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Convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) Dr Oscar Rebello has been nominated
for CNN-IBN's Indian of the Year Award 2007 in public service category
Vote for him at:
http://www.cnnibnindianoftheyear.com/publicservice_voting_new.php
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Defining Hinduism has been a problem that many have grapled with. The problem
is compounded by the fact that Hinduism is being looked at in terms of
religion. In the various languages of India there is no word for religion.
Some say that Hinduism is a way of life. I think this does not adequately
explain the system. I like to think it as a philosophical concept, in which
religion is part of it.
I think the way Swami Vivekanand explained Hinduism, particularly when he was
in Europe and America in context of the World Parliament of Religions in 1893,
is probably the best way to define Hinduism. He said that a Hindu is one who
believes the sholka "Ekam Sad, Viprah Bahudda Vadanti." He translated it as
"God is one, there are many ways to reach it." He said that god for a Hindu is
a metaphysical concept and not as a human form. However, the various gods are
in a human form, with some of them having incarnations.
Some have said that without caste, Hinduism does not survive. I think this is
wrong, and there have been many Hindus, for a very long time, who have worked
against eliminate the evils of casteism. And yet if you tell them they are not
Hindus, they will take serious objections.
The sholka that Swami Vivekanand uses is the calssic way of a polytheist, in
that he has to create his own spiritual experience.
Sachin Phadte
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