FAQ on Hinduism

Fundamental Questions:

The answers to these questions are refered in the other answers. So please read these before the other questions, even if you are familiar with Hinduism.

Beginner Level Questions:

Intermediate Level Questions:

Miscellaneous Questions:

Fundamental Questions:

1.1. What is Hinduism ? When was Hinduism founded ?

The name 'Hinduism' is of a much recent origin, coined by the Greeks and Arabians to refer to the religion of the people living around and to the East of the river Indus. The earliest records of this religion are in the Rig Veda, the oldest known human literature. Some portions of the Rig Veda have been dated to before 6000 BC. This implies that the religion was in vogue atleast a few centuries earlier than that. Hinduism has been gaining increasing popularity due to its high philosophy, broad outlook and non-dogmatic approach. Hinduism is different from many other religions in that it does not have a founder and does not claim exclusivity. It explicitly accepts all religions as valid.

1.2. How has Hinduism survived for so long ? Is the Hinduism practised today the same as that practiced a few millenia ago ?

Hinduism has stood the test of time much more effectively than any other religion of the world. This is mainly because of its clear separation of the essentials from the non-essentials. Every religion has a few principles, which are independant of the cultural context of the followers, and a few practices which need to vary with time, place and cultural background. Hinduism has clearly separated these two right since its known history. The principles are presented in texts classified as 'Sruthis', which primarily comprise the part of the Vedas called Upanisads. The changable texts are classified as 'Smritis', which include various texts on etiquette, moral and ethical codes of conduct, law and justice. The former form the universal principles and the latter form their culture-dependant implementation. The essential principles of Hinduism are the same as they were concieved of by the sages who lived during the Vedic period. Even the Vedas have come down to the present day unaltered. The Vedas are being chanted even today with the same melody and rhythm as they were chanted during the Vedic age. The social customs and values have changed to cater to the needs and to utilize the means of changing times and culture, without altering the basic principles and goals.

1.3. Why is there so much confusion about Hinduism ? I see Hinduism as a mass of conflicting ideas.

Due to the enormous time period through which Hinduism has been practised, it has passed through a huge spectrum of cultural environments. Due to this, the non-essential portion of Hinduism has passed through so much changes in various places during various times. This has resulted in a situation where even people who have born and grown in Hinduism face a lot of difficulty in understanding Hinduism. Many see Hinduism as a huge mass of conflicting ideas. This is mainly due to two interrelated reasons.
  1. Not distinguishing between the essentials and the non-essentials.
  2. Trying to apply the culture-dependant non-essential concepts out of context.
This gives rise to a plethora of questions in the minds of almost anyone who come in touch with Hinduism. This FAQ is an attempt to answer a few of these questions.

1.4. What are the basic principles of Hinduism ?

The basic principles of Hinduism are in the Upanisads. They have been collected, organized and explained in various other texts, but the root source are the Upanisads. Hinduism has three basic principles.
  1. It is God who has become this Universe and everything in it.
    Whatever is seen, dreamed or imagined are nothing but manifestations of God. God is beyond space, time, causation and all distinctions like gender, race, species, living/non-living and form/formless. Since He is beyond space, He is omnipresent. Since He is beyond time, He is eternal. Since He is beyond the concept of form, He is with form, without form, both and neither. Every form is His and yet He is formless and beyond the concept of form. Similarly with all attributes concievable by the mind.
  2. The aim of life is to 'know' God.
    God cannot be 'known' in the usual sense of the word. God is the Knower of everything. We call it 'realizing' God. This is beyond the mind. It is a direct experience of God. This is the ultimate goal of life. Till we reach this goal, we will have to live again and again. Till we reach this goal, we have to undergo birth, death and again birth and so on. Everytime we are born, we continue our journey towards the goal from where we left. So nothing is lost by death on this journey. When the goal is reached, there is no need for anymore death or birth. The person is said to have attained Immortality. Actually the person goes beyond all limitations. Even the basic limitations imposed by the concept of individuality and personality vanish.
    There are intermediate milestones and targets set by Hinduism. They are Dharma - righteousness, Artha - wealth acquired by righteous means and Kama - quenching of desires within the limits of Dharma and Artha. As there is a scope for lot of misconception about these intermediate targets, there are several texts explaining them. These are intermediate targets and not ends. The ultimate aim is Moksha - freedom from limitations by God realization. Dharma, Artha and Kama should be stepping stones and thus means to the end, which is Moksha.
  3. As many people, so many ways to God.
    Every religion is a way to God. No way to God is superior to the other. However, depending on the mental temperament and cultural background of a person, one way might be better suited to him than another. This is difference arises due to the difference in the temperament of the person and cannot be used to judge the general efficacy of a path. "All paths are true. Your path for you. My path for me." This is the principle of Hinduism.
Everything else is secondary and should not violate these three basic principles.

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Beginner Level Questions:

2.1. Is Hinduism polytheistic (accepts many gods)?
Is Hinduism pantheistic (involves worshipping nature - trees, hills, etc)?
Why do Hindus worship stones ?
Why do Hindu Gods have fancy forms like elephant faced, monkey faced, with six faces, with four hands, etc ?

Hinduism says that there is one God. Just as a man is called "father" by this son, "husband" by his wife, "son" by this father, and so on, God is called by various names and worshipped in various forms depending on the mood and approach of the devotee. When God is worshipped to remove hurdles, He is worshipped as "Ganesha". When God is worshipped to bless with good understanding of art and science, He is worshipped as "Saraswathi", and so on. Similarly, when a devotee wants to worship God as mother, he may worship as "Kali". When a devotee wants to worship God as a child, he may worship as "Krishna". If a devotee wants to worship God as the formless, attributeless, transcedent being, he may worship as "Brahman". These are all to suit the various temperaments of the devotees. By all these various forms and names, the devotee very well knows that He is worshipping God only. So Hinduism is monotheistic.

Hinduism also accepts that all religions talk about the one God. It does not have concepts like the god of the Egyptians and the god of the Jews, which basically implies that there are many gods. Hinduism says that the god of the Hindus, Egyptians, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Zorastrians, Aztecs, Mayans, Maoris, etc are all the same God. Hinduism says that all are worshipping the same God in different ways. Again, one way is not better than the other way. All ways to worship God are accepted by God if performed with faith and devotion.

In fact, it goes one step ahead than other religions. Not only that it says there is only one God; it says that everything in this universe are manifestations of God. In Hinduism, there is no the concept of "creation" in the literal sense of the word. It is God who becomes or manifests as the universe. The universe is not different from God. Everything is God. So, the devotee can take anything which appeals to him as a form of God, and worship Him. The omniscient God knows that the devotee is worshipping Him. The exact name and form do not matter. The attitude and sincerity is what matters.

Similarly a Hindu does not worship a tree or a hill just because it is a tree or a hill. The tree or hill is considered a symbol of God and it is the transcendent God who is worshipped through the natural objects. It is the Creator who is worshipped through the creation. So Hinduism is not pantheistic.

An abstract idea is expressed in a concrete form for the mind to grasp easily. For example, to depict the idea that God protects the devotee from the forces of evil, God is depicted with various weapons. Every small aspect of the forms of various Hindu Gods and Goddesses have a meaning behind them. There is a technical convention of symbology followed. For example, a bow indicated the mind; arrows indicate the senses; noose indicates death; drum indicates time; rosary indicates austerity. The symbology is very elaborate and quite context independant. The picture with all this symbology indicate the personality attributed for the particular form of God. If the devotee also has similar aspirations, he chooses the form of God for his worship. As he thinks about the various aspects in the form, he thinks of the aspect of personality the symbol indicates. This way the form is an excellent aid to think of God with certain attributes. For a person who does not know the language of this symbology, it is a fancy picture. But for a person who understands, it is an excellent aid for worship. Also, there is a lot of myths, legends and nice stories associated with every form of God. This allows the devotee to get a very good hold on to the personality and also have a personal psychological relationship with the personality. This offers great stability to the personality of the devotee. The characters which he is aspiring for are deeply engraved in his mind and provide a strong foothold. It is common in the picturization to use various human, animal and even mixed forms. All these have meanings. Any book on the particular aspect of God will give you the exact symbology.

To give further aid to the devotee, even historical characters like Rama, Krishna and various people who lived exemplary lives are given a form with a lot of symbols added. A good example is Hanuman, the monkey-faced. He was a highly self-controlled, learned, wise and loyal devotee of Rama. His devotion to Rama was outstanding. He was very strong in all aspects - physical, mental, moral, emotional and intellectual. He is worshipped by devotees to grant them his qualities. The story of Rama has accounts of numerous incidents where his hero has showed his covetable qualities. These stories create a vivid picture in the mind of the devotees and encourages them to develop the same qualities.

The ancient Hindus were highly advanced in the science of psychology. There are numerous treatises on this subject. Different forms are found to create different psychological effects. It is by considering this that the various forms are given to various aspects of God. For example, the forms of elephant and mouse seem to arouse the security consciousness in the mind of man. These are used in the form of Ganesha. Thus the form of Ganesha will increase the alerness of the mind. So a worship of Ganesha is advocated before starting anything new. These symbols come from the technical expertise of the ancient Hindus in this field.

2.2. Who is the founder of Hinduism ? Which is the book of Hinduism ?

Hinduism does not have a founder. It has been there from prehistoric times. It is based on the spiritual concepts discovered by numerous people. These concepts are impersonal like other concepts in science. These concepts have been validated by innumerable people. Hinduism invites everyone, irrespective of the cultural background, to validate the truth of the spiritual concepts for themselves.

There is no single book for Hinduism. If you are looking for a source where all the principles are given, then there are three texts. They are called "Prasthana Traya" - the principal three. They all present the same truth.

The first is the Upanisads. These are parts of the Vedas. There are innumerable Upanisads. Ten of them were chosen by Sri Sankara, a great saint and philosopher, as to contain the ideas in all the Upanisads put together. This forms the first principal text. These are unadultered, raw, first-hand observations of spiritual phenomenon. They do not try to propose a model to fit the observations. The observers have not imposed their ideas or even tried to classify the observations.

The second is the Brahma Sutras. This was authored by Veda Vyasa, who masterminded the current organization of the Vedas and the same person who authored other great works like Mahabharata and Bhagavata. Brahma Sutras present the concept in the Upanishads in a logical and highly technical manner. It is a scholarly work which establishes the concepts in the Upanishads on a strong logical foundation.

The third is the Bhagavad Gita. This is a record of the conversation between Sri Krishna and Arjuna. This text talks about the practical application of the concepts in the Upanisads to everyday life.

Thus these three texts present the Hindu philosophy and religion in a scientific and practical manner as - observation, modelling and application.

2.3. Who is a Hindu ? Can I get converted into Hinduism ?

A Hindu is one who believes in the basic principles of Hinduism and applies them to everyday life. The principles are explained above. To repeat, basically they are
  1. There is one God, who has become everything in this universe. This implies that everyone and everything has to be considered with due regard. This talks about the basic unity of the whole universe. This implies that one had to strive for the welfare of the whole. There is no place for selfishness and narrowness.
  2. The aim of life is to realize God. There is no room for a desultory living. Life has a great divine purpose. It is to overcome all limitations by realizing the divinity within.
  3. Every path to God is true. Everyone has to chose a path to God according to one's own temperament. There is no conflict between various religions.
If you follow these principles, you are a Hindu. It does not matter whether you worship Krishna or Christ or Allah. If you believe in the inherent equality and divinity of the universe, strive to realize the divinity in yourself and accept the plurality of religion, you are a Hindu.

As Hinduism considers all religions as equally valid paths to God, there is no concept of conversion. Hinduism is a sort of meta-religion. It encompasses the basic principles of religion. It helps you to fix your religious goal, choose any religion of your choice and encourages you to follow the religion with all sincerity. Understand the aim of religion. Weigh the pros and cons of various ways of worship available in world. Choose one of your liking and follow it with full zeal. In all probability, you are already worshipping God in your favorite way. Hinduism helps you to follow you religion more knowingly, with a clearer understanding of the goal and with more zeal.

2.4. Should I know Sanskrit to be a Hindu ?

No. Almost all the scriptures and traditional prayers are in Sanskrit. So if you want to go to the source, you need to know Sanskrit. But to follow the religion, you need not know Sanskrit. There are good translations of almost all the major texts in several other languages, from which you can derive benefit. What is important is to understand and follow the principles. But, if you want to understand and appreciate Indian culture, a knowledge of Sanskrit and other Indian languages is necessary. Much of the culture is embedded in the word formations and connotations. Also, you cannot have a direct first-hand experience of the Indian culture without the knowledge of the language in which the culture is implemented.

2.5. Does Hinduism consider monastic life better ?

No. During the course of Indian history, late Buddhism brought in this idea, which led to the downfall of India. The genius of Sri Sankara converted this downfall into the "downfall of Buddhism in India" and put the society back onto the progressive track. Hinduism considers the householders and monastics as two wings of the bird called society. Whether to chose the life of a householder or a monastic depends on the individual temperament. The aim of life - God realization - can be achieved in both the ways of life. Just as there are various duties to various people in the society, the monastics also have their role and duties. The monks are the repositories of religious knowledge and are teachers of religious life. The respect given to their position is a psychological necessity to derive maximum benefit from their knowledge. Also, they are supposed to expressedly and explicitly follow the virtues like service, sacrifice and nobility which the householders are supposed to implicitly follow. This way they are role models for the rest of the society. But this does not mean that the monatic way of life is better than the householders. The same virtues are expected in both.

2.6.Does Hinduism consider vegetarianism better ?

No. The concept of vegetarianism is recent (less than 2000 years old). The historical accounts recorded in the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas depict people as non-vegetarian. Hinduism accepts the law of nature that one life is the food for another. However, Hinduism accepts that just as the mind affects the body (you want to lift your hand and your body does it), the body also affects the mind. The food eaten affects the organization and type of thoughts. For example, eating stolen food has been found to make the mind morally weak. Similarly, different types of food cause different effects in the mind. Non-vegetarian diet has been found to cause a condition called "rajotamas" - a mixture of delusion and hyperactivity. This is an undesirable condition for aspirants of God. A vegetarian diet aids control of the mind and religious study. For this reason, modern Hinduism advises a vegetarian diet to most spiritual aspirants.

2.7.What does Hinduism say about polygamy, homosexuality, etc ?

The aim of life according to Hinduism is God realization. Social issues like polygamy are outside the jurisdiction of religion. If the question is "What does Hinduism say about lust?", then there is a prompt and vehement reply that "Lust has to be overcome." Social rules will change with time and place. Some societies consider polygamy as normal. There are Hindu societies in North Eastern India, which consider polyandry as normal and anyone opposing it as "selfish". Nevertheless, they are good Hindu societies. Majority of today's Indian society is monogamous. A few years before polygamy was accepted. It may again get accepted after a few centuries. Hinduism is not bothered about these. It has higher goals for life.

2.8.What is the Hindu concept of life after death ? What is the Hindu concept of Heaven and Hell ?

Hinduism believes in the law of cause and effect applied to all spheres of phenomenal existence. Since different people are born to different people in different environments (which is an observed effect), a previous cause has to be assumed. The only logical explanation possible is a previous life very similar to this. And by the same argument, since different people are involved in different thoughts and activities till death, the effects of these must occur in an after-life very similar to this. Hinduism says that everyone is responsible for his life. There are no extraneous causes for one's condition in life. If a person is facing hardship in life it has to be due to his earlier thoughts and actions in this or previous life.

2.9.Is there the concept similar to Satan in Hinduism ?

Hinduism does not have a concept similar to Satan. Hinduism says that all that happens are due to the power and will of God. Whatever happens is neither good nor bad. It is human beings who attribute those ideas to events. We call something which we think will cause intended effects, within the purview of our understanding, as good. All understanding is limited and hence the very concept of good and evil is relative and depends on time, place and people involved.

2.10.Is there a concept of sin in Hinduism ?

No. Hinduism says that one has to reap what he sows - good or bad. If a person makes mistakes, he will have to face the consequences. If a person does good, he will enjoy its fruits. Hinduism opens the door fully for a person to form his own life and future. No one is eternally glorified or eternally doomed. It accepts that people make mistakes whose logical effects have to be faced, its lessons need to be learnt, and life has to continue with more knowledge and understanding.

2.11.Do all Hindu saints perform miracles ?

No. Miracles are considered mere dynamics of Nature which are not understood fully by the observer. Miracles are nothing different from regular events. If something is not expected, it is a miracle. They are not worth to be sought after. The goal of Hinduism is to realize God. Miracles are considered objectionable hinderances towards that goal. No teacher of Hinduism advises his disciples to attain the power to do miracles. Seeking after miracles is considered a sign of spiritual weakness.

2.12.Does astrology come under Hinduism ?

No. Astrology is just another science like agriculture or metallurgy. It is well developed in India, just like religion and philosophy. The theory behind astrology is based on the Indian view that everything in this universe originate from one source. So by a reasonable understanding of the dynamics in one part of the universe, one can expect a particular pattern of events in another part of the universe. Beyond that there is no relationship.

2.13.There are many contradictions in Hinduism. For example, Rama is hailed for monogamy, but Krishna has many wives.

This again is the result of applying today's social norms like monogamy to people who lived a few thousand years back. Rama is hailed for monogamy today. But during his time, polygamy was not considered objectionable.

2.14.What is the Hindu concept of creation ?

Hinduism considers that the world is a manifestation of God. There is no concept of Creation and a Creator. The world came from God, exists in God and will return back to God, just like waves arise from the ocean, exist in the ocean and subside back into the ocean. And this happens in cycles, again and again.

As there is no concept of creation in the literal sense, there can be no concept of destruction also. There is a concept of unmanifestation. God withdraws Himself and creation vanishes. Manifestion is instantaneous, if the word can be used, because even time is a part of manifestation only. Similarly unmanifestation is also instantaneous. It is like a dream. How was the world in your dream created ? The dream world, including its own timeline were created instantly. When you wake up, the world just vanishes. Same is the case with this world too.

There are graphic and poetic descriptions about God creating the world, maintaining it and then destroying it. These are only figurative to explain the above concept. They should not be taken literally.

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Intermediate Level Questions:

3.1. How is man reborn ? Why do bad things happen to good people ?

According to the doctrine of Karma, every situation we face in life is the result of our past aspirations and actions. Actions are mere expressions of aspirations. Also, they are reflective. To put it crudely, if you wish that a dog should get hit, then it sows seed for you to become a dog and get hit. If you wish and do good to others, you will see all good people around you helping you when you are in need.

During the course of our life, we think and do so many things. Every thought and action has to bear fruit. Some of our thoughts and actions may be such that it is not possible for them to bear fruit in this life itself. This necessitates a subsequent life.

Bad things happen even to people who think and do good in life as the result of their thoughts and action in a previous life. So calamities in life should not discourage a person to sever from the path of virtue.

Now the question is, since we think and do things till the last breath, how is it possible to get out of this cycle of birth and death. The answer is that thoughts and actions are binding only when there is a sense of doership. Actions done for the sake of action, without a sense of reward or doership do not bind, and do not force personal effects.

3.2. What is the aim of life ?

The aim of life is to realize the freedom of the Self from all limitations. In reality, the Subject - the real Self - is totally free from the apparent bondage and limitations imposed by the mind. The concept of individuality, world and their interaction are all in the mind only and do not affect the real Subject. When the person realizes this, he is no longer subject to sorrow and other psychological problems and inconveniences. His leads life in a very natural and harmonious manner. The aim of life is to achieve this freedom.

3.3. How do I determine what is right and what is wrong ?

The aim of life is spiritual freedom, which can be perceived in life as psychological freedom. Anything which leads you to more psychological freedom is right. Anything which leads to psychological bondage is wrong. The problem is that psychological bondage creates aberration in perception, which leads to not being able to clearly see which way leads to bondage and which way leads to freedom. In such cases, you may need the guidance of social norms, words of saints and the law. To start with, you should follow the right path as much as visible and possible. As the result your psychological bondages will become weaker. Your vision will become clearer. With this you will be able to make better decisions, which will make the distinction still clearer.

You should also keep in mind that in most cases, right and wrong are relative to the person involved and cannot be judged rightly from the point of view of another person.

3.4. Which is the path better for me - Karma, Bhakti, Jnana or Yoga ?

It depends on your mental temperament. Everyone of us have the abilities to work, to love, to analyze and to cencentrate. One might have more of something that the other. The paths are not contradictory. They aid each other. So you need not worry too much about which path to take. To start with, you can take an integrated approach. Soon a natural shift will come to whatever you are more inclined to. Still it is better to keep some of all the paths to be more balanced. This will lead to better results.

3.5. Who is a Guru ? Is a human Guru really needed ?

A Guru is one who can inspire and instruct you towards God realization. In fact there is only one Guru, who is God Himself. The human Guru is God Himself instructing the disciple. A very advanced aspirant may not need the Guru in a human form. But, in general, a human Guru is needed. The human mind always wants a live example to imitate and a live hero to worship. The human Guru fulfils these psychological requirements and effectively brings about God realization without much difficulty.

3.6. Can I have more than one Guru ? How do I identify my Guru ?

You should have one primary Guru, who is the one who has given you a mantra to chant or a spiritual practice to follow. You can have other holy people who can give you supplementary instructions, but these should never contradict the primary Guru's words. The former is called Diksha Guru and the latter are called Shiksha Gurus. As it is God himself who comes as all Gurus, you should never take lightly the person who has told you explicitly that he is your Guru. If subsequently someone else tells you that you have gone to a wrong Guru and asks you to completely discard the words of the first Guru, ruthlessly discard the words of the second person. Stick to the first Guru and pray to God to clear you off your confusion and guide you. A real Guru always takes you higher based on the past path. He never asks you to discard any faith you have followed before.

In most cases, you do not have to make a real search for the Guru. You need to understand that the aim of life is God realization and try to have the company of holy men and other aspirants as much as possible. In due course of time, you will naturally develop a liking towards one holy person and the person may become your primary Guru. Most of the holy men can quickly see your temperament and tell you if they can be your Guru and if necessary suggest another holy man as a possibility of being your Guru. What is needed is the zeal towards God realization. The rest will follow at the right time. You need not be too anxious about it.

3.7. How do I meet a saint ? What are the formalities involved ? How should I approach him ?

A saint should be approached with reverence and an open mind. Often you would have heard or read several things about the saint before you meet him. Brush everything aside - both the good and bad remarks. Approach with an open mind and reverence as a person who is devoted to the Goal. Most of the saints do not expect any formalities. As a way to express your reverence, you may take some offerings of fruits and flowers to the saint. This is not a barter system or a business. It is just an expression of reverence and love. In most cases, the saint will not give much importance to your offerings. The saint may distribute your offerings to the people there, or keep it for distributing later. Very rarely he may take these for his perusal. If he does so, it is a great previlege to you.

3.8. I find some words of the saint not correct. The saint keeps repeating what I already know. What do I do I these cases ?

The words of the saint may not be correct to the details. The saint may give some analogies which are not scientifically correct. You should focus more on the message he is trying to convey and not bogged down by some supplementary details. Words are mere carriers of the message. You should tune your antennae to the signal and not give too much importance to the carrier. Often saints repeat the same thing several times. One reason may be that there is someone in the group who is listening it for the first time. But in most cases, the reason is that you have not fully understood it or put to practice as required. The human mind needs things to be repeated several times to drive an idea deep. So be receptive even if an idea is repeated several times. You may get the real concept only the thousanth time it is repeated. Never assume that you have understood everything of a particular idea.

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