14 Questions to Hinduism

7/27/2019 14 Questions to Hinduism

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Cow Worship, Cremation, Caste, Many Gods,

Karma, Reincarnation, Idols, Yoga & More

14 Questions People

Ask About Hinduismand 14 tweetable answers!

pieterweltevred

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october/november/december, 2011 hinduism

Have you ever been put on the spot with a provocativequestion about Hinduism, even one that really shouldnt beso hard to answer? If so, you are not alone. It takes somegood preparation and a little attitude adjustment to con-

ntly eld queries on your faithbe they from friendly co-workers,dents, passersby or especially from Christian evangelists. Backthe spring of 1990, a group of teens from the Hindu Temple ofeater Chicago, Lemont, sent a request to Hinduism Today for of-al answers to nine questions they were commonly asked by their

ers. These questions had perplexed the Hindu youth themselves;d their parents had no convincing answers. Satguru Sivaya Sub-muniyaswami took up the challenge andovided the following answers to the nineestions. Perusing the list for this edition of

e magazine, we thought it crucial to add anth dialog on caste, since that is the mostentless criticism Hinduism faces today.Lets begin with advice on the attitudeshold when responding. First, ask your-f, Who is asking the question? Millionspeople are sincerely interested in Hindu-

m and the many Asian religions. So, whenked about Hinduism, dont be defensive,en if the questioner seems confrontational.tead, assume that the person really wants

learn. Of course, some only want to harass,dger and turn you to their v iew. If younse this is the case, feel free to smile andurteously dismiss yourself without any at-mpt to answer, lest you simply add fuel to

res.Bearing this in mind, it is still best neveranswer a question about religion too

ldly or too immediately. That might leadconfrontation. Offer a prologue rst, thenme to the question, guiding the inquirerward understanding. Your poise and de-erateness gives assurance that you know

hat you are talking about. It also givesu a moment to think and draw on youruitive knowing. Before going deeply into an answer, always ask

e questioner what his religion is. Knowing that, you can addressparticular frame of mind and make your answer most relevant.other key: have condence in yourself and your ability to give aaningful and polite response. Even to say I am sorry. I still have

uch to learn about my religion and I dont yet know the answer toat is a meaningful answer. Honesty is always appreciated. Neverafraid to admit what you dont know, for this lends credibility to

hat you do know.Here are four prologues that can be used, according to the situa-n, before you begin to actually answer a question. 1) I am reallyased that you are interested in my religion. You may not know

at one out of every six people in the world is a Hindu. 2) Many

people have asked me about my tradition. I dont know everything,but I will t ry to answer your question. 3) First, you should knowthat in Hinduism, it is not only belief and intellectual understandingthat is important. Hindus place the greatest value on experiencingeach of these truths personally. 4) The fourth type of prologue isto repeat the question to see if the person has actually stated whathe wants to know. Repeat the question in your own words and ask ifyou have understood his query correctly. If its a complicated ques-tion, you might begin by saying, Philosophers have spent lifetimesdiscussing and pondering questions such as this, but I will do my

best to explain.Have courage. Speak from your inner

mind. Sanatana Dharma is an experientialpath, not a dogma, so your experience in

answering questions will help your ownspiritual unfoldment. You will learn fromyour answers if you listen to your innermind speak. This can actually be a lot offun. The attentive teacher always learnsmore than the student.

After the prologue, address the questionwithout hesitation. If the person is sincere,you can ask, Do you have any other ques-tions? If he wants to know more, thenelaborate as best you can. Use easy, ev-eryday examples. Share what enlightenedsouls and scriptures of Hinduism havesaid on the subject. Remember, we mustnot assume that someone who asks aboutHinduism is insincere or is challenging ourfaith. Many are just being friendly or mak-ing conversation to get to know you; others,having reincarnated into a strange culture,are searching for the way back home. Sodont be on the defensive or take it all tooseriously. Smile when you give your re-sponse. Be open. If the second or thirdquestion is on something you know noth-ing about, you can say, I dont know. Butif youd like, I will nd out and email you

what I nd out. Smile and have condence as you give these answers.

Dont be shy. Your birth karmas ensure that nobody can ask you aquestion to which you are unable to provide a ne answer that willfully satisfy the seeker. You may make lifelong friends in this way.

In the following pages, each question is addressed by a shortresponse that can be committed to memory, a longer answer, anda detailed explanation. Many questioners will be content with theshort, simple answer, so start with that rst. Use the explanation as

background information for yourself, or as a contingency responsein case you end up in a deeper philosophical discussion.

To order additional copies of this Educational Insight and otherHindu literature, email: [email protected] .Additional resourcescan be found at: www.himalayanacademy.com/basics/.

Contrary to prevailingmisconceptions, Hindusall worship a one Su-preme Being, though by

different names. This is becausethe peoples of India with differ-ent languages and cultures haveunderstood the one God in their

own distinct way. Through historythere arose four principal HindudenominationsSaivism, Shak-tism, Vaishnavism and Smartism.For Saivites, God is Siva. For Shak-tas, Goddess Shakti is supreme. ForVaishnavites, Lord Vishnu is God.For Smartaswho see all Deitiesas reections of the One Godthechoice of Deity is left to the devo-tee. This liberal Smarta perspec-tive is well known, but it is not theprevailing Hindu view. Due to thisdiversity, Hindus are profoundlytolerant of other religions, respect-ing the fact that each has its ownpathway to the one God.

One of the unique understand-ings in Hinduism is that God is notfar away, living in a remote heaven,

but is inside each and every soul, inthe heart and consciousness, wait-ing to be discovered. This knowingthat God is always with us givesus hope and courage. Knowing theOne Great God in this intimate andexperiential way is the goal of Hin-

du spirituality.Elaboration: Hinduism is both

monotheistic and henotheistic.Hindus were never polytheistic, inthe sense that there are many equalGods. Henotheism (literally one God) better denes the Hinduview. It means the worship of one God without denying the exis-tence of other Gods. We Hindus believe in the one all-pervasiveGod who energizes the entire universe. We can see Him in the lifeshining out of the eyes of humans and all creatures. This view ofGod as existing in and giving life to all things is called panenthe-ism. It is different from pantheism, which is the belief that God is

the natural universeing more. It is also diffstrict theism which sonly above the worldtranscendent. Panentall-encompassing conthat God is both in the

beyond it, both imm

transcendent. That is Hindu view.

Hindus also believGods who perform vations, like executivescorporation. These shconfused with the SuThese Divinities arevanced beings who haduties and powersthe heavenly spirits, oarchangels revered in Each denomination wSupreme God and itstheon of divine beings

What is sometimesto non-Hindus is thof various sects may cGod by many differencording to their denomregional tradition. TrHindu has many namdoes not make for mHinduism gives us theapproach God in our owcouraging a multiplicnot asking for conform

one.There is much confu

this subject, even amoLearn the right termsubtle differences in

you can explain the profound ways Hindus look at Diviwill be delighted with the richness of the Indian concYou may wish to mention that some Hindus believe formless Absolute Reality as God; others believe in GodLord and Creator. This freedom makes the understandin Hinduism, the oldest living religion, the richest in aexisting faiths.

Why does Hinduism have so many Gods?

Hindus all believe in one Supreme God who created the

universe. He is all-pervasive. He created many Gods,

highly advanced spiritual beings, to be His helpers.

2011 by Himalayan Academy, 107 Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746hinduism today october/november/december, 2011 hinduism

Hindus all worship the One Supreme God, called by various

names, depending on their denomination, and they revere amultitude of angelic beings, which they call Gods. Above, the

central gure is Lord Siva, worshiped as the Supreme Being bySaivites and many other Hindus. Cradled in His hands are othergreat beings, known as Gods, including Lord Ganesha.

A visitor to India questions an elder about

temple ceremonies and customs

Humanitys most profound faith is now a global phenomenon. Students, teachers,neighbors and friends are full of questions. Misconceptions run rampant.

Here are fourteen thoughtful answers you can use to set the record straight.

dinodia

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hinduism today october/november/december, 2011 october/november/december, 2011 hinduism

Karma is one of the nat-ural laws of the mind, justas gravity is a law of matter.Just as God created gravity

to bring order to the physical world,He created karma as a divine sys-tem of justice that is self-governingand innitely fair. It automatically

creates the appropriate future ex-perience in response to the currentaction. Karma simply means ac-tion or cause and effect. Whensomething happens to us that isapparently unfortunate or unjust,it is not God punishing us. It is theresult of our own past actions.

The Vedas, Hinduisms revealedscripture, tell us if we sow good-ness, we will reap goodness; if wesow evil, we will reap evil. Thuswe create our own destiny throughthought and action. And the divinelaw is: whatever karma we are ex-periencing in our life is just whatwe need at the moment, and noth-ing can happen but that we havethe strength to meet it. Even harshkarma, when faced in wisdom, can

be the greatest catalyst for s piri-tual growth. Understanding theway karma works, we seek to livea good and virtuous life throughright thought, right speech andright action. This is called dharma.

Elaboration: Karma is basically

energy. I throw energy out throughthoughts, words and deeds, and itcomes back to me, in time, throughother people. Karma is our bestteacher, for we must always facethe consequences of our actionsand thus improve and refine our

behavior, or suffer if we do not. We Hindus look at time as a circle,as things cycle around again. Professor Einstein came to the sameconclusion. He saw time as a curve, and space as well. This wouldeventually make a circle.

Karma is a very just law which, like gravity, treats everyone the

same. Because we Hinstand karma, we do nosent people who do usunderstand they are givieffects of the causes wetion at an earlier time. karma puts man at the csponsibility for everyth

and everything that is dKarma is a word we

often on television. Thma, or It must have bthing I did in a past lisuch good karma to mekarma simply definedgoes around, comes asome schools of Hinduis looked upon as someperhaps because we are of this law when we arcult karma, and not sowhen life is going smosome Hindus equate ksin, and this is what eChristians preach thaMany people believe tmeans fate, a preordtiny over which one haswhich is also untrue.

The process of actiotion on all levelsphytal and spiritualis kais an example. I say kto you, and you feel pehappy. I say harsh wo

and you become rufedThe kindness and thewill return to me, throat a later time. This is architect thinks creatitive thoughts while drafor a new building. But

think destructive, unproductive thoughts, he would sable to accomplish any kind of positive task even if he deso. This is karma, a natural law of the mind. We must careful about our thoughts, bec ause thought creates, anmake karmasgood, bad and mixed.

Do Hindus believe in reincarnation?

Yes, we believe the soul is immortal and takes birth

time and time again. Through this process, we have

experiences, learn lessons and evolve spiritually.

Finally we graduate from physical birth.

What is karma?

Karma is the universal principle of cause and ef fect. Our

actions, both good and bad, come back to us in the future,

helping us to learn from lifes lessons and become better p

Carnatemeans of flesh,and reincarnate meansto reenter the esh. Yes,Hindus believe in re-

carnation. To us, it explains theatural way the soul evolves from

mmaturity to spiritual illumina-on. Life and death are realities for

l of us. Hinduism believes that theul is immortal, that it never dies,

ut inhabits one body after anothern the Earth during its evolutionaryurney. Like the caterpillars trans-rmation into a buttery, physical

eath is a most natural transitionr the soul, which survives and,

uided by karma, continues its longlgrimage until it is one with God.I myself have had many lives

efore this one and expect to haveore. Finally, when I have it allorked out and all the lessons have

een learned, I will attain enlight-nment and moksha, liberation.his means I will still exist, but willo longer be pulled back to be born

a physical body.Even modern science is discov-ing reincarnation. There have

een many cases of individuals re-embering their past lives. These

ave been researched by scientists,sychiatrists and parapsycholo-sts during the past decades andocumented in good books and vid-

os. Young children speak of vividast-life memories, which fade ashey grow older, as the veils of indi-duality shroud the souls intuitivenderstanding. Great mystics speak

their past lives as well. So do ourncient scriptures, the Vedas, reveal

e reality of reincarnation.Reincarnation is believed in by the Jains and the Sikhs, by thedians of the Americas, and by the Buddhists, certain Jewishcts, the Pagans and the many indigenous faiths. Even Christian-

y originally taught reincarnation, but formally renounced it in the

twelfth century. It is, in fact, one ofthe widest held articles of faith onplanet Earth.

Elaboration: At death the soulleaves the physical body. But thesoul does not die. It lives on in asubtle body called the astral body.The astral body exists in the non-

physical dimension called the as-tral plane, which is also the worldwe are in during our dreams atnight when we sleep. Here we con-tinue to have experiences until weare reborn again in another physi-cal body as a baby. Each reincarnat-ing soul chooses a home and a fam-ily which can best fulll its nextstep of learning and maturation.

After many lifetimes of follow-ing dharma, the soul is fully ma-tured in love, wisdom and knowl-edge of God. There is no longer aneed for physical birth, for all les-sons have been learned, all karmasfulfilled. That soul is then liber-ated, freed from the cycle of birth,death and rebirth. Evolution thencontinues in the more rened spir-itual worlds.

Similarly, after we graduate fromelementary school we never haveto go back to the fth grade. Wehave gone beyond that level in un-derstanding. Thus, lifes ultimategoal is not money, not clothes, not

sex, not power, not food or any oth-er of the instinctive needs. Theseare natural pursuits, but our realpurpose on this Earth is to know,to love and to serve God and theGods. That leads to the rare andpriceless objects of life: enlighten-

ment and liberation. This Hindu view of the souls evolution an-swers many otherwise bewildering questions, removing the fear ofdeath while giving assurance that each soul is evolving toward thesame spiritual destiny, for the Hindu believes that karma and rein-carnation are leading every single soul to God Realization.

Each soul evolves by experiencing many varied lives through

reincarnation, calledpunarjanma in Sanskrit, the processwherein the soul repeatedly takes on a physical body throughbeing born on Earth. Here, a soul, represented by the ray of light,

is shown in seven successive lives. Reincarnation is a purposefulmaturing process governed by the law of karma.

One of the best examples of karma is that you cant give

anything away but that generosity will return to you, withinterest. Here, in the upper scene, a lady gives clothing to a

youth. Below, she receives an unexpected gift from a neighboras the karma of her good deed brings its natural reward. Bywisely heeding karmas ways, we tread the path of dharma.

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Hindus regard all liv-ing creatures as sacredmammals, fishes, birdsand more. We acknowl-

dge this reverence for life in ourpecial affection for the cow. Atstivals we decorate and honor her,ut we do not worship her in the

nse that we worship the Deity.To the Hindu, the cow symbol-es all other creatures. The cowa symbol of the Earth, the nour-

her, the ever-giving, undemand-g provider. The cow representse and the sustenance of life. The

ow is so generous, taking nothingut water, grass and grain. It givesnd gives and gives of its milk, asoes the liberated soul give of hisiritual knowledge. The cow is sotal to life, the virtual sustainer of

fe, for many humans. The cow issymbol of grace and abundance.eneration of the cow instills inindus the virtues of gentleness,ceptivity and connectednessith nature.Elaboration: Who is the great-t giver on planet Earth today?

Who do we see on every tableevery country of the world

reakfast, lunch and dinner? It ise cow. McDonalds cow-vending

olden arches and their rivals haveade fortunes on the humble cow.

he generous cow gives milk andeam, yogurt and cheese, butternd ice cream, ghee and buttermilk.

gives entirely of itself throughrloin, ribs, rump, porterhouse andeef stew. Its bones are the base forup broths and glues. It gives theorld leather belts, leather seats, leather coats and shoes, beef jerky,wboy hatsyou name it.The only cow question for Hindus is, Why dont more peoplespect and protect this remarkable creature? Mahatma Gandhi

nce said, One can measure the greatness of a nation and its moral

progress by the way it treats itsanimals. Cow protection to me isnot mere protection of the cow. Itmeans protection of all that livesand is helpless and weak in theworld. The cow means the entiresubhuman world.

In the Hindu tradition, the cow

is honored, garlanded and givenspecial feedings at festivals all overIndia, most importantly the annualGopashtama festival. Demonstrat-ing how dearly Hindus love theircows, colorful cow jewelry andclothing is sold at fairs all over theIndian countryside. From a youngage, Hindu children are taught todecorate the cow with garlands,paint and ornaments. Her natureis epitomized in Kamadhenu, thedivine, wish-fulfilling cow. Thecow and her sacred giftsmilkand ghee in particularare es-sential elements in Hindu worship,penance and rites of passage. InIndia, more than 3,000 institu-tions called Gaushalas, maintained

by char itable trusts, care for oldand inrm cows. And while manyHindus are not vegetarians, mostrespect the still widely held codeof abstaining from eating beef.

By her docile, tolerant nature,the cow exemplies the cardinalvirtue of Hinduism, noninjury,

known as ahimsa. The cow alsosymbolizes dignity, strength, en-durance, maternity and selflessservice. In the Vedas, cows rep-resent wealth and joyous Earthlylife. From the Rig Veda (4.28.1;6 )we read. The cows have come and

have brought us good fortune. In our stalls, contented, may theystay! May they bring forth calves for us, many-colored, giving milkfor Indra each day. You make, O cows, the thin man sleek; to the un-lovely you bring beauty. Rejoice our homestead with pleasant low-ing. In our assemblies we laud your vigor.

The stone or metal deityimages in Hindu temples andshrines are not mere symbolsof the Gods. They are the form

through which their love, power andblessings ood forth into this world.We may liken this mystery to ourability to communicate with others

through the telephone. We do nottalk to the telephone; rather we useit as a means of communication withanother person. Without the tele-phone, we could not converse acrosslong distances; and without the sanc-tied icon in the temple, we cannoteasily commune with the Deity.

Divinity can also be invokedand felt in a sacred re, or in a tree,or in the enlightened person of asatguru. In our temples, God is in-voked in the sanctum by highlytrained priests. Through the prac-tice of yoga, or meditation, we in-voke God inside ourself. Yoga meansto yoke oneself to God within. Theimage or icon of worship is a fo-cus for our prayers and devotions.

Another way to explain icon wor-ship is to acknowledge that Hindus

believe God is everywhere, in allthings, whether stone, wood, crea-tures or people. So, it is not surprisingthat they feel comfortable worship-ing the Divine in His material mani-festation. The Hindu can see God in

stone and water, fire, air and ether,and inside his own soul. Indeed,there are Hindu temples which havein the sanctum sanctorum no im-age at all but a yantra, a symbolic ormystic diagram. However, the sightof the image enhances the devoteesworship.

Elaboration: In Hinduism one of the ultimate attainments iswhen the seeker transcends the need of all form and symbol. Thisis the yogis goal. In this way Hinduism is the least idol-orientedof all the religions of the world. There is no religion that is more

aware of the transcenless, formless, causelessis there any religion wmore symbols to reprein preparation for that

Humorously speakiare not idle worshiperser seen a Hindu worsh

or idle way. They wogreat vigor and devotiostinting regularity andTheres nothing idleways of worship! (A lnever hurts.) But, of question is about grav

All religions have thof holiness through wcred flows into the mname a few: the Christstatues of Mother MarTheresa, the holy Kaabthe SikhAdi Granth enthe Golden Temple inthe Arc and Torah of thimage of a meditating totems of indigenous faiths, and the artifactsmen and women of aSuch icons, or graven held in awe by the follorespective faiths. The does this make all suists idol worshipers? Tis, yes and no. From otive, idol worship is an

mystical practice sharthe worlds great faiths

The human mind refrom suffering throuof forms and symbolsen reverence, evoke saspiritual wisdom. Evementalist Christian wh

forms of idol worship, including those of the Catholic anchurches, would resent someone who showed disrespec

ble. This is because he considers it sacred. His book andicon are much alike in this way.

Why do Hindus worship the cow?

Hindus dont worship cows. We respect, honor and

adore the cow. By honoring this gentle animal, who

gives more than she takes, we honor all creatures.

Are Hindus idol worshipers?

Hindus do not worship a stone or metal idol as God. We

worship God through the image. We invoke the presence of

God from the higher, unseen worlds, into the image so that

we can commune with Him and receive His blessings.


Hindus do not worship cows, but they do revere them as the

perfect example of Divinity in all forms of life. Here a girlgarlands a cow whose horns are painted and adorned with brasstips and tassels. Her sister offers fresh grass. In India, the cow is

honored, adored and protected as a symbol of wealth, strength,abundance, seless giving and a full Earthly life.

A devotee looks within and beyond the bronze dancing Siva tobehold God in His spiritual body of light. Dressed in traditionalHindu garb, the man is performing his daily puja in his home

shrinechanting Sanskrit mantras, offering fruit, water, owers,incense and lightworshiping devoutly, beseeching God to sendblessings through the enshrined image.

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Our religion does notlay down rigid dosand donts. There areno commandments.

nduism gives us the wisdom toake up our own mind on whate put in our body, for it is the

nly one we havein this life, at

ast. Vegetarians are more numer-us in the South of India than ine North. This is because of theorths cooler climactic conditionsd past Islamic inuence. Priestsd religious leaders are denitelygetarian, so as to maintain a highvel of purity and spiritual con-iousness to fulll their responsi-lities, and to awaken the renedeas of their nature. Soldiers andw-enforcement ofcers are gen-ally not vegetarians, because theyve to keep alive their aggressiverces in order to perform theirork. To practice yoga and be suc-ssful in meditation, it is manda-ry to be vegetarian. It is a mat-r of wisdomthe application of

nowledge at any given moment.day, about twenty pe rcent of allndus are vegetarians.Elaboration: This can be auchy subject. There are severalays to respond, depending onho is asking and the background

which he was raised. But the

erlying principle that definese Hindu answer to this query isimsarefraining from injuring,

hysically, mentally or emotionally,yone or any living creature. Thendu who wishes to strictly follow the path of noninjury natu-lly adopts a vegetarian diet. Its a matter of conscience more thanything else.

When we eat meat, sh, fowl and eggs, we absorb the vibrationthe instinctive creatures into our nerve system. This chemically

ters our consciousness and amplies our lower nature, which isone to fear, anger, jealousy, confusion, resentment and the like.

Many Hindu swamis advise fol-lowers to be well-establishedvegetarians prior to initiationinto mantra, and to remain veg-etarian thereafter. But most donot insist upon vegetarianism forthose not seeking initiation. Swa-mis have learned that families

who are vegetarian have fewerproblems than those who are not.

Poignant scriptural citationscounsel against eating meat. TheYajur Veda (36.18) calls for kind-liness toward all creatures liv-ing on the Earth, in the air andin the water. The Tirukural, a2,200-year-old masterpiece ofethics, states, When a man re-alizes that meat is the butcheredesh of another creature, he willabstain from eating it (257). The

Manu Dharm a Shast ras state,Having well considered the originof esh and the cruelty of fetter-ing and slaying corporeal beings,let one entirely abstain from eat-ing flesh, and When the dietis pure, the mind and heart arepure. For guidance in this and allmatters, Hindus also rely on theirown guru, community elders,their own conscience and theirknowledge of the benets of ab-staining from meat and enjoyinga wholesome vegetarian diet. Of

course, there are good Hindus whoeat meat, and there are not-so-good Hindus who are vegetarians.

Today in America and Europemillions of people are vegetar-

ians because they want to live a long time and be healthy. Manyfeel a moral obligation to shun the mentality of violence to whichmeat-eating gives rise. There are good books on vegetarianism, suchas Diet for a New America. There is also a ne magazine calledVegetarian Times. The booklet How to Win an Argument witha Meat-Eater is online at: www.himalayanacademy.com/books/pamphlets/WinMeatEaterArgument.html .

Like the taoist tao te ch-ing, the Buddhist Dham-mapada, the Sikh AdiGranth, the Jewish Torah,

the Christian Bible and the Mus-limKoranthe Veda is the Hinduholy book. The four books of theVedasRig , Yajur, Sama and

Atha rvainclude over 100,000verses. The knowledge imparted

by the Vedas ranges from earthydevotion to high philosophy. Theirwords and wisdom permeate Hin-du thought, ritual and meditation.

The Vedas are the ultimate scrip-tural authority for Hindus. Theiroldest portions are said by someto date back as far as 6,000 bce,orally transmitted for most of his-tory and written down in Sanskritin the last few millennia, makingthem the worlds longest and mostancient scripture. The Vedas opena rare window into ancient Indiansociety, proclaiming lifes sacred-ness and the way to oneness withGod.

Elaboration: For untold centu-ries unto today, the Vedas haveremained the sustaining force andauthoritative doctrine, guiding fol-lowers in ways of worship, dutyand enlightenment. The Vedas arethe meditative and philosophicalfocus for millions of monks and a

billion seekers. Their stanzas arechanted from memory by priestsand laymen daily as liturgy in te m-ple worship and domestic ritual. AllHindus wholeheartedly accept theVedas, yet each draws selectively,interprets freely and amplies abundantly. Over time, this tolerantallegiance has woven the varied tapestry of Indian Hindu Dharma.

Each of the four Vedas has four sections:Samhitas (hymn col-lections), Brahmanas (priestly manuals),Aranyakas (forest trea-tises) and Upanishads (enlightened discourses). TheSamhitas and

Brahmanas afrm that God is immanent and transcendent and

prescribe ritual worshand devotional hymnscommunication with tworlds. The hymns ations to the One DivinDivinities of nature, sSun, the Rain, the Winand the Dawnas wel

for matrimony, progenyconcord, protection, doand more.

TheAranyakas and Uoutline the souls evjour ney, provi de yosophical training andrealization of mans onGod as the destiny oToday, the Vedas arein Sanskrit, English, Fman and other langit is the popular, mcal Upanishads thatmost amply and ably

The Vedas advise: Lno neglect of Truth. Lno neglect of dharma. Lno neglect of welfare. Lno neglect of prosperit

be no neglect of studying. Let there be no neduties to the Gods andtors (Taittiriya Upani

United your resolve, uhearts, may your spithat you may long tog

in unity and concord!10.191.4). There, wheredarkness, nor night, n

being, nor non-being, Auspicious One, alonand eternal. There is t

splendor of that Light from whom in the beginning sprwisdom (Shvetashvatara Upanishad4.18). Taking agreat weapon of the Upanishad, one should put uponsharpened by meditation. Stretching it with a thoughtthe essence of That, penetrate that Imperishable as thfriend (Mundaka Upanishad2.2.3).

Are Hindus forbidden to eat meat?

Hindus teach vegetarianism as a way to live

with a minimum of hurt to other beings. But in

todays world not all Hindus are vegetarians.

Do Hindus have a Bible?

Our Bible is called the Veda. The Veda,which means

wisdom, is comprised of four ancient and holy scriptures

which all Hindus revere as the revealed word of God.


Vendors at a market are selling fruits, vegetables, grains, spicesand sweetsa potpourri of foods that great cooks creativelycombine in one of the worlds most sumptuous cuisines. Hindus

understand the sound reasons against eating meat, and manyabstain entirely. With such a savory and healthy diet, there is no

need to consume esh.

The Vedas are revealed scripture, meaning they were issuedforth by God through enlightened sages, or rishis. This divine

transmission is depicted here as Lord Siva bestows the four booksof the Veda to four rishis. The sacred knowledge, passed orally formost of history, was nally scribed in Sanskrit on palm leaves toshare and preserve it.

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In popular, village hindu-ism God is represented as male,and Gods energy, or Shakti, ispersonied as His spousefor

example, Vishnu and Lakshmi. InHindu temples, art and mythol-ogy, God is everywhere seen asthe beloved, divine couple. Philo-

sophically, however, the caution isalways made that God and Godsenergy are One, and the meta-phor of the inseparable divinecouple serves only to illustrate thisOneness.

Hinduism is taught on manylevels to many different people,and to uneducated people whoare not able to understand highphilosophy, Hinduism is taughtin story form. Because the templeis the center of every Hindu com-munity, and everyone is focused onthe temple and the Gods within it,the Gods are the major players inthese stories. Hindus who under-stand the higher philosophy seekto find God on the inside whilealso worshiping God in the tem-ples. Simple folk strive to be like aGod, or like a Goddess. These tales,calledPuranas, have long been the

basis of dance, plays and storytell-ing around the re in the homesto children as they are growing up.The stories illustrate how a family

should live, how they should raisetheir children, and much more. Be-fore the printing press, there werefew books, and Hinduism was con-veyed orally through stories andparables. While these often violentchildrens tales should not be per-petuated, there remains much of value in the extensive writings ofthePuranas.

Elaboration: Those who learn the higher Hindu philosophiesknow that Gods are neither male nor female. In fact, attaining tothat Godly level of being is one of the mystical goals of yoga. This

is accomplished by blfeminine and masculinida andpingala,into tcurrent, sushumna, inof the spine within each

Hindus know that tnot marry, that they arwithin themselves. Th

depicted in the traditioArdhanarishvara, Siva aand half woman, and iing that Siva and Shathat Shakti is Sivas endearly loved as our FatGod. Yet, sexual gendemonial relations are ocal and emotional realmthe Gods exist in a stratsupersedes these levelsthat matter, the soul ither male nor female.

Some modern swamidevotees not to pay anto Puranic stories abousaying that they have nship with the world tthey are misleading andand should no longer bthe children. Instead, tage followers to deepenwith the higher philothe Vedic Upanishadsalizations of Hindu seer

Other faiths sometcize the Hindu religio

of comic-book religioshould not be part ofing that image by passmisconceptions as thof the Gods. Other reliand adjust with the timism must also do so. It

answers to the questions about God, soul and worldaare reasonable, that can be understood and accepted eventhat are coherent, sensible and strictly in accord with sctradition. This is necessary in the technological age, necder that Hinduism will be a religion of the future, not o

The dot worn betweenthe eyes or in the middle ofthe forehead is a sign thatone is a Hindu. It is called the

ndi in the Hindi language, binduSanskrit andpottu in Tamil. In

den days, all Hindu men andomen wore these marks, and they

oth also wore earrings. Today it ishe women who are most faithful

wearing the bindi.The dot has a mystical mean-g. It represents the third eye of

piritual sight, which sees thingshe physical eyes cannot see. Hin-us seek to awaken their innerght through yoga. The foreheadot is a reminder to use and culti-ate this spiritual vision to perceivend better understand lifes innerorkingsto see things not just

hysically, but with the minds eyewell. The bindi is made of red

owder (called sindur, tradition-ly made from powdered turmeric

nd fresh lime juice), sandalpaste orosmetics.In addition to the simple dot,

here are many types of foreheadarks, known as tilaka in Sanskrit.

ach mark represents a particularct or denomination of our vastligion. We have four major sects:

aivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktismnd Smartism. Vaishnava Hindus,

r example, wear a v-shaped ti-ka made of white clay. Elaborateakas are worn by Hindus mainlyreligious events, though many

ear the simple bindi, indicatingey are Hindu, even in the general

ublic. By these marks we know what a person believes, and there-re know how to begin conversations.For Hindu women, the forehead dot is also a beauty mark, not

nlike the black mark European and American women once woren the cheek. The red bindi is generally a sign of marriage. A blackndi is of ten worn b efore marriage to ward off t he evil eye. As

an exotic fashion statement, thedots color complements the colorof a ladys sari. Ornate bindis areeven worn by actresses in popularAmerican TV shows.

Elaboration: Men and womenof a particular religion wishingto identify themselves to one an-

other often do so by wearing dis-tinctive religious symbols. Oftenthese are blessed in their temples,churches or synagogues. Chris-tians wear a cross on a necklace.Jewish boys wear small leathercases that hold scriptural passages,and the round cap called yarmul-ka. Sikh men wear their hair in aturban. In many countries, Mus-lim women cover their head witha scarf, called hajib.

Do not be ashamed to wearthe bindi on your forehead in theUnited States, Canada, Europe orany country of the world. Wearit proudly. The forehead dot willdistinguish you from all otherpeople as a very special person, aHindu, a knower of eternal truths.You will never be mistaken as be-longing to another nationality orreligion. The sacred forehead dotis an easy way of distinguishingHindus from Muslims. And dont

be intimidated when people askyou what the dot means. Now you

have lots of information to give agood answer, which will probablylead to more questions about yourvenerable religion.

For both boys and girls, men andwomen, the dot can be small or

large depending on the circumstance, but should always be therewhen appropriate. Naturally, we dont want to aunt our religionin the face of others. We observe that many Christian men andwomen take off or conceal their crosses in the corporate businessworld. Some communities and institutions disallow wearing reli-gious symbols entirely.

Why do many Hindus wear a dotnear the middle of their forehead?

The dot worn on the forehead is a religious symbol.

It represents divine sight and shows that one is

a Hindu. For women, it is also a beauty mark.

Are the Gods of Hinduism really married?

It is true that God is often depicted with a spouse in our

traditional stories. However, on a deeper philosophical

level, the Supreme Being and the Gods are neither male

nor female and are therefore not married.


Decorating the face and body with colorful paints is a universalhuman practice, often a cultural rite expressing ones tribe, beliefs

and identity. The forehead dot shows that one is proud to be aHindu and bespeaks mystical seeing beyond the ve senses. Here,in a simple, daily act, a woman obligingly applies a red binditoher sisters forehead.

Through history Hindus have depicted God as Ardhanarishvara,

which literally means half-female LordSiva as male on theright and female on the left. This vision of the Divine as ourMother-Father God supersedes the popular, mythological notion

of marriage of a God and Goddess, declaring that God and Hisenergy are one.

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hinduism today october/november/december, 2011

Caste, from the portu-guese casta, mean-ing clan or lineage,refers to two systems

ithin Hindu society. The rst isarna, the division of society into

ur groups: workers, businesseople, lawmakers/law enforcers

nd priests. The second isjati, thehousands of occupational guilds

hose members follow a singlerofession.Jati members usuallyarry within their ownjati andllow traditions associated with

heirjati. In urban areas they oftennter other occupations, but stillsually arrange marriages within

hejati.Wealth, especially in urbaneas, often trumps caste. Indus-ialization and education haveeatly altered Indiasjati system

y eliminati ng or changing therofessions upon which it wasiginally based, and opening new

mployment options. Thejatis arevolving to function today less likeuilds and more like large clans

related families. At the bottome the so-called untouchables,ho perform the dirtiest jobs and

ave suffered much like the blackeople of America, who were freedom slavery just 138 years ago.rong laws have been passed in

dia to end caste-based discrimi-ation. Modern Hindus rightly de-ore caste abuse and are workingset matters right. Just as in the

S, it is a difficult task that willke decades, especially in the villages.Elaboration:Caste is, no doubt, the biggest stick that Hindus get

eaten with. It is taught as the dening attribute, or fatal aw, of Hin-uism in Western schools. Untouchability as a formal system shocks

Westerners. One response we can make is to separate social strati -tion from the issue of racial/class discrimination.First issue: social stratication. India is one of the worlds oldest

societies. It has sustained a con-tinuity of culture and religion forthousands of years. Europe, on theother hand, has seen millenniumsof upheaval. Still, one only has togo back to before the 17th-centuryindustrial revolution to nd a so -cial system that is similar to caste.

European society then comprisedthe landed elite (including royalty,a hereditary caste maintained tothis day), merchants, artisans andpeasants. The artisans formedguilds, occupation-based organi-zations that served both as closedunions and marketing monopolies.The guild legacy remains in West-ern surnames such as Smith, ametal worker. There was no publiceducation system, and each gen-eration learned at home the fam-ily occupation. There was littletechnological change, so jobs werestatic. Industrialization and pub-lic education altered (but did notdestroy) this class system in theWest, just as they are changingcaste andjatiin India today.

Second issue: racial/class dis-crimination. Most Indians areunfamiliar with the extent of dis-crimination in the West today. In

America, for example, hundredsof thousands live destitute andhomeless on city streets, as true

untouchables. US cities are moreracially segregated than beforethe 1950s Civil Rights Movement

because of white flight to thesuburbs. Black Americans receive

harsher sentences than white Americans for the same crime. ManyNative American Indians live at the bottom of society, destitute andalcoholic, on barren Indian reservations. This kind of responsewe can call it the Youre one, too defensedoesnt mean Hindusshould not work much harder to end caste discrimination. But itreminds others that no country in the world is yet free from racialdiscrimination.

What about caste and untouchability?

Caste is the hereditary division of Indian society based on

occupation. The lowest class, deemed untouchables, suffer from

discrimination and mistreatment. It is illegal in India to dis-

criminate against, abuse or insult anyone on the basis of caste.

In recent years a vigorous de-

bate has arisen as to whetheryoga is intrinsically a Hindupractice or a universal science.

The wordyoga has changed as thepractice moved west. Its originalmeaning, union with God, has

been replaced with t he more secu-

lar denition presented by upscaleyoga studios around the world thatteach a regimen of asanas along with

basic breathing and a l ittle medita-tion. A typical studio ad focuses onthe physicality, stating that yogaincreases the circulation of oxygen-rich blood, nourishing and detoxify-ing the internal organs, musculature,cardiovascular, immune, endocrine,digestive, reproductive and nervoussystems. The United States alonehas over 20 million practitioners,and there are hundreds of millionsworldwide.

B.K.S. Iyengar, a renowned yogateacher, gives a more traditional def-inition on his website: Yoga is oneof the six systems of Indian philoso-phy. The wordyoga originates fromthe Sanskrit root yuj, which means

union. On the spiritual plane, itmeans union of the Individual Selfwith the Universal Self.

Elaboration: The termyoga actu-ally refers to a wide range of Hindupractices; so it is important to specify

what kind of yoga is being discussed.In common modern usage,yoga typically refers to hatha yogatheperformance of yoga postures, or asanas, which are drawn fromancient Hindu scriptures. Hatha yoga has always bee n performed

by Hindus as a preparation for meditation; today, especially in theWest, its health benets commonly supersede the spiritual. Hathayoga is just one facet of a broader body of knowledge and practiceknown as ashtanga yoga, which consists of eight stages. (Ashtameans eight; anga means limb). The famous Yoga Sutras of SagePatanjali, who lived around 200 bce, is considered the rst system-atic presentation of the ancient tradition of yoga.

To appreciate yogas spiritual and religious nature, one need only

consider each of its eighfacets. The rst isyama,restraints; of these, the mtant is ahimsa, noninjuriousecond is niyama, speciobservances, including puhome shrine and repeatinThe third is asana, the w

ticed hatha yoga posturmaining ve limbs are almeditation: pranayama (btrol),pratyahara (sense wdharana (concentration(meditation) and samadhtion, or oneness with God)

Can those of other faitfrom the practice of yogathreatening their religionCertainly followers of lgious traditions can do soclerics of conservative ftions have spoken againtice for their adherents. Foin 2008 the leading Islamin Malaysia issued an editing the countrys Muspracticing yoga. CouncilAbdul Shukor Husim

We are of the view that yoriginates in Hinduism

Muslims faith. There are to get exercise. You can swimming, etc.

The Reverend Richard of Saint Marys Church i

England, commented in 2cept that for some people it is simply an exercise. But iten a gateway into other spiritualities, including Eastern The Vatican has issued numerous edicts about t he pursIn 1989 it warned that practices like Zen and yoga can into a cult of the body that debases Christian prayer.

It is sometimes argued that yoga is not Hindu per sroots are Hindu. The fact that yoga is pursued by many nois irrelevant to its validity as a Hindu practice. The rootsscriptural origins, are Hindu. The stem of yoga, its pracdu; and the ower of yoga, mystical union with God, is Hin its full glory, is entirely Hindu. Practice at your own ris

Is yoga a Hindu practice?

Deeply rooted in Hindu scripture and belief, yoga is, an

always was, a vital part of Hindu religion and culture.

it is embraced by tens of millions of non-Hindus seeki

renowned benets to physical, mental and spiritual he


Representatives of the four castes, orvarnas, are shown heresurrounding Lord Ganesha. They are: worker, businessman,

general and priest. These are natural divisions which appear in all

nations and societies as shown by the universal existence, in someform, of labor unions, businessmens associations, armies andpolice forces, and religious ministers.

At dawn a devotee practices an advanced hatha yoga asana

as part of a series that will prepare him for meditation.Each day in his shrine room, he follows a one-hour spiritual

routine of yoga, worship and meditation.

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How do Hindus view other religions?

Hindus honor all religious traditions and the

people within them. While regarding our faith

as uniquely endowed, we believe that there

is no exclusive path, no one way for all.

Why do some Hindu Gods have animal feature

In dreams and visions the inner-plane beings have

revealed themselves to mankind to be of many forms

expressing many powers. Some appear human, and

others, like Ganesha, have animal features.


n india, where hindus are theoverwhelming majority, therights of minority religions havealways been honored. Hindusve welcomed, embraced and livedacefully among other religions fornturies. During those same cen-ries, Hinduism itself evolved into

undreds of strains, and thus Hin-us are fully at home with manyfferent traditions and viewpointsthin their own faith. Hence, they

e naturally tolerant of other reli-ons, respecting the fact that eachs unique beliefs, practices, goalsd paths of attainment, and notjecting when the doctrines ofe conict with those of another.ndus readily accept the idea thatis not necessary, desirable or evenssible for everyone to hold the

me beliefs. And certainly suchfferences should never be causer tension, criticism, intolerance orolence.An ancient Sanskrit verse sum-arizes the Hindu attitude: Ase different streams, having theirurces in different places, all min-e their water in the sea, so, O L ord,e different paths which men takerough different tendencies, vari-s though they appear, crooked or

raight, all lead to Thee.Hindus do not proselytize, mean-

g they do not try to convert mem-rs of other faiths to their own.oselytizing is based upon thelief that ones religion is the only true religion and everyone elseould join it. Hindus hold the view that all faiths are benecial. Avout Hindu is supportive of all efforts that lead to a pure and vir-ous life and would consider it unthinkable to dissuade a sincerevotee from his chosen faith. They know that good citizens and

able societies are created from groups of religious people in all na-ns. While encouraging others to follow their chosen path withdication, Hindus hold Sanatana Dharma to be the fullest expres-n of religion, and do accept sincere souls who seek entrance into

Hinduism.Elaboration: When discussing

other religions, Hindu leaders of-ten quote a verse from theRig Veda(1.164.46): Ekam Sat, viprah bahud-ha vadanti, meaning Truth is One,sages describe it variously. It con -veys a core Hindu idea: that there can

be multiple valid viewpoints aboutthe Supreme. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan,philosopher and former presidentof India, stressed this point: TheHindu recognizes one Supreme Spirit,though different names are given to it.

In expressing religious tolerance,Hindus sometimes cite the aboveverse to assert that all religions are thesame. In reality, all religions are notthe same, nor is that indicated by thisverse. It simply says that all religionsrevere the One Truth; all believe inthe One Supreme Being. Their beliefsand practices are different; their pathsare distinct. Instead of saying, Allreligions are the same, it is better tostate that all religions are good.

Hindus share values common to allfaiths: piety, love of God, respect fortradition, a stress on duty, responsi-

bility and basic human virtues, suchas nonviolence, truthfulness, compas-sion and charity. They know that goodcitizens and stable societies are cre-ated from groups of religious peoplein all nations. They also acknowledge

and honor the many ways that reli-gions differ. For example, meditationand yoga are commonly practiced in

Eastern religions but not usually in Western faiths.The heart of a religion is its understanding of the souls relation-

ship to God. Hinduism and most Eastern religions believe that, atthe highest level, God and soul are one, inseparable, while Westernfaiths maintain that Creator and creation are eternally distinct.

Hindus support and participate in ecumenical gatherings withother religions, while upholding their own traditions. They con-dently defend their faith, proceed contentedly with their practicesand avoid the enchantment of other ways, be they ancient or modern.

Here the artist depicts the intimate affection between GodSiva and humanity. All are embraced, accepted and loved,

whatever path they follow, whatever religion they profess.

The various gods in hinduisms wide-ranging traditions possess distinct per-sonalities and forms based on how theyhave been seen in visions and how they

are depicted in stories and legends. Hindusfeel no need to question the fact, for instance,that Lord Ganesha has the head of an el-ephant. They know He has been seen in this

way by rishis and even by ordinary devotees.Did He choose that form to distinguish Him-self as the Lord of Obstacles? No one reallyknows. The important fact is that millions ofHindus worship and receive blessings fromthe benevolent Elephant-Faced God every day.Many Hindus seeking an explanation holdthat Ganesha is a real being who looks like anelephant. Others believe the elephant form issymbolic. Millions are content with the an -cient stories in thePuranas that explain howHe came to have an elephant head. Interest-ingly, and perhaps because of His endearingvisage, Ganesha is the most popular of all theHindu Deities. Numerous other Hindu Divin-ities have animal attributes, including Hanu-man, Varuna, Kamadhenu, the Nagas, the vahanas (animal mountsof the Gods) and four of Vishnus ten incarnations (sh, turtle, boarand half-man-half-lion).Elaboration: An exploration of other ancient faiths shows that

Hinduism is not alone in having Divinities with animal attributes.The ancient Greeks worshiped the God Pan, who has the hindquar-ters, legs and horns of a goat, and the Sea Gods Ichthyocentaurs,with human heads and torsos, the front legs of a horse and the ser-pentine tails of sh. In Egypts pantheon, Anubis (God of the Under -world) is a falcon-headed man, as is Ra (the Sun God). Thoth (Lordof Wisdom and of the Moon) has the head of an ibis or a baboon,

and His consort, Bastet, has the form of a cat or a lioness. The Meso-american peoples worshiped Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent. TheAssyrians feared the powerful serpent Goddess Tiamat and reveredvarious winged beings. In Japanwhere Buddhism and Shintoismare intertwinedKitsune the fox and Tengu the bird man are pow -erful shape-shifters who can t ransform into human or inanimateshapes to trick humans. Many shrines there are guarded by a pair ofmagical lion-dogs known as the Koma-inu or Shishi.

In a discussion with Christians, who tend to ridicule Hinduismon this point, you can recall that winged angels are half-human andhalf-bird. Four-headed beings called the Cherubims were central inthe early Christianity. In the BiblesBook of Revelation,John writes:

I saw a throne standing in heaven; and the One who wathe throne In the center, grouped around the throne itselanimals with many eyes, in front and behind. The rst like a lion, the second like a bull, the third animal had a hand the fourth animal was like a ying eagle. Each of t

mals had six wings.. . (4:1-8). The description matchesby Jewish prophet Elijah centuries before. Importantly, tare the most powerful beings in the pantheon, closest to

Over the millennia, worship and awareness of Deitimal features was eclipsed in most cultures as the monligions grew into prominence. Were these beings merimagination, as depicted by modern scholars? Or were of ancient times aware of a mystical reality that has beenIn most cultures, the old Gods have been put in exile. Oduism does such worship thrive in unbroken continuity

One might note the obvious fact that Homo sapienanimal specie, one among many.

Hanuman carries Iraivan Temple from India to Hawaii. Wimonkey body, Hanuman is one of many non-human Deities

Hindu pantheon. A devotee of Lord Rama, He is regarded aally to all on the spi ritual path, a symbol of st rength and de

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Why do Hindus cremate the dead?

Hindus arrange swift cremation of the dead, ideally

within 24 hours. The re and accompanying rites

sever ties to earthly life and give momentum to

the soul for its continuing spiritual journey.

16 hinduism today october/november/december, 2011

Hindus traditionally crematetheir dead because a fiery disso-lution of the body brings swifter,more complete release of the soul

than burial, which preserves the souls psy-chic connection to its just-ended earthly life.After death, the departed soul hovers close tothe earth plane in its astral body, emotion-

ally attached to the physical body and itsold surroundings, still able to see this mate-rial world. The funeral rites and burning ofthe body signify spiritual release, notifyingthe soul that, in fact, death has come. Someof the funeral chants address the deceased,urging the soul to relinquish attachmentsand continue its spiritual journey. The Godsand devas are invoked to assist the soul in itstransition. The re severs ties to earthly lifeand gives momentum to the soul, granting atleast momentary access to rened, heavenlyrealms. All attention is on a singular goal, as

expressed in this prayer from the Rig Veda:Release him again, O Agni, to the fathers.The one offered to you now proceeds to his destiny. Putting on newlife, let him approach the surviving, let him reunite with a [new]body, All-Knowing One! (10. 16. 5).

Elaboration: Hindus do not believe in bodily resurrection andthe reuniting of each soul with its physical body, so they place noimportance on preserving the corpse, which is the intent of burialin Christianity and Islam. The Hindu belief in reincarnation givesassurance that death is merely the souls release from the currentlife. An ancient text puts it simply, Even as the snake sloughs offits skin, even as the bird leaves its shell, even as in its waking statethe soul forgets happenings of the dream state, thus does the soulmigrate from one body to another (Tirumantiram 2132).

Family and friends take an active part in releasing the departedsoul: preparing the body, joining in the rituals, transporting the

body to the cremation grounds and lighting the pyre. After crema-tion, the ashes are ceremoniously committed to a river (often theGanga), lake or ocean, along with garlands and owers. While therites allow family a dignied farewell and an opportunity to ex -press grief, all present know there will be other bodies, other lives.Mourning is never suppressed, but scriptures admonish againstexcessive lamentation and encourage joyous release. The departedsoul feels the impact of emotional forces directed at him, and pro-longed grieving can hold him in earthly consciousness, inhibitingfull transition to the inner worlds. Hindus speak of death as the

Great Departure, regarding it as lifes most exalted moment. Thdeath anniversary is called Liberation Day.

Cremation is prescribed in the Vedic texts, and Hindu funercustoms are remarkably uniform throughout India. Cremation also practiced by other Indic faiths, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhisand is becoming popular worldwide. Many believe the body shou

be disposed of as swiftly and cleanly as possible and that re is th

purest way to return the physical elements to their source. It is leexpensive than burial, with a smaller impact on the environmenRecent gures show cremations are chosen by 35% in the US, 72in the UK, 99.9% in Japan, 68% in Canada and 49% in China.

Infants and small children, however, are buried in Hindu tradtion. Another exception pertains to enlightened souls, for whothe body is often interred in a crypt lled with salt, and a shrine temple is constructed at the site. Sacred texts assert their remarable disciplines have endowed the physical body with immenspiritual power, which can radiate for generations, giving blessinthrough this sacred samadhi, especially if that soul remains awaof the Earth plane.

A body, wrapped in cotton cloth, is placed on a funeral pyre made of

stacks of wood. Flames return the elements to nature, leaving puried

ashes that will be placed in a river or other body of water.

a.manivel

Documents

14 Questions to Hinduism