Transcript concept of god : brahman

WORLD RELIGION:
HINDUISM
WHAT IS RELIGION ??
RELIGION: the way or path or road’ by which we can reach
our destiny, we achieve our goals of life.
It’s the intermediary between god and man
by which we get salvation from this life
HINDUISM
ORIGIN OF HINDUISM
VEDIC
NON-VEDIC
INDO-ARYANS
JAINISM &
BUDDHISM
CULTURAL AMALGAMATION
Concept of God
Brahman
Have different names
& forms: Vishnu, Shiva
or Shakti
Karma & Reincarnation
Law of cause & effect
Cycle of birth & death-samsara
Spiritual practice – sadhana
Salvation - Moksha
Concept of Avatars
Incarnations of God
BASIC TEACHINGS
AND CONCEPTS
Multiple ways to reach God (Yoga)
Bhakti Yoga – path of love & devotion
Karma yoga – path of right action
Raja Yoga – path of meditation
Jnana Yoga – path of mystical
understanding
4 Goals of life
4 Stages in life
4 Caste
CONCEPT OF GOD : BRAHMAN
"Brahman is knowledge", "I am Brahman”, "The Self (or the Soul) is
Brahman"
"All this that we see in the world is Brahman", "Brahman is
existence, consciousness, and happiness"
BRAHMA - CREATOR
SHIVA- DESTROYER
DIFFERENT
NAMES
AND
FORMS
VISHNU - PRESERVER
CONCEPT OF GOD : BRAHMAN
RELATION OF GOD & HUMAN SOUL
RELATION OF BRAHMAN & ATMAN
“ I am the Atman… the Atman is Brahman; there is nothing
Anywhere but Brahman; all else is ……unreality”.
Pooli, a great woman saint said:
“If you do not attain your own self, if you do not experience
Supreme bliss, then what is the use of living? Do not dogs and
pigs Also live? Do not trees also live? Do not rocks also exist in
this world?”
(book: Where are you going, Swami Maktunanda)
Karma & Reincarnation
BRAHMINS
Priest
Teacher
Advisor to rulers
KSHATRIYAS
Warriors
King / Ruler
VAISHYAS
Merchants
Traders
SHUDRAS
Labors
Servant
STUDENT
Clothing,
subjects, length
of schooling
differ for each
caste
HOUSE
HOLDER
All are
obligated to
marry & start a
household
RETIREMENT
Forest-dweller
Hermit
ASCETIC
WORLNEGATING
Any Person Any
Time
DHARMA
Virtue
And
Duties
ARTHA
Economic &
political
Success
KAMA
Pleasure &
Aesthetic
Enjoyment
MOKSHA
Release or
Liberation
PRACTICES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP
Worship (puja) – image of God(murti) - Japa (mantra) – recitation of scriptures
Temple worship – Hindu priest (Pandas) – prasada
Satsang – gathering for study & discussion – sadhu-sanga (company of righteous people
Devotional singing (Bhajhan) – important part of Hindu worship
On the path of God, two places of worship mark the stages
The material temple, and the temple of the heart,
Make your better endeavor, to worship at the temple of heart.
(Ilm Magazine)
Birth
Jatakarma – Birth Ceremony
Namakarma- Naming Ceremony
Nishkarmana – First Outing
Annaprasana- First Feeding
Karnavedha – Ear Piercing
Mundan – Hair-cuting
Upanayana – Sacred Thread
Three Vows – Respect Knowledge,
Parents and Society
Marriages
BIRTH AND
MARRIAGE
RITUALS
Marriage - Sanskar
Jathakam- Astrological Chart
Mandap – Mangala Sootra- Kanya Daan
Fera and Mantra – Saptapadi (Seven Steps)
Sindoor- Ashirvada (Blessings)
HINDU SCRIPTURES
SCRIPTURE:
It is the ‘sacred text’, which plays the major role in
Religion. It’s the basis for all human’s life. It defines
moral or legal codes, myths and legends, historical
Tales, divine revelation, hymns or prayers, words of
Prophets or teachers.
HOLY BOOKS: VEDAS
root word,Vid means to know, Vedas means knowledge
Hymns/ praise
to God
SAMHITAS
Rituals & prayers to guide
Oldest – 1028 hymns
Handbook by priest
CONTENTS
BRAHMANAS
UPANISHADS
Rig-Veda
Yajur- Veda
ARANYAKAS
Sama-Veda
BRANCHES
Atharva-Veda
Worship &
Meditation
Mystical/philosophical
teachings
Chant/ tunes for singing
Preserves tradition
– magical formula
BHAGAVAD - GITA
Known as ‘song (gita) of the adorable ones’
Also called ‘new testament of hinduism’
Primarily a dialogue between Bharata brothers I.e. Arjuna and his charioteers, Krishna
Krishna revealed as Bhagavad or Lord
PURANAS
Means ‘ancient tales’
Contains stories about gods I.e Rama, Krishna and others.
Source for knowledge - Translated into english: Vishnu Purana & Bhagavata Purana
RAMAYANA
‘the story of Rama’ is oldest epic poem of India
24,000 couplet verses tells how God Vishnu manifest in the form of Rama
Its story about Rama and Ravana battle as well as Sita and Hanuman.
MAHABHARATA
‘the great Bharata’ epic
Tells early rivalries in the land of Bharat I.e. Five Pandavas & 100 Kauravas
Contain 18,000 couplets – prime source for knowledge
Hindu Festivals: Diwali
Diwali = Festivals of light
Sanskrit word origin,
‘Dipavali’ means row of light
All places, houses
Two goddess celebrated: Dates of Diwali
decorated with diyas Lakshmi and Kali
Lit to help goddess Return of Rama Lakshmi: goddess
of Wealth ----Lakshmi
And Sita
rangooli (lotus)
New year festival
Falls in Oct & Nov
Celebrates victory of,
Good over evils,
Light over darkness,
Knowledge over ignorance
Diwali Legends
Killing of Demon Narakaasura
•Abducted 16,000 girls &
Earrings of Aditi, mother of gods
Islam
Eid celebration
Eid-ul fitr – overcome bad habits,
Actions & thoughts
Ismaili
Navroz festival: new day
•Lord Krishna killed him, freed girls
And recovered earrings.
The night is black,
Kindle the lamp of love
With thy love and devotion”
Sikhs and Jains
•Sikh festival because of release of 6th
Guru (Hargobind Singh, 1619) from prison
•Foundation stone of temple at
Amritsar (1577)
•Attaining Moksha by founder of
Jainism, Lord Mahavira
Killing of Demon Ravana
•Ten arms & ten heads, kidnapped
The wife of Ram.
•Ram, 14 years of exile from Ayodhya,
Killed demon and recovered his wife
And returned home in moonless night
HINDU FESTIVALS: HOLI
Spring festival of fertility and harvest, referred to 7th cen. Sanskrit drama, Ratnaval
LEGEND OF PRAHALAD AND HOLIKA
Harvesting festival
In Northern areas
& Chitral
FESTIVAL
OF
COLOUR
HINDU FESTIVAL: NAVARATRI(DURGA PUJA)
NINE DAYS
WORSHIP:
Motherhood
Durga, Lakshmi &
Saraswati
of God
-God as mother
Durga, Mother Goddess
--- power---demon
Mahishasura (9days &
nights)
-Durga met her mother 9
days in a year.
-women plant 9 different
kinds of food (harvest)
Dasera
-On 10th day,
image of Durga
cast into water
- celebrate victory
of Rama over
Ravana
OTHER HINDU FESTIVALS
FESTIVALS
DESCRIPTIONS
Ganesh
Chaturthi
Birthday of Lord Ganesh.
Hanuman
Jayanti
Birth of Hanuman
Krishna Jayanti
Birth of Krishna
Mahashivratri
Dedicated to Shiva
Makar Sakrant
First festival of solar
calendar year
Raksha
Bandhan
Celebrates brotherhood &
love
Rama Navami
Birth of Lord Rama
All religions are same.
“Consider his own religion to be best and makes much clamor.
But when his mind is illuminated by knowledge,
all such quarrelling disappears”.
Whatever path men travel
Its my path;
No matter where they walk
It leads to me.