I have not read deeply into the Hindu belief system and I would like to hear from someone who has knowledge of their understanding for the origin of the universe and the beginnings of mankind.
Thanks.
2006-12-19 18:04:13 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Hinduism has two parts one is the mythological and ritualistic which makes only 10% of hinduism
The other part is the deeper philosophy, which deals with the mysteries of the universe. This philosophy is found in upanishadas and gita.
As per hinduism, the Supreme Consciousness and the eternal Energy (called Shakti), mate and start manifesting as universe.
Hinduism believes in evolution, but it believes in evolution of the Mind from matter...mind which makes changes in the body.
As per hinduism, there are many univeses and planets which have life forms....and at the end all the universes are drawn back into God.... who after some unspecified time re-starts this process again
hinduism, believes in Karma and as per one's deeds (karma) one goes to heaven or hell, which are not eternal but transitory. After the fruits/punishment of their deeds ends, he is born again for new lessons
This cycle of births continues till we merge into the Supreme Conssciousness (god). Hinduism also tells us ways how to merge in god (like Yoga and meditation)
2006-12-19 18:14:40 · answer #1 · answered by ۞Aum۞ 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Vedic Hinduism, in it's original form was a very complex and scientific study of a lot of things including the Concept of God.
I'd studied this in my studies of Comparative Religion, for my M.Phil.
It has a well researched documentation of theories and practices that require accuracy up to 16 decimal points!? A clear process of negation finally, brings you to the logical conclusion "Deivehah nirguna, nirakara" or the State of God is beyond physical and mental perception.
The Science of this "Religion" being far above the ken of the proletariat, they created a series of stories with ruling Triads like the first one - Surya, Bhoomi, Varuna or Sun, Earth and Water, who were the first Triad; till the present, 27th Triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva or Birth, Life and Death.
Unfortunately, Hindus of today do not know their own Religion well enough and it's mostly German Christian Scholars and foreigner like me who know more about it.
Due to the complexity and need for very highly advanced Mathematics and Science, they created the "Temples" where they first put an amorphous Golden foetus shape called the Garba in the sanctum sanctorum then called the Garba Griha, or the home of the foetus. These temples were actually Primary Schools, which is why the walls had rows of sculpture depicting a lot of subjects, including sex, as the teaching aids. Present day Temples containing the modern versions of "Gods" have the Garba Griha but most modern Hindus won't have known the origin of this term was from the formless "God" they first had.
Most people stopped at the Primary School level and found it easier to create humanizing stories of the "Gods" which gave them wives and children and their Religion denigrated to a Superstition.
Being as it is 60,000 years and more old, Hinduism has the most accurate records of past of their History. It is, in fact the oldest living Religion on Earth.
However, there are Revivalist attempts being made by institutions like the Ramakrishna Mission and Missionary attempts being done by the ISKON, lately.
You might be surprised to know that while the Hindus had the actual distances of the planets of our Solar System and many other places of the Galaxy, they knew the Earth was round and even had it's diameter and knew about the Americas etc.,they always answered the question of the origin of Mankind, the Universe etc. with "Who knows?"
They created some stories, which they declared were fiction, of Manu and Shataroopa who were credited with being the first human beings and strangely enough they were also the progenitors of the birds, reptiles and animals!! Manu, also became a kind of Hindu Noah, probably a borrowing from the Epics of Gilgamesh.
It's actually a very complex thing to study, but well worth it, if you've a scientific bent of mind.
I'd avoid the instant coffee variety of the Bhakti Cult which over simplifies everything, if I were you.
Merry Christmas!!!!
2006-12-20 03:08:54 · answer #2 · answered by Daimyo 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The hindu religion was founded based upon the teachings of sanathana dharma...a way of living that existed in india tens of thousands of years ago. Most of the important teachings of the religion is written in a very complicated and scientific language called sanskrit. Simply bocz of this reason, its greatly misunderstood and misinterpretted. However if correctly understood its such a scientific and profound religion which has ideas that a person of any religion can practice without conflicting the ideas of his own religion.
About the origin of universe....Everything in hindu religion is conceptual. So never understand them literally. Its said origin of universe is the result of the union of supreme god Siva and Parvathi. Siva is considered the supreme god and can be considered a force or law which is the base of existence of anything in this universe. Parvathi is called sakthi...means power. Or more specifically energy. Well doesnt it sound familiar? energy quantized, controlled and restriced and uniting with a force or law of self awareness yet to be discovered by modern science causes the birth of matter. The building block of universe.
Im just a beginner in the field and my words are not good enuf to explain your questions. But search in this field i promise will never be disheartening.
2006-12-20 02:29:07 · answer #3 · answered by Lord Of Lust 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Aum has explained the basics very well in a simplified manner.
2006-12-20 02:37:19 · answer #4 · answered by senthil r 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
One day an elephant had 8 arms. Then a fat guy came along and rubbed it for luck. The rest is hamburger history.
2006-12-20 02:06:16 · answer #5 · answered by David T 3 · 2⤊ 8⤋
no
2006-12-20 02:05:36 · answer #6 · answered by spanky 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋