Thread: Hinduism - Is not a religion, Way of Life. Whats it?

pv,

your query in the title, is way above my comprehension.

but when i read your note, i could relate to it. somewhat. hope you forgive me if my post here is way out of bounds to your query.

i only speak for myself. from a more மண்டு knowledge of hinduism, but very well versed in that famous school known as the 'school of hard knocks' for the past 59 years.

having brought up in a nominally TB household, only son. starting from 14 years involved in pithru service, which has given me a long term view of not only death, but death service.

which is why, perhaps, i focussed more on living. i have tried to find contentment within a framework without tension.

oh, i forgot to say, that it is my firm conviction, that the ultimate causes of sickness/death for both my parents was tension. i can private message you the details if you wish, only it is mundane stuff.

but i have come to believe that tension kills. absolute tension kills absolutely.

so my conscious search in life, has to be avoid tension, while at the same time, provide means for a decent livelihood for my family, do good, do no harm and above all be grateful for every day.

i do pray several times for peaceful life, healthy life and quickeasy death. nothing more. nothing less.

i look forward to tomorrow, as i believe tomorrow is a better day than today which is better than yesterday.

the bottom line, what i wish to say, is that i do not think too much of what a brahmin should, would and must do.

i believe, to find peace, one should be in sync with the hums and tunes of today. for today is reality for us. it is today that we deal with everyday.

how can one peace, if one is not in harmony with the values and rules of his environment - defining it in the broadest sense re religion, residence and the residual self?

when i read of the brahmins of yore, i am just a namesake. just not me, but all the ancestors that i can trace back, and everyone in the community that i know that i claim to belong.

the best ones, are ones, who have accepted the times that is now, moved along, and believe in the humanity of our community lies in service and charity.

definitely not claiming any sense of ownership or guardianship to a way of life known as hinduism. that, to me, would reek of taking on something, which in the current world, we are ill prepared.

there is this big spasm of history, which divides us the current, from ancient brahmins. when we say abhivadhey, we invoke rishis to whom we claim lineage, but what we can trace is barely 3 generations gone.

we live in a ever fastly changing world of values,knowledge, competition and above all one in which the underprivileged and the downtrodden are finally getting hopes of correcting wrongs.

would i want to be one of those wrongs? would i want to be an instrument of change to right?

these matter more to me, than a call to translate my current life to conform to a translation of scriptures. in values, i wish to do so - generosity, kindness and above all humanity.

does it make a difference in outward forms. i would only do so much, and such, that i am comfortable with, knowing myself. not beyond what i can handle, without tension, within myself and my surroundings.

even more, i would not impose on my children, my half baked practices in the name of tradition. for children see through duplicity, and what we end up passing on as heritage, is practices handed down incomplete and insincere.

you ask what about muslims or christians.

i would not worry about them. personally, to me, hinduism, especially tamil hinduism, is a wholesome inclusive phenomenon - of kapali koil and mundankanni amman koil, both of mylapore.

i see no contradiction in being materialistic and being a brahmin. i encourage my children, where they can, to have the killing instinct to succeed. but, i remind them consistenly, in an even more demanding tone, to GIVE. give.

give, loudly, like bill gates, so that you can set an example.

give quietly, like oliver goldsmith's 'man in black', shy and anonymous.

but do not give with arrogance, anger, a need to leave a legacy, and above all shout boastfully from the roofs of the world as if your 100s of crores are what made the difference to poor TBs.

let not your boastful crores be a tin of senseless cacophony which gives cause to further the cancer of want, but rather a paise of a little tinkle of a bell to harmonize with that little water drop from your roof on a rainy night. the sweetest sounds are those that beg to be heard due to their understated melody.

for in the ultimate, i believe, that a one penny given where it hurts most is worth more than the supposed crores of idle and arrogant boasts. educate a poor youth, brahmin if you wish to be particular. nothing wrong with that. pay for those huge medical bills to the needy. but give. keepo on giving. give till it hurts. that will count.

truths, they are heard when whispered the softest. your own voice, the voice of your loved ones are the truths that matter most to you. charity and peace begin where every thing of value for you originates ie your home.

somewhere there humility comes in. its presence is felt. the knowledge of it, acknowledged by the rest of the world, but unaware to yourself.

one word formula to peaceful life? avoid tension. whatever that word means or makes sense to you. tension kills.


God Bless ...

Revival of certain good customs and practices is alright. But, trying to make an exact replica of the distant past is not workable, nor beneficial, in the modern world.

Mere learning of one field or subject may not suit all and pay dividends for all. That's why the learning theories of the day suggest 'eclectic approach' and 'inter-disciplinary approach' in studies.

I appreciate a person who studied Sanskrit and scriptures in his young age becoming
an army man, in his later part of life.

Similarly, I have seen a physicist taking interest in his middle age to learn our ancient texts and literature. That also deserves praise.

But, expecting the entire brahmin community to change their line to their original occupation that was practised by their ancestors some hundreds of years ago is hypothetical, simply impractical and even suicidal in the present context.

Let's be very clear in our vision and thoughts.

Thank you very much for the reply.

I am trying to figure out still. I also wonder, if we can not follow the one described, what could be the new set of descriptions that could define a Brahmin apart from Parents insistence & Poonool kalyanam.

Thanks
P.Venkataraman

Originally Posted by pvraman

Thank you very much for the reply.

I am trying to figure out still. I also wonder, if we can not follow the one described, what could be the new set of descriptions that could define a Brahmin apart from Parents insistence & Poonool kalyanam.

Thanks
P.Venkataraman

pv,

pardon me for another note.

i have always found for me, it works to listen to myself.

poonul is only aspect of defining a brahmin. there are aspects, which give you great joy and internal satisfaction. follow and make sure these are part of your life.

then there are others, which are a drudgery. you do it from a sense that it is a must for reasons like, it is a tradtion, or what the community expects or for our dignity sake or inane other reasons.

i have learned that by shunning these, that i remove a great source of tension within myself, body and mind.

whatever it takes to remove tensions, is the first step.

things, i find, sort themselves out, at their own pace. listen to yourself and you get to know what is best for you. everything else, is only guidelines.

our religion is broad and tolerant enought to accommodate all of us.

take care.

I think living like a brahmin who lived in those ages is not tough provided one has the conviction to live like that. Performing all the 40 samskaras including begging for alms may not be possible but definitely performing the Sandhya, chanting Gayathri, performing homams, studying Vedas and Sanskrit or performing the Shrardham is definitely not an impossible task for a office going brahmin. The main thing here is the want and the conviction to do it. But these rituals are again not science where something is proved and then you start using it. A lot of times one has to jump into it and wait before seeing the results. In my case the act came initially while the conviction slowly built up. Like yoga or pranayama which has to be performed at least for sometime before we start seeing the results. I personally do not subscribe to the fact that being a no brahmin is better than being a half brahmin meaning why take the trouble of doing only karma or that anushtanam if the rest of the prescribed stuff cannot be performed. So someone can argue that since you don't beg for food and go to office you are already not doing what a brahmin is supposed to do, so why perform the Sandhya. Chuck that as well. One has to remember that every karma you do is supposed to accumulate merit. Something like a bank account. We start saving in small portions now to perform a marriage or fund the child's education. Similar is the performance of rituals. Everything has a significance. It is better to study it and then perform it. The Gurus say a brahmin has to do as much as possible of what is prescribed within the constraints present.

What Shri. Kunjippuji says is correct that service and charity is very important but these can very well co-exist with what I have mentioned to be the duties of a brahmin. They are not mutually exclusive. So a brahmin who is ritualistic should not develop the arrogance that service and charity is not important as all of this works towards the realization of the ultimate which is to become one with the Supreme Being. What one should avoid here is becoming a victim of religious dogma. There is nothing wrong in being materialistic but that is not the ultimate goal because the goal post keeps shifting further and further.

I personally believe in the positive effects of being a ritualistic brahmin as much as I believe in other good things like charity or service or being good to others. It is all a matter of faith. The former is faith while the latter is goodness. Faith especially if it is positive leads to goodness as well. Goodness for all though it cannot be measured. For ex, the mantras in the Sandhya offers thanks to Surya, Gayatri Devi, Bhooma Devi, the rishis and so on. A matter of simple thanks for our very survival in this planet just like saying thanks to a guy who keeps the lift open for us to enter. So what is wrong in saying thanks to entities like the Sun or Mother Earth who makes our very survival possible? Even not considering them as demi-gods but just as simple beings to whom we say thanks.

There is something called Zakat in Islam where a Muslim has to donate 5% of all his lifetime earnings to charity. A lot of Muslims do it because it is laid down in the Quran. Folks who may otherwise not do it do so because it is said. Our scriptures even contain so many such lofty ideas. A matter of taking the time to understand them.

My suggestion to Shri. PV Raman is to strive and live like a brahmana as said in the scriptures to what ever extent possible and not feel confused or inferior about it. The main thing is the conviction and along with it comes courage. If we start feeling ashamed of our own culture and traditions then even god cannot save us. Tinkering with religion especially ours which is called apauresheya is not welcome as it can only lead to fights. So you cannot define a new brahminical code of conduct as that will still be man made and subject to all kinds of arguments. If one does not believe it is better to step out. That's what a lot of Muslims do calling themselves ex-muslims. A growing number of people all over the world cite their religion as none while still believing in a Supreme Power.

Dear Mr. pvr,
Your sincerety and eagerness to be a real brahmin is a great thing.First of all I feel Tamilnadu Brahmins should shed their inferiority complex and at the same time their superiority complex.
We need not feel shy for the state in which we are now as times change, history changes and there is difficulty everywhere. With all this we are fine, respectable and we have every right to live with honour.
Hinduism was the only religion in ancient times existent and so a separate name was not needed. If there are many ramus we have to identify as kuttai ramu nettai ramu etc. If there is only one ramu no need for even that name .Andha aalu will do to denote him(Aacharyal deivaththin kural)
Our religion was and is so great that it intended only human growth and evolution and did not bother about numbers and groups. That is why there is no rule for conversion. and actually conversion is not allowed because we do not want to disturb the faith of any one. It is not only universal tolerance but universal accepatance (Swami vivekananda).
This point has turned out to be a negative one also in the present circumstance of other religions just trying to attack our religion.
Coming to practical life, learning sanskrit is excellent. But if it is posing difficulties one need not feel depressed. Dravida vedam and thamizh are equally acceptable to the Lord. Vedam thamizh seida maran sadagopan nammazhvar)
Andhamizhin inbappaavinai kulasekarar.
Archchani paatte aagum sundarar etc will clarify this point
Never give place to the idea of sin in your mind. It is not our religion . No one is a sinner. Man makes mistakes, learns, avoids and evolves.
Man travels from LOWER TRUTH to HIGHER TRUTH AND NOT FROM FALSEHOOD TO TRUTH.
Namajapam, Gayathri, giving charities to cows and needy, growing a tulasi or vilvam or arugam pul by ourselves, reading shastras or listening to sastras(pl. listen to nichur vekats bhagavatham provided by this site itself. it is beatiful consoling and guiding) will be very helpful.
Varnasrama dharmam has necessarily changed. Do not get confused with the dangers of varna sangraham.
The Lord is the most impartial and will not differentiate a person by birth. Actually every one undergoes the stages of varnam every day . In th morning we are all pious and think of holy thoughts only then u r a brahmin. then you go about earning money. HoW u sell something. either your knowledge or labour that is a vysas work When you attend to some hard household cores you are the fourth varnam when you have to fight for your rights thru associations etc it is a khathriyas work. But if one can remember his brahminhood throughout there will be a distinct way of dealing with things. I feel most of us are trying to be pious vysyas only. Brahmin hood is the ideal and a sincere attempt will only give peace and if it is not fully attained one need not feel dejected. (one in thousand hear this. one in thousand attempt this..... says bhagavat gita itself..
yogi sudhdhnanda bharathiyar dided his 24 hrs into 4 parts and spent 6 hrs in reading, 6 hrs in writing, 6 hrs inmeditation and 6hrs sleep
Though it is difficult to follow this, we should give importance to reading and writing and thinking in our own simple way.
that will help us to get peace and also impart peace t others.
We should observe our children and see whether they are intersted in the rituals. then we should encourage that otherwise small dozes of nama japam sangeetham and bhajan should be given.
we r in between our forefathers and our children. We should remember the root and have the catholicity and enrgy to understand the younger generation and act accordingly No particular rule or code of conduct can be given.
I have just blabbered what came to my mind
vasaga dosham khandhavyaha (Excuse the mistakes please)

I am really thankful to the replies by you.

Each reply is class of its own and gives a multi-dimensional approach to get clarity. Anandb sir, Your reply gives me strength to pursue what I would like to do. Tvvaradan sir's replies are having good information which is unknown to me. Kunjuppu sirs immediate reply is encouraging, Pannvalan sir is more practical.

As per the manusmriti itself explained that this is the yug of liberality.

1.86. In the Krita age the chief (virtue) is declared to be (the performance of) austerities, in the Treta (divine)
knowledge, in the Dvapara (the performance of) sacrifices, in the Kali liberality alone.

1.87. But in order to protect this universe He, the most resplendent one, assigned separate (duties and)
occupations to those who sprang from his mouth, arms, thighs, and feet.

So, I feel we should encourage others to respect the one who is doing their basic duty selflessly who lives with simplicity and not who is successful financially, What we as a brahmin are doing to encourage this? How it can be done? Always the kids are important. Are we teaching the kids respect the one who is simple or who is wealthy? how we teach the kids and children, what is really to be appreciated. Everything starts from there. How we are going to be an example.

May we encourage them who teaches sanskrit, Ved. Enroll the kids to (during summer holidays atleast) in those Badashalas. Help the poor to get the job. Free coaching class for the poors. (scholarly Anbargal can have a place in each village & locality in City spend one hour atleast to teach the the poor, we are supposed to do that.) High earning anbargal can contribute a little to the poor and needy. Apart from that we acquire the knowledge of appreciating others not by their financial status or success and but by the simplicity.

Its really hard. But as i think many people already would be doing it. I am interested to know such people who does community service like that.

Doing sandhi, learning ved for ones own discipline, and the application part is more important. If we have such names, org who does the selfless work, we can encourage others to contribute something (Not only Money, help in anyway they are comfortable to do). And this can only be done collectively.

Tamil is established by Agathiya Muni with well structured Grammer and equal to Sanskrit. No doubt is there. Its a greatest language.

The thing is that the original ved many texts are in in sanskrit, and reading the original in the same language will avoid lot of misinterpretations. Thats my humble idea.

Please forgive me if I am wrong in my choice of words. I will continue once i read your replies few more times. (sorry, I am not a bright student)


PV

Dear Kunjuppu sir, Pannvalan Sir.. thanks for your replies. Very informative and encouraging.

Dear Anandb sir and tvvaradan sir, let me go through it with its full understanding. Pardon me for some more time before i reply..
Thanks a lot

PV

Namaskaram shri pvraman,

A little bit from what I have learnt, heard and experienced: (in blue)

Hinduism - What is the Ultimate destination it advises us to visualize and achieve? I mean - Swarga & Naraga?. What is the path it laids out to achieve that. Peace? or material gains?. I understand our Swarga is a place where there is no emotions and only eternal peace. Achieving peace itself is a great thing. And it advocates to do our duty, No pursuit to achieve material goals. In Brief it advises us to have a simple life. Isn't it?

Dharma/Artha/Kama/Moksha - Dharmarthakamamoksha - are the 4 universal categories under which all human aspirations lie. Dharmam is to do service and extend goodness so that we become more enlightened in our next birth. Artha denotes all material pursuits which satisfy our needs. Kama includes all pursuits which satisfy all our wants. Moksha is liberation from all of the above.

What the tools and guidelines it provides - Have we understood it properly? Like Manusmriti. Though Brahmins are given the most important place, is that easy to be a brahmin as compared to other varnas as per the guidelines. I think Brahmins are to follow strictest rules than others and hence, it is not only easy to be a brahmin it requires lot of self discipline to be a brahmin.

Brahmanas should aspire for moksha; that is the goal. Though this does not mean that other varnas are excluded from it. Shasthras are the means to provide the key to it. Not mere learning, but living by what we have learnt.

We analyse the things through the prism of material gains and we blame our poor state to others. Yes the world is changing. Certain things will never change like eating through mouth. But if you leave the values to accommodate the mindless changes, where is our wisdom?
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Based on Manusmriti script (From a little what I understand), one varna can be moved to other varna after rebirths and deeds as described. If we apply this logic, the brahmins could once be sudras, vysyas, kshatrias. The point, I want to make it, being a brahmin, we have greater responsibility in the society than anyother varna. The fall of our values, is the fall of basic concept of Hinduism.

Varna denotes the basic svabhava of individuals. Our shasthras say that one should choose an occupation which befits his natural abilities. One who aspires for kama and is tamasic is a shudra; one who aspires for kama and artha and is selfish in nature is a vaishya; one who aspires for kama and artha and dharma and is rajasic in nature is a kshatriya; one who aspires for moksha and is sattwic in nature is a brahmana. The aspirations could, possibly be tuned in the present lifespan which would earn a higher varna birth in the next janma.

So, the guardian of our vedic religion is the brahmana varna. As he is inclined towards spirituality and liberation from the life-death cycle, he is not naturally interested in material pursuits. But then how would he survive? As a result, it was the dharma (bounden duty) of the state (the king in those days) to serve the brahmana, honour him and provide for him. Thus brahmanas in those days had no necessity to pursue material goals.

Times have changed; today the state (government) is the first enemy of the brahmana. So survival is the first priority; hence we digressed a bit. But then, in order to survive in a challenging world, one had to be competent. In order to be so, one should excel in what one does. Hence, we sought to master that which would give us priority - Western education. We digressed a bit more. We mastered it, as was natural, but then found lots of opposition from varias areas - social and political. Then we sought to explore opportunities outside our homeland. Now we had digressed enough to lose track of our original intent. Then to earn respect among the western peers, we aped their manners, their culture, and their thoughts. We have converted to mlecchas.

In the midst of all this, suddenly we are forced to think of our roots. It could happen by chance, by observing the few who are still true brahmanas, or by discussing the long gone virtues of our culture. Our mind is then torn between two thoughts- one which compels us to follow the materialistic path, as it has proved fruitful so far. The other is the nostalgia and a feeling of hypocrisy which threatens to consume the remainder of our life (applies only to the conscientious). Some are capable of brushing this away as their minds are convoluted enough to crave only for material belongings. Some, try to mend their way to catch up on where their forefathers had missed out. The remaining spend their lives in eternal internal turmoil.

Irrespective of sub-sects we should know sanskrit to know the vedas. How many of us Know? I am guilty ridden, because i dont know. I am 41. I want to start learning now.

Sanskrit is the key to unlocking the shasthras. No amount of translation would help. So it is essential for every brahmana to learn sanskrit. And it is never too late to learn. You should start now - is my suggestion. Personally, I have an elemental knowledge of sanskrit. I am learning it now.

Secondly, a true brahmin should learn veda and teach veda, then who will support his family. Now the question is we should seek job to accommodate our basic requirement or rich life style?.

Now the world is rolled over to rich and materialistic life style. The highly knowledgeable race, we too fallen victims. Our Education system make us respect the Money. It is totally against Hindu Philosophy. But if we dont work for money, how to take care our family? Our system Killed Bharathiyar who tried to live as a true brahmin, many days he starved. The question is we should change to the changed times and live with the flow, or We should come back to the original and great tradition?. When we fight for a place in job it makes brahmin as a group not varna.

I think, logically, if we are to follow true Hinduism, we should stop running behind materialistic gains, and stop looking up people who are rich and stop comparing. We should realize that one who follows this simplistic value is superior to all. We should help others to realize this goal. When they see Brahmin is something to boast, or superior, naturally others will get jealousy. But when they see a true brahmin they will help voluntarily and many of them will also respect their respective varnas in this birth. According to me, brahmin should follow the most difficult way of life.

It is in my mind for a long time. I think, our ancestors left us with great wealth. We have to realize.

I still feel, instead of blaming the govt and other community, in this Kaliyug, we should be the start of all changes.

We should create a directory and take the pledge of members who would like to live like a true brahmin.

I have tried to opine on some of your above queries in my earlier paras. I think we should go along with the flow while not being corrupted by it. Our primary responsibility is the study of VEDAS and living by it to the extent possible. Some may think it impractical; yet others may laugh at us. But I think this is our way.

The present education system is a sin, and targets the ways to make money even unethically.

1. Revive badashala.
2. In the first half of the day, Teach & Learn Sanskrit, Veda and sacred scripts and understand.
3. In the second half of the day, follow the Normal education system barring history and geography (which is already in the vedas)
4. Teach, preach the value of simplicity and actual aim of our life. When the fight for materialistic goal lowers, then all the so called social economic imbalance will go surely.
5. We should create a trust and we should seek for funds not only from Brahmins and from other Varnas. There are always good people in all varnas who can help fund revival of badashalas.

We should create a trust and start schools which have a new curriculum that embodies both your points 1 & 2. It is not impossible; the difficulty is that many do not think like you and me.

Since we are too deep in this materialistic world so much so that we are fighting for reservations, now the time is we should have the new outlook of our existence, Our true responsibilities towards the world, if we are true follower of Hinduism.
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I am in search of this, i am confused. For a long time, i am very uncomfortable when i started to read Bhagvat Geeta. I feel ashamed. I need your help to make me clear, come out of my ignorance. When I questioned my view towards this life, i am really bewildered.

Now that you have realized, there is nothing to be ashamed of. I was in this stage some years ago. The only solution is in action. I found that my inner mind did not allow me to concentrate on other pursuits. My inclination has changed, still changing.....

First we should revive ourselves and then the society... As individuals we are free to go our way, but then we are bound by dharma to help the other.