I bet, if you have landed in here then, I have succeeded luring your attention just by this thread?s title per se. Well! Amusing is it?s it? Sankaracharya, one of most accredited Hindu guru is counting his days in the confinement and it hasn?t merely stirred anyone back in so called world?s only Hindu kingdom Nepal. I believe it?s an anti Indian sentiment at play, why bother a dhoti being arrested by bunch of dhotis? But I often muse over how Nepal would have reacted given the scenario Mr. Sankarcharya fleeing in Nepal dodging arrest but India demanding Nepal to cooperate for his arrest. The circumstances screech a big NO! We would have seen yet another brag of Hinduism. Yeah, I know I have put forward case of ?what if?, which could be argued on the ground ?no it has not?. Still, I am skeptical and against to those ardent Hindu followers who think, Hinduism is the greatest religion and philosophy of all.

I was born Hindu, but I don?t feel comfortable claiming myself a Hindu. I have surpassed the word HATE in here. I don?t have any explanation to ask with other religions, even if they opine their religion is the greatest. I am still egalitarian but bonded by Hindu culture. For me, I don?t get accustomed to the Hindu cultures and traditions for me but for my peers, and I know what exactly to do if they are not around.

I would have been loyal to religion only if I had cocksure answer why people are treated as a pariah for smoking marijuana or prostituting or deceiving? Epic states Lord Shiva enjoyed getting high, King of Heaven God Indra always had apsaras, dance bar girls in the contemporary world, amusing him, Lord Ram bamboozled the ethics of war by arrowing down Bali from behind the stone.

One should look at on his own boots before regarding other down. Let?s not get confused with religion, nationalism, frustration and confusion.

correction

*if he = if bramhan...

bramhan isnt a biological character so its neither a he or a she :) sorry for my typo :)

I believe leadership is what is plagueing Hinduism. Most of the priests turn out greedy. That is giving bad name all across. Hope peace will previal.

you know higher caste will obvioulsy get corrupted because they have a sense of "power" and you know the caste system wasn't made to divide the people. Anyone can be a brahman, through meditation etc. And if you are born a shudra, doesnt mean you stay a shudra. Look at vishwamitra for example, he was a king a chettri, through meditation and all that stuff, he became brahmin. AND about preist being chors

heres'a hint, if you are doing a havan or a grand puja and need a brahmin preist, please don't chose the fat ones :).

Because in real vedic dharma, a preist is not supposed to ask for money or charge for ceremony. He is only supposed to get "guru dakshina" and its not money, its like food and clothing.

Vedic Life brother, I am very happy to find someone who knows Vedas well. I would be grateful if you cast some light on Vedic life. Which period is exactly or approximately known as Vedic era? How people of Vedic period used to live? What should we learn from Vedas? What is the geist or theme of the Vedas? Many such questions are pulling my attention and I have been looking for the answer.

Appreciation in advance.
Vishontar

vishontar jee, i was waiting for your reply to this thread :) will you shed some light instead? :)

hinduism is perfect.there is nothing wrong with the religion or philosophy.

but all i have to say is a bahun and bramhan are 2 different kinds. not every bahun is a bramhan and that everybody should alwasy rememeber.

Thanks Vishontar,

atleast one person is with me!

Here's a little excerpt about what the "real" hinduism is.

I've broken into sections.

GOD

Hinduism believes in ONE God. It also accommodates the ideas of personal and impersonal God. They are different aspects or expressions of the same Divine Reality. God in His impersonal aspect is called Nirguna Brahman, and in His personal aspect He is called Saguna Brahman.

In Depth about the Hindu Trinity:

Saguna Brahman, who is the creator of this world, is omnipresent, all-knowing and all powerful. Saguna Brahman, even though sexless, can be addressed and adored by Hindus as both Mother and Father.

Creation, preservation and destruction go hand-in-hand in this world. Saguna Brahman is not just the creator, but the preserver and destroyer also. The creator aspect of Saguna Brahman is called Brahma; the preserver aspect, Vishnu; and the destroyer aspect Shiva or Maheshwara. These three form the so-called Hindu Trinity.

So do you see, it's ONE cosmic power, that is divided into three 'gods" but they are all One. Thats where most people think HInduism is Polythesistic. Vedas are actually against the ideas of IDOL WORSHIP. The hinduism today is totally different from the real santana dharma that was taught in the Vedas. WE WERE NEVER POLYTHEISTIC. Hinduism is not a religion in which it has ONE SIMPLE TEXT BOOK that you read from. It is philosophy, science and everything. YOu actually have to have brains to understand this religion. That is why illerate people who are made to believe things just out of mouths of others are worshipping stones and trees and water.

IMPORTANT:

Different powers or glories of God are personified through imagination and called Deities in Hinduism. Deities are not so many gods; they are personified expressions of the different powers and glories of the one and only God. THEY ARE PERSONIFIED. THATS WHY WE HAVE INDRA, KALI, LAKSHMI ETC. THEY DO EXIST, but they are peronification of BRAHMAN as BRAHMAN GOD OF WEALTH, BRAHMAN GOD OF DESTRUCTION, BRAHMAN GOD OF HEAVEN etc. IT'S JUST BRAHMAN.

IDOL WORSHIP, IMAGE WORSHPPING:

Some Hindus worship God through images. As God is intangible, tangible symbols of God, or images, are used by Hindus to establish mental communion with God. A Hindu who adores and worships God through images is fully aware that the images are not God Himself. They are only aids to God realization.

IT IS ONLY AID. YOU DO NOT WORSHIP A STATUE, YOU WORSHIP THROUGH IT. ITS ONLY AN AID TO REALIZE GOD. My grandfather used to say that when you are young, it is easy for you to realize god by making him as a mere object, so then you worship a statue of ram, you worship shiva lingha, but once you get old and you realize the real essence of what is, you detach your self from those idols, an know that he is a cosmic power. the main point to understand is that brahman is everywhere. (DONT GET CONFUSED WITH BRAHMA or BRAHMIN. we're talking bout BRAHMAN (the universal cosmic power).

THE CASTE SYSTEM

Hindu society has a caste or class system which was originally based on the character and aptitude of individuals. The system later became degraded as caste was made hereditary by powerful people. with vested interests. Through the efforts of many saints and reformers this degraded caste system is gradually on the verge of elimination today.

All these things are taught in the vedas.

If you want to know the real vedic hinduism.

then start with the Upanishad.

I recommend
"The Upanishads" translated by EKNATH EASWARAN. I strongly advise you to read books written by authors of the east, preferbably a hindu not an american or british. Because western authors are known to corrupt the text and change it to make the scriptures look bad espically MAX MULLER, who came up with his bogus "ARYAN THEORY". There is no such race as the aryan race, it's all made up by the german and the british to give an incentive to invade india. Aslo hindu authors can give more indepth of the meanings because they know more about it than the west.

CONTINUED


anyway, heres some ecerpt from the Upanishad booki have. I got this at barns and noble for $9.95 so it's its not expensive!


From the "Brihadaranyaka upanishad"

"lead me from the unreal to the Real;
Lead me from darkness to light;
Lead me from death to immortality."

in sanskrit its :
"Asatho Maa Sad Gamaya,
Tamaso Maa Jyothir Gamaya
Mrithyor Maa Amritham Gamaya"


Sound familiar? It's from the Matrix Revolutions soundtrack ;) the song is called "Navras" in that sound track.

Here's an excerpt from the "Mandukya Upanishad"

AUM stands for the supreme Reality.
It is a symbol for what was, what is,
And what shall be. AUM represents also
What lies beyond past, present, and future.

Brahman is all, and the Self is Brahman.
This Self has four states of consciousness.

The first is called Vaishvanara, in which
One lives with all the senses turned outward,
Aware only of the external world.

Taijasa is the name of the second,
the dreaming state in which the senses,
turned inward, one enacts the impressions
of past deeeds and present desires.

The third state is called Prajna, of deep sleep,
In which one neither dreams nor desires.
There is no mind in Prajna, there is no Separateness; but the sleeper is not
Conscious of this. Let him become conscious
in Prajna and it will open the door.
to the state of abiding joy.

TELL ME IN WHICH ANYOTHER RELIGION BESIDES HINDUISM, DOES IT GO SO INDEPT ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS??? Hinduism doesn't teach you to be afraid of god, instead it reminds you HOW CAN YOU BE AFRAID OF GOD, WHEN YOU UR SELF HAVE CHARACTERISTIC REFLECTION/ ARE [OF] HIM?

From "Kena Upanishad"

What was all this before creation?
Was there water?
Only God kknows,
or perhaps he knows not...

From the "Katha Upanishad"

Death is the mother of beauty; hence from her,
Alone, shall come fulfillment to our dreams
and our desires.

From "Mundaka Upanishad"

Action prompted by pleasure or profit
cannot help anyone to cross this sea.
seek a teacher who has realized the Self (Brahman)
To a student whose heart is full of love,
who has conquered his senses and passions,
te teacher will reveal the lord of love.

From Aitareya Upanishad

Before the world was created, the self alone existed; nothing whatever stirred.
Then the self thought: "let me create the world" (DOESNT IT SOUND LIKE THE OLD TESTAMET FROM THE BIBLE?? HMM, i wonder where christians got that from...:)

Ok, there is sooo much wisdom in the upanishad and the vedas. start with upanishad then move to the vedas.
when you read it, then you will understand, the difference in how hinduism is portrayed now, and how the real hinduism was!

And the times during the vedas were also different. Hindus looked totally different, totally different from what the Westerners portrayed us! If you guys are interested, i can tell you that next time..give your sources and stuff.

I admire your knowledge Vedict.. I am with you . You got 3 now. Ok tell me something about Bhagwat Geeta how do you interprete Geeta's Slogans... ?

awwwwwwww i am too lazy to read all thoes stuff can any one make it short hehehe....... i dont feel like reading it......

Here is it for you:
1.Hinduism is more of a way of life than a religion
2.bramhan is perfect than anything imaginable, because imagination is human attribute. bramhan cannot be imagined, bramhan is simply perfect.
bramhan is not finite. because bramhan is perfect bramhan is also infinite. and so is the universe, because bramhan is the universe.

3.From the "Brihadaranyaka upanishad"

"lead me from the unreal to the Real;
Lead me from darkness to light;
Lead me from death to immortality."

in sanskrit its :
"Asatho Maa Sad Gamaya,
Tamaso Maa Jyothir Gamaya
Mrithyor Maa Amritham Gamaya"

Dayyyuuuuummmmmmmmmmm..... What a fuss, and what a mess?

To those questioning Vedic Philosophy, Principles, Morals, Ethics, Spiritualism, Science, Knowledge, Wisdom, Righteousness, and the things in between to the infinity. Here is the question to you guys. How well do you know Ved? How well can you read and understand Ved? The fundamental basis of Hindu Religion. Have you read every books on religion, and about every major religions of the world? Have you understood the way they were supposed to be understood? Or have you simply made your perception about the religion based upon your notion? For anyone to judge one religion against another, one should understand both the religions, and understand it well. And, just because some devout leader is alleged of murdering someone, you guys actually have the audacity to question the whole religion as whole? What even if he did commit the crime? Can the truth about VED be altered? Can it be prevaricated? Can it be manipulated? Yes, it might, to you the invincible ones. But, the truth remains as the truth even if you disapprove in the court of law.

Vedic life, good going. Keep the spirit up. :)

Now, here's to those who question without knowing. This is what Ved and Hinduism is about. See if you understand.

Om Poornamadah Poornamidam
Poornaat Poornamudakchhyathe
Poornasya Poornamaadaaya
Poornameva Vasishyathe.

And, may this chant bring peace to you all....

Om Dyauh Shantir Antareekchhyam Shanti
Prithvi Shantir Aapah Shantir Osadhayah Shanti
Vanaspatayah Shantir Viswadevaah Shanti Brahma Shanti
Sarvam Shanti Shaantireva Shaantihi

Soleil haha tahts a good quote first pat means

""What is Whole - This is Whole - What has come out of the Whole is also Whole; When the Whole is taken out of the Whole, the Whole still remains Whole". "

Self explanatory :).

girly gurl:

just know that

1) we're not polytheistic, we're monotheistic

2) brahman is the only supreme being, all is brahman, brahman is all.

3) this world is an illusion, ideal job for a hindu is not to just realize god, but realize your self, that is the best way to realize god, coz you are a part of god.

pisces, like what exactly in the geeta?

confused dude,
i can give u some tips which i have learnt from great guy about getting answers in dream. Intrepetion of dreams is great. It takes time. I have spend time on vedas and purans but now i find the way for my answer. This is the way kind of lord buddha followed.

How to get answer from your dream?

Take a shower
wear light cloth
put some insenses
make very cozy atmoshpere
make sure no body distrubs you
try to think of one image in infinite and in dark universe with smile
do it for 15 min
then ask your mind questions

then sleep but make sure you have pen and paper next to you.

so that u dont forget.

u have to partice a lot, u will be there if u do it well in month

dont spend too much time in vedas and vedanta.......................if u have a pilgrim in heart why to visit pashupatinath

Ladies and gentleman,

Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and tortuous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we call it the word of a demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind. Same is true with Koran and Ved. Ladies and gentle man read Ved carefully specially Rig Ved, that clearly explains the cruelty of Indra when he was conquering the Ayekchya/Ddanabs or Dasyus. Read Mahabharat isn?t it, full of brutality? How many tricks/greed you can feel in Mahabharat?

Now regarding the Herald of piece in different religious book; at the, end ppl were tired of fighting/cruelaity and some ppl started the peace movement and their action were documented and those ppl started to tell other ppl that ?forget about the wars peace is important?. Like after fighting for 12 yrs both Maoist and Govt in Nepal started to talk peace. Remember those days when Maoist were killing ppl in a very brutal way and Govt was also killing ppl the same way. (And I believe they haven?t learned the lesson yet)

And, you can see in news paper ppl calling for peace, writing in newspaper how to avoid conflicts, step by step process to reach the agreement etc etc . During Vedic time there were no news paper and probably no writing was allowed to (that?s why Ved is called (shruti). Later ppl become aware of whats going in the society, so they summaries the war/society and the peace movement. Those summaries are Hidus religious Book. Same is true with other religion. If you, ladies and gentleman, read Buddhist book (Tripitika) Torah (Jews) and Christian Bible it will be clear. At that time there was no United Nations or super power to enforce the law so ppl intelligently took the advantage of unknown mysterious thing (God). Main aim of those book were to take ppl away from War and help lead a peaceful life. Those were the lesson learnt from the fight what our forefathers had to undergo. But look at us instead of taking good thing from those books we started to think of dark side of the book (that is, god).

Let me give you one simple example. Meaning of ?Bhagbati?. For every Hindu or someone who knows little bit about it meaning of the word is goddess. Now at this point we forgot the Sanskrit language and we never tried to apply it. We know the meaning of ?Roopbati?, ?Sheelbati?, ?Lajjabati? don?t we? In Sanskrit ?Bhag? means vagina ?bati? means bearers is not it? So Bhagbati means ?vagina bearer? in other word Bhagbati means ?women?. Similarly meaning of the word ?Bhagban? , ?Bhag? means vagina and ?ban? means ?arrow? (in this case penis). Simply put, ?Bhagban? means a male (man) that?s it. But no, for us the follower of mysterious thing it is different.
Read the story of Bhktaprlhad, our forfather, whoever wrote that story, wanted to send a message for the ppl looking to become ?Amar? that there is no way to become ?Amar?, we all die, power is nothing, whatever trick you have, it wont save you in the end. The message is great isn?t it. But, Look at us instead of following bright side of the book we started to worship ?god? (it does not matter what name you give to him all are same).

We all fail to grasp the message our forefathers wanted to tell us in those book therefore Imagine a world without religion. Wouldn't that be nice?
Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of different religion, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.

The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason. I have never used any other, and I trust I never shall. I always distrust people who know so much about what God wants them to do to their fellows."

History I believe furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil society. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance, of which their political as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purpose.

Now, its again getting longer allow me to stop here

Which period is exactly or approximately known as Vedic era? How people of Vedic period used to live? What should we learn from Vedas?

Vishontar jee, let me answer your question with some knowledge of world history :P Vedic era was about 2000- to 4000 yr old perido, and can be said was abt 1200 to 500 BC. This period, resulted in not one but two of the world's greatest philosophies, which are Buddism and Hindusim, and both are very very similiar in many ways. The theme of Hindusim and Buddhism is to find the way out of cycle of life, and reach the ulitmate truth. So what are Vedas? Vedas are basically the collection of books, that was written down almost 2-4 thosand yrs ago, but hindu's beilive that vedas was passed and preseved orally since the start of this universe. Among the vedas, the oldest one is Rig Veda. The theme of vedas, from which i understand isnt only spiritual but also it is abt the ancient scholars who have passed there knowledge of world, and wrote it down. So, here vedas also holds the immense hisotry of our earth. One can use veda to find spiritual satisfaction but also to learn the history, and because veda was written by men, by looking at it from a logical point of view, it might also hold some faults..

Soleil, i beilive hindusim / buddhism stands tall among all the philosophies of its kind because these two philosophies doesnt take anything in FAITH..Everything that is written down is to be understood. IT lets u EXPLORE. YOu can question anything that has been wrttien down on these two philosophies. For this, as Buddha himself stated it, ""Do not accept anything through mere faith because it will make it difficult for you to understand the truth, because that faith can make you a blind follower.", and that is why i beilive in Hindusim, and know for fact it is one of the highest philosophies that exist in this universe.

Om.









"Do not accept anything through mere faith because it will make it difficult for you to understand the truth, because that faith can make you a blind follower.

ooh yah money bro thax for ur advice :) i will try ...

________

Your definitin "Bhag" as in vagina, is obsurd. The root for BHAG means "to serve"
Bhagwan
(Bhag--to serve)

One who possesses all might and power, and is worthy of being served and worshipped.


God (BHAGWAN)
Goddess (BHAGWATI)

And in sanskrit is "BAANA" not "BAN" and how could you imply an arrow meaning a penis?? in sanskrit, penis is LINGHA and vagina is YONI.

And for your information, nepalese pronounce bhagvan as BHAG BAAAN
where as indians pronounce it BHAG WWWAAAN

so please tell me if you spelled bhagvan like bhagwaan, would you consider WAAN as penis too?

And just to let you know, real spelling is not in english!

pieces bro, some text from Geeta..i have this book from swami prabhupada..and these are the texts directly from the book..eeh, if u are wanting to read Bhagwat geeta, you can pick up this book, it claims to be "Bhagavad Gita, As it Is"

Yasman nodvijate loko lokan nodvijate ca yah
harsamarsa bhayodvegair mukto yah sa ca me priyah..

Translation:
He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equiposed in happiness and sitres, fear and anxiety, is very dear to me.

Yatra yogesvarah krisno yatra parho dhanur dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir, dhurva nitir matir mama

Translation:
Whever thers is krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victor, extraordinary, power and morality. This is my opinion..

....and thats how pandav's won :)