A very informative article by a western on Hinduism
What is So Special about being a Hindu —
by Francois Gautier
1) You Believe in God ! – You are accepted as Aastik.
2) Don’t believe in God! You’re accepted as Nastik
3) You Want to Worship Idols – Please go ahead. You are a Murti Pujak- Choose Your Own Idol- Ram, Krishan,Vishnu…….
4) You Don’t want to Worship Idols – no problem. You can focus on “Nirguna Brahma”.
5) You want to criticise something in our Hindu Religion. Come forward. We are logical. Nyaya, Tarka etc. are core Hindu schools.
6) You want to accept Beliefs as it is. Most welcome. Please go ahead with it.
7) You want to start your journey by reading Bhagvad Gita- Sure !
8) You want to start your journey by reading Upanishads – Go ahead
9) You want to start your journey by reading Purana – Be my guest & be a Gyaan Yogi..
10) You just don’t like reading the Puranas or other books. No problem, my dear. Go by Bhakti tradition & be a Bhakti Yogi like Meera. (bhakti: devotion)
11) You don’t like idea of Bhakti or Gyaan! No problem. Do good Karma. Be a karmayogi.
12) You want to just Enjoy Life. Very good. No problem at all. This is Charvaka Philosophy.
13) You want to abstain from all the enjoyment of life and find God – jai ho! Be a Sadhu, an Ascetic!
14) You don’t like the concept of God. You believe in Nature only – Welcome. (Trees, Sun & Moon are our friends and Prakriti or nature is worthy of worship).
15) You believe in one God or Supreme Energy. Superb! Follow Advaita Philosophy
16) You want a Guru. Go ahead. Receive Gyaan from a Guru.
17) You don’t want a Guru.. Help yourself! Meditate & Study and achieve the purpose of human life- Nirvana yourself!
18) You believe in Female energy! We worship Shakti.
19) You Believe that Every Human being is equal. Yeah! You’re awesome, come on let’s celebrate Hinduism! “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam” (the world is a family).
20) You don’t have time to celebrate this Festival?
Don’t worry- One more festival is coming! There are multiple festivals every single day of the year.
21) You are a Working Person and Don’t have time for religion? It’s okay. You will still be a Hindu.
22) You like to go to Temples. Devotion is loved.
23) You don’t like to go to The Temples – no problem. You are still a Hindu!
24) You Believe that Hinduism is a way of life, with considerable freedom.
25) You believe that everything has God in it. So you worship your mother, father, guru, tree, River, Prani-matra, Earth, Universe!
26) And If you don’t believe that everything has GOD in it – No problems we still Respect your viewpoint.
27) “Sarve jana sukhino bhavantu” (May you all live happily).
You represent this! You’re free to choose, my dear Hindu!
This is exactly the essence of Hinduism, all/inclusive. That is why it has withstood the test of time inspite of repeated onslaught both from within and outside, and assimilated every good aspects from everything. That is why it is eternal!
There is a saying in the Rigveda, the first book ever known to mankind which *depicts the Hinduism philosophy in a Nutshell:
आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः Aa no bhadrah kratavo yantu vishwatah May auspicious thoughts come to us from all over the world.
This is in essence is Hinduism
