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Hinduism Definition The word Hinduism is derived from the word Hindu, which is an Indo Aryan Sanskrit term, used by the Persians to demarcate the geographical area beyond the river Indus. Later on European colonists began to refer to all the followers of the Indian religions as Hindus. The term Hinduism was introduced in the 19th century to represent the religious, philosophical and cultural traditions native to India. According to Swami the word "Hindu" is composed of the two syllables "Him," meaning Himsa (violence) and "Du" meaning, "distant." Hinduism is the faith that makes violence distant. ( Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 22). Hinduism is the third largest religion of the world after Christianity and Islam. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions of the world. Sanathana Dharma Sanathana Dharma is the original name of Hinduism and is made up of two Sanskrit terms, Sanathana which means ancient and Dharma which means law that is inherent to the very nature and design of the universe. So Sanathana Dharma can be roughly translated as natural, ancient and eternal way of life. Sanathana Dharma represents much more than just a religion; rather, it provides its followers with an entire worldview, way of life and with a coherent and rational view of reality. It deals with the total personality. It embraces all Faiths The religions we know about are all derived from a person or prophet who is adored as the Ideal. Islam has Muhammad, Christianity has Jesus, Buddhism has the Buddha. But Sanathana Dharma is not derived from or through a person. It is the primal essence of all other faiths. It is the essence of all the messages prophets proclaimed. It is welcomed by all mankind, for it welcomes all mankind. Newton, a Westerner, discovered after a series of experiments, that the earth had the force of gravitation. But, we cannot conclude that the earth had no such force until Newton's discovery. So too, though the principles of Sanathana Dharma are inherent in human consciousness, and have their impact all over the world, the people of Bharat have long practiced and experienced them and discovered their value and validity. They have earned invaluable Bliss there from. Just as atomic science developed in one country and later spread to other countries, the Sanathana Faith, developed in India, has spread to other countries. Even a material process like atomic science cannot be held down in one place; in the same manner, this spiritual science too spreads all over the wide world. Sanathana Dharma is bound to overcome today's rampant materialism, for it can harmonize the secular and the spiritual into a single way of life. It can bring together into closer kinship both man and God. It is based on the Divine which is the reality of the self. So, it is not limited to one country, one individual, one period of time, or one sect. It has a variety of procedures, points of view, disciplines and guidelines, in accordance with the special features of the region, the age, and the environment. This Faith, though first explicit on Bharat, between the Himalayan range and the three seas, has become a world faith, through its innate divine strength. Sanathana Dharma is not derived from or through a person. It is the primal essence of all other faiths. It is the essence of all the messages prophets proclaimed. It is welcomed by all mankind, for it welcomes all mankind.– Baba Uniqueness of Hinduism Hinduism cannot be neatly slotted into any particular belief system. Unlike other religions, Hinduism is a way of life, a Dharma, that is, the law that governs all action. It has its own beliefs, traditions, advanced system of ethics, meaningful rituals, philosophy and theology. Hinduism does not have any one founder, and any one core doctrine to which controversies can be referred to for resolution. There is no point in time when it could have been said to begun. Hinduism is also marked by an attitude which seems to accommodate religious and cultural perspectives other than one's own, and so is characterized by a rich variety of ideas and practices resulting in what appears as a multiplicity of religions under one term “Hinduism”. Hinduism is perhaps the only religious tradition that is so diverse in its theoretical premises and practical expressions that it is like a compilation of religions with a history contemporaneous with the people with which it is associated. Hindu Scriptures The basic scriptures of Hinduism, which is collectively referred to as "Shastras", are essentially a collection of spiritual laws discovered by different saints and sages at different points in its long history. The Two types of sacred writings comprise the Hindu scriptures: "Shruti" (heard) and "Smriti" (memorized). They were passed on from generation to generation orally for centuries before they were written down mostly in the Sanskrit language. Shruti literature refers to the habit of ancient Hindu saints who led a solitary life in the woods, where they developed a consciousness that enabled them to 'hear' or cognize the truths of the universe. Shruti Literature It has two parts: the Vedas and the Upanishads. There are four Vedas:, Rig,Sama, Yajur, and Atharva. There are 108 extant Upanishads, of which 10 are most important: Isa, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taitiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya, Brihadaranyaka. The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. They were composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and are honored as the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. Hindus consider the Vedas to be apauruṣeya, which means "not of a man, superhuman and impersonal, authorless". The Veda, for orthodox Indian theologians, are considered revelations seen by ancient sages after intense meditation, and texts that have been more carefully preserved since ancient times. The Vedas were mainly compiled by Vyasa Krishna Dwaipayana around the time of Lord Krishna (1500 BC). They are the original scriptures of Hindu teachings, and contain spiritual knowledge encompassing all aspects of our life. Vedic literature with its philosophical maxims has stood the test of time and is the highest religious authority for all sections of Hindus in particular and for mankind in general. Veda means wisdom, knowledge or vision, and it manifests the language of the gods in human speech. The laws of the Vedas regulate the social, legal, domestic and religious customs of the Hindus to the present day. All the obligatory duties of the Hindus at birth, marriage, death etc. owe their allegiance to the Vedic ritual. They draw forth the thought of successive generation of thinkers, and so contain within it the different strata of thought. The Rig-Veda is the largest and most important text of the Vedic collection; it includes 1028 hymns and it is divided into ten books called mandalas. It is a difficult text, written in a very obscure style and filled with metaphors and allusions that are hard to understand for modern reader. The Rig Veda accounts in detail the social, religious, political and economic background of the Rig-Vedic civilization. Even though monotheism characterizes some of the hymns of Rig Veda, naturalistic polytheism and monism can be discerned in the religion of the hymns of Rig Veda. Despite the fact that the Rig-Veda deals with many gods, there are some who get a lot of attention. More than half the hymns invoke just three top-rated gods of the moment: Indra (250 hymns), Agni (200 hymns), and Soma (just over 100 hymns). Indra was the head of the ancient Hindu pantheon. He was the Storm-god (sometimes he is referred to as the Sky-god and also as the god of war). The Vedas describe Indra as the god “Who wields the thunderbolt”, and his most celebrated story was the killing of the demon-serpent Vritra. The legend says that Vritra kept all the waters trapped in his mountain lair, and Indra was the one who slew the demon in order to release the waters. This story has a deep significance: The waters are vital for the health of any human community where agriculture is understood as the basis of wealth. By hoarding the waters, the serpent has upset the natural order, preventing the circulation of wealth and nourishment. Indra, thus had to battle to restore the balance. Soma was the personification of the sacred soma plant, whose juice was holy and intoxicating to gods and men. Agni, the god of fire, is often referred to in Vedic literature as the most important god, and is considered to be the flame that lifts the sacrifice to heaven, a symbol of the fiery life and spirit of the world, the “vital spark”, the principle of life in animate and inanimate nature. Agni was seen as a sort of messenger between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. Cremation was believed to prevent the spirit of the dead from remaining among the living, and for this reason, worshippers of Agni burned their dead, and Agni was responsible for transporting the soul of the dead. The Sama-Veda has verses that are almost entirely from the Rig-Veda, but are arranged in a different way since they are meant to be chanted. The Sama Veda is purely a liturgical collection of melodies (saman). The hymns in the Sama Veda, used as musical notes, were almost completely drawn from the Rig Veda and have no distinctive lessons of their own. Hence, its text is a reduced version of the Rig veda. Rig veda is the word, Sama veda is the song, Rig veda is the knowledge and Sama veda is the realization. The Yajur-Veda is divided into the White and Black Yajur-Veda and contains explanatory prose commentaries on how to perform religious rituals and sacrifices. The Yajur Veda is also a liturgical collection and was made to meet the demands of a ceremonial religion. The Yajur Veda practically served as a guidebook for the priests who execute sacrificial acts muttering simultaneously the prose prayers and the sacrificial formulae (yajus). It is similar to ancient Egypt’s Book of the Dead. The Atharva-Veda contains charms and magical incantations and has a more folkloristic style. The last of the Vedas, this is completely different from the other three Vedas and is next in importance to Rig-Veda with regard to history and sociology. A different spirit pervades this Veda. Its hymns are of a more diverse character than the Rig Veda and are also simpler in language. In fact, many scholars do not consider it part of the Vedas at all. The Atharva Veda consists of spells and charms prevalent at its time, and portrays a clearer picture of the Vedic society. “Every individual should take a pledge to nourish the Vedas on the right lines. The welfare of the nation and the prosperity of the world are dependent on the Vedas.” Sathya Sai Baba discourse, 28-9-1987 The Vedas present a multitude of gods, most of them related to natural forces such as storms, fire, and wind. As part of its mythology, Vedic texts contain multiple creation stories, most of them inconsistent with each other. Sometimes the Vedas refer to a particular god as the greatest god of all, and later another god will be regarded as the greatest god of all. Structure of the Vedas Each Veda consists of four parts, the collection of mantras or hymns is called the Samhita. There are four Samhitas (also called Vedas): Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. The other three parts are, the Brahmanas (rituals), the Aranyakas (theologies) and the Upanishads (philosophies). The Brahmanas are ritualistic texts and include precepts and religious duties. Each Veda has several Brahmanas attached to it. This new literature which specified, sometimes in a very detailed way, how rituals had to be performed, the precise quantity and quality of material to be used, and the exact pronunciation of sacred formulas. The Upanishads form the concluding portions of the Veda and therefore called the Vedanta or the end of the Veda and contains the essence of Vedic teachings. The Upanishads are a collection of texts of religious and philosophical nature, people decided to engage in the pursuit of spiritual progress, living as ascetic hermits, rejecting ordinary material concerns and giving up family life. Some of their speculations and philosophy were compiled into the Upanishads. There is an attempt in these texts to shift the focus of religious life from external rites and sacrifices to internal spiritual quests in the search for answers. The Upanishads and the Aranyakas are the concluding portions of the Brahmanas, which discuss philosophical problems. The Aryanyakas (forest texts) intend to serve as objects of meditation for ascetics who live in forests and deal with mysticism and symbolism. “The Upanishads are the very core of the Vedas, the very essence of their teachings.” Baba (Sutra Vahini). Smriti Literature It refers to 'memorized' or 'remembered' poetry and epics. They are more popular with Hindus, because they are easy to understand, explains universal truths through symbolism and mythology, and contain some of the most beautiful and exciting stories in the history of religion world literature. The three most important of Smriti literature are: The Bhagavad Gita - The most well-known of the Hindu scriptures, called the "Song of the Adorable One", written about the 2nd century BC and is a part of Mahabharata. It contains some of the most brilliant theological lessons about the nature of God and of life ever written. The Mahabharata - The world's longest epic poem written about 9th century BC, and deals with the power struggle between the Pandava and the Kaurava families, with an intertwining of numerous episodes that make up life. The Ramayana - The most popular of Hindu epics, composed by Valmiki around 4th or 2nd centuries BC with later additions up to about 300 CE. It depicts the story of the royal couple of Ayodhya - Ram and Sita and a host of other characters and their exploit. Compilers of Hindu Scriptures Veda Vyasa was an Ancient Indian. (Sanatana Bharatiya). He was one of the important historians, astronomers and philosophers of the Dwapara Yuga. Vyasa meaning compiler is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is sometimes called Veda Vyas, the one who classified the Vedas, or Krishna Dvaipāyana (referring to his complexion and birthplace). He is the author of the Mahabharata, as well as a character in it. He is considered to be the scribe of both the Vedas and Puranas. According to Hindu beliefs, Vyasa is an avatar of the god Vishnu. Vyasa is also considered to be one of the seven Chiranjivins (long lived, or immortals), who are still in existence according to Hindu belief. Vyasa lived around the 3rd millennium BCE. The festival of Guru Purnima is dedicated to him. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima, for it is the day believed to be both his birthday and the day he divided the Vedas. “Vyasa helped mankind to earn peace. Therefore, Vyasa refers to the person who has elaborated and expanded the knowledge of truth, that is to say, the universal eternal energy.” Divine Discourse, Julu 24 th 1964 Valmiki is celebrated as the harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature. The epic Ramayana, is attributed to him. He is revered as the Ādi Kavi, which translates to First Poet, because he is said to have invented shloka (i.e. first verse or epic metre), which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. The famous book, Yoga Vasistha a discussion between sage Vasistha and Rama on the essence of life, is also attributed to Valmiki. “Sage Valmiki in the Treta Yuga wrote the great epic Ramayana. It emerged from the great sage as a spontaneous expression of his divine feelings.” Divine discourse, 10th Oct, 2005 Adi Shankara , early 8th century was a philosopher and theologian from India who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He is credited with unifying and establishing the main currents of thought of Sanatana Dharma. His works in Sanskrit discuss the unity of the ātman and Nirguna Brahman "brahman without attributes.” He wrote copious commentaries on the Vedic canon (Brahma Sutras, Principal Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita) in support of his thesis. “Adi Sankaracharya is undisputably the greatest philosopher that India, or the world, has ever produced. He is unique in the history of the world as he combined in himself the attributes of a philosopher, a devotee, a mystic, a poet and a religious reformer. Though he lived twelve hundred years ago, India and the world feels the impact of the life and work of this spiritual genius even today.” Baba Language of the Hindu scriptures: Sanskrit Sanskrit is the primary sacred language of Hinduism, Sanskrit continues to be widely used as a ceremonial language in Hindu religious rituals in the form of hymns and chants. Spoken Sanskrit has been revived in some villages with traditional institutions, and there are attempts to enhance its popularization. Sanskrit is a member of the Indo-Iranian subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages. Its closest ancient relatives are the Iranian languages Avestan and Old Persian. Words represent the properties of the objects and entities as well as the objects. Sanskrit is universally recognized as the language containing the earliest literature in the world. In Sanskrit words represent properties of the object in addition to the object. For example “vraksha” means an object that can be cut and felled down. There is a vibration or resonance in the sounds and it is well expressed during speaking the language. “Sanskrit is an immortal language; its voice is eternal; its call is through the centuries. It has embedded in it the basic sustenance from all the languages of the world. Revere Sanskrit as the Mother of languages.” Sathya Sai Vahini Temples: Places of worship A Hindu temple is believed to be the earthly seat of a deity and the place where the deity waits for its devotees. As such, temple structures are sacred spaces where gods partake of human offerings and in which the people can be with the gods. Many temples resemble palace architecture; Temples are normally dedicated to one primary god. Often they are elaborately decorated on the outside with stone or plaster carvings depicting religious stories, and their decoration is specific to the deity being worshiped. Mythological scenes are juxtaposed with scenes of everyday life and important political events, such as royal coronations, conquests, and celebrations, or with portraits of royal and secular patrons. These divine images and mythological scenes on the outer walls of the temple help worshipers recall the sacred stories they have heard or read. One should remove one's shoes before entering a Hindu temple in order to pay appropriate respect to the deity within the temple. The innermost sanctuary of the temple contains the principal image of the deity. The character of each shrine is determined by the deity being worshiped. A Hindu temple consists of an inner sanctum, the garbha griha or womb-chamber, where the primary idol or deity is housed along with Purusha (it means the cosmic man or it means Self, Consciousness, and Universal principle). The garbhagriha is crowned by a tower-like Shikhara, also called the Vimana. The architecture includes an ambulatory for parikrama (circumambulation), a congregation hall, and sometimes an antechamber and porch. The appropriate site for a Mandir (temple), suggest ancient Sanskrit texts, is near water and gardens, where lotus and flowers bloom, where swans, ducks and other birds are heard, where animals rest without fear of injury or harm. These harmonious places were recommended in these texts with the explanation that such are the places where gods play, and thus the best site for Hindu temple. Hindus commonly worship in three different environments: in temples, in the home, and in outdoor public spaces. It is equally common for any of the deities to be worshiped in any of these three types of environments. Basic Beliefs of Hinduism Most Hindus believe in an immense unifying force that governs all existence and cannot be completely known by humanity. Individual gods and goddesses are personifications of this cosmic force. Hindus suggest that one may view the divine force as a diamond with innumerable facets; each deity is one of these facets. One or another of the facets may have particular significance and appeal to an individual. By acknowledging the power of an individual facet, however, the believer does not deny the existence of others. On the contrary, Hindus affirm the existence of many aspects of the divine. In practice, each Hindu worships those few deities that he or she believes directly influence his or her life. By selecting one or more of these deities to worship, and by conducting the rituals designed to facilitate contact with them, a Hindu devotee is striving to experience his or her unity with that cosmic force. Hindus acknowledge that, at the most fundamental level, God is the One without a second — the absolute, formless, and only Reality known as Brahman, the Supreme, Universal Soul. Brahman is the universe and everything in it. Brahman has no form and no limits; it is Reality and Truth. Thus Hinduism is a pantheistic religion: It equates God with the universe. Yet Hindu religion is also polytheistic: populated with myriad gods and goddesses who personify aspects of the one true God, allowing individuals an infinite number of ways to worship based on family tradition, community and regional practices, and other considerations. Brahman: The Highest God Brahman the Absolute God of the Hindus, is a very mysterious being, he occupies the highest place, as the creation and the creator, the ruler and the lord, the light and the delight of the universe, he is without a beginning and an end, he is indestructible, indescribable, blemishless, eternal, blissful immersed in himself by himself. The concept of Brahman, and his relationship to individual soul, nature, and its variety of manifestations are all subject to different schools of Hindu philosophy. “Brahman is the One that defies positive identification and description; the One that can be indicated only by negations and denials; the One that is Eternal and Infinite: Being Awareness Bliss Absolute.” ( Baba, summer showers, 1979, chapter 18) Three Primary Hindu deities Brahma, the Creator Brahma is the first member of the Hindu Trinity and is “the Creator” because he periodically creates everything in the universe. (The word periodically here refers to the Hindu belief that time is cyclical; everything in the universe — except for Brahman and certain Hindu scriptures — is created, maintained for a certain amount of time, and then destroyed in order to be renewed in ideal form again.). Brahma emerged as the first differentiated consciousness from the universal consciousness to create the universe, he is the father of Gods, demons and humans. He taught them the Vedas and virtues through the syllable "da". He taught "dama" or restraint to the Gods who seek pleasure in all things, he taught " daya" or kindness to demons who are cruel by nature and he taught " dana" or charity to humans who are greedy and selfish in their attitude. Brahma lost his importance among the Hindu pantheon and yielded ground to Vishnu and Shiva in the Hindu trinity. One of the reasons could be the growing popularity of Vaishavism and Shaivism coupled with the division of functions in the trinity in which Vishnu alone as the sustainer would incarnate from time to time. Brahma, by the virtue of his function also cannot have many devotees, because his duty of creation needs introversion, concentration and undivided attention. Brahma resides in Brahmaloka. In images Brahma appears as an old man with four bearded faces that look in four different directions, beard on each face is suggestive of his old age and wisdom, he is four armed and carries rosary, books, and water pot in three hands and bestows grace with the fourth hand. His consort is Saraswathi, the goddess of learning and knowledge. His vehicle is Swan that has the discriminating power of separating the milk from water. It also symbolizes discriminatory intelligence. Symbolically Brahma is the creative will and Saraswathi is the knowledge that executes the creative will of Brahma. Vishnu, the Preserver Vishnu is the second member of the Hindu Trinity. He maintains the order and harmony of the universe, which is periodically created by Brahma and periodically destroyed by Shiva to prepare for the next creation. In Hinduism, Vishnu, whose name means "All-Pervading," is the protector of the world and the restorer of moral order (dharma). He is peaceful, merciful, and compassionate. To Vaisnavites, Vishnu is the Supreme Lord. He is also known as Narayana, which means the indweller of water and humans. Vishnu resides in the milky waters of Vaikuntha, on a bed made of coils of thousand hooded serpent of infinite dimension along with his consort Lakshmi. Vishnu has four arms. Each hand holds an emblem of his divinity: the conch, discus, club, and lotus. Vishnu is worshipped in many forms and in several avatars (incarnations). Vishnu is an important, somewhat mysterious god. Less visible than nature gods that preside over elements (such as fire and rain), Vishnu is the pervader — the divine essence that pervades the universe. He is usually worshipped in the form of an avatar. Vishnu is best known through his ten avatars (incarnations), which appear on earth when there is disorder in the world. Rama and Krishna, whose stories are told in the Epics and the Puranas, are the most popular incarnations of Vishnu by far. The ten incarnations of Vishnu are: - Matsya (fish) - Kurma (turtle) - Varaha (boar) - Narasimha (man-lion) - Vamana (dwarf) - Parashurama (warrior-priest) - Rama (prince) - Krishna (cow-herd) - Buddha (sage) - Kalki (horseman, who has not yet appeared) Vishnu (the Preserver) and his two most popular incarnations, Krishna and Rama. .Shiva, the Destroyer Shiva is the third member of the Hindu Trinity, tasked with destroying the universe in order to prepare for its renewal at the end of each cycle of time. Shiva’s destructive power is regenerative: It’s the necessary step that makes renewal possible. Hindus customarily invoke Shiva before the beginning of any religious or spiritual endeavor; they believe that any bad vibrations in the immediate vicinity of worship are eliminated by the mere utterance of his praise or name. His consorts include the loving Parvati and the ferocious Durga, who represent the feminine aspects of his complex nature Other popular Gods Ganapati, the Remover of Obstacles Ganapati, also known as Ganesha, is Shiva’s first son. Lord Ganapati, who has an elephant head, occupies a very special place in the hearts of Hindus because they consider him the Remover of Obstacles. Most Hindu households have a picture or statue of this godhead, and it’s not uncommon to see small replicas of Ganapati hanging from rearview mirrors of cars and trucks! Popular Avatars of Vishnu The literal meaning of the word avatar is “descent,” and it’s usually understood to mean divine descent. Avatars are savior forms of a god that descend to earth to intervene whenever help is needed to restore dharma (moral order) and peace. Two of Vishnu’s ten avatars are Rama and Krishna. Rama Rama is one of the most beloved Hindu gods and is the hero of the Hindu epic called the Ramayana. He is portrayed as an ideal son, brother, husband, and king and as a strict adherent to dharma. Millions of Hindus derive satisfaction from reading and recalling Rama’s trials and tribulations as a young prince who was exiled from his kingdom for 14 years. Krishna If one Hindu god’s name is known and recognized throughout the world, it is Krishna. Hindus identify Krishna as the teacher of the sacred scripture called the Bhagavad Gita and as the friend and mentor of prince Arjuna in the epic the Mahabharata. For his devotees, Krishna is a delight, full of playful pranks. But most of all, Lord Krishna’s promise to humanity that he will manifest himself and descend to earth whenever dharma declines, has sustained Hindu belief in the Supreme Being over thousands of years. Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning Saraswati is the consort of Brahma the Creator and is worshipped as the goddess of learning, wisdom, speech, and music. Hindus offer prayer to Saraswati before beginning any intellectual pursuit, and Hindu students are encouraged to offer prayers to her during the school/college term and especially before and during examinations. Lakshmi Lakshmi is the goddess of good fortune, wealth, and well-being. As the consort of Vishnu, she plays a role in every incarnation. (She is Sita, wife of Rama; Rukmini, wife of Krishna; and Dharani, wife of Parashu Rama, another avatar of Vishnu.) Durga Devi Durga Devi is a powerful, even frightening goddess who fights fiercely in order to restore dharma (moral order). Yet, while Durga is terrifying to her adversaries, she is full of compassion and love for her devotees. Surya, the sun Surya (or Soorya) is a golden warrior arriving on a chariot pulled by seven white horses. Agni, the fire god Agni holds a special place in Hindu fire ritual to this day as the sacrificer (the priest who performs the ceremony); the sacrifice (the ritual fire and the offerings made into it); and the witness to all rites. Hanuman, the monkey king and devoted servant Hanuman is featured in the great Hindu epic the Ramayana. He earned his path to deification by performing feats of strength, devotion, and courage while helping Rama (an avatar of Vishnu) in countless exciting incidents. Devi/Parvati Devi (the Protecting Mother), sometimes known simply as the Goddess, who appears in some form in every region of India. She is often identified as the creative energy of the universe, and is considered by her followers the equal of Vishnu and Shiva. Popular prayers Asatoma Prayer The Asatoma is an ancient prayer from India. In Sanskrit, it prays for guidance to grow from darkness to light, to distinguish the real from the unreal, and to be guided from death of the physical to the immortality of the Spirit. This ancient, non-sectarian prayer from the Upanishads is not a prayer for things or food or wealth. It does not ask for a mate, for name and fame, for a new house or car. It is a humble recognition of self-limitations and an invitation to the Divine to bring in Light and wisdom where it is lacking. In Sanskrit, the words are: Asatoma Sadgamaya Tamasoma Jyotri Gamaya Myritorma Amritam Gamaya The prayer goes like this in English From the unreal lead me to the Real From the darkness, lead me to the Light From death, lead me to Immortality. Meaning This prayer seeks out the Truth beneath the ever-changing and shifting reality of the physical world. It aims to connect with the eternal, ever-blissful and peaceful nature that resides within us at the deepest level. According to philosophy, this reality is obscured by the layers of ignorance that we eventually penetrate as we grow through experiences in the physical world. Asatoma Sadgamaya prayer is taken from Brihadaranyaka Upanishads. It is used as a prayer in Indian schools, during spiritual/ religious gatherings, social events and other times; it is believed that the recitation of these verses bring peace. Shanti Mantra This Shanti Mantra is taken from the krishna Yajurveda Taittiriya Upanishad . It is usually recited in schools as prayer before the start of the classes in schools. The prayer goes like this in Sanskrit Om Saha Nau-Avatu | Saha Nau Bhunaktu | Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai | Tejasvi Nau-Adhiitam-Astu Maa Vidvissaavahai | Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih || Meaning: 1: Om, May God Protect us Both (the Teacher and the Student), 2: May God Nourish us Both, 3: May we Work Together with Energy and Vigour, 4: May our Study be Enlightening and not give rise to Hostility, 5: Om, Peace, Peace, Peace. Gayatri Mantra The Gayatri mantra (Vedic prayer to illuminate the intelligence) is a sacred mantra that demonstrates the unity that underlies manifoldness in creation. It is through the recognition of this unity that we understand the multiplicity. Clay is one and the same thing, though pots of different shapes and sizes can be made from it. Gold is one though ornaments can be multifarious. The Atma (Divine Self) is one, though the embodied forms in which it resides may be many. Whatever the color of the cow, the milk is always white. The Gayatri mantra has been chronicled in the Rig veda. It was coined by sage Vishwamitra. The prayer goes like this is Sanskrit. Om Bhur Bhuva Suwah Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayat Meaning: We contemplate the glory of Light illuminating the three worlds: gross, subtle, and causal I am that vivifying power, love, radiant illumination, and divine grace of universal intelligence. We pray for the divine light to illumine our minds. The Gayatri (vedic prayer to illuminate the intellect) is the universal prayer enshrined in the Vedas (Divine Knowledge), the most ancient scriptures of man. It is addressed to the Immanent and Transcendent Divine, which has been given the name “Savita”, meaning that from which all this is born. The Gayatri is considered as Vedasara-“the essence of the vedas” . Veda means knowledge and this prayer fosters and sharpens the knowledge- yielding faculty. As a matter of fact, the four mahavakyas or core declarations enshrined in the four Vedas are implied in this Gayatri mantra. Prayer to Guru, the master. This is a prayer from the Skanda Purana. The prayer goes like this in Sanskrit: Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheswara Guru Saaksaat Param Brahma Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha Meaning: Guru is Brahma, who plants the qualities of goodness. Guru is Vishnu, who nurtures and fosters the qualities of goodness. Guru is Supreme Brahman itself, prostrations unto that Guru. Hindu Festivals The concept of festival is to create a special atmosphere, diverting the mind from worldly concerns and joyfully focusing on spiritual matters and invoke the soul's natural qualities by creating an environment replete with auspiciousness and the abundant gifts of nature.Festivals also give people spiritual impetus and inspiration, which helps them to peacefully bringing together individuals, families and communities. Practices during festivals Some of the popular practices during festivals include, fasting and feasting, distribution of food, giving in charity (to temples, saints, the poor, etc), visiting the temple, visiting relatives, glorification of God (kirtan, bhajan, story recitals, dance, drama), manufacture and worship of temporary deities, taking temple deities in procession, wearing new clothes, and decorating houses, streets and temples with fruits, flowers, leaves and banana leaves. Types of festivals Festivals that celebrate a significant event in the life of a deity e.g. Janmashtami is Krishna's birthday, these are universal and widely celebrated. Second category of festivals celebrate a significant event in the life of a holy person e.g. the birthday of a particular guru, Shankara Jayanthi, birthday of Jagad guru Adi Shankara. and lastly seasonal festivities or customs based on the cycle of nature, they mark the change in the season, celebrate the harvest and encourage the fertility of the land. e.g. spring festivals like Holi. These festivals are often regional, or regional variations of broader festivals. Popular Hindu Festivals Saraswathi Pooja, Saraswati's birthday - Vasant Panchami - is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 5th day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha.(February) Maha Shivaratri, is the Great Festival of Shiva. It is held on the 14th day of the dark half of the lunar month of Phalguna. Mahashivaratri is especially important to Saivites (devotees of Shiva) Holi, Holi (also called Holaka or Phagwa) is an annual festival celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). It celebrates spring, Ramanavami,birthday of Lord Rama ( April) Guru Purnima: The full moon day in the month of Ashad (July-August) is an extremely auspicious and holy day of a day sacred to the memory of the great sage Maharshi Veda Vyasa. Rakshabandhan, renewing bonds between brothers and sisters (July-August) Janmashtami, Birthday of Lord Krishna (July- August) Ganesh Chaturthi, festival of Ganesh (August-September) Navaratri/ Durga pooja, Dashera, victory of Rama over demon king Ravana (SeptemberOctober) Diwali. Diwali, from the Sanskrit word Dīpãvali, meaning "row of lights" is a Hindu festival of lights. Jaisairam