Misconceptions about Hinduism

Here we're going to look into various misconceptions that prevalent in the society about Hinduism.

1. Common misunderstandings about Advaita
2. Hinduism is not a polytheistic religion - neither it is monotheistic.

Read More

Hinduism Is Neither Polytheistic Nor Monotheistic Religion

This is one of the most frequent misconceptions about Hinduism and it is totally false. Hinduism is not, and has never been, polytheistic, meaning the belief in many Gods. In fact, there is no concept of "god" even in Hinduism, in Abrahamic view. Ishwara as stated in Hinduism is not equivalent to god, simply because Ishwara is not an entity different in outside the world, ruling over it! 

The concept of "creation" in Hinduism is not an external creation, rather it is a manifestation of Parabrahman itself. Hence Ishwara or Paramatma is not an entity different from this world, but rather the world itself is a manifestation of Parabrahman.

According to Hindu thought, there is no separation between the Divine and the world of nature. They are the two aspects of the same reality. The cosmic reality is one like the ocean. Nature or the manifest world is like the waves on the surface of the sea. Brahman or the unmanifest Absolute is like the depths of the sea. But it is all water, all the same single ocean.

Ultimately for the Hindu as the Upanishads say, “Everything is Brahman,” Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma. This does not mean that the informed Hindu mindlessly worships the forces of nature on an outer level out of superstition and fear. The Hindu perceives a Divine and sacred presence working behind the forms of nature as their inner spirit, which is the real object of their adoration.

Hinduism has always been pluralistic, meaning many ways to think of and relate to Ishwara. It is the only religion in the world in which a person is not only allowed, but also encouraged, to relate to Ishwara in the way that suits them best, whatever that may be.

This sense of the Divine in all of nature is the reason why Hindus find sacred places everywhere. The Hindus have sacred mountains and hills, sacred rivers and lakes, sacred trees and groves, sacred flowers and grasses. They can honor the Divine not only in the human form but in all the forms of nature. This Hindu devotional attitude is not mere primitive idolatry as the western religions would like to project. It is not a worship of nature externally. It is a recognition of the Divine reality within all things.

Hindus honor all the forms of the Divine but also recognize the formless Divine even beyond the Creator, extending to the Absolute. Vedanta teaches us that this Absolute or Brahman is the being, self and soul of everything animate and inanimate. It says our very Self is the entire universe and the entire universe dwells within us. To honor nature is to honor ourselves. To honor ourselves, one should honor all of nature.

For the Hindus the Earth is sacred as the very manifestation of the Divine Mother. She is Bhumi Devi, the Earth Goddess. One of the reasons that Hindus honor cows is that the cow represents the energies and qualities of the Earth, selfless caring, sharing and the providing of nourishment to all. Hindu prayers are done at the rising of the Sun, at noon and at sunset, honoring the Divine light that comes to us through the Sun. Nature is always included in the Hindu approach. Even the great Hindu Yogis retire into nature to pursue their practices, taking refuge in the Himalayas and other mountains and wilderness areas where there is a more direct contact with the Divine.

Read More

Common Misunderstandings in Advaita Vedanta

By Prashant Parikh, a student of traditional Vedanta from Arsha Vidya Gurukulam
Vedanta is a very deep and delicate subject. Understanding it requires utmost dedication and preparedness. There are some errors I come across routinely in my discussions with people, so here are a few of them I addressed for our readers:

1) The Self can’t be experienced: The human mind is designed to go outwards (or even inwards) to gain experience. That is good, it allows us to innovate and progress in our worldly lives. However, when it comes to gaining AtmA jnAnam, the mind again looks for experience of an object called AtmA. This will fail miserable. AtmA is the very Self, the subject. Only an object endowed with attributes can be experienced. The consciousness, which is the Self, cannot be known as an object of experience. The Self can only be understood through the process of acquiring jnAnam through the timeless veda utterances. Tat tvam ask [Thou art That] is the teaching of the Guru, aham brahman asmi [I am Absolute Reality] is the understanding of the student. 

2) Re: Internet knowledge:  Swami Google-Ananda and Brahmacharini Wikipedia are not reliable teachers of Vedic knowledge. Please do not use search engines to learn scriptures, they will only add to the confusion.

3) Re: Finding a Guru:  There is no substitute for a living teacher. If a person was not your Guru WHILE he was alive, after his passing away you cannot consider him your teacher. A guru is supposed to remove your ignorance in an interactive way. Those who are no longer with us simply cannot help us with our doubts.

Also be careful, too many cooks spoil the broth. This is to be avoided at all costs, please stick to one parampara if it is clarity that you wish to have, having a teacher from all possible faiths is not going to help better understand shAstra.

4) Mala Japa is NOT a substitute for knowledge to gain mokSha:  Many falsely believe only chanting a particular mantra is the fastest way to mokSha. This is as far from the truth as it can get. Bhakti (devotion) leads to jnAnam (knowledge), and self knowledge alone is liberation. Krishna Bhagwan is crystal clear about this, it is unfortunate that people misinterpret his teachings. Gita Ch 4, verse 38 says ‘there is nothing more purifying than knowledge’. Gaining AtmA jnAnam (self knowledge) from a qualified teacher who can handle shAstra (scripture) as a pramANam (means of knowledge) is the only way to go.

5) Shraddha [trust in the teacher and scriptures] makes life easy… Very easy:  Debate only generates heat, and no light. Either we argue or we learn. Humility is the key to opening the doors to knowledge, if one approaches the scriptures with a challenging attitude, the Vedas will always elude such a person. Sincere seeker-ship is always rewarded. shraddhA is faith in one’s dev-guru-shAstra (god, guru, scripture).

6) Re: Tradition:  Respect the Vedic culture. Culture is the medium through which knowledge is propagated. You cannot separate knowledge from traditional practices. If one dies, the other will not last very long. Vedic culture and religion go hand in hand and are inseparable. Both need your support.

7) Re: Purpose of Meditation:  Entering into meditation will NOT enlighten a person. Meditation can be divided into four types: a) Relaxation b) Concentration c) Expansion d) Value assimilation.
Relaxation does just what it says. Concentration hones your ability to focus on a vastu (thing) for longer uninterrupted periods. Expansion is where your cognition reaches out to incorporate a vishva rUpa of this jagat/ishvara, wherein you try to visualize yourself from the smallest particle, to the farthest reaches of space and time, where nothing in the universe is separate from you. Value-based meditation is where you bring about a transformation in thoughts.

Meditation before gaining knowledge is a good conditioning program to prepare your mind for knowledge, also called upAsana yoga. Meditation after studying scriptures is a program to help assimilate knowledge, also known as nidhidhyAsanam Of course to gain jIvan-mukti/moksha, shAstric jnAnam is indispensable.

8 ) There aren’t MANY gods:  So many needless Vishnu vs Shiva fights can be avoided. Vishnu and Shiva are manifestations of the same Ishvara, presented to you in whichever form you prefer Same goes with other representations such as Ganesha, Matajis etc.The whole purpose of this diversity is to appreciate Ishvara’s creation, not create divisions within Ishvara… Every form is a form of Ishvara alone. This is the beauty of advaita which so few understand and appreciate. To be clear, there is only one Ishvara.

9) Vedanta is a means of self-knowledge:  Upanishads stand as a consistent part of the Vedas, there are no contradictions. The former half of the Vedas treat you as a doer, prescribing necessary actions/karmas that you can perform in the form of rituals, prayers, duties etc, the latter half reveals the nature of the very inquirer.

10) Different religions do NOT lead to the same goal:  All religions are not the same. Often I read posts like. Church = Temple = Mosque = 6 letters. Bible = Quran = Geeta = 5 letters, so all religions teach the same thing. While I can appreciate the intention, it is just a dishonest pseudo secular way to look at things.

The goal of most other religions is a temporary heaven. Logic says that a limited action cannot earn a permanent result. Limited actions on earth can only buy you limited stay in heaven, the concept of eternal heaven and hell are logically faulty.

The goal of a Vaidika is mokSha, and that is absolute freedom from all limitations – bodily or otherwise. As Swamiji says, when you are in heaven, you still may have to struggle to get a “front seat” to see your favorite God! So let us accept that all religions are different, and let us accommodate the differences without badmouthing them, and focus on our own

11) Different yogas do NOT give the same result:  Karma yoga, jnAana yoga, bhakti yoga and dhyAna yoga are not different ways to achieve the same end. Karma yoga and dhyAna yoga (or more precisely, upAsana yoga) are preparatory steps to achieve jnAana. Bhakti is the attitude with which we conduct all our activities. Ultimately it boils down to mokSha through jnAna alone: jnAnam is equivalent to mokSha.

12) AtmA is NOT a part/product/property of Brahman:  AtmA is brahman, that’s all.

13) AtmA does NOT take rebirth:  AtmA is often mistaken to be the sukshma sharira (subtle body: the mind, sense powers, powers of action and the prANas). It is the subtle body that goes from birth to birth, inhabiting one physical body after another.

14) There is only ONE AtmA:  The AtmA is an all pervading entity, and there is only one AtmA. Rather, there is ONLY AtmA/brahman, and this world of names and forms is a manifestation. When one dreams, a single individual creates an entire universe of forms within his own mind, and then enters that very dream to experience it, and now the dream that was within the individual suddenly appears to be a real world outside of the individual.

Read More

Maha Vishnu sleeps?

It is often depicted that God like Vishnu sleeps and wakes after His sleep in Puranas?

Sleeping of God should not be considered like a ordinary task like humans. It is called Yoga-Nidra. Lord Vishnu Himself tells the secret behind this Yoga-Nidra in Gita Mahatmya: Chapter One. Please read it below:

Lord Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, I am not sleeping, but I am watching how wonderfully My energy is working. It is by this wonderful energy of Mine, by which I am controlling all things, and yet remain separate (which is the leela of God who is one and only one). And it is by remembering these divine activities or power of Mine, that the great devotees and yogis manage to free themselves from the wheel of birth and death, and attain that transcendental nature of Mine, which is eternal and free from all qualities.”

Lakshmi said, “O, controller of all things. You are the goal of the meditation of great yogis. Nothing can go on without You. And yet You are separate. You are the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction of all the material universes. Kindly inform me about the workings of Your wonderful energies, which are so attractive, that even You are lying here, meditating upon them”

Lord Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, the workings of My multi-fold energies, and how to become free from the bonds of birth and death, and attain My eternal Nature, can only be understood by one of pure intelligence, who has an inclination to render service unto Me. This transcendental knowledge is fully explained in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita”.

Read More