I might go to temple once in a year or two but heart to heart I always pray to god. Equally I don't believe in religion or caste but at the same time I am proud in the religion and caste where I am born though without my choice. I feel others should also be proud in their own religion and or caste in which they are born. But in doing so one should not heart the feelings and sentiments of others. That's what I strongly believe in. With this background, let me once turn myself religious person and explain what I consider Hinduism is and also about Hindu Gods, both these threads have been stretched too long in the on going discussion. The proper name for Hinduism is 'Sanatan Dharma'. Sanatan = eternal & Dharma = religion. Thus Hinduism stands for Sanatan Dharma meaning Eternal Religion.
Going by eternal principles, Hinduism is God centered. Eternal principles apply to all human beings everywhere where laws of physics exist and work all the time. The healing principle will get to work immediately the moment a little cut is sustained on a finger. No one can tell when this healing principle began or when it will end. It is there existing eternally, all pervading (available everywhere), omniscient (aware all the time and therefore healing principle gets to work when injury is sustained). These simplified examples serve to understand God's power: omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. If a great scientist like Einstein discovered or realized laws of physics, Hinduism would call him a great Rishi (Maharshi or Prophet of truth.) Self realized persons like Jesus Christ are called Rishis (Prophet) and their teachings would be readily acceptable to those who properly understand the principles of 'Hinduism'. From the ancient times, many great Rishis achieved self-realization through such practices as meditation and austerities and they realized knowledge concerning Eternal Principles. Their knowledge, taught to disciples, and eventually made available in written form, is known as the Vedas (Ved = knowledge), the scriptures upon which Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) is based. Accept Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma) most other religion is prophet centered depending upon the lives of some personal founder or founders. Christianity is built upon the life of Jesus Christ, Mohammedanism (Islam) upon Mohammed, Buddhism upon Buddha, Jainism upon the Jinas, and so on. It naturally follows that there must be in all these religions a good deal of fight about what they call the historical evidences of these great personalities. If at any time the historical evidences about the existence of these personages in ancient times become weak, the whole building of the religion tumbles down and is broken to pieces. Hinduism escaped this fate because this is not based upon persons but on principles. Krishna is never considered as an authority of the Vedas, but the Vedas are the authority of Krishna himself. His glory is that he is the greatest preacher of the Vedas that ever existed. What remained was the guidance of people from time to time according to different times and places, according to different circumstances and environments. People had to be guided along the old, old path and for this these great teachers came, with their great sages. The ceremonies and rituals connected with Hinduism (and other religions) are designed to cultivate increased spirituality. The very fountain-head of our religion is in the Vedas (Srutis) which are perfectly impersonal; the persons all come in the Smritis and Puranas- the great Avataras, Incarnations of God, Prophets, and so forth. [Please note: Srutis means revealed knowledge; Smriti means memory, history] Another important thing to note is No religion built upon a person can be taken up as a type by all the races of mankind. Vedantic religion does not require any such personal authority. Its sanction is the eternal nature of man, its ethics are based upon the eternal solidarity of man, already existing, already attained and not to be attained. In connection with does Hindus worship one god or many? In every temple, if one stands by and listens, one will find the worshippers applying all the attributes of God, including omnipresence, to the images. It is not polytheism, nor would the name henotheism explain the situation. "The rose called by any other name would smell as sweet." Names are not explanations. Best regards, Dr. U. G. Barad
