Answer to last week's question: How would you answer when asked: "What is Hindu Religion"?

The following few significant features highlight the major precepts of Hindu religion that can be mentioned as a starting point.

1. Hindu religion is based on the teachings of the ancient scriptures known as the Vedas. There are four Vedas, namely: Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva.

2. According to Hindu religion, God is one all pervasive Supreme Being, manifest as creation and its intelligence, as well as un-manifest reality.  His divinity is present in one and all.

3. Core concepts of Hindu religion include:

·       Dharma: Righteousness

·       Karma: The law of cause and effect: good actions incur good results (punya karma) and unrighteous actions incur undesirable results (papa karma).

·       Reincarnation: The belief that after a person dies, that person’s soul is reborn in a new body.

·       Moksha (liberation); Freedom from suffering in this life as a result of discovering one’s true nature.  Attaining moksha frees a person from the cycle of rebirth

4. Hindu religion recognizes several spiritual practices for one’s spiritual growth; four major practices are: karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, and dhyana yoga (meditation).

 

Elaboration of these key points will follow .