Karma is of three kinds, viz., Sanchita (accumulated works), Prarabdha (fructifying works) and Kriyamana or Agami (current works). Sanchita is all the accumulated Karmas of the past. Part of it is seen in the character of man, in his tendencies and aptitudes, capacities, inclinations and desires, etc. Tendencies come from this. Prarabdha is that portion of the past Karma which is responsible for the present body. That portion of the Sanchita Karma which influences human life in the present incarnation is called Prarabdha.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The doctrine of rebirth is a corollary to the Law of Karma. The differences of disposition that are found between one individual and another must be due to their respective past actions. Past action implies past birth. Further, all your Karmas cannot certainly bear fruit in this life. Therefore, there must be another birth for enjoying the remaining actions. Each soul has a series of births and deaths. Births and deaths will continue till you attain Knowledge of the Imperishable.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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A new-born child manifests marks of joy, fear and grief. This is inexplicable unless we suppose that the child, perceiving certain things in this life, remembers the corresponding things of the past life. The things which used to excite joy, fear and grief in the past life, continue to do so in this life. The memory of the past proves the previous birth, as well as the existence of the soul.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The soul migrates with the astral body, or Sukshma-Sarira or Linga-Deha. This astral body is made up of nineteen Tattvas or principles, viz., five organs of action, five organs of knowledge, five Pranas, mind, intellect, Chitta (the subconscious), and Ahankara or egoism.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Morality or ethics is the science of conduct. Ethics is the study of what is right or good in conduct. Ethical science shows the way in which human beings should behave towards one another, as well as towards other creatures. It contains systematised principles on which a man should act. Ethics is right conduct or Sadachara.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Without ethics, you cannot have progress in the spiritual path. Ethics is the foundation of Yoga. Ethics is the corner-stone of Vedanta. Ethics is the strong pillar on which the edifice of Bhakti Yoga rests. Ethics is the gateway to God-realisation.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Morality is the gateway to religion. He who leads a moral or virtuous life attains freedom, perfection or Moksha.

Practice of ethics will help you to live in harmony with your neighbours, friends, your own family members, fellow-beings and other people. It will confer on you lasting happiness and Moksha.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Hinduism lays great emphasis on ethical discipline. Yama (self-restraint) and Niyama (religious observances or canons) are the foundations of Yoga and Vedanta.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The ethics of the Hindus is subtle, sublime and profound. All religions have taught ethical precepts such as:

- Do not kill, do not injure others, love your neighbour as your self, - but they have not given the reason. The basis of Hindu ethics is this:

- There is one all-pervading Atman. It is the innermost soul of all beings. This is the common, pure consciousness. If you injure your neighbour, you really injure yourself. If you injure any other creature, you really injure yourself, because the whole world is nothing but your own Self. -

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Dharma depends upon time, circumstances, age, degree of evolution and the community to which one belongs. The Dharma of this century is different from that of the tenth century.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The very root and core of all moral discipline is mental purification through refraining from all evil action and the active practice of virtue. Do good at all times. Ahimsa, Satya and Brahmacharya symbolise the three processes of avoiding sin, sticking to virtue and Self-purification.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Everybody speaks: - This is right, that is wrong; you are right, he is wrong; - but he cannot tell you exactly what he means by right and wrong.

What is the criterion by which we judge an action to be right or wrong, and good or bad? - Right and wrong - and - good and bad - are relative terms. Right and wrong refer to the moral standard, as law. Good and bad refer to it, as end. You will have to adjust your conduct according to this moral standard. That which is in accordance with a rule is right. That which is worthy of achievement is good.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The chains that tie you to this wheel of Samsara or Bhava-Chakra or round of births and deaths, are your desires. So long as you desire objects of this world, you must come back to this world in order to possess and enjoy them. But, when all your desires for the mundane objects cease, then the chains are broken and you are free. You need not take any more births. You attain Moksha or the final emancipation.

You wander in this Samsara as you think that you are different from the Lord. If you unite yourself with Him through meditation and Yoga, you will obtain immortality and eternal bliss. Cut the bonds of Karma through Knowledge of the Eternal and enjoy the Supreme Peace of the Atman, thy innermost Self and Inner Ruler. You will be freed from the round of births and deaths. Freed from sin, freed from passion, you will become a Jivanmukta or liberated sage. You will see the Self in the self and see the Self as all.

Read more here: » Samsara: How To Break The Bond Of Samsara

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Hinduism: Why do Hindus regard the cow as sacred?

Yes, the cow is considered very sacred in our religion and for very good reason. It's good qualities are those that we can emulate.

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Hinduism: Why do Hindu women wear the dot on the forehead?

Not only women, but Hindu men also wear a dot on the forehead, indicating their third eye. The pottu is a very auspicious symbol, reminding those who ear it of their spiritual heritage and ideals, wherever they may be. It also serves to identify a Hindu among the members of all other religions.

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An initiated journey thru the mayor Hindu Spiritual rituals by Sri Swami Sivandanda.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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There are four Asramas or stages in life, viz., Brahmacharya or the period of studentship, Grihastha or the stage of the householder, Vanaprastha or the stage of the forest-dweller or hermit, and Sannyasa or the life of renunciation or asceticism. Each stage has its own duties. These stages help the evolution of man

The four Asramas or orders of life are Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dharma in Hinduism: The Four Asramas in Hindu Dharma

The rites that pertain to the stages of life of man are called Samskaras. The Samskaras are purificatory rites which sanctify the life of the Hindu. They give a spiritual touch to the important events in the life of the individual from conception to cremation. They mark the important stages of a mans life. Just as the outline of a picture is lighted up slowly with the filling in of many colours, so also is Brahmanya with scriptural Samskaras. There are the Samskaras of childhood, of boyhood, of manhood and of old age and death.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Hinduism: Is there a rule about Hindus eating meat?

Basically, there is a rule, an overlying rule, which gives the Hindu answer to this query. It is called ahimsa, refraining from injuring - physically, mentally or emotionally - anyone or any living creature. The Hindu who wishes to strictly follow the path of non-injury to all creatures naturally adopts a vegetarian diet.

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