Hindus, can you explain in a few words what it is all about?

Question

Thanks in advance. ~*~

Thanks, some really great insights into this age old tradition, I owe much to the great people of India and her spiritual traditions. ~*~

Prrkrishna, about the spirituality, I know by saying "in a few words" that it is hard but I've gotten some great answers so far. ~*~

Answer 1

Rituals, customs, idols, temples all together is the tip of the iceberg... just 5-10% of hinduism..

The real hinduism is its deep philosophy which gave birth to many religions of the east...the philosophy of Sankhya, Vedanta, Yoga and Tantra... mainly dealing with mysteries of the Universe, Energies, evolution, life, death and God

Vasudhaiva Kuttumbkam... whole earth is my family is the moto of hinduism.

hinduism accepts all faiths and religions into its lap and does not call non-hindus(atheists included) ignorants or sinners....

... and believes all are forwarding towards Truth through their own path

Answer 2

If someone is arrogant then by saying Aham Brahmasmi he may make that habit stronger. Anyway Brahm is an element. No one can be brahm, but everyone is originally an inhabitant of the Brahm Element or the Soul World. Yes, when reaching the Brahm element people may become arrogant. That's because they experience the powers of the human soul (which is accessible only in higher awareness) and also because don't know something so easy and obvious: THEY ARE NOT GOD. The Soul who is called God is even more poerful than whatever they experience in the Brahm element and He (God) is constantly having that experience, not only in meditation. It is not even one second when God does not have the experience of being the Supreme Soul whereas they did not have the experience of being souls before reaching hinger awareness. It is so bilkul sensless to believe the self to be God. How many Gods are there. God is a word which does not even have plural form. It cannot be said ''Supreme Souls''. WAKE UP YOU SLEEPING BEAUTY SOULS - HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE GOD? NONE OF US BODILY BEINGS ARE GOD NOR WILL WE EVER BE GOD. This is so basical to know. it is the basics, basics, basics. WAKE UP!

Answer 3

I am a Hindu-but before that I am God's soul who has been given this human birth. Whether one is a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian-God's message is one only to make good use of this human birth to escape this cycle of life and death!
God has made man and man has made religion-but God's message is only one-LOVE!

Answer 4

Hinduism takes it source from the Vedas and the Upanishads, our ancient scriptures revealed to sages from God. When Krishna came down to Earth, as an incarnation of God, he conversed about life's meaning with one of his disciples, creating the Bhagavad Gita. Many noble saints over thousands of years have reaffirmed these scriptures as true.

The Vedas say there is One God, whom we call by many names. He has always existed and always will. We do not limit Him to one finite figure, as His real nature is beyond human comprehension. We worship different forms of God when He acts in different capacities. We can worship God as the bestower of wealth in one form, and the Creator in another. This gives the misconception to outsiders that we worship many gods and goddesses.

God uses maya, or creative power, to craft matter into the universe we perceive today. God then entered his creation. God's spirit is everywhere, even in you and me. Our own souls are the same as God, but trapped by the body, mind, and intellect.

You and I can only find eternal bliss in God, our "home", but we (as the body, mind, and intellect) choose to look for bliss in other things, like material things (money, cars, etc.). So we keep our souls distanced from Him. We continue a cycle of births and rebirths until we realize that God is the only way to true happiness.

God tries to guide us, using karma, which basically says that every action demands an equal and opposite reaction. Those who live righteously are rewarded as they come closer to God, while those who don't are reborn into lesser states, such as animals, until they can put back on the right track. Only humans, with the idea of right and wrong, can attain salvation.

We can liberate our souls by living righteously and eventually attaining moksha, or enlightenment/salvation, where the truth is discovered, Hindus generally believe that Chrisitians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, and others should follow their own paths to enlightenment. These other religions are different ways of understanding the truth, but all are equally valid. So Hindus do not try to convert others.

Hindus strongly value non-violence, perseverance, cleanliness, respect for elders, and passion for knowledge. Hindus do not eat beef traditionally because cows give milk, as does the mother, so it is in bad taste to eat beef.

Answer 5

Dear Friend,

I am delighted at your interest to know about Hinduism.

Your question is not specific.You could have added some details.What exactly do you want to know?You said in your question '' What it is all about.''.What do you mean by ''IT''?

Please add some details and I will be glad to answer you in detail to your question.

Please kindly add details.

Answer 6

Sarvoahm

Answer 7

"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam"
The entire world as one faimly
&
"Sarve bhavantu sukhinaha, sarve santu Niramaya,
Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu, Ma kashchid-Dukhabhag Bhavet"
A prayer for All , may all have peace, health, knowledge, and may no one suffer.

These two surmise the entire philosophy of Hinduism in its outlook and deeds.

Thanks

Answer 8

start with Yoga and one of them is Karam Yog for most of the people

"DO duties without having in the mind about the fruits"

then

see the God in everythig

then Serve everybody in this Universe as you are serving the God

Hare Krishna ,Hare Krishna , Krishna Krishna , Hare Hare ,Hare Rama , Hare Rama , Rama Rama , Hare Hare

Answer 9

I am not Hindu, but I respect it in the sense that it is the oldest religion being practiced today.

Answer 10

Here is a brief description of the spiritual beliefs held by Hindus.

1. We are all spiritual souls (Atma) trapped in the Material World, in the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
2. A part of God (Param-Atma) dwells with our soul (Atma) in our physical bodies.
3. Whatever good or bad actions that we take are noted down in our Karma accounts, by this Param-Atma.
4. When we die, our soul (Atma) is assigned a different body, thus continuing the cycle of life, death and rebirth (reincarnation).
5. Entire existence is divided into two realms: Material World and Spiritual World.
6. The Material World consists of Heaven, Earth and the Hellish planets.
7. When we die, our soul gets assigned a physical body in Heaven, Hell or Earth according to the Good or Bad Karma we have accumulated in our Karma accounts.
8. Even in Heaven, we keep on accumulating Karma by our actions. We eventually die there too and are assigned another physical body in another part of the Material World, according to the Karma we have accumulated there.
9. In this way, souls living in the Material world are trapped in a continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
10. Apart from that, even the Material World itself is mortal, being created, annihilated and recreated every few billions of years.
11. The Hindu holy trinity of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer) oversee the creation-annihilation cycle of the Material World.
12. When in existence, the Material World is sustained by the female energies of the Hindu Holy Trinity, depicted by Saraswati (The Goddess of Knowledge/Arts),
Laxmi (The Goddess of Fortune/Beauty), Shakti (The Goddess of Power).
13. We can break out of this cycle of rebirth of the Material World and move up to the Spiritual World by renouncing our Karma (both good and bad).
14. The different paths of Yoga (as described in the Bhagavad Gita) help us renounce our Karma.
15. There are two streams of thought which describe what happens when we do attain the Spiritual World.
16. The Dvaita philosophy (dualism) states that on reaching the Spiritual World, a soul keeps it's identity distinct from God, lives in an immortal and non-ageing body, and interacts with God.
17. The Advaita philosophy (non-dualism) states that on reaching the Spiritual World, a soul loses it's distinct identity and merges with the infinite God (Brahman) and experiences Sat (Absolute Truth), Chit (Absolute Consciousness) and Anand (Absolute Bliss).
18. Either way, in the Spiritual World is a place of immortality and bliss.
19. We were once in this Spiritual World, aware of God's existence and authority.
20. But false ego took over causing us to deny the existence/authority of God, and we sought to distance ourself from God thus falling into the Material World.
21. Once in the Material World, Karma takes over, binding us in the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
22. We stay here until we acknowledge the existence and authority of God, by realizing the reality (as described above) and adopting a path of Yoga, which frees us from the shackles of Karma and rids us of the false ego.
23. When this happens, our soul is liberated, and returns to the Spiritual World.
24. The Material World is made with so many defects (and consequently, suffering) in comparison with the Spiritual World because it is meant to be the stick in a carrot-stick policy of God. The carrot is the blissful existence of the Spiritual World.
25. The two, taken together, serve as inducements for our lost soul to return to our rightful abode (the Spiritual World) with the realization of God's existence and authority.