Often it has been wondered in discussion groups, media about the reason for the existence of Hinduism, and the reason it has survived the incessant attacks. The other major religions of the world, Judaism, Zorastriarism (religion of Parsees) and infinite others which existed in the past are either extinct now or have to lead a meagre survival. For more than 1000 years, India, the home of Hinduism was ruled by non-Hindus for the major part, yet the flame of Hinduism didnt burn out! Hinduism still has its flag high up, making the name 'Sanatana Dharma' given to it very apt.
But what is the reason behind this greatness of Hinduism. Mind you, it is not just a religion in the sense that people follow certain religious practices, go to temples etc. So far, in some form or another, the Hindu way of life has survived not just in India but beyond. True that it has got mixed with the other cultures it came in contact with, has trasnformed with the necessities of time, but still it continues to add its own favor in the places where a Hindu goes.
So what makes Hinduism unique? Is it the Vedas, Upanishads and Gita? But hardly a percent of Hindus read any one of them in their entirety! Also, the possibility of a book of such stature as a Veda or an Upanishad being lost in say a Babylonian culture cannot be denied. Is it the philisophy? For ages, people have kept thinking about ways of explaining nature; and have created philosophies in that attempt! Is it the Indian science, culture, arts and architecture which preserved Hinduism? But there are the pyramids, the whole of Mayan artefacts and the Roman collosium. There was Greek geometry, Roman science and amazing artforms all over the world. The fact that Indians were good at each of these things hardly explain the survival of Hinduism.
I had been thinking about this for a while now, and the answer came in an indirect manner in one of Swami Vivekananda's lectures! It is amazing how whenever I feel down or disturbed, opening a page in the sayings of the great man makes all my agonies unreal and trivial! The words have such energy that inspiration flows into a person by simply reading them!
The lecture I read was the one titled 'My Master', which is his discourse on life and teachings of Ramakrishna Paramhamsa. Of the hundreds of lectures SV gave since his historical speech at Chicago, this probably is the only one where he speaks of his Guru's personal life! The reason behind this is that he wanted to spread his guru's teachings, not his guru's fame!
In the course of his description of his Guru, he starts with first explaining what India stands for, what India means! He says that the basic soul of Hinduism and of India, the one common thread that binds the hundreds of sects in Hinduism together is this, 'There is a certain higher principle which is unmanifest, which exists in a dimension higher than the ones that are manifest; and the sole aim of human life is to realize that principle'. He says it is around this principle that the whole of Indian life revolves, the understanding of this higher principle! Indians can call it with multiple names such as moksha, mukti, nirvana, atma-dnyaan, they all mean the same thing, realizing the truth of life!
And therein lies the secret of Hinduism's survival! The sole aim is realization, for which a book, a messenger, a prophet, or even a son of God is not needed. For this, a clergy is not needed! Neither is the knowledge of a particular language required! One does not even have to be a genius to understand the truth! All that is needed is a pure heart and an intense desire to know the truth! Swamiji explains that as a boy, his guru, Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, naturally possessed these qualities, and that they truly signify the defining characteristic of a true Hindu!
So how could Hinduism be destroyed! The invaders came and plundered. They destroyed the temples and the idols! But that was simply the 'body' of Hinduism, the external visible part! They destroyed the books, mistranslated and misprojected them! They even tried to burn the great libraries, which were 'mind' of Hinduism. The books simply stated the truths, they were not the truths! The last attempt, the one done by Western education was to play with the 'intellect', where the young minds were systematically taught to hate their religion and culture. But alas! They missed the important thing, the 'soul' of Hinduism! The Hindu declares that the body,mind and intellect of a person are mere the projections, the manifestations! The real nature of a man is his soul! So is it with a religion. The soul of Hinduism is in realization and that is as strong as ever!
Can this soul ever be destroyed? No! It is a basic nature of humans to enquire, to ask about what is beyond to try to find out what the beginning and the end of the existence is! Until this nature exists, such a question will always come up, "What is beyond?" and until such a question rises, noone can kill the soul of HInduism! The self-enquiry will continue, beings will realize their true nature and the flag of Sanatana Dharma will shine high!
This immortality of the soul of Hinduism is the real reason for its eternalness! All other factors are the after-effects, the helping tools. As long as there is one man on this earth who wishes to enquire in his real nature, Hinduism continues to exist!
It is well summarized in the story of King Alexander and the monk he meets! Alexander, the ruler of half the land on earth, is impressed by the life of this monk and wishes to take him to Greece with him. But the monk refuses. The king promises all the riches, a comfortable life and a big piece of land, but the monk refuses to move! Alexander finally draws his sword and says if he doesn not oblige, he will simply kill the monk!
At this the monk laughs and says, "This the stupidest thing you have ever said! I have realized I am not the body but the soul, and my soul cannot be pierced by any weapon or burnt by a fire. It is immortal!"
Such is the soul of Hinduism! The Alexanders of the world can try as much as they want to kill it, it is immortal, indestructible! Like the seed that springs from the land in the form of a tree, it will always rise no matter how deep it has been buried!
May we all become such seeds and blossom into trees where the flower of realization blooms and spreads its fragrance to the whole world!
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8 comments:
The immortality of faith and truth with the soul's desire to find this...
Truly amazing entry.
your post was so enlightening that i feel as if i can quote from it! it answered a question that i think every hindu has thought of at least once in life. thank you!
Thanks a lot Vami.
bauddha vichArANi
The story of Alexander and the monk is very similar to that of a zen buddhist monk and the chief of a band of robbers.
The robbers raid a village, but the villagers come to know of the raid before, and flee with their valuables, so that when the robbers arrive, they find the village empty, except for the zen monk in the temple in the village.
The chief of the robbers goes up to the monk, who is meditating, and asks, 'Where are all the villagers?'
The monk does not reply.
The chief gets angrier and asks the same question, raising his voice. Still, the monk does not reply.
Now the chief is livid with anger, and he shouts to the monk, 'Do you know who I am? I can cut you down without blinking an eye!' At this, the monk opens his eyes and says, 'Who you know who I am? I can get cut down without blinking an eye!'
This brings the chief to his senses and he apologises to the monk, and asks to be his disciple.
A very nice story, I think.
That was a nice story Onkar.
I must complement you on a really nice and creative post!!!!!!!!
Imagine the day when the true spirit of Hinduism would be visible everywhere - just as it was once.
It cannot come without renunciation - how many of us are prepared for that ?
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