adult male.

Family rites and Ceremonies. province 16 traditional samskaras for a transition of life of every Hindu. Brahmin. Before the birth of a babe. its construct. supplications for a boy. Hair separating. Birth ceremonials. calling ceremonial. first excursions. solid nutrient. first haircut. piercing the ears. sacred thread ceremonial. first lessons of Bibles. terminal of Vedic instruction. rites of an grownup. matrimony ceremonial. homeowner phase of life. retirement and the cremation ( Cole. O. W and Kanitkar. H. . 2003 ) are all good informed and inscribed for each household and its member. The priest for each household differs as per Vedic line of descent and merely he is qualified to execute the rites for a peculiar ceremonial.

Rituals are a signifier of paying testimonial to important minutes of a developing single. Constraints of clip and a fast paced life in modern India have reduced them to a great extent but knowing Brahmans do execute them with extreme earnestness even till today. They respect the scientific grounds behind each and recognize the virtues of samskaras for the benefit of the person and his household. non merely in the society but in the Universe as a whole ( personal penetration from a Hindu Brahmin ) .

Bibliography

Cole. O. W. . Kanitkar. H. . ( 2003 ) .Teach Yourself Hinduism.( 2 ) . McGraw-Hill

“Teach Yourself Hinduism” .Amazon. comretrieved on April 12. 2007.