What is the origin of the word 'Hindu'?

Question

What does it mean?

Is the word 'Hindu' mentioned in the Hindu Scriptures?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Nope, the word Hindu isn't mentioned in the scriptures.

Many believe the word Hindu is the Persian name for the Sindhu River and we know that the ancient Persians called all people on the eastern side of the Sindhu River "Hindus". The term was then adopted by westerners as they traveled into India and it has stuck. India has been called Hindustan before. Some say the word Hindu is a mispronunciation of Sindhu by westerners who heard it first by ancient Persians with a Persian dialect and accent. There is no proof of this, but it is a possibility.

For the most part most practicing Hindus have accepted the term, although it is not their own for their religion. It is called Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Way). So called because the religion has no single founder and it's beginings are lost in pre-history. And because Hindus believe that the core beliefs of Hinduism are inherent in nature itself and that even when this entire universe dissolves away that in the next universe people will discover the same core beliefs....though probably not call it Hinduism obviously. Hindus also believe that the deep core beliefs...most especially about the universal truths of the innate nature of the inner Self...are also found in all the world's religions, too. Thus the reason Hindus refer to their religion as "Sanatana Dharma"

Another term for Hinduism is Vedism. Vedism derives from the word "Veda" which means "knowledge". The Vedas are the most sacred texts in Hinduism...the Rig Veda being the oldest (written down in 5000BCE and having been transmitted orally for thousands of years before that).

Answer 2

It's a relatively new word coined by the invading Muslims who called all Indians by that derogatorily intended word that lumped them all as the oafs who lived on the wrong side of the River Sindh, which had become the border after their invasion was successfully stamped out. The British, later perpetuated the term, albeit unwittingly. This is another misnomer quite like the use of Red Indian for a Native American or Negr0 [Latin for Black, masculine,] for the Native African. The actual name is Sanathana Dharma, or the Universal Path. Hope this helped. Akela, the Lone Wolf.

Answer 3

The word Hindu has geographical significance and was used to describe the people living beyond the river Sindhu or people living in the land watered by river Indus. Most of the historians,
they say, that this word Hindu was first used by the Arabs. Some historians say it was used by the Persians when they came to India through the north western passes of Himalaya.

According to encyclopedia of religion and ethics, Volume #6, Reference #699, it says that the word Hindu was not found in any of the Indian literature before the advent of the Muslims to India.


According to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, he writes in his Book “the discovery of India” on page #74 and #75 that the word Hindu can be earliest traced to a source a tantrik in 8th century and it was used initially to describe the people, it was never used to describe religion. Its connection with religion is of late occurrence according to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

The word Hinduism is derived from the word Hindu. The word Hinduism was first used by the English writers in the 19th century
to describe the multiplicity of faiths of the people of India.

According to new Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume #20, Reference #581, it says the word Hinduism was first used by the British writers in the year 1830 to describe the multiplicity of the faiths of the people of India excluding the converted Christians.

That is the reason today, majority of the Hindu scholars they say that the word Hinduism is a misnomer. The correct word should be Sanatan Dharm, the eternal religion or the Vedic Dharm, the
religion of the Vedas. According to Swami Vivekananda, he
says the word Hindu is a misnomer; the correct word should
be a Vendantist, a person who follows the Vedas.

Answer 4

Hindu refers to the people living east of river sindhu, the modern day Indus. Greeks called Sindhu as Indus and the land east of it as India. Persians called the Sindhu & the people were referredas Hindu. so the faith of the people also came to be referred as Hindu.

the word Hindu is nowhere mentioned in any hindu scripture. the faith of people if india is Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Religion. Its a way of life. Sanatana Dharma cannot be followed, it has to be LIVED.

Aum, Shanti, Shanti,Shanti.

Answer 5

Indus river is around which the early Indian civilisations flourished in India. People living there were then known as Hindus, and the place known as Hindustan.

Answer 6

i've heard hat the term Hindu comes from a place or group of ppl in India

Answer 7

A native of India, especially northern India.

Persian Hindū, from Hind, India

Answer 8

Even though I am a Strong Islamic follower I respect only one more religion that is Hinduism.Allahu akbar.

Answer 9

Name of a place(Indus River)

Answer 10

even i want to know.this question also raised in my mind at morning.wat is the origin of this religion....i dun want to offend them but just want know the history of hinduism