India is the sacred land which has given birth to countless sages, Rishis, Yogins, saints and prophets. India is the land that has produced many Acharyas or spiritual preceptors like Sri Sankara and Sri Ramanuja; many saints like Kabir, Ramdas, Tukaram and Gauranga Mahaprabhu; many Yogins like Jnana Dev, Dattatreya and Sadasiva Brahman; and many prophets like Buddha and Nanak. Buddha is our flesh and blood.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hinduism: The Spiritual Soil Of India

See also:

Religion in India, Religion in India - Hinduism, Religion in India - Buddhism, Religion in India - Jainism, Religion in India - Christianity, Religion in India - Islam, Religion in India - Ayyavazhi, Religion in India - Zoroastrianism, Religion in India - Sikhism, Religion in India - Judaism, Religion in India - Bahá'í Faith

Read more here: » Religion in India: Encyclopedia II - Religion in India - Hinduism

Buddhism, known in ancient India as Buddha Dharma, originated in northern India in what is today the state of Bihar. It rapidly gained adherents during the Buddha's lifetime. Up to the 9th century, Indian followers numbered in the hundreds of millions. While the exact cause of the decline of Buddhism in India is disputed, it is known that the mingling of Hindu and Buddhist societies in India and the rise of Hindu Vedanta movements began to compete against Buddhism. Many believe that Hinduism's adaptation to Buddhism resulted in Buddhism's ra ...

See also:

Religion in India, Religion in India - Hinduism, Religion in India - Buddhism, Religion in India - Jainism, Religion in India - Christianity, Religion in India - Islam, Religion in India - Ayyavazhi, Religion in India - Zoroastrianism, Religion in India - Sikhism, Religion in India - Judaism, Religion in India - Bahá'í Faith

Read more here: » Religion in India: Encyclopedia II - Religion in India - Buddhism

India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with one of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion plays a central and definitive role in the life of the country and most of its people. The faith of more than 80% of the people is Hinduism, considered the world's oldest religious and philosophical system. Islam is practiced by around 13% of all Indians. Sikhism, Ayyavazhi, Buddhism and Jainism are Indian-born religious systems that are strong and influential not only in India but across the world. Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Bahá'í F ...

Including:

• Religion in India - Hinduism
• Religion in India - Buddhism
• Religion in India - Jainism
• Religion in India - Christianity
• Religion in India - Islam
• Religion in India - Ayyavazhi
• Religion in India - Zoroastrianism
• Religion in India - Sikhism
• Religion in India - Judaism
• Religion in India - Bahá'í Faith

Read more here: » Religion in India: Encyclopedia - Religion in India

Introduction to Hinduism

Statistically, there are over 700 million Hindus, mainly in Bharat (India), and Nepal. Hinduism is referred to as Sanatana Dharma, the eternal faith. Hinduism is not strictly a religion. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. Since Hinduism has no founder, anyone who practices Dharma can call himself a Hindu. He can question the authority of any scripture, or even the existence of the Divine.

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Hinduism is not a religion of mere theories. It is eminently practical. In no religion you will find such a variety of practical Yoga practised and such sublime unique philosophy expounded. That is the reason why India is the only glorious land of sages, Rishis, Yogins and saints.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hinduism: Emphasis On Spiritual Practice

Hinduism is the religion of the Hindus, a name given to the Universal Religion which hailed supreme in India. It is the oldest of all living religions. This is not founded by any prophet. Buddhism, Christianity and Mohammedanism owe their origin to the prophets. Their dates are fixed. But no such date can be fixed for Hinduism. Hinduism is not born of the teachings of particular prophets. It is not based on a set of dogmas preached by a particular set of teachers. It is free from religious fanaticism.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hinduism: Distinguishing Features Of Hinduism

Hinduism is the religion of the Hindus, a name given to the Universal Religion which hailed supreme in India. It is the oldest of all living religions. This is not founded by any prophet. Buddhism, Christianity and Mohammedanism owe their origin to the prophets. Their dates are fixed. But no such date can be fixed for Hinduism. Hinduism is not born of the teachings of particular prophets. It is not based on a set of dogmas preached by a particular set of teachers. It is free from religious fanaticism.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hindu Religion Ð All About Hinduism

Saivas: In South India, there are Tamil Sannyasins who belong to the Kovilur Mutt, Thiruvavaduthurai and Dharmapuram Adhinams. They do not belong to the Sri Sankara order. They are Saivas.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Tevaram and the Tiruvachakam which are the hymns of the Saiva saints of South India, the Divya-Prabandham of the Alvar saints of South India, the songs of Kabir, the Abhangas of Tukaram and the Ramayana of Tulasi Das - all of which are the outpourings of great realised souls - are wonderful scriptures. They contain the essence of the Vedas.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Literature: Other Scriptures in the Hindu Literature

In a meeting of the Sanatana Dharma Sabha, Lokamanya Tilak said: - A Hindu is he who believes that the Vedas contain self-evident and axiomatic truths. -

The Hindu Maha Sabha has given another definition: - A Hindu is one who believes in a religion which has originated in India. -

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hinduism: Who Is A Hindu

That part of the great Aryan race which migrated from Central Asia, through the mountain passes into India, settled first in the districts near the river Sindhu, now called the Indus, on the other side of the river. The Persians pronounced the word Sindhu as Hindu, and named their Aryan brethren Hindus. Hindu is only a corrupt form of Sindhu.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Basics of Hinduism: What about the hindu caste system and untouchability?

Caste is the hereditary division of Indian society based on occupation. The lowest class, deemed untouchables, suffer from discrimination and mistreatment. It is illegal in India to discriminate against, abuse or insult anyone on the basis of caste.

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Kabir Panthis: Kabir Panthis are the followers of saint Kabir. They are numerous in all the provinces of Upper and Central India. There are twelve branches. Kabir Chaura is at Varanasi. It is a big monastery of Kabir Panthis. Dharamdas was the chief disciple of Kabir.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Hindus have survived many a foreign conquest on account of their caste system. But they have developed class jealousies and hatred in the name of the caste system. They have not got the spirit of co-operation. That is the reason why they are weak and disunited today. They have become sectarians in the name of the caste system. Hence there is degradation in India. At the present moment, the Varnasrama system exists in name only

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Philosophy is the rational aspect of religion. It is an integral part of religion in India. It is a rational enquiry into the nature of Truth or Reality. It gives clear solutions for the profound, subtle problems of life. It shows the way to get rid of pain and death and attain immortality and eternal bliss.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Vedic Philosophy: Philosophy - Its Origin And Its Limitations

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, a 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.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Vedas: The Vedas in the Hindu Scriptures

The Kavyas are highly scholarly compositions in poetry, prose or both. The greatest of poetical Kavyas are those of Kalidas (The Raghuvamsa and Kumarasambhava), Bharavi (The Kiratarjuniya), Magha (The Sisupalavadha), Sri Harsha (The Naishadha). The best prose Kavyas in the whole of Sanskrit literature were written by Bhattabana (The Kadambari and Harshacharita), the great genius in classical Sanskrit. Among those containing both poetry and prose, the Champu-Ramayana and the Champu-Bharata are most famous. These are all wonderful masterpieces which will ever remain to glorify Indias literary calibre.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » The Kavyas : The Kavyas in the Hindu Scriptures

Raghunath ki Kahani - Epic for All Time

The Ramayana is one of the most popular epics of India. Ramayana-lovers are to be found all over the world. All are not necessarily followers of Hinduism. With its engaging storyline, it holds readers of all denominations and backgrounds spellbound. Narrated in an engaging fashion, the story of Rama entertains as well as informs, while presenting to us the model of an ideal human being.

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Hinduism, Islam and Christianity: Hinduism Relationship with Islam and Christianity

The propagators of both Christianity and Islam have been doing a great service to Hinduism for the last several centuries, with their vehement criticism born out of their profound ignorance of Hinduism and their condescending sympathy for the natives. When they set foot on the Indian soil in the medieval period, they made every possible effort to declare Hinduism as a Satanic cult and a religion of the Brahmins in an attempt to draw converts from lower castes, ignoring its philosophical depths and its true character. Unknowingly, they helped Hinduism by forcing the Hindus of medieval and British India to become more defensive, resolute and determined to safeguard their own religion.

Read more here: » Hinduism, Islam and Christianity: Hinduism Relationship with Islam and Christianity