Hinduism and its quest for grasping the entirety.

 

Hinduism embraces all of life. It has mapped the universe, the earth, nature, vegetation, animal, avian, and insect kingdom, human beings, the family, society, country, as well as the world community.

Human beings have been kept in the center. On the human being rests the welfare of all. Dharma in Hinduism refers to duties and responsibilities. It is not to be confused with the general use of the term religion. The human being owes its existence to all, and is thus indebted. Thus the inference is, humans ought to repay the debt by serving all.

The human being is also the reflection of the entire universe. All the forces and currents that uphold the universe are also reflected within the human frame.

The life of a human being has been divided into four stages; the life of a student where he serves the parents and the Guru, the life of a householder where he is responsible for the family society and the country, the life of contemplation as a forest dweller where the person again locates himself after a period of busy life, and the life of a mendicant in search of his spiritual roots. In each of this the person serves society as well as develops as a spiritual entity.

Spirituality is not a selfish concept in Hinduism. It is not about pleasure seeking or developing selfish powers. The right to spirituality is obtained only after dutifully serving all. The spiritual person also has a responsibility towards all. Thus the welfare of all and self sacrifice lies at the core of spirituality as defined in Hinduism.

This is in sharp contrast to the modern concept of spirituality which seeks a selfish self centered life, pleasant experiences and freedom from responsibilities. The all renouncing Saints of Hinduism know that the knowledge they have attained after immense struggle is to be awarded to all for their development and welfare. They thus open themselves and give without any thought of return.

The Hindu is not supposed to think for himself but measure his growth by how much he, without any selfish interest, can give to the entire creation. The core of Hinduism is "tyaga" or self sacrifice. Renunciation and self sacrifice are the most potent weapons of India.

The practice of Hinduism strengthens all of life and society without leading to imbalances and deficiencies. It is unlike the one sided views veering either towards exclusive monasticism or detaching from the mainstream practices through other means. It goes with the flow and takes all with it.

The Hindu scriptures are extremely structured. Most of them cannot be traced to any author or are ascribed to pseudonyms taken up by many in a bid to hide behind it as an indication of selflessness. The pride of authorship is abandoned under the onerous duty of contributing to society and all of life.

Education is about understanding ones place in society, ones place in creation, ones relationship to the spirit and energy world; as well as mundane knowledge about different subjects for the sake of livelihoods and social welfare.

The hallmark of Hindu education is absorption. All things that are good and amenable are examined and taken into the fold. All practices that are beneficial are adopted and implemented. It acts like the ocean that accepts the waters of all rivers that flow into it.

Hinduism has closely examined all aspects worthy of study. Thus we find a wide repertoire of subjects and books. Hindu livelihoods centered around the needs of society. Each section of the society knew its place and tried to excel in its duties. The social structure provided strength to communities who were committed to look after their own. These communities were so strong they survived against all odds and the bonds are strong even today.

How did this structure grow? Somehow it grew organically. The researchers are baffled at the structure and resilience of the systems despite the lack of any ultimate authority that preached from the pulpit.

The knowledge structure of India was maintained by all. Its texts were both memorized as well as documented meticulously so that the knowledge was transferred from generation to generation.

A very notable quality seen among the population was the power of intuition. People had tremendous powers of observation. They observed the planetary combinations, weather and climate trends, the qualities of air fire water earth and space, behaviour of animals, birds and insects, and also keenly studied the impact of all on their own selves through the senses. This knowledge too was recorded in indigenous couplets and preserved as songs or poetry. They are still used to predict trends.

All the communities had their own strengths; whatever be their livelihoods or whether they stayed in the plains, the mountains or the forests.

The conceptual country connected by a similar culture extending from Afghanistan to Burma followed a pattern no matter how fragmented the kingdoms were. The people followed their routines journeying throughout the length and breadth of what they considered their country for the sake of their education, religion and livelihoods. Wars were fought on battlefields so as to not disturb the society.

The country was exceptionally rich in all aspects. Nature was bountiful, the people were skilled, minerals were plenty, and its wealth was the envy of the world. Even today the opening of the Ratna Bhandar of Lord Jagannath and the glimpse of the jewelry within it has left the visitors grappling with their emotions. They have said they are overwhelmed by what they have seen.

It took massive wars, plunder, loot, genocide, and willful meticulous destruction continuing for centuries to bring it all down. It is amazing that despite all of that and the subsequent neglect, tampering, and distortion the essence of Hinduism still survives and attracts people from all over the globe.

Let us be proud of this country and its achievements. Let us dig deep into the treasures that it has meticulously preserved for us. Let us not betray the spirit and struggle of our ancestors.