Hinduism

It is the third largest and the oldest religion of the World. No one is actually certain how old is Hinduism but it can be said with certainty that Indus valley civilisation contributed some ideas to Hindu हिन्दू religion. The earliest known Hindu हिन्दू scriptures are the "Vedas  वेद ". Vedas वेद describe the religion of Aryans आर्यन, who invaded India around 1500 B.C. The Vedic वैदिक religion was not Hinduism although Hindus हिन्दू consider Vedas वेद as their scriptures. Of the Hindu "Trinity" Brahma ब्रह्मा the creator, Vishnu विष्णु the preserver, and Mahesh महेश (Shiva शिव) the destroyer only Vishnu's विष्णु name appears in the oldest Vedas वेद. The concept of Trinity dates back to 500 A.D. Around the same time, the importance of goddess began which appears in many forms of Shakti शक्ति (Shiva's consort).

However, Upanishads उपनिषद् which were written several hundreds years later have characteristic Hindu हिन्दू ideas of unity of soul with Brahman ब्रह्मा, karma कर्म, reincarnation, and salvation (Moksha मोक्ष- escape from reincarnation). The notion of class and caste which was absent in Vedas वेद starting appearing during this period. Hindus हिन्दू are mainly divided into three groups

Shivites, who are devoted to Shiva शिव, whom they consider as their creator and preserver of the universe

Vaishnavas वैष्णव, who assign the above roles to Vishnu विष्णु and Shaktas, who worship Shakti शक्ति.

These divisions of Hinduism are not very rigid as in other faiths and it is not strange for people of one belief to mix with others. The Hindus हिन्दू do not form congregations and mostly worship at home. They worship other God and Goddesses as well as these are considered as another reincarnation of main Hindu हिन्दू Gods. As a result, the major Gods and Goddesses are worshiped in many names and forms. Hindus हिन्दू have little missionary feeling because they believe that the proper way to become a Hindu is to born one. Hindu हिन्दू rituals cover all areas of a person's life. Hindu हिन्दू society has a high standard of conduct, with little immorality, crime, or violence.

There are many definitions of the word 'Hindu' हिन्दू based on geography, religion, or politics etc. but none of them is perfect. It is a way of life; therefore, there is no need to define Hinduism. We should simply recognise the fact that Hindu हिन्दू society exists.

Hinduism is universal and contains different schools of philosophy and religion.

Hinduism is the oldest religion of the world but it reforms and changes with the demands of the time, thus it is ancient but remains modern.

Every Hindu हिन्दू keeps these four objectives in view and tries to achieve them:

1) Duty (Dharma धर्म)

2) Material prosperity (artha अर्थ)

3) Enjoyment (kama काम) and

4) Salvation (moksha मोक्ष)

Theory of Action (karma कर्म): we reap what we sow. We must take responsibility for all actions we do in this life.

To achieve the above objectives life is divided into four segments:

1) Celibacy (bramacharya ब्रह्मचार्य)- student life i.e. acquiring knowledge.

2) Family life (grihastha गृहस्थ)- enjoyment and prosperity and participation    running of society and the nation.

3) Retirement (vanaprastha वानप्रस्थ)- delegate responsibility to younger generation to perform selfless social service.

4) Renunciation (sanyas संन्यास)- complete renunciation of the world for union with God.

IMPORTANT HINDU PLACES

Char Math चार मठ

Jyotirmath  ज्योतिर्मठ (Garhwal-Himalaya गढ़वाल -हिमालय)

Goverdhan  गोवर्धन (Jagannath puri जग्गनाथपुरी)

Shengari शेंगरी (Karnataka कर्नाटक)

Sharda शारदा (Dawarika-Gujarat द्वारिका गुजरात)

Char Kumbhasthal चार कुम्भ स्थल

Haridwar हरिद्वार (Uttar Pradesh उत्तरप्रदेश)

Prayag प्रयाग (Allahbad-U.P. इलाहाबाद यू पी, उत्तरप्रदेश)

Avantika अवन्तिका (Ujjain-Madhya Pradesh उज्जैन मध्यप्रदेश)

Nasik नासिक (Maharashtra महाराष्ट्र)

Char Dham चारधाम

Badrinath  बदरीनाथ (Himalaya हिमालय)

Jagannathpuri जगन्नाथपुरी (Orissa उड़ीसा)

Rameshwar  रामेश्वर (Tamilnadu तामिल नाडू)

Dwarika द्वारका (Gujarat गुजरात)