In the Beginningless Beginning There Was Hinduism
Another Q & A with Jagannatha Prakasa (John of AllFaith) © 04.13.10 Got Questions? Ask me at AllExperts.com or AllFaith.com!
Please note: I occasionally post good questions I receive when I believe they and my reply might be of interest to others. When questions are marked as "private" I make sure not to share any information about the poster. this one is such a Q & A.
Dear Mr John,
I want to know when and why Hinduism started becoming a religion. They say Hinduism is a culture and dont have a founder like other religions like mohammad,jesus,etc...What are the true origins of Hinduism. They say its the oldest civilization that existed. Do we have scientific proofs for that? Also, what is the sanathan Dharma?
Can you please send me a link so that I can study?
Thanks a lot
Kind RegardsMy reply:
Hi
This is a tough question to answer because the Western scientific paradigms reject what Hindus teach about their origins.
According to most traditional Hindus Hinduism is eternal, having neither beginning nor end nor founder.
I'm not sure how much detail you want on the related topics so this will be cursory.
According to Hinduism there exists two fundamental planes of reality. Nirguna and Saguna Brahman. Nirguna Brahman (existence devoid of all material qualities) is the unchanging state of eternal be-ing. It is conceived differently by the various Hindu sects but it is without beginning, middle or end. Saguna Brahman manifests out of Nirguna Brahman. This is the material realms composed of the various qualities or identifiable attributes. Some teach that material existence is "real" but temporary while others teach that it is illusion (maya) devoid of any actual existence at all.
In Nirguna Brahman there is no conception of time because it is eternal existence. However we must use such terms because living in the eternal present is difficult for most people to grasp. So, "at various points in time" Saguna Brahman emanates its seemingly separate existence. This is often conceived as being born of Lord Brahman etc in the Vedic Scriptures.
This temporarily manifested existence passes through various cycles. These time spirals are divided into San Kalpas, Kalpas, Yugas, years and so on. San Kalpas and Kalpas are vast stretches of time that are mind boggling. They are composed of Yugas. There are four devolving Yugas (Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali Yuga). Each Yuga brings less intelligence, shorter lifespans and ever more ignorance. We are currently living in the fourth of these four, which is known as Kali Yuga (the Iron Age, or Age of Confusion). As with virtually everything related to Indian spirituality the durations etc. are debated by the various teachers. What I have presented here is pretty standard.
Kali Yuga (our present age), according to standard estimates, began around 3102 B.C.E. (and should not end for another 428,000 years unless it is cut short -- which sometimes happens -- and according to the biblical traditions this time it will be). Our present age began following the conclusion of the global War of Kuruksetra (the main battle was on a battlefield in India near Delhi by this name). After this war ended mighty sound-based weapons known as Brahmastra weapons (created by Lord Brahma) were released and decimated much of the planet. this ended Dvapara Yuga and began Kali Yuga.
Now... the various survivors around the planet remembered and passed on diverse aspects of what had been the single global culture-religion-language-empire. They sought to preserve this knowledge (veda: truth) however their fractured knowledge and the devastated planet they found themselves on left the people isolated and struggling to survive. This, according to Hinduism, gave rise to most of the ancient religions. This is believed to explain the similarities between the world's religions and traditional stories. It is also said to be why the Abrahamic traditions date the Garden of Eden to this exact point even though it appears the planet is much older than this. The word "man" is believed to derive from the human race being descendants of the global flood that the Vedic literature says occurred during the days of Manu. Similarities to Noah and the flood of his day postdate the Vedic version by perhaps thousands if not millions of years. This would be a traditional Hindu perspective on this issue.
Hastinapur (now a town and nagar panchayat (or region) in the Meerut district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh) India (Bharata Varsa or "Land of the Bharata") was the Pandava faction capital of the global Bharat Empire at its demise. It is believed that the Indians maintained the purest form of the One Truth: Vedic culture (the origins of what we call Hinduism today).
This One Universal Truth or Sanatana Dharma was proclaimed in a single Scripture known as The Veda (Record of Truth). As Kali Yuga, fourth of the four ages, was dawning humans became less and less intelligent and spiritually inclined and so Srila Vyasadeva (an avatar or incarnation of Lord Visnu) quartered the One Veda (with, according to some, the help of Sri Ganapati/Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Lord Siva) into:
1. The Rigveda: Hymns recited by the hot'r (a priesthood);
2. The Yajurveda: Formulas recited by the adhvaryu (officiating priests);
3. The Samaveda: Formulas sung by the udgātṛ (a priesthood)
4. The Atharvaveda: A collection of spells and incantations, apotropaic charms and speculative hymns.These four branches of knowledge (vedas) were still too much for the devolving consciousness of the people however and soon other scriptures were written/revealed to guide the people, for instance as the Mahabharata (history of the Bharata Dynasty), Srimad Bhagavad Gita (or Song of God, given on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra to the famed Pandava prince and archer Arjuna, a section of the Mahabharata), the Sri Bhagavata Purana (aka Srimad Bhagavatam), the Vedanta Sutra, the various works on Vedanta and countless others. Other scriptures and histories, like the Ramayana, are believed by many to predate Kuruksetra and reach back in time as early of Treta Yuga -- millions of years in our past (and future). Dating most of these works is impossible as most were written on palm leaves and other short-lived materials, passed on orally and so on. Most of the ancients knew the scriptures by heart and had not need of printed texts. Once Kali Yuga began human's became forgetful and their memories and intelligence became weak.
All religions and philosophies on earth, according to Hindus, belong to the one Sanatana Dharma: the Quest for Universal Truth. This is why they say: Ekam Sat: Vipra Bahudha Vadante: "Truth is one; sages call It by various names."
Those understandings that emerged in India within known history are generally referenced as Hindu/Hinduism because they are the cultural and religious views of those people living beyond the Sindhu River (Hindu being an altered form of Sindu).
If you can determine the date when the first being sought God/Truth that would be the beginning of Hinduism/Sanatana Dharma.
According to the Western scientific paradigms what came to be known as Hinduism is probably first found at the Mohenjo-daro excavations. Mohenjo-daro was one of the largest city-settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization (which was from the post-Vedic period). The site is located in Sindh province, Pakistan (formerly India before the Muslim invasions) and according to archeologists was probably built around 2600 B.C.E. (which is within a hundred years of the biblical reckoning of the account of the global flood of Noah's day). It is clear however that by this point Vedic culture/religion was already ancient.
Google is your friend :-)
There is a lot of solid (and not-so solid) information to be had on the Net and much of this is sourced to solid reference works, many available online or in public libraries.
I offer more information on related topics (including my translation of the Bhagavad Gita) at my http://allfaith.com/Religions/Hinduism and my http://www.srijagannatha.com websites. Because Hinduism is so incredibly diverse there is no one source to recommend as all inclusive. About.com offers a lot of good basic information however the best way to learn if you wish to truly understand, is to find an authentic guru (such as His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaja, acarya and spiritual master of the Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math) and request siksha (teaching) and/or diksha (initiation).
Hope this is helpful,
~ John of AllFaith
~ Jagannatha PrakasaFollow-up
Dear Mr John,
Thxs for replying to my questions. I have browsed your website and seen you mentioning about the dying state of Hinduism today in the world especially in India which is boombarded by both Islamic and Christian practices. Islam & christianity are both militant religions, always trying to convert others so that the more people they have,the more powerful they become - and they have succeeded in doing so! I think, its the media causing that. We are currently living under the christian dynasty and hence been influenced by their practices. As a matter of fact, I was born Hindu and non-practising. I respect all other people opinions and thoughts.But what I don't tolerate is people's claim on the monopoly of truth. If people have a belief system, they are free to practise their doctrines but not imposing them on other people by using false, violent & misleading means? The worst attribute of religion is to claim a monopoly on truth. What can be done about it? Do you think Hinduism needs to be restructured in a militant style like Islam and Christianity to survive? I think and we all witness that having only one book can be very dangerous. Most of the world's wars are caused by Muslims, Christians and Jews. No disrespect to them but if there is a GOd out there, why he doesnot come down himself? Why send third party person like Mohammad and cause chaos?Thank you
My reply:
Hi again,
Q: ...Islam & christianity are both militant religions, always trying to convert others so that the more people they have,the more powerful they become - and they have succeeded in doing so!
A: To a degree I agree. Islam seeks global dominance militarily, politically as well as religiously. Muhammad was a war lord and political conquest was his primary concern. The establishment of a global caliphate (government) and the elimination of all other forms of religion and governance is mandated by al Qu'ran and al Hadith. Convinced that Imam Madhi and Issa (Jesus) will soon come the Ummah (political aspects) of Islam is again seeking to establish Sharia Law world wide. And as you say, they appear to be succeeding.
Through the authority of the Roman Empire Catholicism attempted the same thing during the middle ages, however political power is contrary to the teachings of Y'shua (Jesus) who said "My kingdom is not of this world..." and "Give to Caesar what is his and to God what is His." Unlike Muhammad who craved political power, Y'shua was a humble carpenter and teacher who sought to promote love and peace and had no interest in politics nor secular power. Christianity and Islam are VERY different religions. Most Christian missionaries are genuinely seeking to bring God and salvation to the world as they understand these things. Sadly Hinduism and other minority cultures are paying a high price for their missionary zeal. Unlike Islam, Christianity is also dying despite its zealous missionary endeavors and occasional political maneuvering.
Q: ...I think, its the media causing that.
A; The media is supporting Islam and opposing Christianity. Christianity is regularly blasphemed and intentionally misrepresented by the media.
Q: ...We are currently living under the christian dynasty and hence been influenced by their practices.
A: The United States and Europa were founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs and values and certainty that is evident in what remains of these falling cultures. If you live in the West (including the US where I am) however we are living under Secular Humanism and post-Christian culture. There is very little about any Western country that is Christian now.
Q: ... As a matter of fact, I was born Hindu and non-practising.
A: This is a major reason why Hinduism is dying. Gandhi was so accurate in his warnings to the Indian people that they must avoid Western culture, materialism and greed. A huge percentage of born-Hindus are non-practicing. Many have little if any knowledge of their ancient culture and religions and many are even ashamed of being Indian (which is very hard to fathom considering India's glorious past). The same is true of Christianity though to a lesser degree. Hindus have largely abandoned the Sanatana Dharma and surrendered India to Western corporations, culture and degradations. Christians have likewise largely abandoned any meaningful form of Christianity and surrendered themselves to Western corporations and culture. Islam is now the only traditional religion refusing to be corrupted (it was just as "lukewarm" prior to the 1980's when it began to reawaken under al Ikhwan -- the Muslim Brotherhood). Islam is now the world's largest religion (when Catholicism is viewed separate from the rest of Christendom), the fastest growing and most devoutly practiced religion on earth. Without some form of direct divine intervention -- be that "the Second Coming of Jesus," the arrival of Sri Kalki etc. -- within 100 years or so it will almost certainly be common to speak of Islam as the global religion and Secular Humanism as its alternative. The rest will become little more than impotent scattered sects viewed as dying cultural anomalies. At least that's how it appears to me. Personally, I'm expecting divine intervention.
Q: But what I don't tolerate is people's claim on the monopoly of truth.
A: This is a hallmark of Hindu wisdom and belief. Unfortunately this enlightened view has come to mean not believing anything. Muslims believe that only they have the truth and a significant percentage of them are more than prepared to give their lives for that truth. Osama bin Ladin accurately expressed this view of Islam:
"As for fearing for one's life, it is difficult to explain to you how we think of ourselves, unless you have full belief. We believe that no one could take out one breath of our written life as ordained by Allah. We see that we see that getting killed in the cause of Allah is a great honor wished for by our Prophet (PBUH). He said in his Hadith: "I swear to Allah, I wish to fight for Allah's cause and be killed, I'll do it again and be killed, and I'll do it again and be killed". Being killed for Allah's cause is a great honor achieved by only those who are the elite of the nation. We love this kind of death for Allah's cause as much as you like to live. We have nothing to fear for. It is something we wish for."
Against such absolute religious certainty and conviction those not wishing to be forced under Sharia must stand resolutely. Firm religious faith is almost a requirement to doing this. Those not willing to die for their faith will almost always fall before those who are. Hindus of the past shared your certainty that "Truth is One, the sages merely use different names" nonetheless they united and stood up to the descendants of the Timurids of Turkistan like Aurangzeb and the others until finally the Hindu Maratha Empire overthrew the Mughal and chased them out of India. This is what Gandhi called for. By his point in time the Muslims had returned and taken over what is now Pakistan and other sections of India.
Gandhiji said the restoration of India must not only be of political India but of spiritual India as well. Sadly his warnings were not heeded and India is now throwing away its glorious heritage in the name of out-sourcing Western jobs.
Q: What can be done about it? Do you think Hinduism needs to be restructured in a militant style like Islam and Christianity to survive?
A: No, India needs to restore its own culture and traditions and pride as a people. India needs to again outlaw all foreign missionary activity, begin educating its people about its past and its culture, and discover its own methods of being in the present world. India has allowed itself to be enslaved by Secular Humanism, Islam and Christianity. Read this excerpt from British Lord Macaulay's address to the British Parliament from the 2nd of February, 1835:
Indians just need to unite and throw off the yoke of their Western masters. They need to stand as committed Hindu, Sikh and so on Indians and retake it ancient glory. No one will do this for them.
Q: I think and we all witness that having only one book can be very dangerous. Most of the world's wars are caused by Muslims, Christians and Jews.
A: I would not agree with that at all. Were the Bible (or the Bhagavad Gita) the One Book followed devoutly by all their would be global peace and freedom. Were al Qu'ran the global scripture there would be universal enslavement.
NO wars are caused by Jews. They are merely defending their right to exist in their ancestral homeland.
Q: No disrespect to them but if there is a GOd out there, why he doesnot come down himself? Why send third party person like Mohammad and cause chaos?
A: If one accepts the biblical prophecies God will do so in the not too distant future.
Each religion has its own answers to this question of course. As I said above, I believe divine intervention is coming. Every major event that is happening today was either foretold directly or is in complete harmony with the biblical prophecies. Much of my time is focused on these topics. I believe Kali Yuga is going to be cut short.
Om Santi,
~ Jagannatha Prakasa
~ John of AllFaith
Om
Jai Jagannatha!Sri Jagannatha.com Home Page AllFaith.com Hinduism Home Page Bhagavad Gita translated by Jagannatha Prakasa Gitabhasya of Jagannatha Prakasa
