Hindu Philosophy

ICF Hindu Temple of Oklahoma

Balavikas

The Scriptures of Hinduism

Vedas(revealed by God directly)

(Apaurusheyas)

Rig Veda(Hymns in praise of

divine)

Yajur Veda(Hymns used in religious

rites)

Atharva Veda(guides man in

material & daily living)

Sama Veda(Rig Veda set in music)

Parts of Vedas

Mantras(Hymns)

Upanishads(Essence of Vedas)

Aranyakas(Forest books mystical)

Upanishads (108 in all)12 are most important

1. Isa 2. Kena 3. Katha 4. Prasna 5. Mundaka 6. Mandukya 7. Aitareya 8. Taittiriya9. Chandogya 10. Brihadaranyaka 11. Kaushitaki 12. Svetasvatara

1. The Srutis

Upavedas or Subsidiary Vedas

Ayurveda(health & medicine)

Arthashastra(state administration

policy)

Gandharvaveda(music & dance)

Dhanurveda(science of Archery)

Vedangas

1. Siksha 2. Vyakarana 3. Nirukta 4. Chandas Shastra 5. Kalpashastra 6. Jyotisha

2. Smritis(which one remembered)

Human Composition(list of codes & rules of everyday

life)

Day of Brahma is called Kalpa

Satya or Krita Yuga Treta Yuga Dwapara Yuga Kali Yuga

Smritis(18 in number)

Manu Yajnavalkya Shankha Likhita Parashara

3. Ramayana

Ramayana Mahabharata Yogavasista Harivamsa

4. The Puranas

18 Puranas

(most popular)

Bhagavata Vishnu Markandeya

18 Upapuranas(For ordinary people short stories convey the truths of

Vedas & Dharmashastras)

Ø1. God is everywhere - Narsihma Avatara

Ø2. Power of purity - story of Savitri

Ø3. Importance of prayer - story of Dhruva

Ø4. Story of Devotion - Markandeya story

Ø5. Looking after your elders - story of Shravana

Ø6. Story of generosity - story of Sibi king

Ø7. Story of Truth - story of king Harischandra

Ø8. Poorest gift given of love is enough to please God - story of Sudama

The Ten Incarnations

1. Matsya 2. Kurma 3. Varaha 4. Narasimha 5. Vamana6. Parasurama 7. Rama 8. Krishna 9. Buddha 10. Kalki

5. Agamas(Disciplines & doctrines of worship

of each deity

1. Shaiva

2. Vaishnava

3. Shakta

Shaiva sidhanta in south

Pratyabhijna system in Kashmir

Pancharatra (more popular it is believed to be revealed by great God

Vaikhasana

Glorifies Devi

Agama

1. Philosophy & spiritual knowledge behind worship

of each deity.

2. Yoga mental discipline required for worship.

3. Rules for constructing temples.

6. Darshanas(Visions – there are 6

schools of philosophy)

1. Nyaya by Gautama Rishi

3. Sankhya by Kapila Muni

2. Vaiseshika by Kannada

4. Yoga by Patanjali

5. Mimansa by Jaimini

6. Vedanta by Badarayana (Vyasa)

Religion

Religion is the remedy for a particular unrest felt by the human being when he or she has all the

best that life has to offer. Religion is the technique by which we set our minds and intellects

trained to grasp and understand the larger theme of the universe and our own place in it.

All the spiritual literature of the world says unhappy state of mind need not be

ours. Each individual learns the art of approving life correctly everyone can be happy and be

successful. We have in each one of us all the resources, abilities, energy and power for building

up supremely happy and successful life, not only for ourselves but for others around us also.

Everyone is born with a great potential within himself or herself and if we order our

behavior so as to nurture and nourish that potential our life will be well spent and our success

depends on the amount of transformation we can bring about in our character and

behavior.The science of the spirit has a very practical use for us. The approach to life that helps

us to discover new strength to face challenge of life and a new courage of conviction to live

honestly serving others. That which provides us with such method and masterly living is true

religion.

Religion does not attempt to implore the conditions of the world. It does not grant us

higher standards of living or freedom from all our needs. Instead it teaches us a method for

creating in our selves the equipoise to stand up to life situations meeting efficiently the ever

changing world of challenges. A true religion imparts to us “the art of living”.

Science has conquered nature and human being as a result of knowledge accumulated

has gained mastery over the outer world. Despite the mastery over outer world we still feel

unhappy and unfulfilled. The great sages of the past taught that a particular kind of knowledge

can transform our lives and bring to us a fullness of transformation and that no other endeavor

yields “knowledge of our inner spiritual constitution”, a knowledge of our inner spiritual

constitution that gives us mastery of our lives.

The knowledge of which the sages spoke grew out of their analysis of human beings and

their contact with outer world. They designed the instruments that contact the world and their

experience life as the body, mind & intellect.

Religion is a scientific reevaluation of life. Like a scientist goes to lab for research, the

spiritual masters have retired to the cool and silent valleys of the Himalayas to do their research

on human personality.

Material scientist uses outer world for their investigation. Spiritual master’s user inner world for their study. The philosophy of Hindus has emphasized the importance of experience more than the philosophy of the west. In Hindu philosophy Vedanta has the unique distinction of having based itself on the entire

range of human experience namely “waking, dream, and deep sleep”

Religion is the technique of perfect living of gaining better mastery of our selves e.g.

Bhagavad Gita: The transformation of Arjuna whose dialogue to Lord Krishna is an example of

how spiritual wisdom can transform one’s life.

What Is Hinduism

Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world and about four in five Indians in India is a Hindu. Besides India, Hinduism is also followed in Nepal, Bali and by millions of Indians that live overseas. Many cultures in Southeast Asia are influenced by Hinduism.

The history of Hindus, as we know today, goes back 5000 years, but Hindus believe that their religion is without beginning or end and is a continuous process even preceding the existence of our earth and many worlds beyond. The word "Hindu" is derived from the name given to people settled on the banks of river Sindu. It was corrupted by foreign visitors to the word "Hindu" and the faith was given the name "Hinduism" in the English language. Scholars however call it Brahmanical faith, meaning to attain Brahman or universal soul which is the aim of all Hindu thought. Philosophical thinkers of recent times do not like to describe it as mere religion, as it does not bring out adequately its great qualities and the universality of its outlook and free thinking. An atheist is not precluded from being a Hindu and no hell or doomsday is believed. It is therefore called "Sanathana Dharma" or "eternal religion." Others call it a fellowship of religions from its liberal absorption of all faiths of others.

Hinduism is very simple and yet very complex; it permeates totally the life of every Hindu from the moment of his or her birth, whether they are a believer or non-believer, a scholar or illiterate. For this reason Hinduism is called a way of life.

Before we go any further, we should realize that Hinduism is a rare faith with few "dos’’ and "don’ts’ postulated, but offers many spiritual paths available to different types of people. It accepts the reality that there is varying intellectual and spiritual levels in each one of us and all do not therefore take the same path, although the goal may be same. Hinduism is tailored to each individual with different aptitude, depending on if you are a philosopher or a poet, a mystic or or a person of action, an intellectual or a simple person of faith. This is a unique feature of Hinduism; it permits the greatest freedom of worship and insists that each person must be guided by his or her own individual spiritual experience. It does not accept dictatorship in religious guidance.

Another quality unique to Hinduism is its tolerance of other religious faiths and beliefs. In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna, worshiped as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, himself says, ‘’Whosoever follows my faith and worships me under whatsoever denomination in whatsoever form with steadfastness, his faith shall I indeed reinforce’’. Most other religions say, "Your religion is wrong and to follow it is a sin. Get converted to my religion and heaven will be yours." The lord worshiped by Hindus implies in effect, ‘’Come to me as a Hindu, Christian, Muslim or Sikh, I shall make you a better Hindu, Christian, Muslim, or Sikh." Conversion to Hinduism has never been a major issue and has never been done through force or wars, nor as a result of bigotry or by temptations offered to the economically week.

Hinduism, again unique amongst other religions, allows a Hindu to worship in a church, mosque or a gurudwara as freely as in a temple. Hinduism allows social change and scientific

progress. Yet is highly philosophical and sublime, aiming at ethical perfection. However it is most unfortunate that today even educated Hindus are often unaware as to what the religion teaches or stands for or what its fundamental beliefs are.

The freedom offered by this religion, which does not ask an individual to visit a temple once a week, has been misused and has led to widespread ignorance of what the religion stands for. This can be tracked to the urbanization of villages and breaking down of the family unit. While superstitions, which have nothing to do with the religion, are picked up, the meaning of the symbolism and mantras is lost. Religious rituals and rites are performed by family members on rare occasions, so children and adults do not have an understanding of their significance. In our balavikas class we will try to understand the significance of the philosophy behind some of the symbols and rituals.

The rishis were seers or sages to whom the Vedas were revealed by Divine intervention and whose hearts and minds they were heard. T he Vedas are Apaurushas [of devine orgin] and are unchangeable and eternal. They teach the highest truths ever known to man, and are valid for all times and ages. Hindus believe that creation is anadi [that which s no beginning] and that it is eternal. At the nod of each KALPA [a unit of time equal to a day of Brahma, the creator, amounting to 4,320 million years], it exists in a suttle form in God, from whence each time is recreated a new universe. At the end of the last age, there was a Pralaya or great Deluge which destroyed the universe. Brahma the creator, is believed to have meditated at dawn of this age, called Swetavaraha Kalpa, when the great God appeared in the form of sound of OM also known as pranava.OM ,as the symbol of the absolute, is therefore the most sacred symbol of Hinduism.

Brahma then prayed to him for knowledge to create a Universe from the vibrations of the sound OM also spelt AUM, the Lord Concaved Rig Veda, Yagur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. The Great god then taught these four Vedas to Brahma who created our present Universe with this supreme knowledge received by him. In other words Vedas existed before the creation of the universe. Sage Veda Vyasa codified the four Vedas. His disciples, Palia, Vaisampanya, Jaimini, and Sumanta taught them to their disciples and the later, in turn to their pupils. This is how the Vedas have come to us through thousands of years. They are called amnaya, or that which has come to us by tradition.

THE RIG VEDA consists of mostly hymns in praise of the devine

THE YAGUR VEDA consists of mainly hymns used in religious

rituals and rites

THE SAMA VEDA consists of verses from rig Veda set to music

THE ATHARVA VEDA guides man in his material daily living

The Scriptures Of The Hinduism

Hinduism is not based on any single book or the words of any teacher or prophet. It is based on the Eternal Truth. However, there are literally thousands of books and scriptures to guide both the beginner and the scholar. THE SRUTI - The first set of books which are the primary authority, or the very soul of Hinduism, are known as ‘SRUTI’ meaning that which has been heard or revealed. These Srutis are known as Vedas. The word "Veda" is derived from the word "vid" to know. The Vedas are holy or spiritual knowledge of the Eternal Truth. The word "rishi" is derived from the word "Dris" to see. The Vedas have several parts - Vedas / Mantras [or hymns] Brahmana (explanations for using mantras in rituals) Aranyakas [or forest books] mysticalinterpratations of mantras or rituals] Upanishads [most important part of the Vedas] The summery or essence of Vedas and the philosophy Upa; near [the master] Ni; with concentration on what is being taught, Shad; Sit The knowledge of Upanishads removes Avidya or ignorance the one greatest failings of mankind. Upanishads \ 108 in number\ 12 are the most important--- ISA , KENA , KATHA , PRASNA , MUNDAKA , MANDUKYA , AITREYA , TAITTIRIYA , CHANDOGYA , BRIHADARANYAKA , KAUSHITAKI AND SVETASVATARA . The Upanishads reveal some of the greatest truths ever known to mankind .The next set of books are the UPAVEDAS \ AYURVEDA Science of extending life by using medicinal herbs roots and fruits for treating illness and diseases and highly developed school of surgery. Charaka, the great Hindu physician was possibly the first to speak of code of ethics for physician to treat patients without the thought of gain or reward, and to keep confidentiality of patient illness. Sushruta, was a great ancient surgeon developed 120 surgical instruments .Plastic surgery was well developed and deformities of nose ears and lips were set right. The skill of plastic surgery was taken to the west by east India Company. DHANURVEDA science of archery and and use of weapons. Even weapons like missiles are covered in this .There were rules of warfare and weapons were used for destruction of evil and protection of physically weak, of sages of meditation. And of holly men and women and children. Opposing armies laid down their weapons at sunset and dined together.

GANDHARVA VEDA science of music and dance. Sage Bharata has written the Natya Shastra, he has been taught by Sage Tandu who has witnessed the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva. The musical Sama Veda, placed emphasis of on musical notation and sound .these were taught by rote memory sound and acoustics .The musical octave was accurately divided into 22 quarter tones. The musical instruments consisted of percussion [drums] wind instruments [flute] string instruments [vina] Music was considered as a source to reach god head. ARTHASHSTRA this is a treatise on polity, state administration .and conduct of commerce. The vedangas have science of phonetics and accent and pronunciation. Vyakarana .science of grammar, Nirukta, science of etymology of words in Vedic mantras. Chandra shastra, teaches prosody, the art of versification, teaches the use of meters in prose and poetry. Kalpashastra deals with science of rituals and ceremonials in religious rites. Jyotishya science of astronomy and astrology. Knowledge of astrology was used to set auspicious timings for events of peace and war. After 6th century it was used for predicting future of individual. The knowledge of mathematics was conveyed to Arab and the Greek worlds. The concept of zero [sunya], abstract concept of numbers, algebra, the decimal numbers, all owe their origin to ancient Hindus. The ISAVASYA Upanishad has the revolutionary mathematical truth that infinity divided by any number continues to be infinity. Astronomy was an important branch of the science of Jyotisha and the ancient Hindus sent their advanced theories of mathematics to Europe through Greeks. Aryabhata the ancient Indian astronomer mentioned that it is the earth which, on its axis rotated around the sun and not the sun. Knowledge of equinoxes the movement of moon and sun, the predictions of eclipses were all accurately predicted.[the open air observatory at Jaipur] the above books are part of the srutis or Vedas and are the first set of scriptures.

The Smritis

Smritis mean that which is remembered. Unlike srutis which are divine in origin smritis are written by learned masters. These guide individuals in their daily conduct and list codes and rules governing the actions of individuals. They are known as Dharma Shastras or laws governing righteous conduct. The day of Brahma the creator is known as Kalpa is divided into four ages or Yugas.

Satya or Krita Yuga Treta Yuga Dwapara yuga Kali Yuga [the present age] which is age of decling of virtue

There are total of 18 smritis. There were many law givers like Manu , Yagnavalkya , Shankha , Likhita and Parasa.

Manu was the earliest of them .Today the Hindu law is based on Yagnavalkya smriti. Hinduism is unique in that the rules of society change with every age ,and therefore the laws ,or Dharma Shastras , must change from time to time. Hinduism is a practical religion as it accepts the laws governing the conduct of man and society are manmade and and should be flexible and dynamic and should be subject to change. these smritis were used by Kings and Priests .

The Epics

As ordinary people do not have the intellect or education to read and understand these books, there are a third set of books, the Itihasas or Epics that serve the purpose. The philosophy of Upanishads is presented in the form of Parables and stories in these Epics so even a common man can understand.

The great Epics of Hinduism are THE RAMAYANA THE MAHABHARATA THE YOGAVASISTHA THE HARIVAMSA .They are also called SUHRIT SAMHITAS or friendly compositions , as they teach the greatest truths in a simple friendly way. They are easily understood by one and all. Of these four Ramayana and Mahabharata are well known to even most illiterate of all the Hindus. They are told as stories enacted as plays and sung as songs. They teach the ideals of Hinduism in a simple understandable way. Every peasant and villager in India is knowledgeable about the basic Hindu values because of these Epics.

Ramayana is the most popular Epic It is also known as ADIKAVYA OR THE FIRST POETIC COMPOSITION OF THE WORLD .It was written by the great sage Valmiki. This is the story of lord Rama an incarnation of Lord Vishnu born on earth to show path of righteousness.

Rama Rajya, the reign of Rama, was one of idealism and perfection where no tear was shed or sorrow was experienced. People were good to each other and there was peace and joy. Ayodhya was a land of tolerance and understanding, even the king‘s actions were subject to the will of people.

In this Epic the qualities of an ideal queen Kausalya and Sumitra who put king Dasharathas word above the love of their sons King Dasharatha who kept his promise to queen Kaikeyi and Lord Rama who obeyed his father’s orders without any questions . This shows the importance of the value of a spoken word and keeping up a promise which were very important for a king. Also the sacrifices of a Hindu women are depicted in several such instances.

Bharata was a very good example of a principled man who on return from a visit to his uncle, finds his brother banished to forest for 14years and his father dying of grief .He does not take over as a king as he knew it was not the right thing to do waits till his brother comes back from forest .He places his brothers PADUKAS on the throne. Even an ordinary man realizes the qualities of an ideal man in Rama and that of an ideal woman and wife in Sita Qualities of ideal brother are well depicted in Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrugna.

The ideal qualities of loyalty. Devotion and love are depicted in the character of Hanuman, the monkey who helped Rama cross over the ocean to Lanka and defeat Ravana and bring back Sita. Hanuman also brings the herb sangivani to save Lakshmana as he knew that his beloved Rama could not live without Lakshmana.

The qualities of good and evil are always depicted again and again. The destruction of evil by good either by oneself or by Devine intervention [like in Ramayana] is a constant theme in Hinduism.

Even the demons were all not bad and wicked and are shown as having good qualities also. Ravana a very learned man who abducted Sita for her beauty and good virtues did not force her but waited for her consent to marry her. Even Hanuman admires Ravana’s courage and strength. Ravana’s brother the demon Kumbhakarna, disapproved strongly of abduction of Sita.

The second epic is called Mahabharata was compiled by VEDA VYASA is a story of two royal families the Pandavas and the Kauravas who were first cousins. Pandavas were five and Kauravas were one hundred. This epic the central character is LORD KRISHNA an incarnation of LORD VISHNU himself. When confronted with war with his cousins uncles grand uncle and teachers Arjuna one of the five brothers feels dejected does not want to fight the war and LORD KRISHNA teaches ARJUNA the path of DHARMA [righteousness] LORD KRISHNA was Arjuna’s charioteer .The great Hindu scripture BHAGAVAD GITA OR THE SONG OF THE LORD, was narrated by the LORD to Arjuna at KURUKSHETRA war.

In this scripture, Lord Krishna places the importance of NISKAMAKA KARMA or action without desire or passion and without any worry about the frits or results of one’s actions. Here the duties and the right conduct of an ideal man are shown setting the rights and wrongs of society. The Upanishads are compared to a cow the BHAGAVAD GITA to milk, Krishna to a cowherd and Arjuna to a calf. In other words the essence of the Upanishads is milked by Krishna and the milk. The Bhagavadgita fed to Arjuna. In Shantiparva of the Mahabharata grand-uncle Bhishma utters to Yudihstra the oldest of the pandava brothers the words of wisdom, on Dharma or righteous conduct, and the duty on statecraft and the responsibilities of a ruler.

The Puranas

After srutis, smritis, and itihasas we have the fourth set of books the puranas. There are 18 puranas of which THE BHAGAVATAS, VISHNU, AND MARKANDEYA puranas are the most popular. There is 18 subsidiary or UPA PURANAS .These are not for the scholars or intellectuals but for the common man a farmer a villager and a child. They are told as imaginary stories and are filled with fundamental truths of religion and morality of what is right and wrong in a society.

These Puranas have been told by word of mouth by grandparents to their grand children and by the village priest and by the wandering minstrel. The walls of temple are covered with the carving of Puranic stories, a visual method of educating the ordinary people.

For example to teach the people that god is everywhere and always comes to help his devotee, the story of Prahalada is told.Prahalada’s father the demon king Hiranya kasipu tried to convince his son that there is no other greater Divine than himself and advises his son to pray to him but Prahalad was an ardent devotee of lord Vishnu continues to pray and was saved by the lord on several instances .his own father orders him to be killed but each time he fails.

Lord Vishnu appears as Narasimha [half man and half lion] and kills Hiranyakasipu. The latter had a Boone that he will not be killed by a man or a beast neither at night or day and no weapon. But the child Prahalada insisted that God is everywhere and in everyone. When Hiranyakasipu challenges and says ‘’is he in this pillar’’ and hits the pillar and the Lord comes out as Narasimha and kills him [ego is killed] this story teaches that god comes to us in different ways and helps us when we have full faith in him. The puranas taught the power of a chaste and good woman in the story of savitri. She was the daughter of king of Madra, Savitri chose Satyayan who was predicted to die within a year of their wedding. Satyavan was the son of a deposed and blind king and lived in a forest. On the day of his predicted death Satyavan goes to fetch some wood and Satyavati follows him all the time thinking as to how to save him.

By her power of her purity Savitri follows Lord Yama [God of death] when he takes the prana or breath of life of Satyavan. Yama pleased by her devotion and wisdom grants her four boons provided she does not ask for Satyavan’s life. Savitri asks as her fourth boon that she wishes to have hundred sons and Yama grants her wish. She then asks Yama as a chaste woman how is to have children without a husband. Yama had no choice but to return Satyavan back to her alive. The story of Dhruva, a young prince who by his constant meditation and faith on lord Vishnu one the eternal blessings of the lord. Thus proving that with sincere prayer and strong faith one can move God. To this day Dhruva is well known as a pole star.

The story of Markandeya how a boy of sixteen conquered his fate by his devotion to Shiva. Markendeya did not allow his predestined death to take him away by his bhakti or devotion and was given the gift of immortality. Even today when we bless a child after he sneezes we wish him long life like Markandeya. These stories are embedded in every Indian household to this

day. To teach children the importance of looking after their elders ,we have a story on Shravana a young boy ,who denied himself of all joys of childhood while caring for his old and blind parents. When they wished to go on pilgrimage to holy cities, he placed them in bamboo baskets tied a pole which he carried on his shoulders and cheerfully took the journey even though it was a discomfort for him. The family ties are very strong in India even today a peasant works in large cities and supports family in a village.

Another interesting story is that of king Usinara of sibi clan who was very just and wise and whose generosity knew no bounds. Once a dove rushed to him to for help to escape from a hawk the king gave him protection. The hawk protested at being deprived of its food. Usinara then offers to give flesh from his thigh but however much flesh he cuts from his body the dove weighs more. The king then offers his entire self to balance the scale. Indra the king of devas [celestial beings or lesser gods] and Agni took the form of the dove and hawk to test king Usinara and his generosity.

To teach the importance of adhering to truth the story of Harischandra who was a king is told. The king gave away his kingdom to pay his loan to Viswamitra and gives away his wife and son as slaves .Finally he sells himself as a slave to the keeper of cremation grounds to payback the rest of the loan .However Harischandra’s sorrow had no bounds when his wife brought his sons dead body to the cremation ground. When Harischandra and his wife taramati, decided to end their life by falling in the funeral pyre, Indra and Yama appear before them and save all three of them. And Harischandra’s adherence to truth is a lesson to even to gods. The importance of truth and the inviolability of the spoken word are therefore taught in many puranas. To prove the poorest of the gifts when given with love is enough to please god is told in the story of Sudama who went to the same hermitage school of sage sandeepa with lord Krishna. Sudama ‘s wife asks him to seek help from lord Krishna as they could not feed their children due to poverty he had no gift to take except a handful of beaten rice. Lord Krishna readily accepts the gift and when Sudama returns home he finds his hut to be a mansion and his family prosperous and happy.

Puranas

It is in the puranas we read about the ten avatars or incarnations of lord Vishnu. These incarnations describe the help given by god during the various stages of mans evolution by His appearance on earth in different forms. These avatars teach mankind that God has re-established Dharma or righteous justice and destroyed injustice from time to time by appearing on earth in various incarnations. Matsya [fish] kurma [tortoise] varaha [boar] Narasimha [half lion half man] Vamana [the dwarf] Parusurama [the angryman] Rama [the perfect man] Krishna [the divine statesman] and Budha [the compassionate man] The first avatar Matsya the fish, was taken by V Vishnu at the end of last Kalpa or age, where there was deluge that destroyed the world that existed then. Choosing a sage, Rishi Satyavrata, Lord Vishnu commanded him to gather together the seven sages. Samples of all animals’ birds, plants and seeds. And wait in the boat. The gigantic golden fish then dragged the boat through the turbulent oceans all through the long, long night of Brahma till the deluge ended and Brahma created the present world. Another version has it that a demon has once stolen the four Vedas and hid them under the sea. Vishnu took the form of a giant fish and retrieved them. In the kurma avatara Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to help the Devas [lesser gods or heavenly beings] to obtain the nectar of immortality with the Asuras [demons] were also after. The Devas and asuras churned the ocean to get this nectar, using the giant snake Vasuki .as their churning rope and mount Mandara as the churning rod. To prevent the mountain from sinking into the ocean; Lord Vishnu took the form of giant tortoise and supported the mountain under water until the nectar of immortality emerged which Vishnu gave it to devas alone. At the end of the deluge in the last kalpa or age Bhoomi Devi [mother earth] sank into the bottom of the ocean .Vishnu in the form of varaha, dived into the bottom of the ocean and carried the goddess out of the waters supported by his massive snout. In order to destroy Bali, the king of demons, Vishnu took the avatar of midget Amana. He appeared during a huge Yajna or sacrifice being conducted by the king when the later was arrogantly distributing gifts to all who asked for it to show his wealth and power. Vamana just asked for three feet of land .measured by his own small feet. With his first foot he covered the earth, with the second he covered the heavens. When there was no place for the next foot of land. Bali offered his head to show that he kept his word. Lord Vishnu sent him to nether lands.

When the kings of earth became autocratic and started to harm ordinary people and sages in the forest lord Vishnu took the form of Parasurama and destroyed all the kshatriyas [princes] who were harassing the people. When priesthood became arrogant and priests used rituals to exploit the people, Vishnu took the Avatar of Budha to purify Hindu practices of excessive ritualism. He taught that all sorrow stemmed from attachments and desires and advocated a middle path consisting of eight-fold virtues of right views, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right meditation. Hindus believe that at the end of this age, or kali Yuga, there will be a holocaust of fire when the last Avatar, that of Kalki, will ride forth to save mankind and reestablish Dharma, or righteousness. To summarize, we have covered four sets of books or scriptures so far. The first, srutis or Vedas are very soul of Hinduism and are of divine origin. They are eternal and without beginning or end. The smiritis or dharma shastras are like body, subject to decay and can be changed from time to time, from age to age. The truths of the srutis and smritis are conveyed to the ordinary people through the great epics, which appeal to their hearts, and through puranas, which appeal to their imagination.

The Agamas

The fifth set of scriptures are the Agamas. They give the theological disciplines of worship of different Deities. These have come from the three main Sects of Hindus the Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta. The Shiva Agama has different philosophy in south and in Kashmir. In this agama the Supreme God is worshiped under different names of Lord Shiva. Similarly, there are two schools in Vaishnava Agama, the pancharatra and the Vaikhanasa, both glorify lord Vishnu. Of these the former is more popular as it is believed by the great God himself in the form of Vishnu. The Shakta Agama glorifies Devi, the consort of Shiva, as the world Mother who, as Shakti, the energy giving power behind all creation, Creativity and destruction. Tantric worship uses many occult magical practices and is not accepted by main stream Hinduism. This set of scriptures, the Agamas, guide the faithful to worship their Supreme Lord with devotion. Each Agama consists of philosophy and spiritual knowledge of behind the worship of the deity. As the first part and the yoga and the mental discipline required for each school in the second part. An important part of the third section of the agamas covers the rules for constructing of temples. That is why, whatever the outward architecture of any temple the plan of the temple is same all over the country. Some temples have Mandapas or halls. As the worship is not congregational but individual the Sanctum santorum is small and narrow.

The third section is equally important as rules of sculpting or carving figures of the deities. Details such as how Lord Rama holds his bow, the length of his arms, and the graceful stance of Sita are all written down and the same in whatever part of the country the temple is built. The only difference is the facial features of the images which are usually patterned on racial characteristics of the local population. The fourth part of the Agamas consists of rules pertaining to the religious rites and rituals at home and in the community and the observance of religious festivals. These are slightly changed according to the local cultural differences. There are a lot of poetic compositions and devotional songs that have sprung under the name of these theological scriptures in all languages in the country.

The Darshanas

The sixth or last set of scriptures are the six Darshanas [meaning visions] which are schools of philosophy. These are for the intellectuals and scholars who have six main schools of philosophic thought to guide them. They are: NYAYA founded by Gautama Rishi Vaiseshika by Kannada Sankhya by Kapila muni Yoga by Patanjali Mimamsa by Jaimini Vedanta by Badarayana [Vyasa] The nyaya philosophy is guided by pure logic and reasoning. Although this philosophy is not very popular today it emphasis on logic and Tarka or debate. The vaiseshika philosophy talks of universe as consisting of countless atoms and each eithits own visesha or particular quality. The Sankhya philosophy is also based on logic and inference but its main belief system is that universe consists of two elements. Purusha and prakriti. [Sprit and matter]It is the oldest school and it is mentioned in Mahabharata. The yoga school accepts Sankhya philosophy but uses mind control as means of attaining God head. Mimamsa places great emphasis on Vedic Rituals and sacrifices.Yagna as a sacrifice involves chanting Vedic Mantras and pouring Ghee [melted butter] and grain in the sacred fire. Vedanta means end of Vedas, based on the doctrine of Upanishads. Vedanta teaches that the supreme God can be reached only by ones individual spiritual experience. Each Veda has a karma kanda dealing with rituals, Upasana kanda dealing with worship, and Jnana kanda dealing with spiritual knowledge. Jnana kanda or path of knowledge is all important and others are steps to the final goal.

Vedanta insists on strict adherence to Truth and to tireless investigation. The Manduka Upanishad says “the path to the divine is through truth”. Untruth can never win .All thinking in India is has been affected by Vedanta which we may not be aware of. It is the root of our belief s and culture. The three great commentators’ on Vedanta sutra were Adishankara, Ramanuja and Madhavacharya. Vedantic philosophy was influenced by western thinkers and philosophers like Nietzehe Spinoza.

The Trinity

God is one who is called Ishwara or Brahman who has three main functions of creation, preservation, and destruction. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva according to their functions a high degree of symbolism has been involved in Hinduism to explain the attributes and qualities of God Head to the masses.

Same God is pictured with different features and expressions depending on the role they play. Ex, Lord Vishnu may be shown as a peaceful form in one temple and destroying evil in another. The weapons he holds may be different in each form. Brahma is shown with four heads facing all four directions symbolizing that he created the entire universe and is enlightened. The fact that he meditates and creates the universe in each Kalpa (or age) is symbolized by him holding the Vedas in one hand (which guide him), the vessel or Kamandalu he holds symbolizes the ritual he does before creation or prayer. He sits on a lotus which symbolizes purity .as the lotus grows in muddy waters but is untouched by the dirt and mire from which it emerges. So is a yogi or a evolved person should be unaffected by the world around him.

The feminine aspect of creation is personified in the form of Saraswati, the consort of Brahma. She is associated with knowledge and wisdom. In her hand she holds the veena symbolizing the music and rhythm of the universe. It is of the sound OM the universe was created. The beads in her fingers bring out the importance of prayer and meditation. The palm leaf scroll she holds represents learning and wisdom without which man is nothing. She always wears white, reminding knowledge should be pristine and pure and true. She sits on a lotus or a peacock the later representing ego (which should be suppressed). The swan is her vehicle which to remind us to separate chaff from the grain of true knowledge just as swan removes water from milk before it consumes it.

Vishnu is represented as lying on many headed snake cobra, Ananta, in the ocean of milk. Ananta denotes cosmic energy and the ocean symbolizes Ananda or the endless bliss of God or Brahman. Vishnu is shown as blue color symbolic of infinity, as he is limitless like the blue sky. He holds the Disc or discus in one hand suggesting that he maintains Dharma or righteousness and order in the universe. The Shanka or conch he holds in one hand denotes the removal of ignorance and is also symbolic of Nada Brahmam or the music of the cosmos, as the conch when placed to the ear has a deep humming sound. The Gada or mave is for removing evil in the world and lotus is symbol of purity and beauty of the cosmic universe. The vehicle of Vishnu is Garuda, the man eagle, a figure of great strength and power.

The feminine aspect of preserver is Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu. The grace of God is personified in her as one who brings prosperity. One hand is holds Abhaya Mudra (with the hand held open palm facing the devotee and fingers facing upwards) which says ‘do not fear’ and the other hand has Varada Mudra (with palm facing the devotee but fingers facing downward )symbolic of prosperity and grace she gives to the human race. She sits on a lotus flower and holds a lotus flower in her hand emphasizing the importance of pure living without

which her grace and giving are meaningless. Bhoo Devi or mother earth is depicted as the other consort of Lord Vishnu.

Shiva, the destroyer of the Universe, is also shown as Nataraja, the king of dancers, the dance depicting the cosmic energy. He dances on the Demon Apasmara purusha depicting our ego only by destroying ones ego one can attain God head in one hand Shiva holds a deer which denotes the man’s unsteady mind which darts here and there like the deer but has to be brought under control. In the other hand he holds rattle drum ,the symbol of creative activity ,and in the third a fire the symbol of destruction .The fourth hand in the Abhaya Mudra says ‘do not fear’, I shall protect as I destroy. The circle behind his head represents the continuity of life cycle of birth and death. The river Goddess Ganga, on Shiva’s head denotes eternity and purity, and the crescent moon reminds us of waxing and waning moon and the movement of time. The cobra around his neck is the symbol of cosmic energy. Shiva’s garland of skulls reminds man that death comes to all and his third eye depicts that God is all-seeing and wise. The third eye also represents the seat of knowledge and wisdom. Shiva also opens his third eye to destroy evil.

On the right ear Shiva wears Kundala (a jewel worn by man) and in the left ear he wears a Tatanka (earring worn by woman). This is to tell us that Shiva and Parvati are part of each other (ardhanareshwari) half man and half woman symbolizing the ideal union of man and woman. As fire and heat are inseparable, so are Shiva and Parvati and purusha (the spirit) and prakriti (matter) are combined in them.

The ashes worn by Shiva tell us that the body is temporary and ends in ashes. The tiger skin he wears represents the pride and ego in us (like the tiger) which has to be suppressed. Soon after the creation of the world Shiva is believed to have appeared in the form of a pillar of fire which reached to the space and the bowels of earth which Brahma and Vishnu could not trace the beginning or end of this supernatural manifestation .Therefore Shiva is represented as Linga or Lingam which represents the pillar of cosmic energy.

In Shiva temples his vehicle Nandi the bull, faces the figure of Shiva symbolizing the soul of man, the jiva, yearning for Paramatma, the great soul (God).

Parvati Or Uma

The consort of lord Shiva is Parvati or Uma the gentle one .cosmic energy in dynamic form is called Shakti, the world Mother. Who is the power and energy by which the great God creates preserves and destroys the world? Kamakshi or Rajarajeswari, she is the great mother. In one hand she holds a noose, signifying worldly attachments from which we should free ourselves. The hook in her other hand is indicative of her prodding us on to the path of righteousness. The sugarcane plant she carries is a symbol of sweetness of the mind. The arrows she holds in one hand are our five sense perceptions which we to conquer. In the form of Durga she rides a tiger, the ego and arrogance that man has to subdue. With the weapons in her hand she fights the eight evils (hate, greed, passion, vanity, contempt of others, envy, jealousy). In her angry form she is called Kali, the personification of Time. In the fighting form she destroys Mahishasura (the demon buffalo) who is the symbol of ignorance which is mans biggest enemy). The skulls she wears tell you that man is mortal. Her dark form is symbolic of future which is beyond our knowledge.

Ganesha

Ganesha is also known as Ganapathi or Vinayaka, the son of Shiva and Parvati is the first Deity to be worshiped during any ritual, as he is considered as the remover of obstacles .His huge body represents the cosmos or universe and the trunk Pranava or OM the symbol of the Brahman. His elephant head denotes superior intelligence and the snake around the waist represents cosmic energy. The noose is to remind us that worldly attachments and the hook in his hand is to prod man on the path of righteousness. The rosary beads are for the pursuit of prayer and the broken tusk is symbolic of knowledge as with the tusk he is believed to have written Mahabharata as dictated by Sage Vyasa. The modaka or sweet in his hand is to remind us of sweetness of one’s inner self. The physical form of Ganesha is large and awkward to teach us that beauty of outward form has no connection with inner beauty or spiritual perfection. Ganesha, on his vehicle, the mouse, symbolizes the equal importance of biggest and smallest creatures of the world.

Kartikeya

Is the other son of lord Shiva also known as Kumara, Skanda, Subramanya, Shanmukha, or Muruga .As kartikeya he is designated the deity of war, guarding right and destroying evil. As Shanmukha, the six headed, he teaches that we have five senses and the mind, and only when all six are in harmony spiritual growth happens. As Subramanya, he has two consorts, Valli and Devasena who represent Jnana shakti, the power of knowledge and kriya shakti, the power of action .He rides a peacock, reminding us of not to let pride and ego take over us .In his hand he holds a Vel or sharp spear, symbolizing the developed sharp intellect and with which he guards the spiritual progress of the world.

One often wonders as to why Gods and goddesses of Hindu pantheon are shown to have several arms and at times with several faces. The main reason is to show them to be supernatural ,just as in some religions angels are shown to have wings .We are aware that the supreme Brahman is formless. It is man in the primitive stages of society, who has given the Great spirit understandable human forms of His power and his attributes, to teach ordinary people of his greatness, His omniscience and omnipotence. Hinduism assimilated and adopted the religious beliefs of many small primitive tribes and people with whom the Hindus came in contact. Hinduism gathered many religious beliefs and religions under one umbrella of ‘’Vedic Hinduism’’ with the upanishadic aphorism ‘’EKAM SAT VIPRAHA BAHUDHA VADANTI’’ (the Great God is one but the learned call Him by different names.)

By the time Adishankara the great Indian philosopher, came in to the picture there were thousands of gods and goddesses of various races and tribes and countless number of rituals performed by Hindus. Adishankara was born in Kalady Kerala in the 8th century he was the exponent of Advaita philosophy (according to which GOD is within man, and the Atma, the individual soul and Brahman, the universal soul are one not two.)

He travelled by foot several times to all the corners of the vast land and established the earliest Hindu monastic order with MATAMS or ASHRAMS in the south, west, north and east of the country .even today we have Matams of this order in Srigeri and Kanchi in south, Dwaraka in the west, Badri in the Himalayas, and Puri in the east. Each Matam was placed under a Acharya or teacher, who propagated the Adivaita or philosophy of monism. Shankaracharya died at a young age of 32.

Shankaracharya was a religious reformer at a time of religious and spiritual crises, as existed then (as it exists now) He postulated that Jnana Marga or path of knowledge is the best way to attain god hood. However Vijnana (intuition) vichara (enquiry) and anubhava (experience) are all essential for spiritual experience but knowledge is very essential which should be acquired by self enquiry and personal investigation.

He was one of the mystical seers who, with their intuitory knowledge, anticipated many of today’s scientific theories on primal energy (Shakti) the Atom (Anu) vibrations of Universe (shabda Brahmam) and the physical and psychic world around us.

Adishankara also wrote commentaries on Vedanta, the Gita and the Upanishads. He codified the popular Hinduism and grouped all the gods and goddesses under six main streams of worship.

They are 1(Shiva (worship of Shiva) 2 Vaishnava (worship of Vishnu) 3 Shakta (worship of Shakti. The mother goddess) 4 saura (worship of surya the son god ) 5 Ganapatya (worship of Ganesha or Ganapathi) 6 kaumara (worship of kumara or kartikeya Muruga )He taught all these six forms of prayer are not in conflict but are the choice of of worshiper striving to reach god .

The Tenets And Beliefs Of Hinduism

Nirguna Brahman, the Absolute Hindus believe in One God, who, in His highest form is known as the Brahman, the Absolute, or the Universal soul. He is within and about us (immanent) is also outside the material existence (transcendent) and beyond time and space (transcending). He is Nirguna without shape or form, and without beginning or end. In chandogya Upanishad Uddalaka Aruni explains to his son Svetaketu about Brahman and proof that God exists as he is not visible. The father asks the son to get a fruit from the banyan (nyagrodha) tree and asks him to break it open. Taking one of the tiny seeds inside the fruit, he asked him to split it further, but young Svetaketu found nothing inside the seed. Yet the father explained to him, inside the seed, not visible to the eye is something out of which grows the mighty banyan tree. That great power pervades the entire universe. It may not be seen, but it exists. Uddalaka further asks his son to mix salt in water. After it has dissolved, he asked Svetaketu to taste different parts of the water in the bowl and to separate salt from water.The son found that all parts of water tasted the same and he could not separate the salt from water. Uddalaka explained to Svetaketu that just as the salt pervades every drop of water in the cup, the Universal Sprit pervades all life. Uddalaka also pointed out to his son that, just as salt cannot be separated from water, when finally all beings merge with the Brahman, they lose their individual entities, as the separate waters of rivers lose their individual entities, as separate waters of rivers lose their separate forms when they flow into the ocean. Individuals may die but the Universal Sprit is deathless and life itself does not die. The Upanishads therefore teach us that the whole universe is a manifestation of the Brahman. Life in all forms is evolved from a single source of Energy, the Universal sprit, which pervades all things animate and inanimate. Since it is Nirguna or formless the Brahman is not considered either male or female and is referred to by impersonal pronoun, Tat meaning that. The Brahman is described as ‘’Sachitananda’’. Sat is that which exists (being), Chit is pure intelligence (consciousness)and Ananda is pure bliss "SAT’’, to remind us only ultimate Reality ,the Brahman ,which is the highest intelligence and is supreme bliss. The Mystic syllable ‘OM’ is known as the pranava and is the symbol of the Brahman. This sacred word encompasses in itself the whole universe, the past the present and future and goes beyond the periphery of Time itself. Being the symbol of the Brahman or the Universal soul, it is the very essence of all that is sacred in Hindu thought. It is used at the beginning of meditation, at the beginning and end of prayer, during the practice of yoga.

Saguna Brahman, the Great God

To the ordinary mortals the Nirguna Brahman (without form or attributes) is hard to comprehend and is impersonal. Therefore for the world to understand the Universal sprit easily we have Saguna Brahman, or the Brahman with form and attributes who is known as One Great God or Ishwara. To the ordinary individual who is not spiritually evolved, the concept of God has to be one with a form, a sort of superior being in a human form on whom one can fix one’s mind, especially during prayer.

Samsara

The cycle of birth, and death and rebirth is called samsara, and every soul must undergo this cycle of births and deaths before it attains moksha or liberation. Only the soul which reaches perfection in this life becomes one with the Brahman and is not born again.

Hindus believe in samsara as we do not accept that the Great God would be cruel enough to create all the inequalities that exist in the world. He would not create one child beloved of happy parents and another handicapped or blind and the third unwanted born to impoverish parents and left hungry. The inequalities of life are only understandable when we realize that they are man’s own Karma or actions and not God’s creation.

Each one of us at birth is the result of our own past life. Our birth in this life is

determined by the good and bad thoughts, our words and deeds of a previous birth. This doctrine of samsara or rebirth is also called the theory of reincarnation or the trance migration of the soul and is a basic Tenet of Hinduism. The Upanishads compare it to the caterpillar which climbs one blade of grass and jumps to a new one. Just as man changes worn out garments and wears new ones, so does the soul casts away one body and enters another. However we do not carry the burden of our previous births in our consciousness, though we do in our subconscious minds.

Karma

One other basic belief of Hinduism is the law of karma or action,”the law of cause and effect’’. It is explained by the saying,’’as you sow so shall you reap’’. A farmer cannot sow wheat and expect a crop of rice. Similarly every good thought ,word and deed begets a similar reaction which affects our next lives and every unkind thought ,harsh word and evil deed comes back to harm us in this life or the next. There are three stages of karma. The only karma that is beyond our control is prarabdha karma .According to this the body the soul chooses to be born is not under human control. The choice of parents, the condition of a new born baby the environment of the home there are all predetermined as per the sum total of favorable and unfavorable acts performed in the previous births. These cannot be changed even the time of death. Our scriptures tell us that even a thousand spers will not kill you when your time on earth is not over yet a blade of grass can when your time is up. The second stage of karma is Samchita karma which is accumulated karma of all our previous births which gives us our characteristics, tendencies, aptitudes, and interests. This is why two children of the same family and environment turn out to be very different in their capabilities and characteristics.

Samchita karma is however, changeable with wisdom a man can change himself, improve his habits and get rid of evil thoughts and desires. Similarly one born with good characteristics could descend to a life of evil, setting aside the naturally good inclinations. Samchita karma is therefore alterable by man himself.

The third, Agama karma consists of the actions in our present life which determines our future in the later years of this life and in the next. It is entirely in our hands and in our free will. Man cannot change his past or birth, but he can mould his future. By evil thoughts, words or deeds .we mar our days to come. By purity of thought, compassionate words and deeds, righteous action without thought of fruits of thereof, we have a better life for all our tomorrow in this birth and next.

Dharma

As mentioned above every Hindu aims to break the cycle of birth and death ,that binds him to the earth ,the first step to to be taken on this path is for each one to perform well his own Dharma or righteous duties. Hinduism differentiates the duties of man and man and also between the duties to be followed at various stages of one’s life. The teacher, the nurse, the priest, a mother, or father each has to follow his own Dharma. Duties, what aver they are, have to be performed with excellence and moral purity as a goal. The concept of Dharma is fundamental to Hinduism, as it is believed that it is only through the pursuit of dharma that there is social harmony and peace in the world. The pursuit of Adharma (A path that rejects righteousness) leads to conflicts, discord and imbalance. Dharma sustains the world together. Varnashrama Dharma is fundamental to Hindu belief and includes the duties of various occupations, orders and classes (Varna) and the duties in the four stages (Ashramas) of one’s life. It states that each person’s Dharma or duty depends on his occupation, position, moral and spiritual development, age and marital status.

The Cast System

The cast system is legally abolished at the present age however it is interesting to know how it started. When the Indo Aryans invaded the country they came across the local inhabitants whom they called Dasas or Dasyus. Instead of destroying them they absorbed them and gave them a lower but definite place in their society.

With time this system came to be four- tiered with four classes ,The Brahmanas or Brahmins who were teachers and priests, The Kshatriyas or warriors or rulers ,The Vaishyas, those who followed the trade or commercial occupations, The Sudras who performed manual labor and were also agriculturists and farmers. The word Varna is therefore implied to the social order not the cast, as even Manu has given the difference between Varna or class or order and Jati (sect of birth or caste) A man’s Varna depends as much on his mental and physical abilities as on heritage.

The Jatis (or sects) in time became more important than the four main classes. These were more occupational as the goldsmith Jati the weaver jati, the carpenter jati etc. and served the purpose of guilds which protected the interests of their members, trained the young and saw to it that no outsider entered the fold. In time the four Jatis or sects grouped themselves under main classes which is why we speak today as four castes. The untouchables or outcasts were originally those who had broken certain caste rules. Even a Brahmin was excommunicated to a lower order. The Hindus were originally meat eaters but slowly changed their habits to vegetarianism. Especially the Brahmins and vaishyas came under the influence of Buddhism and Jainism .with this change those who ate beef or meat of certain animals came to be considered outcastes or untouchables, as by this time the cow was regarded akin to a mother, the people being largely rural, having to depend on cow’s products for sustenance. (This is why a cow is

given the reverence due to a mother in Hindu society). There is no religious sanction whatsoever in HINDUISM to the concept of untouchability. It was purely a social practice, introduced by the upper castes to provide themselves with menial labor to perform certain tasks repulsive to themselves such as those of cemetery keepers, scavengers and cleaners. Hindu society has much to answer for this inhuman treatment of a whole section of its own people, but the Hindu religion has nothing to do with it.

Status of women

Status of Hindu women in Hindu society was an enviable one. A woman could go up to the highest learning if she so chooses. The early Hindu society had women philosophers and seers like Maitreyi, Gargi, and Apala. Warrior queens like Kaikeyi helped her husband on the battlefield. In the princely families women chose their own suitable husband the custom called ‘swayamwara’. Inter marriages were comman Shakuntala daughter of a Brahmin sage married Dushyanta ,a kshatriya prince, Santanu a king married a fisher woman Satyavati who was crowned queen. Polygamy existed in some societies especially amongst princes who married several times for expansion of their kingdom and to have an heir to their throne. Polyandry was practiced at some areas. E.g. Draupadi had five husbands.(Pandavas). Girls were married in their late teens and most Dravidian cultures were matriarchal .Even today Kerala state in south is matriarchal. Hindu society as established by Indo-Aryan was patriarchal. The upper castes tried to dominate the lower castes. Brahmins monopolizing the reading of scriptures and religious rituals became rigid also the kshatriyas and vaisyas dominated their field. But the caste system became more rigid after invasion of India by the foreigners in the 11th century by Muhammad Ghazani and Gori. The earlier invaders looted and plundered and destroyed temples, abducted women and children. With this the practice of child marriages and ‘Sati’ where a women gumped into the funeral pyre with her husband started. The practice of shaving a widow’s head (to make a woman unattractive) was also practiced. The temples were guarded and only a priest was allowed in the inside or (Sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. Women started covering their faces in order for men not to be able to see their faces.

The Hindu Reform

With the coming or British rule in India and the introduction of the western thought, there arose in India an upsurge of intellectual searching and re-evaluation of our ancient past. Hindu thinkers reassessed their weakness and traced it to the evils of rigid caste system and the socials evils that had befallen women and the untouchable castes. Starting in the early 19th century, several Indian reformers sprang all over India and spread their message for purifying Hinduism of excessive rites, rituals and orthodoxy and for abolishing the inequalities heaped on women in the name of religion. To mention a few whose work led to a reform on a national level, Raja Rammohan Roy of Bengal .He preached against rituals and abolishing of sati. Although the word sati means pure and chaste women it was used to denote a widow who fell in the funeral pyre of her husband. Another illustrious son of Bengal, ISHWAR CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR popularized Sanskrit teachings amongst all castes and fought for widow marriage. The Prarthana samaj was set up in Mumbai for fighting the caste system and its leaders were R.G .Bhandarkar, and M. G. Ranade.

The greatest of them all was Swami Vivekananda, who set up the Ramakrishna mission, an organization of service and social reform, and spread the message of true Hinduism throughout India and in the western world. He fought hard against orthodoxy and preached spiritual freedom, and fearlessness and the universalism of all religions. Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a Gujarati Brahmin, fought against Hindu priest hood and wanted Hinduism to go back to it’s its Vedic glory. He founded the Aryasamaj in 1875, a movement which was reformist, and attempted to unify the Hindus under the umbrella of Vedic Hinduism. Anny Besant, Irish by birth came to India in1895 as a theosophist and worked for Hindu Religious revival. Her admiration for Hindu thought gave great self respect to the Hindus at a time when the Hindus were looked down upon by the British rulers. She set up central Hindu college at Banaras. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of independent India, made women take part in the freedom movement, and by this great act, got rid of many inequalities heaped on women. He also made the abolition of untouchability an integral part of freedom movement .By not allowing untouchables to the places of worship, Hindu society had been weakened as the scriptures reiterated the equality of all men in the eyes of God. The other reformists to mention are Narayanguru of kerala, Dr. C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar the later fought for untouchability and orthodoxy.