Unveiling Hinduism: A Glimpse Into The World’s Oldest Religion

Hinduism is recognized as the most ancient spiritual tradition in the world. It predates all the other religions of the world by thousands of years. Hinduism is entirely different from other religions, in the sense that it has no single book or founder. The Hindu dharma is an extensive collection of numerous practices, philosophies, and traditions.

• Monotheism with a difference: The monotheism of Hinduism is completely different from that seen in other monotheistic religions. According to Sanatana dharma, “Paramatma” is one but manifests in several forms. Hindus are free to worship “Paramatma” in any form of their choice, such as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and Lakshmi.

• Atman: “Atman” is an important concept of Sanatana dharma. It refers to the non-materialistic God-consciousness that is present in every human being. The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to attain moksha where the atman gets merged into the Paramatma. The individual then attains freedom from the cycle of births and deaths.

• Karma and dharma: Karma emphasizes the universal law that states that every action has its corresponding consequences. Good actions lead to good consequences, and bad deeds pave the way for negative outcomes. Here, dharma is a pivotal aspect, as well.

• Dharma speaks about adherence to ethical principles, and fulfilling various social and religious responsibilities. Adopting a dharmik approach leads to a future that is free from unpleasantness and adversities. Likewise, deviating from dharma will compel an individual to face challenging situations in the future.

• Different paths for liberation: Hinduism provides different paths for attaining moksha; these are called yogas. First, we have Jnana Yoga- “the path of knowledge.” This path is centered on gaining enlightenment using the acquisition of knowledge. Then comes Bhakti Yoga, which is all about devotion and surrender to the preferred deity.

• Next, it is Karma Yoga that stresses the significance of performing selfless actions without getting attached to the result. Finally, there is the path of Raja Yoga, which includes key facets like self-control and self-discipline. Raja Yoga encourages practitioners to depend on techniques such as meditation and yoga asanas, to develop self-restraint.

• Hinduism – a way of life: Hinduism is a way of life, and is not an organized religion. This is in stark contrast to other religions, which impose stringent doctrines on their followers. This rigidness, in no way, contributes to individual growth and development.

• But, Sanatana Dharma puts forward several paths and philosophies, and people have full freedom to choose any of those. Hinduism is aware of the truth that there are many ways of reaching the final goal. Irrespective of the path an individual takes, all Hindus stick to basic moral values like Satya (truth) and ahimsa (non-violence).

Constantly evolving: Hinduism is a constantly evolving religion that has adapted to changing times. Several new concepts and practices were integrated into Sanatana dharma, making it more flexible. This again is not the case with other faiths of the world and which strongly resist any change.