Can anyone help me clarify Hinduism? Im considering converting, and would like to seek infomation. THANK YOU?

Question

1.What are the important holidays and traditions of Hinduism?
2.How has religion shaped your life?
3.What are the challenges, if any, to practicing Hinduism?
4.What are your thoughts of Christianity vs. Hinduism?
5.What is the difference between meditation and prayer?
6.Is it wrong to kill organisms that we can’t see?
7.Do Hindus believe in a “Universal Power”?
8.Where do the other religions 'fit in'?
9.How can an average person practice Hinduism and still live in this world Surrounded by much negative energy
10.What are feelings of war?
11.Is there a God vs. Hinduism debate within the religious teachings?
12.What made you convert or thoughts of Hinduism?
13.What are you views of other religions?

Answer 1

The Supreme Lord of Hinduism is not Shiva or Brahma, but Vishnu. There is no Trimurti. It was a mistaken concept that was adopted upon reading the Vedic passages in which Lord Vishnu says 'Iam Rudra, I am Brahma'. Here, it does not mean all 3 are equal, but that Lord Vishnu is IN Brahma and Rudra, as Antaryamin. He is in everyone.

In the Vedas, Shiva says 'Through Vishnu alone there is deliverance'. It was Lord Rama (Vishnu) who broke the bow of Shiva. Lord Hanuman was an avatar of Shiva who was a staunch devotee of Lord Rama.

Vishnu created Brahma. Shiva is the Son of Brahma. Hence, Vishnu is the Beginningless Brahman (Do not confuse it with Brahma), identified as Narayana in the Vedas and is Supreme, have no doubts about it.

Lord Krishna has clearly clarified this in Bhagavad Gita. He is Supreme, all others, such as Siva and Brahma are Demi-Gods. It is like a Government, with Lord Krishna (Vishnu) as President and the other Gods as Ministers.

There are indeed 30 Million Entities, but these are the Demi-Gods. They are equivalent to the Angels of Christianity. The true Lord is Maha Vishnu. Do not waste your time praying to Demi-Gods, for they are also living souls like you. They only have a few special powers given to them by the Lord's Grace.

Answers to your questions:

1) Diwali, Dussera, Navaratri, Sri Jayanti, Rama Navami, etc. There are many festivals.

2) Hinduism is not a Religion. It is the ultimate truth. All Religions endeavour to strive for truths, but Hinduism says that if you simply surrender to Lord Narayana (Vishnu), Truth is presented to you.

It is not 'Worship of God', but 'Love of God'. And by indulging in Krishna Bhakti, you will definitely find that thoughts of materialistic urges like Lust, Greed, Worry, Depression, etc. are all reduced. You will feel detached from this world. I have felt it first-hand.

3) There are absolutely no challenges. However, a few principles need to be followed, such as A) Vegetarianism. Although many hindus are Non-Vegetarian, the true practitioners of Sanatana Dharma know that eating Meat decreases Sattvik (Spiritual) quality and increases Rajas (Passion) and Tamas (Ignorance). Lord Vishnu incarnated as Buddha specifically to prohibit Meat Eating.

Others include, B) Treating other Devotees with Reverence and regarding them as greater than God, C) Non-Violence, D) Great Trust in Sriman Narayana. If you waver in your faith, no problem - Simply chant His name and He will give it back to you. It is His duty, but He is a playful Lord at times.

4) I do not like to compare Religions. But Christianity is an offshoot of Hinduism. 'Abraham' is an anagram of 'Brahma'. The Great Flood, Noah, Adam, etc. are taken from the accounts of the Matsya Avatar of Vishnu. The practices of Holy Water, Exorcism, Celibacy of Priests, etc. are all Hindu rituals. The Prophecy of the White Rider is taken from accounts of the Kalki Avatar of Vishnu in Srimad Bhagavatam, which was written 5000 years ago. The teachings in the Bible are a mix of Buddhism and Hinduism.

The Abrahamic Religions talk of God, but they cannot describe how God looks like or what He is. But Hinduism can easily describe the appearance of Vishnu, His Impersonal and Personal forms. His different Avatars, how He is present in every Atom, His infinite names and Attributes, etc.

5) Meditation is a form of surrendering your Self to the Lord. It cleanses you free of the Material Dirt and lets you become aware of the Transcendental.

When you pray, it means you ask the Lord for something. But Krishna explains that a true devotee should not ask for material things like Money, Good Health, etc. The Devotee should simply love Krishna because he has seen the Lord's images in Temples and conceived of how attractive the Lord is.

So, we can pray, but it is better to give Him love rather than Pray to Him as a majestic figure. He wants to be your Friend more than a God.

Lord Krishna says that disease and suffering will always exist because of Karma. He does not care about the material body, but wants the Soul. This was symbolised by Krishna when as a child He stole butter from pots. By breaking the Pot (which symbolises the Body) and eating the Butter (the Soul), He showed which was important.

That is why Shiva and Brahma are all created by Him. If you want material things like money and wealth, you pray to demi-gods, not Lord Vishnu. But even those material things are granted only by Vishnu's permission.

Hence, the bottom line is - Lord Vishnu does NOT guarantee a good life. Even a great devotee will definitely suffer. But being a devotee, he will not feel pain or pleasure from the events, and will understand that everything is the Lord's Lila (Play).

Meditate on some basic mantras like 'Om Namo Narayanaya Namaha'.

6) Vegetarianism and peace is recommended. Do not kill any animal, bird or human being. I suppose we cannot refrain from killing pests and insects that annoy you, but Vegetarianism is very important, or the Lord does not accept the devotee's love properly.

7) Lord Vishnu is the Universal Power. He is a Personal God, loved like a child, father, brother, mother, or admired as a teacher, philosopher, warrior or sometimes, conceived as an impersonal energy form. In any case, have no doubts, Vishnu is the Primordial Lord, the Cause of all Causes. He is the Lord of not only this Universe, but all the Universes in Infinite Bubbles. Each of these bubbles have 14 Universes, with their distinctive Brahmas and Shivas. These Bubbles are supported by the Hoods of Adi Sesha, the Serpent Bed of Lord Vishnu.

Thus, you can see that a different Brahma and SHiva exist for each Universe. But Lord Vishnu is Unique. He is Para-Brahman.

8) Buddhism was founded to mislead the athiets by Lord Buddha, an Avatar of Vishnu. Jainism traces its founder to Lord Rishabhadeva, a Shaktyavesa Avatar of Vishnu. The Greeks borrowed from Hinduism and formulated their own Mythology. Zeus, Poseidon, and all those Greek Gods are simply copies of the Devas such as Indra, Varuna, Vayu, etc. Even Dionysus, worshipped by Dionysus Cult of Greece, was a version of Shiva. The Greeks translated the Bhagavad Gita.

Thus, Paganism is an offshoot of Hinduism.

From the Greeks, Celts and Slavic Folklore, which were simply copies of Hinduism, the Abrahamic religions took root. I already explained how Christianity is similar in concepts.

Furthermore, the Avesta book of Zoroastrianism is a mirror of the Hindu Vedas. Mithra is a Demi-God in the Vedas.

9) One should realise that the World is Suffering due to Karma and strive for Liberation by chanting the names of Lord Vishnu.

10) Soldiers should do their duty and fight when needed. But unnecessary violence is prohibited.

11) The Vedas were written by Narayana. The only thing Lord Vishnu cannot do properly is describe His own glory. Therfore, many interpretations came, in which Shiva, Brahma, etc. gained prominence and some Atheistic thoughts were conceived. However, the truth is that there is a Personal God, named Vasudeva, who can exist as the Impersonal Brahman as well.

12) I was born a Hindu.

13) I have explained how all religions are offshoots of Hinduism. However, Hinduism explains that a person goes through a series of births (84 Million to be exact) as a microbe, a tree, a bird, an animal and as a human, Even within a Human Cycle, he is reborn many times as Atheist, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, etc. until he becomes a worshipper of Shiva.Then, he undergoes many births of Shiva worship until he becomes purified to be a Devotee of Maha Vishnu. After a few more births of being a Vishnu devotee, he is liberated.

After Death, you go to the 10th Universe in our Bubble, which is Swarga, otherwise known as 'Heaven' (Ours is the 7th and there are 14 Universes) or the Lower Universes (Naraka), which is Hell. But both Swarga and Naraka are the abode of Demi-Gods. You will be reborn again if you go there. Liberation means attaining the abode of Vishnu, Sri Vaikuntha, which is beyond all these infinite Multiverses.

Lord Krishna has said that after 7000 AD, all Vishnu Devotees will be liberated. There will be none of them left on Earth and the Planet will become a more evil place than it is now.

Answer 2

Yes,you can convert to Hinduism.

There are some rituals recommended by Hindu scriptures.The following steps are followed

ADOPTING A HINDU NAME-THE NAMAKARANA SAMSKARA

The name-giving sacrament can be held at nearly any Hindu temple. Before the namakarana samskara, the devotee informs family, relatives and close friends of his or her name change and intended entrance into Hinduism. At the sacred name-giving rite, the Hindu name is received, vows are taken and a certificate is signed, documenting the former name and the new name, place of ceremony and signature of the priest and at least three witnesses. This sacrament marks the formal entrance into a particular sect of Hinduism, through the acceptance and blessings of established members and the blessings of God and devas invoked through rites performed by an authorized Hindu priest.

When seeking out a priest who will perform the name-giving rite, it is necessary to approach someone from within the sect that you wish to enter. Most priests will be familiar with how to perform the ritual.

Answer 3

There is no conception of "conversion" in Hindu Religion.No Rituals have been advised by Texts-If one believes Hindu religious principles and lead a Hindu way of life,One is Hindu only.No need to have seal on the forehead announcing that ,I am a Hindu.

P.S:- The Naamakarana Samskaaram has been recently introduced by hindu organisations in Euro-American Countries.I am NOT against it.But it is NOT meant for CONVERSION in Vedic Religion-it is a part of Sathapatha Braahmana where 16 Samskaarams(Spiritual Upliftments/transformations) mentioned .It is not indicated in Sathapatha Braahmana for conversion.In a family when a new child is born, when the child is given a name this Ritual(Samskaaram) is performed.Again ,I am NOT opposed to this.But it should not mislesding other Religious people this Ritual is meant for conversion.If somebody wants some kind of LEGAL record for Ritualistic Conversion,perhaps this may be used(subject to the laws of the concerned Country).As I mentioned if one accepts Hindu religious Texts (Vedham,Upavedam,Shaastram,Aagamam,Puraanam,Kalpam,Aithikaasam,Sutram,Sooktham etc)and start practising ,perhaps one may become a Hindu.

Answer 4

----First of all i would like to mention that " converting" is a wrong word to use when u want to consider Hinduism as ur religion.
----- Hinduism doesnot emphasizes conversion. U can b a Hindu, an atheist, or of any religion -- but if u really want to be in a "spiritual love" with God, Hinduism can guide u.
1) search net u will get imp. holidays.
2) Basic values from parents aswell as ur inner consciousness will shape ur life. Hinduism can only guide u. A guru can guide u towards a fullfilling life. It is an individual experience, differs from p-p.
3) No challenges or special requirements ----- according to Hinduism " u cannot give nething to God because everything is of God" . God is always there for his devotees, He doesnot expects nething in return.
4) Hinduism considers every religion as valid paths back to God. If u r doing good work, God will always be there for u. Christianity considers jesus as only path to heaven ( not to god)
5) prayer is means of showing ur love n respect for God, Meditation is a form of yoga to improve concentration ( for studies , spiritual exploration, health etc)
6) It is not wrong to kill organisms we cant see. But killing insects, ants, or animals, life forms for pleasure or just-like-that is bad karma.
7) Hindus believe in Universal power.
8) Valid paths back to God.
9) Hindus consider that a Spiritual Positive energy is always present around them. Negative energy will get ultimately destroyed by God Himself. There is no Devil or satan, only people r evil ( they r doing bad karma by doing bad things)
10) No history of religious war in Hinduism. The most peacefull religion. Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism r offshoots.
11) Nope. Though there r many Gods( forms of One Supreme God) evry HIndu believes in every God. Krishna, Ganesha, Jesus, Buddha, Vishnu, Shiva, Kali, Durga --- all r God.
12) By comparitive study of religions u will come to know what is best for u.
13) All religions should strive for peace.

According to Hinduism this time period is " kalyug" where wars, crime, hatred is going to b present. Every details r explained in our holy books. They knew how the world changes n have written about it long ago.

Answer 5

Well you certainly need to get all sorts of information before you change beliefs and convert. I might like to ask- convert from what and why?


2. Religion hasn't shaped my life and shouldn't shape anybodies life- beliefs should and and relationships should. I have a relationship with Jesus Christ and it has made a world of difference in my life- I couldn't think about living apart from Him.
5. Meditation is clearing your mind. Praying is talking directly to God as you would talk to Him if He was standing right beside you.
6. In order to eat anything you have to kill it or seperate it from its life giving source- even plants are alive until harvested to eat. So unless you want to die you should come to grasp that these things are here for us to eat (plants and animals, and yes things that you can't see either)

Answer 6

you seem to be wishing to convert? from what?, denomination is Seperation, it does not matter what title you wish to label yourself with, this is only reconizes by those that walk by sight,, Your Journey is to walk by Faith, religion is a stumbeling block to many.. true religion is sumed up in a few choice words, beging with Love, compassion, humility. charity, its not what anyone see,s on the Outside but what they can not see on the inside that defines your journey and self commitment to God, so, pick or choose? what denomination? Take a little from all and mix well into your heart. the trick is picking the right Ingredients and amounts and mixing the right receipe for your heart.

Answer 7

God did not send any Prophet or messenger to preach Hinduism. This will lead you to the wrong path

Answer 8

Keep learning and make comparisons and pray so that He will show you the true path. Islam is the best way of life.

Answer 9

try Islam . it is the trend now everywhere .
it will give you what you need . and you will not feel lonely with praying with other Muslims 5 times a day .

Answer 10

Hinduism, the world’s oldest religion, has no beginning--it precedes recorded history. It has no human founder. It is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are one. Hinduism has four main denominations--Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism.

Sanatana Dharma, meaning “Eternal or Universal Righteousness” is the original name of what is now called Hinduism. Sanatana Dharma comprises of spiritual laws which govern the human existence.


NINE FACTS

The following nine facts, though not exhaustive, offer a simple summary of Hindu spirituality or about Hinduism.

1 Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.
2 Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion.
3 Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.
4 Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.
5 Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be deprived of this destiny.
6 Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas (divine beings) and God.
7 Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation and surrender in God.
8 Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury, in thought, word and deed.
9 Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

GOD AND LORDS IN HINDUISM

God is a one being, yet we understand Him in three perfections: Absolute Reality, Pure Consciousness and Primal Soul. As Absolute Reality, God is unmanifest, unchanging and transcendent, the Self God, timeless, formless and spaceless. As Pure Consciousness, God is the manifest primal substance, pure divine love and light flowing through all form, existing everywhere in time and space as infinite intelligence and power. God is all and in all, great beyond our conception, a sacred mystery that can be known in direct communion.

Hindus believe in one Supreme Being. In the Hindu pantheon there are said to be three hundred and thirty-three million Lords(divine beings). The plurality of Lords are perceived as divine creations of that one Being. So, Hinduism has one supreme God, but it has an extensive hierarchy of Lords.
Hinduism views existence as composed of three worlds. The First World is the physical universe; the Second World is the subtle astral or mental plane of existence in which the devas, angels and spirits live; and the Third World is the spiritual universe of the Mahadevas, "great shining beings," our Hindu Lords. Hinduism is the harmonious working together of these three worlds.

Hinduism is a family of four main denominations - Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartism - under a divine hierarchy of Mahadevas. These intelligent beings have evolved through eons of time and are able to help mankind without themselves having to live in a physical body. These great Mahadevas, with their multitudes of angelic devas, live and work constantly and tirelessly for the people of our religion, protecting and guiding them, opening new doors and closing unused ones.

TEMPLE WORSHIP IN HINDUISM

It is in the Hindu temple that the three worlds meet and devotees invoke the Lords of our religion. The temple is built as a palace in which these Lords live. It is the home of the God and Lords, a sacred place unlike every other place on the earth. The Hindu must associate himself with these divine beings in a very sensitive way when he approaches the temple. Though the devotee rarely has the psychic vision of the Deity, he is aware of the God's divine presence. As he approaches the sanctum sanctorum, the Hindu is fully aware that an intelligent being, greater and more evolved than himself, is there. This Lord is intently aware of him, safeguarding him, fully knowing his inmost thought, fully capable of coping with any situation the devotee may mentally lay at his Holy Feet. It is important that we approach the Deity in this way - conscious and confident that our needs are known in the inner spiritual worlds.

The physical representation of the God, be it a stone or metal image other sacred form, simply marks the place that the Lord will manifest in or hover over in his etheric body. It can be conceived as an antenna to receive the divine rays of the Lord or as the material body in or through which the Lord manifests in this First World. When we perform puja, a religious ritual, we are attracting the attention of the devas and Mahadevas in the inner worlds. That is the purpose of a puja; it is a form of communication. To enhance this communication we establish an altar in the temple or in the home. This becomes charged or magnetized through our devotional thoughts and feelings which radiate out and affect the surrounding environment. You can feel the presence of these divine beings, and this radiation from them is known as shakti. It is a communication more real than the communication of language that you experience each day.
Finally, it must be clearly understood that God and the Lords are not a psychological product of the Hindu religious mind. They are far older than the universe and are the fountainheads of its galactic energies, shining stars and sunlit planets. They are loving overseers and custodians of the cosmos, earth and mankind. The Hindu cosmological terrain envelopes all of humanity.

HINDU HOLY BOOK

The Veda is the Hindu holy book. The four books of the Vedas—Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva—include over 100,000 verses. The knowledge imparted by the Vedas ranges from earthy devotion to high philosophy. Their words and wisdom permeate Hindu thought, ritual and meditation. The Vedas are the ultimate scriptural authority for Hindus. Their oldest portions are said by some to date back as far as 6,000 bce, orally transmitted for most of history and written down in Sanskrit in the last few millennia, making them the world’s longest and most ancient scripture. The
Vedas open a rare window into ancient Indian society, proclaiming life’s sacredness and the way to oneness with God.

For untold centuries unto today, the Vedas have remained the sustaining force and authoritative doctrine, guiding followers in ways of worship, duty and enlightenment. The Vedas are the meditative and philosophical focus for millions of monks and a billion seekers. Their stanzas are chanted from memory by priests and laymen daily as liturgy in temple worship and domestic ritual. All Hindus wholeheartedly accept the Vedas, yet each draws selectively, interprets freely and amplifies abundantly. Over time, this tolerant allegiance has woven the varied tapestry of Indian Hindu Dharma. Each of the four Vedas has four sections: Samhitas (hymn collections), Brahmanas (priestly manuals), Aranyakas (forest treatises) and Upanishads (enlightened discourses). The Samhitas and Brahmanas affirm that God is immanent and transcendent and prescribe ritual worship, mantra and devotional hymns to establish communication with the spiritual worlds. The hymns are invocations to the One Divine and to the Divinities of nature, such as the Sun, the Rain, the Wind, the Fire and the Dawn— as well as prayers for matrimony, progeny, prosperity, concord, protection, domestic rites and more. The Aranyakas and Upanishads outline the soul’s evolutionary journey, provide yogic philosophical training and propound realization of man’s oneness with God as the destiny of all souls. Today, the Vedas are published in Sanskrit, English, French, German and other languages. But it is the popular, metaphysical Upanishads that have been most amply and ably translated.

KARMA AND REINCARNATION IN HINDUISM

Karma

Karma literally means "deed or act," but more broadly describes the principle of cause and effect. Simply stated, karma is the law of action and reaction which governs consciousness. In physics-the study of energy and matter-Sir Isaac Newton postulated that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Push against a wall. Its material is molecularly pushing back with a force exactly equal to yours. In metaphysics, karma is the law that states that every mental, emotional and physical act, no matter how insignificant, is projected out into the psychic mind substance and eventually returns to the individual with equal impact.

The akashic memory in our higher chakras faithfully records the soul's impressions during its series of earthly lives, and in the astral/mental worlds in-between earth existences. Ancient yogis, in psychically studying the time line of cause/effect, assigned three categories to karma. The first is sanchita, the sum total of past karma yet to be resolved. The second category is prarabdha, that portion of sanchita karma being experienced in the present life. Kriyamana, the third type, is karma you are presently creating. However, it must be understood that your past negative karma can be altered into a smoother, easier state through the loving, heart-chakra nature, through dharma and sadhana. That is the key of karmic wisdom. Live religiously well and you will create positive karma for the future and soften negative karma of the past.

Truths and Myths About Karma

Karma operates not only individually, but also in ever-enlarging circles of group karma where we participate in the sum karma of multiple souls. This includes family, community, nation, race and religion, even planetary group karma. So if we, individually or collectively, unconditionally love and give, we will be loved and given to. The individuals or groups who act soulfully or maliciously toward us are the vehicle of our own karmic creation. The people who manifest your karma are also living through past karma and simultaneously creating future karma. For example, if their karmic pattern did not include miserliness, they would not be involved in your karma of selfishness. Another person may express some generosity toward you, fulfilling the gifting karma of your past experience. Imagine how intricately interconnected all the cycles of karma are for our planet's life forms.

Reincarnation

The soul functions with complete continuity in its astral/mental bodies. It is with these sensitive vehicles that we experience dream or "astral" worlds during sleep every night. The astral world is equally as solid and beautiful, as varied and comprehensive as the earth dimension-if not much more so. Spiritual growth, psychic development, guidance in matters of governance and commerce, artistic cultivation, inventions and discoveries of medicine, science and technology all continue by astral people who are "in-between" earthly lives. Many of the Veda hymns entreat the assistance of devas: advanced astral or mental people. Yet, also in the grey, lower regions of this vast, invisible dimension exist astral people whose present pursuits are base, selfish, even sadistic. Where the person goes in the astral plane at sleep or death is dependent upon his earthly pursuits and the quality of his mind.

Because certain seed karmas can only be resolved in earth consciousness and because the soul's initial realizations of Absolute Reality are only achieved in a physical body, our soul joyously enters another biological body. At the right time, it is reborn into a flesh body that will best fulfill its karmic pattern. In this process, the current astral body-which is a duplicate of the last physical form-is sluffed off as a lifeless shell that in due course disintegrates, and a new astral body develops as the new physical body grows. This entering into another body is called reincarnation: "re-occupying the flesh."
During our thousands of earth lives, a remarkable variety of life patterns are experienced. We exist as male and female, often switching back and forth from life to life as the nature becomes more harmonized into a person exhibiting both feminine nurturing and masculine intrepidness. We come to earth as princesses and presidents, as paupers and pirates, as tribals and scientists, as murderers and healers, as atheists and, ultimately, God-Realized sages. We take bodies of every race and live the many religions, faiths and philosophies as the soul gains more knowledge and evolutionary experience.

Therefore, the Hindu knows that the belief in a single life on earth, followed by eternal joy or pain is utterly wrong and causes great anxiety, confusion and fear. Hindus know that all souls reincarnate, take one body and then another, evolving through experience over long periods of time. Like the caterpillar's metamorphosis into the butterfly, death doesn't end our existence but frees us to pursue an even greater development.

Dharma

Dharma yields Heaven's honor and Earth's wealth. What is there then that is more fruitful for a man? There is nothing more rewarding than dharma, nor anything more ruinous than its neglect.

When God created the universe, He endowed it with order, with the laws to govern creation. Dharma is God's divine law prevailing on every level of existence, from the sustaining cosmic order to religious and moral laws which bind us in harmony with that order. Related to the soul, dharma is the mode of conduct most conducive to spiritual advancement, the right and righteous path. It is piety and ethical practice, duty and ob ligation. When we follow dharma, we are in conformity with the Truth that inheres and instructs the universe, and we naturally abide in closeness to God. Adharma is opposition to divine law. Dharma is to the individual what its normal development is to a seed--the orderly fulfillment of an inherent nature and destiny.

SIGNIFICANCE OF HINDUISM

Hinduism is unique among the world's religions. I boldly proclaim it the oldest religion in the world. To begin with, it is mankind's oldest spiritual declaration, the very fountainhead of faith on the planet. Hinduism's venerable age has seasoned it to maturity. It is the only religion, to my knowledge, which is not founded in a single historic event or prophet, but which itself proceeds recorded history. Hinduism has been called the "cradle of spirituality," and the "mother of all religions," partially because it has influenced virtually every major religion and partly because it can absorb all other religions, honor and embraces their scriptures, their saints, and their philosophy. This is possible because Hinduism looks compassionately on all genuine spiritual effort and knows unmistakably that all souls are evolving toward union with the Divine, and all are destined, without exception, to achieve spiritual enlightenment and liberation in this or a future life.

Please visit, if you wish to seek further
http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/wih/
http://himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/hbh/