Sunday, November 30, 2014

MEDITATION,YOG, BHAKTI- WHAT IS GOAL?

Photo: {{Common Questions on Hinduism/Meditation/Brahman }}

Evrim ServantofBrahman asked via message,

Dear sir or madam, I am Evrim 19 years old, and born and grown up in the Netherlands [ origin I am Turkish ]. Last days I'm investigating on Hinduism, it seems me very logical and rational [ especially the scientific subjects in Veda’s ]. But I don't know much about Hinduism and I have yet some questions in my mind, really it will be good if u can help me. If I may ask dear sir or madam:

- Will bring meditation [ Bhakti Yoga ] closer to [God] Brahman? How can I become a saint for closer to Brahman? And which times can I meditate? Can I do when I want? 

- Are Veda’s the words of [God] Brahman? 

- Can we say that [writher of the Veda’s ] Srila Vyasadeva was the prophet of [God] Brahman? Or can we say that Rishis are prophets of Brahman? 

- What is the view of Hinduism about fighting against the ego [ lust, anger etc ] , for to become a good human? If it is required for fighting against ego, it is possible on this that I can closer to Brahman with taking away from [ lust, anger etc] and fighting against my ego? 

- What is the concept of sin in hinduism an act against dharma - moral order- ? Can be the good morality make the man closer to Brahman? If so, what are the good deeds and righteousness?

- How is the Human Being in the Eye of the Hinduism? Or what is the perspective of Hinduism on Humanity or human nature?

- How important is the role of the women in Hinduism? Is it true that menstruate women is " impure " and it is not allowed that she is with her family during her menstruate period? Is there something with this in Veda's? 

Again really it will be good if u can help me, forgive me if I did bother u.

Evrim

Thank you Evrim for your keen interest in Hinduism, Hinduism is based on Logic it ask seeker to ask question,
Upanishads says "Ask Ask Ask untill you attain the truth".
We will go thru your queries one by one,

Query: - Will bring meditation [ Bhakti Yoga ] closer to [God] Brahman? How can I become a saint for closer to Brahman? And which times can I meditate? Can I do when I want? 

Answer : First understand what is Meditation? one may think that it is prayer but it is not Meditation means
 awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. Meditation is a means of transforming the mind.
The meditation I am talking about is not a meditation on something: rather, it is a state of meditation. 
So this is what I mean when I am talking to you about meditation as a state. Meditation does not mean
 remembering someone. Meditation means to drop everything which is in one’s memory and to come to a state 
where only consciousness remains, where only awareness remains.
It is state of deep peace that occurs when the mind is calm and silent. 
Now What is Bhakti Yog? There are four main paths of Yoga - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Gyana Yoga
. Each is suited to a different temperament or approach to life. All the paths lead ultimately to the same 
destination - to union with Brahman or God - and the lessons of each of them need to be integrated if true 
wisdom is to be attained.
Bhakti Yoga is pure spiritual devotion, of love for God which is Love. The Deity is the beloved and the 
devotee is the lover. In Bhakti yoga, everything is but a manifestation of the divine and all else is 
meaningless, including the Ego. When the Bhakta is blessed by divine grace he feels an undivided union and
 non-dual consciousness prevails. Bhakti Yoga is regarded as the most direct method to merge in cosmic 
consciousness.

Bhakti yoga is based on the doctrine "Love is God and God is Love". The bhakta experiences separation and 
longs to meet or even just glimpse his beloved. Nothing else attracts him, nothing else holds his attention,
 all else is meaningless. Food, sex, sleep, attachments, responsibilities - all are no longer important 
in bhakti yoga.

THE MAIN YOGA TRADITIONS
 Hatha Yoga 
 Krya Yoga 
 Kundalini Yoga (Laya Yoga) 
 Mantra Yoga 
 Raja Yoga 
 Swara Yoga 
 Yantra Yoga

Do not mingle up Yog and Meditation:
Yoga is a spiritual, mental and physical discipline, which helps attain permanent peace. But over the years, yoga is associated with physical fitness. 
where as Meditation is a part of yoga, which should ideally be followed after yoga asanas. Meditative techniques take you through energising the body and intellect. Mediation also improves breathing and the mind, and eventually self-realisation.
As defined by the sage Patanjali, Yoga is 'Chitta Vriti Nirodhah', promoting the unison of body and mind and envisages wellness of human beings both physical, mental and spiritual. 

The eight steps of yoga are yama, niyama, aasana, pranayama, pratyahar, dhyana, dharana and samadhi. Yoga is also said to be a way of life and when practised gives all-round benefits. 

Meditation is a part of yoga, which deals with mental relaxation and concentration. Here, attention is focused on thoughts and breath. Being aware of breathing automatically controls the thought process and thus relaxes mind completely. 

In Hinduism, the goal of meditation is to realize that one's personal identity is a barrier to the truth that the real self is part of the divine godhead, which is ultimate reality.
Mind and other senses are barrier to identify the true self. Meditation is the key to identify the true self.
Meditation is designed to bypass the mind and other senses, using special breathing techniques.
 Moreover in simple words Meditation let you close to Brahman/God but let me remind you God is not what so many westerners think of,
 The ultimate goal is samadhi with no cognition, or absorption into a state of pure consciousness through
 disengaging the mind and a loss of self-awareness and subject-object awareness: 
"The mind which for so long stood between us and our true nature has been overcome."
 One of the most common ways this is done is through various forms of yoga, including the popular
 hatha yoga. "Though their means may differ, all yogic paths seek to transcend duality in union"
 so that one's "mistaken belief in himself as a separate, unique individual apart from God will be overcome."
 Exhaling the breath is "the surrender of our ego" and the move from attachment to "non-attachment.

How can I become a Saint?
In Hinduism the saint is one who acheieved the state where he/she have controlled all his/her senses.
A religious teacher, who have attained Truth.
A spiritual leador who shows the right path to people.
 
As I said earlier God is not what the most of westerners think of, Brahman is ultimate truth. The true self
within us. The ultimate creator , controller and destroyer.
One can become saint after acheiving the truth.

The best time for meditation is in Brahmamuhurt. morning period from 3.30 a.m. to 5.30 a.m. It is very favourable for meditation. The mind is quite refreshed after good sleep. It is quite calm and serene. There is the preponderance of Sattva or purity in the mind at this time. In the atmosphere also, Sattva predominates at this period.
The mind is like a blank sheet of paper or a clean tablet and comparatively free from worldly Samskaras or impressions at this period. Raga-Dvesha currents have not yet deeply entered the mind. The mind can be moulded very easily at this period in any way you like. You can charge the mind now easily with divine thoughts.

Query: - Are Veda’s the words of [God] Brahman? 

Answer: Without any Doubt Vedas are the words of God/Brahman itself. 
The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. Vedas received  through revelation.
 These are direct intuitional revelations and are held to be Apaurusheya or entirely superhuman,
 without any author in particular. The Veda is the glorious pride of  the whole world!

The term Veda comes from the root 'Vid', to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to 
scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures. 
 The Veda is the storehouse of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget till 
eternity.

The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis of India. The word Rishi
 means a Seer, from dris, to see. He is the Mantra-Drashta, seer of Mantra or thought. The thought was not
 his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore, the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). 
The Rishi did not write. He did not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought which existed 
already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is not the inventor of the Veda.
The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an
 agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are
 revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special
 messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are
 themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.

Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or Seers. The Rishis disseminated 
the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of 
Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of
 religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their 
inspiration.

The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions are derived 
from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion.
 The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine
 origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas.

The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant man, may say how a book can be 
without beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out of the breath of the Lord. 
They are not the composition of any human mind. They were never written, never created. They are eternal 
and impersonal. The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas are eternal 
spiritual truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge. The books may be destroyed, but the 
knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.

Query: - Can we say that [writher of the Veda’s ] Srila Vyasadeva was the prophet of [God] Brahman? 
Or can we say that Rishis are prophets of Brahman? 

Answer: First of all VedVyas is not the writer of Vedas, as I said earlier noone is writer of Vedas.
They are eternal. VedaVyas classified Vedas into four parts.
Prophet is a being who have contacted to divine, in this way not only Vedvyas but the saints/Rishi who have
achieved the truth are Prophets.

Query: - What is the view of Hinduism about fighting against the ego [ lust, anger etc ] , for to become 
a good human? If it is required for fighting against ego, it is possible on this that I can closer to 
Brahman with taking away from [ lust, anger etc] and fighting against my ego? 

Answer: The Ego can be defined most accurately as your sense of self. The notion of "I" or "Me". 
The idea that there is a "you" that is distinct and separate from everything else. The majority of people
 in the world live with a sense of self, with an ego, however that doesn't validate it in any sense. 
Hinduism  fervently assert that there is no separately existing self and that those who continue to believe 
that there is will only continue to experience suffering. So how can we say that the Self does not exist?
 How can there be no ego and what would happen if one eliminated it?

The self does not exist for many reasons. Everything is interconnected and interdependent. 
For example, a Ship is made of many different things such as wood, metal, notion..... The wood that made
 that ship came from a tree, which came from the dirt in the ground that the Sun helped nourish and grow.
 Nothing can exist on its own; it is all connected in some way or another. The Ship does not exist as a
 separate and distinct entity, it is made up of many other things and therefore cannot exist independently
 from the tree or the grass or the dirt.
ego (aham) means considering oneself to be distinct from others and God due to identification with the
 physical body and impressions (sanskārs) in various centres of the subtle body. In short, ego is 
leading our life as per the thinking that our existence is limited to our five senses, mind and intellect,
 and identifying ourselves with them to various degrees. 
depending on the level of our ego, we identify with the God-principle within us, i.e. the Soul to varying degrees. If our ego is high, we identify less with the Soul or the God-principle within us.
Without detaching ego one cannot attain Brahman.

Query: - What is the concept of sin in hinduism an act against dharma - moral order- ? Can be the good 
morality make the man closer to Brahman? If so, what are the good deeds and righteousness?

Answer: Hinduism does not believe that human beings suffer from any original sin or inherent fault in their
 nature, which must be corrected by an external influence or special grace. On the contrary, Sanatana Dharma
 teaches that our original nature is pure goodness, Being-Consciousness-Bliss, and that we are all 
inherently one with God. The Hindu concept of sin is one of uncleanliness, the accumulation of something 
extraneous that must be removed for us to return to our inherent purity. For example, the body naturally
 gets dirty everyday and one has to clean it. Such dirt is not a sin, though it is impure, if not sinful, not to keep oneself clean. There are similar emotional and mental impurities that we must cleanse ourselves from.
The Hindu view of sin is free of the ideas of guilt, fear and punishment. From its point of view the 
greatest sin is to call a person a sinner. There is not and never will be such an entity as a sinner. 
The same Divine Self exists in all beings who, through ignorance alone, commit various wrong actions.
 To call a person a sinner is to deny their Divine essence and make them identify themselves with the sin,
 which reinforces its hold on them. Whatever we think that we become. If we think that we are fallen,
 wretched, low sinners, that we become. If we think that we are near to God, we become near to God. We should not debase 
ourselves with thoughts that are not great. There are no sinners, though there are wrong actions.
 We should not condemn a person as a sinner but should try to understand what is right action. Right action
 is acting with respect for the sacred nature of all beings.
Dharma itself is righteousness, individual’s natural, selfless duty, a responsibility towards self, 
parents, family, 
society, community, environment, and humanity. There is no equivalent English translation for 
the Ancient Sanskrit word ‘Dharma’. Dharma is pronounced as Dh-r-m. 
Dharma is divine in origin and deals with universal natural principles. The connotations are 
spiritual and metaphysical. Mahabharata (12-31-7) described Dharma as follows: 

“That conduct which sustains, protects, harmonizes all human beings including family, society, 
nation, nature, and the cosmos”.

While visiting Jakarta, Indonesia, I saw many English sign-boards stating “Dharmo-Vanita”. I 
asked a taxi driver the meaning, and the driver replied: “Dharma means to help others, and 
Vanita means women. It is a sign-board of a government department that deals with helping 
women, you may call it women’s welfare!” Furthermore I asked him: “What is your religion?” He 
replied “Muslim”. According to this Indonesian Muslim taxi driver his religion is Muslim, but, to 
him, Dharma means the duty to help others.

 
An individual who goes out of the way to help others is said to have undertaken Dharma. 
Kanad Rishi in Vaisesika Darsan describes Dharma as follows: 
“Dharma is that righteous conduct which elevates a human being to a higher level of interaction; 
thereby, one attains selflessness and is free from selfishness.” 

Dharma is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Dharana,’ the root word, Dhr. ‘Dharana’, means ‘to 
uphold,’ or to sustain. One who upholds these destined natural duties is said to have undertaken 
Dharma. For example, the Dharma of the sun is to shine. The Dharma of the earth is to rotate, 
and a learned person should guide others in the righteous direction.
 
The great lawgiver sage, Manu, described ten characteristics of Dharma as follows: 
“The ten characteristics of a person who upholds Dharma are contentment, forgiveness, 
maintenance of purity, thought, action, emotional, and sensual discipline, iratelessness, 
truthfulness, abstinence from stealing, acquisition of knowledge, and wisdom.
” 
The tenth Sikh Guru Sri Govind Singh in Ugradanti Chhake Chhand Vani under the description of 
“Chandi Ki Var” stated: 
“Sakala jagata me khalsa pantha gaje, 
Jage dharam hindu sakal bhanda bhaje” 
Chhake Chhanda 39

“Let Khalsa Pantha be victorious all over the world to awaken Hindu Dharma, so all falsehood or 
ignorance may be removed.” 

Sikh Guru Sri Govind Singh further stated in Ugradani Saveya Chhake Chhanda (40): 
“Sakala jaga me khalsa pantha gaje, 
Jage dharam Hinduka turk dunde bhaje”  2

Ugradanti Saveya Chhake Chhanda Chhaka 1 line 40. 

The use of the word “Hinduka” in the above Chhand by Guru Sri Govind Singh reveals that the 
word Hinduka was in vogue at that time. 
In essence Dharma means “natural righteous, conducts, and duties that help one to rise 
higher to become a better person.” 

Donot mingle Dharma and religion:
Religion is an artificial and human created path which helps one to lead a noble life and bring one closer to 
God. In English, religion is the closest word that may be substituted for “Dharma”. For ordinary purposes 
the term Dharma may be interchangeable with religion. 
Humans designed “Religion”; whereas, Dharma represents natural principles, duties, and responsibilities. 

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Query: - How is the Human Being in the Eye of the Hinduism? Or what is the perspective of Hinduism on 
Humanity or human nature?

Answer: All Human are same according to Hinduism. All are manifestation of same divine.
When Hinduism say about Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam that means whole world is my family.
As I said earlier that Hinduism regard Human are not sinner but the divergence of Brahman.
the Upanishads, perceived the individual self or "atman" as the immortal pure essence of each being. All human beings are
 positioned in the all-embracing "Brahman" or the Absolute, frequently linked with the cosmic dimensions
 of the universe.

 Ultimately, all human beings are Divine and each being has the power of awareness, sacrifice, and adherence
 to the divine order. Thereby, Hindus, having the responsibility to actively represent their respective and
 community, and family, consciously attempt to uphold the purity of their eternal atman.

Query: - How important is the role of the women in Hinduism? Is it true that menstruate women is " impure " 
and it is not allowed that she is with her family during her menstruate period? Is there something with
 this in Veda's? 

Answer: According to Manu Smirti 

9.96. "Man and Woman are incomplete without each other. Hence the most ordinary religious duty would demand participation of both."

4.180. "A wise man should not indulge in fights and arguments with his family members including mother, daughter and wife."

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In Hinduism the first menstruation of a young girl is a cause for celebration, with special presents given.
 However in Indian culture menstrual blood has generally been considered as impure.

It is part of Culture not the Dharma. Swami Chinmayananda explained this practice in physiological, hormonal
 and emotional terms. Earlier the traditional role of a woman in the house involved arduous and physically 
demanding tasks such as carrying heavy pots of water, grinding of wheat, daals, rice and masalas, farming
 duties and so on. During periods women suffer in varying degrees from discomfort to cramps and headaches 
to PMS syndrome which includes depression, anger and mood swings.

Thus they were prescribed rest during the three days of menstruation. However the only way this could 
actually be enforced was to put a religious taboo on it and exempt women from all household tasks. In fact 
in orthodox homes in India men, who would otherwise not lift a finger to help at home, actually do the
 cooking!

within our body is contained five Pranas. Prana can mean breath, energy, life, air, respiration or vitality
 – for now, we will just take its meaning as “energy.” There are five Pranas in the body:  prana, which 
takes things in; apana, which takes things out; samana, which assimilates; vyana, which circulates and 
distributes; and udana, which expresses, especially in speech. Any obstruction to the free flow of any of
 these pranas causes imbalance and disease (e.g. obstruction to samana would appear to be a metabolic 
disorder, or perhaps a learning disorder). During puja and homa, a release of “pent up” Prana happens. 
Pranayama, or the practice by which Prana is controlled (yama), is also a means by which the movement of
 all five Pranas (or by which a single one of the five, depending on the needs of the practitioner) can be
 brought to balance. (More on the five pranas can be found in an easily accessible and brief Vedantic text, 
Tattva Bodha, though they are mentioned in a variety of other shastras as well.)

It is believed that menstruation is a time in which apana in the body is naturally predominant, and for 
good reason. It allows for the outward flow of impure physical elements (e.g. uterine tissue), as well as 
for repressed emotions (e.g. mood swings during PMS). Since puja etc. are meant to balance the Prana-s, 
it is not necessarily the best thing for one to engage in religious practices during menstruation when 
the body naturally needs apana to be dominant. (Here it is worth noting that by most accounts, mental
 japa and manas puja are usually considered to be allowed during menstruation. This may vary by sampradaya
 or your own personal belief as it is part of culture not the Dharma)

But the sad part is, in some places it made up as harsh rule. This should be avoided, in days of sanitation and cleaniness.

If any other query remains in your mind you can ask via message.
Shiva Bless...Query: - Will bring meditation [ Bhakti Yoga ] closer to [God] Brahman? How can I become a saint for closer to Brahman? And which times can I meditate? Can I do when I want? 

Answer : First understand what is Meditation? one may think that it is prayer but it is not Meditation means
awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. Meditation is a means of transforming the mind.
The meditation I am talking about is not a meditation on something: rather, it is a state of meditation. 
So this is what I mean when I am talking to you about meditation as a state. Meditation does not mean
remembering someone. Meditation means to drop everything which is in one’s memory and to come to a state 
where only consciousness remains, where only awareness remains.
It is state of deep peace that occurs when the mind is calm and silent. 
Now What is Bhakti Yog? There are four main paths of Yoga - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Gyana Yoga
. Each is suited to a different temperament or approach to life. All the paths lead ultimately to the same 
destination - to union with Brahman or God - and the lessons of each of them need to be integrated if true 
wisdom is to be attained.
Bhakti Yoga is pure spiritual devotion, of love for God which is Love. The Deity is the beloved and the 
devotee is the lover. In Bhakti yoga, everything is but a manifestation of the divine and all else is 
meaningless, including the Ego. When the Bhakta is blessed by divine grace he feels an undivided union and
non-dual consciousness prevails. Bhakti Yoga is regarded as the most direct method to merge in cosmic 
consciousness.

Bhakti yoga is based on the doctrine "Love is God and God is Love". The bhakta experiences separation and 
longs to meet or even just glimpse his beloved. Nothing else attracts him, nothing else holds his attention,
all else is meaningless. Food, sex, sleep, attachments, responsibilities - all are no longer important 
in bhakti yoga.

THE MAIN YOGA TRADITIONS
Hatha Yoga 
Krya Yoga 
Kundalini Yoga (Laya Yoga) 
Mantra Yoga 
Raja Yoga 
Swara Yoga 
Yantra Yoga

Do not mingle up Yog and Meditation:
Yoga is a spiritual, mental and physical discipline, which helps attain permanent peace. But over the years, yoga is associated with physical fitness. 
where as Meditation is a part of yoga, which should ideally be followed after yoga asanas. Meditative techniques take you through energising the body and intellect. Mediation also improves breathing and the mind, and eventually self-realisation.
As defined by the sage Patanjali, Yoga is 'Chitta Vriti Nirodhah', promoting the unison of body and mind and envisages wellness of human beings both physical, mental and spiritual. 

The eight steps of yoga are yama, niyama, aasana, pranayama, pratyahar, dhyana, dharana and samadhi. Yoga is also said to be a way of life and when practised gives all-round benefits. 

Meditation is a part of yoga, which deals with mental relaxation and concentration. Here, attention is focused on thoughts and breath. Being aware of breathing automatically controls the thought process and thus relaxes mind completely. 

In Hinduism, the goal of meditation is to realize that one's personal identity is a barrier to the truth that the real self is part of the divine godhead, which is ultimate reality.
Mind and other senses are barrier to identify the true self. Meditation is the key to identify the true self.
Meditation is designed to bypass the mind and other senses, using special breathing techniques.
Moreover in simple words Meditation let you close to Brahman/God but let me remind you God is not what so many westerners think of,
The ultimate goal is samadhi with no cognition, or absorption into a state of pure consciousness through
disengaging the mind and a loss of self-awareness and subject-object awareness: 
"The mind which for so long stood between us and our true nature has been overcome."
One of the most common ways this is done is through various forms of yoga, including the popular
hatha yoga. "Though their means may differ, all yogic paths seek to transcend duality in union"
so that one's "mistaken belief in himself as a separate, unique individual apart from God will be overcome."
Exhaling the breath is "the surrender of our ego" and the move from attachment to "non-attachment.

How can I become a Saint?
In Hinduism the saint is one who acheieved the state where he/she have controlled all his/her senses.
A religious teacher, who have attained Truth.
A spiritual leador who shows the right path to people.

As I said earlier God is not what the most of westerners think of, Brahman is ultimate truth. The true self
within us. The ultimate creator , controller and destroyer.
One can become saint after acheiving the truth.

The best time for meditation is in Brahmamuhurt. morning period from 3.30 a.m. to 5.30 a.m. It is very favourable for meditation. The mind is quite refreshed after good sleep. It is quite calm and serene. There is the preponderance of Sattva or purity in the mind at this time. In the atmosphere also, Sattva predominates at this period.
The mind is like a blank sheet of paper or a clean tablet and comparatively free from worldly Samskaras or impressions at this period. Raga-Dvesha currents have not yet deeply entered the mind. The mind can be moulded very easily at this period in any way you like. You can charge the mind now easily with divine thoughts.

Query: - Are Veda’s the words of [God] Brahman? 

Answer: Without any Doubt Vedas are the words of God/Brahman itself. 
The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. Vedas received through revelation.
These are direct intuitional revelations and are held to be Apaurusheya or entirely superhuman,
without any author in particular. The Veda is the glorious pride of the whole world!

The term Veda comes from the root 'Vid', to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to 
scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures. 
The Veda is the storehouse of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget till 
eternity.

The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis of India. The word Rishi
means a Seer, from dris, to see. He is the Mantra-Drashta, seer of Mantra or thought. The thought was not
his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore, the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). 
The Rishi did not write. He did not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought which existed 
already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is not the inventor of the Veda.
The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an
agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are
revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special
messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are
themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.

Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or Seers. The Rishis disseminated 
the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of 
Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of
religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their 
inspiration.

The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions are derived 
from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion.
The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine
origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas.

The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant man, may say how a book can be 
without beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out of the breath of the Lord. 
They are not the composition of any human mind. They were never written, never created. They are eternal 
and impersonal. The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas are eternal 
spiritual truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge. The books may be destroyed, but the 
knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.

Query: - Can we say that [writher of the Veda’s ] Srila Vyasadeva was the prophet of [God] Brahman? 
Or can we say that Rishis are prophets of Brahman? 

Answer: First of all VedVyas is not the writer of Vedas, as I said earlier noone is writer of Vedas.
They are eternal. VedaVyas classified Vedas into four parts.
Prophet is a being who have contacted to divine, in this way not only Vedvyas but the saints/Rishi who have
achieved the truth are Prophets.

Query: - What is the view of Hinduism about fighting against the ego [ lust, anger etc ] , for to become 
a good human? If it is required for fighting against ego, it is possible on this that I can closer to 
Brahman with taking away from [ lust, anger etc] and fighting against my ego? 


Answer: The Ego can be defined most accurately as your sense of self. The notion of "I" or "Me". 
The idea that there is a "you" that is distinct and separate from everything else. The majority of people
in the world live with a sense of self, with an ego, however that doesn't validate it in any sense. 
Hinduism fervently assert that there is no separately existing self and that those who continue to believe 
that there is will only continue to experience suffering. So how can we say that the Self does not exist?
How can there be no ego and what would happen if one eliminated it?

The self does not exist for many reasons. Everything is interconnected and interdependent. 
For example, a Ship is made of many different things such as wood, metal, notion..... The wood that made
that ship came from a tree, which came from the dirt in the ground that the Sun helped nourish and grow.
Nothing can exist on its own; it is all connected in some way or another. The Ship does not exist as a
separate and distinct entity, it is made up of many other things and therefore cannot exist independently
from the tree or the grass or the dirt.
ego (aham) means considering oneself to be distinct from others and God due to identification with the
physical body and impressions (sanskārs) in various centres of the subtle body. In short, ego is 
leading our life as per the thinking that our existence is limited to our five senses, mind and intellect,
and identifying ourselves with them to various degrees. 
depending on the level of our ego, we identify with the God-principle within us, i.e. the Soul to varying degrees. If our ego is high, we identify less with the Soul or the God-principle within us.
Without detaching ego one cannot attain Brahman.

Query: - What is the concept of sin in hinduism an act against dharma - moral order- ? Can be the good 
morality make the man closer to Brahman? If so, what are the good deeds and righteousness?

Answer: Hinduism does not believe that human beings suffer from any original sin or inherent fault in their
nature, which must be corrected by an external influence or special grace. On the contrary, Sanatana Dharma
teaches that our original nature is pure goodness, Being-Consciousness-Bliss, and that we are all 
inherently one with God. The Hindu concept of sin is one of uncleanliness, the accumulation of something 
extraneous that must be removed for us to return to our inherent purity. For example, the body naturally
gets dirty everyday and one has to clean it. Such dirt is not a sin, though it is impure, if not sinful, not to keep oneself clean. There are similar emotional and mental impurities that we must cleanse ourselves from.
The Hindu view of sin is free of the ideas of guilt, fear and punishment. From its point of view the 
greatest sin is to call a person a sinner. There is not and never will be such an entity as a sinner. 
The same Divine Self exists in all beings who, through ignorance alone, commit various wrong actions.
To call a person a sinner is to deny their Divine essence and make them identify themselves with the sin,
which reinforces its hold on them. Whatever we think that we become. If we think that we are fallen,
wretched, low sinners, that we become. If we think that we are near to God, we become near to God. We should not debase 
ourselves with thoughts that are not great. There are no sinners, though there are wrong actions.
We should not condemn a person as a sinner but should try to understand what is right action. Right action
is acting with respect for the sacred nature of all beings.
Dharma itself is righteousness, individual’s natural, selfless duty, a responsibility towards self, 
parents, family, 
society, community, environment, and humanity. There is no equivalent English translation for 
the Ancient Sanskrit word ‘Dharma’. Dharma is pronounced as Dh-r-m. 
Dharma is divine in origin and deals with universal natural principles. The connotations are 
spiritual and metaphysical. Mahabharata (12-31-7) described Dharma as follows: 

“That conduct which sustains, protects, harmonizes all human beings including family, society, 
nation, nature, and the cosmos”.

While visiting Jakarta, Indonesia, I saw many English sign-boards stating “Dharmo-Vanita”. I 
asked a taxi driver the meaning, and the driver replied: “Dharma means to help others, and 
Vanita means women. It is a sign-board of a government department that deals with helping 
women, you may call it women’s welfare!” Furthermore I asked him: “What is your religion?” He 
replied “Muslim”. According to this Indonesian Muslim taxi driver his religion is Muslim, but, to 
him, Dharma means the duty to help others.


An individual who goes out of the way to help others is said to have undertaken Dharma. 
Kanad Rishi in Vaisesika Darsan describes Dharma as follows: 
“Dharma is that righteous conduct which elevates a human being to a higher level of interaction; 
thereby, one attains selflessness and is free from selfishness.” 

Dharma is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Dharana,’ the root word, Dhr. ‘Dharana’, means ‘to 
uphold,’ or to sustain. One who upholds these destined natural duties is said to have undertaken 
Dharma. For example, the Dharma of the sun is to shine. The Dharma of the earth is to rotate, 
and a learned person should guide others in the righteous direction.

The great lawgiver sage, Manu, described ten characteristics of Dharma as follows: 
“The ten characteristics of a person who upholds Dharma are contentment, forgiveness, 
maintenance of purity, thought, action, emotional, and sensual discipline, iratelessness, 
truthfulness, abstinence from stealing, acquisition of knowledge, and wisdom.
” 
The tenth Sikh Guru Sri Govind Singh in Ugradanti Chhake Chhand Vani under the description of 
“Chandi Ki Var” stated: 
“Sakala jagata me khalsa pantha gaje, 
Jage dharam hindu sakal bhanda bhaje” 
Chhake Chhanda 39

“Let Khalsa Pantha be victorious all over the world to awaken Hindu Dharma, so all falsehood or 
ignorance may be removed.” 

Sikh Guru Sri Govind Singh further stated in Ugradani Saveya Chhake Chhanda (40): 
“Sakala jaga me khalsa pantha gaje, 
Jage dharam Hinduka turk dunde bhaje” 2

Ugradanti Saveya Chhake Chhanda Chhaka 1 line 40. 

The use of the word “Hinduka” in the above Chhand by Guru Sri Govind Singh reveals that the 
word Hinduka was in vogue at that time. 
In essence Dharma means “natural righteous, conducts, and duties that help one to rise 
higher to become a better person.” 

Donot mingle Dharma and religion:
Religion is an artificial and human created path which helps one to lead a noble life and bring one closer to 
God. In English, religion is the closest word that may be substituted for “Dharma”. For ordinary purposes 
the term Dharma may be interchangeable with religion. 
Humans designed “Religion”; whereas, Dharma represents natural principles, duties, and responsibilities. 

For more read this -->> RELIGION V/S DHARMA

Query: - How is the Human Being in the Eye of the Hinduism? Or what is the perspective of Hinduism on 
Humanity or human nature?

Answer: All Human are same according to Hinduism. All are manifestation of same divine.
When Hinduism say about Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam that means whole world is my family.
As I said earlier that Hinduism regard Human are not sinner but the divergence of Brahman.
the Upanishads, perceived the individual self or "atman" as the immortal pure essence of each being. All human beings are
positioned in the all-embracing "Brahman" or the Absolute, frequently linked with the cosmic dimensions
of the universe.

Ultimately, all human beings are Divine and each being has the power of awareness, sacrifice, and adherence
to the divine order. Thereby, Hindus, having the responsibility to actively represent their respective and
community, and family, consciously attempt to uphold the purity of their eternal atman.

Query: - How important is the role of the women in Hinduism? Is it true that menstruate women is " impure " 
and it is not allowed that she is with her family during her menstruate period? Is there something with
this in Veda's? 

Answer: According to Manu Smirti 

9.96. "Man and Woman are incomplete without each other. Hence the most ordinary religious duty would demand participation of both."

4.180. "A wise man should not indulge in fights and arguments with his family members including mother, daughter and wife."

For more about Woman in Hinduism this link-->> CLICK HERE.

In Hinduism the first menstruation of a young girl is a cause for celebration, with special presents given.
However in Indian culture menstrual blood has generally been considered as impure.

It is part of Culture not the Dharma. Swami Chinmayananda explained this practice in physiological, hormonal
and emotional terms. Earlier the traditional role of a woman in the house involved arduous and physically 
demanding tasks such as carrying heavy pots of water, grinding of wheat, daals, rice and masalas, farming
duties and so on. During periods women suffer in varying degrees from discomfort to cramps and headaches 
to PMS syndrome which includes depression, anger and mood swings.

Thus they were prescribed rest during the three days of menstruation. However the only way this could 
actually be enforced was to put a religious taboo on it and exempt women from all household tasks. In fact 
in orthodox homes in India men, who would otherwise not lift a finger to help at home, actually do the
cooking!

within our body is contained five Pranas. Prana can mean breath, energy, life, air, respiration or vitality
– for now, we will just take its meaning as “energy.” There are five Pranas in the body: prana, which 
takes things in; apana, which takes things out; samana, which assimilates; vyana, which circulates and 
distributes; and udana, which expresses, especially in speech. Any obstruction to the free flow of any of
these pranas causes imbalance and disease (e.g. obstruction to samana would appear to be a metabolic 
disorder, or perhaps a learning disorder). During puja and homa, a release of “pent up” Prana happens. 
Pranayama, or the practice by which Prana is controlled (yama), is also a means by which the movement of
all five Pranas (or by which a single one of the five, depending on the needs of the practitioner) can be
brought to balance. (More on the five pranas can be found in an easily accessible and brief Vedantic text, 
Tattva Bodha, though they are mentioned in a variety of other shastras as well.)


It is believed that menstruation is a time in which apana in the body is naturally predominant, and for 
good reason. It allows for the outward flow of impure physical elements (e.g. uterine tissue), as well as 
for repressed emotions (e.g. mood swings during PMS). Since puja etc. are meant to balance the Prana-s, 
it is not necessarily the best thing for one to engage in religious practices during menstruation when 
the body naturally needs apana to be dominant. (Here it is worth noting that by most accounts, mental
japa and manas puja are usually considered to be allowed during menstruation. This may vary by sampradaya
or your own personal belief as it is part of culture not the Dharma)

But the sad part is, in some places it made up as harsh rule. This should be avoided, in days of sanitation and cleaniness.

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