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What IsHinduism?• If you live in North

America, you share thecontinent with about 1.1million Hindus. If youlive in a large city,chances are it has a Hinducommunity with its owntemple and traditions.But most of the world’sHindus live in southernAsia, especially India, theland where Hinduismbegan (see map). All told,there are about 900 mil-lion Hindus. That makesit the world’s third largestreligion (after Christianityand Islam).

• Hinduism has no onefounder such as Christ orMohammed or Buddha,no central authority like apope or ayatollah, no sin-gle Scripture like theTorah or Koran or theBible, no defining creedor statement of faith likethe Apostles’ Creed.

which means “the eter-nal religion.”

• Hinduism is one of theoldest continuing reli-gions in the world today.Its history reaches back to3000 B.C., a thousandyears before the call ofAbraham, to the mixingof the people of the IndusValley with tribes ofAryans who arrived fromthe west. Together theycreated a religion thatemphasizes the onenessof a universal truth thatis present everywhereand binds all things thatlive together. They creat-ed a rich oral tradition ofhymns called Vedas (VAY-des), which were writtendown in Sanskrit thou-sands of years later. By600 B.C. informal spiritualschools led by teachers, orgurus, were common;their teachings wererecorded in the Upanishads(oo-PAH-nih-shahd).

• By 300 B.C. Hinduismtook a different turn withthe rise of personal wor-ship or devotion to a par-ticular god or goddess inthe Hindu array of deities.This new interest in indi-vidual gods and goddess-es led to the sacred writ-ings called the Ramayana(ra-MA-yeh-neh) andMahabharata (ma-BA-reh-teh), which are epicpoems about gods com-ing to earth to defeat evil.Law codes that set out theproper social order forHindu culture were alsoestablished.

• In 1200 A.D. the Muslimsarrived in India, followedby Christian Europeans in1700. Hinduism changedlittle from interactingwith these other faithsand remained the domi-nant religion of India.

• Hinduism has survived forso long partly because ithas changed as it met newideas and challenges. It haswelcomed new ways ofexpressing devotion, and itallows all followers of dhar-ma to find their own wayto the oneness of the uni-verse.

HINDUISMw h i c h w a y t o g o d ? a c h r i s t i a n l o o k a t w o r l d r e l i g i o n s

ONE OF SOME 780 MILLIONHINDUS WHO LIVE ININDIA, THIS WOMANWEARS THE RED DOT

OR TALIK AS A SIGN OF HER DEVOTION.

Salt and Water“What is Brahman?” a son once asked his father.The father told the boy to bring him a bowl of water and

the family’s container of salt. The boy ran to get the itemsand returned to his father with them. “Put the salt into thewater and come back tomorrow,” the father said.

The next morning, the boy was up early looking for hisfather to learn the answer to his question. “Take out thesalt,” the father commanded his son.

“I can’t. It’s disappeared,” he answered.“Taste the water from the top of the bowl,” he instructed.The boy did so. It was salty.“Taste the water from the middle of the bowl,” he was

told.The boy did so. It too was salty.“Taste the water from the bottom of the bowl.”The boy did so. It was as salty as the rest of the water

had been.“Brahman is like the salt in the water. It is invisible, but

everywhere.”

More About Brahman• Brahman is the absolute and ultimate reality that exists

beyond the appearance of our everyday lives.• Brahman has no form and is everywhere: in people,

plants, and animals.• Brahman is a universal being but is not a person; rather,

it is the source of all existence.• The Brahman that exists in each human being is called

atman. The essence of one’s self, or soul, is the same eter-nal spirit that lives in each living thing and is the lifeforce of the universe. The essence of each living being isthe same as the essence of the universe.

INDONESIA4 million

PAKISTAN2.1 million

SRI LANKA2.8 million

INDIA780 million

MALAYSIA1.4 million

NEPAL19 million

BANGLADESH12 million

Hindu Glossaryatman: The soul or essence

within people that’s iden-tical to the essence of theuniversal power, thesource of everything.

Brahman: (BRA-men) Theone eternal being ofHinduism. Also known asthe One, the ultimatereality, the world soul.The self-existing powerwhich is the source ofeverything.

karma: The effects of ouractions in this life and inprevious lives. All actionshave effects, good andbad. A person’s actionsdetermine his or herfuture in this life and inthe lives to come.

moksha: (MOK-sha) Libera-tion, release, salvation,enlightenment. Finalfreedom from the cycle ofbirth, death, and rebirth.The soul achieving mok-sha does not have to bereborn, but rejoinsBrahman for eternal bliss.

samsara: (sem-SA-reh) TheHindu wheel of life. Thecycle of a soul’s birth andrebirth through differentlifetimes in different bod-ies. The transmigration ofsouls or reincarnation.

yoga: A discipline of themind and body throughwhich one obtains unionwith Brahman.

THE SPREAD OF HINDUISM

What Is Hinduism? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Salt and Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Hindu Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1The Wheel of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Three Paths to Moksha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Hinduism and Christianity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A Ladder for Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3One God or Many? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A Hindu Teen at Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Yoga, Anyone? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Aids to Holiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Cook’s Corner and Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Facts in a Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

C O N T E N T S

• The word “Hindu” wascreated by early travel-ers to the Indian sub-continent to describethe people who livednear the Indus River.The sacred writers ofthis religion speak ofthemselves as followersof the sacred law ordharma (DAHR-muh)and call their religionthe Sanatan dharma,

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The Wheel of LifeHindus believe that just as the world follows a cycle of cre-

ation, preservation, and destruction, the human soul iscaught in a never-ending wheel of life. Birth, death, andrebirth are the eternal motion of the atman. When a baby isborn, it is inhabited by the atman or preexisting soul.Whether this new life will be a step up or down depends onthe karma the soul had attached to itself in its previous cycle.

Karma depends on the actions we take in life for good orevil. Good karma will result in rebirth into a better physi-cal existence in the next life; bad karma will result in theopposite. So what we do determines the condition of ournext life. This idea of birth and rebirth is often called rein-carnation, but the more correct term is “the transmigrationof the soul.”

This endless cycle of samsara is not a pleasurable merry-go-round. The atman in each of us yearns to leave physicalexistence behind and become one with the Brahman. Thisrelease or moksha is the ultimate goal of every Hindu.Never to be born again, but to achieve total oneness withthe Brahman in an eternal state of perfect knowledge andtotal peace is the ultimate goal of humanity.

What keeps us from achieving moksha? Maya. To attainmoksha requires knowing that our life is illusion—the onlytruly real thing is Brahman. Maya prevents people fromseeing this knowledge—they see only the illusion and not

the reality. Moksha can-not be obtained by dedi-cating yourself to gainingsomething in this worldbut only by experiencingunion with Brahman.

ThreePaths toMoksha

In the Bhagavad Gita(BHUG-eh-ved GEE-ta),one of the most famousand popular sections ofthe Hindu religious writ-ings, Krishna explains tothe hero, Arjuna, the sixpathways to moksha.Three of them, the mostpopular, are describedbelow. Hindus are free tochoose the one that bestsuits them.

BIRTH, DEATH, AND REBIRTHARE THE ETERNAL MOTION OF

THE ATMAN. THIS ENDLESSCYCLE IS CALLED SAMSARA

AND IS SYMBOLIZED BY THISGIANT WHEEL. THE ATMAN

YEARNS TO BREAK THE CYCLEOF SAMSARA.

1Jnana (je-NA-neh) yoga or marga—theway of knowledge: If you walk this diffi-cult path you must be a male and be will-

ing to live a life of great devotion and sacri-fice. Your path will have four steps. You beginas a student and you learn the scripture andother rituals of worship. Then you marry andhave children, but you also must help thepoor. At this point you may choose to con-tinue on this path or take another. If you goon, you take the “forest dweller” step, whichrequires you (usually at retirement) to leaveyour family and property behind, find a guruto instruct you in further knowledge, and livein the forest. When you are ready, you takethe final step and assume the life of a holyman. As such, you deny yourself all physicalcomforts, beg for your food, and spend yourdays and nights meditating, reflecting, andreading the sacred scriptures, until you beginto participate in moksha. When you die, youenter fully into the oneness of Brahman.

3Bhakti (BUK-tee) yoga ormarga—the way of devo-tion: This is the most popu-

lar way among today’s Hindus.If you walk this path, youchoose a god or goddess to wor-ship. In return, the god or god-dess bestows good karma onyour soul. Krishna, Vishnu,Shiva, Rama, and the goddessShakti are the most populardeities chosen.

A HOLY MAN DENIES ALLPHYSICAL COMFORTS ANDNEEDS TO BEG FOR FOOD.

A SUNRISECEREMONY ALONGTHE GANGES RIVER.

2K a r m a y o g a o rmarga—the way ofaction: If you choose

this path, you will spendyour life serving others,working for the good ofsociety. You will also takecare to properly worshipthe gods, usually at a tem-ple. You may even go on apilgrimage to holy placeslike the Ganges River.

A BIRTHDAYCELEBRATION FOR

LORD KRISHNA. Phot

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We Don’t Worship Cows!I am an Indian Hindu

living in the state ofOregon. There are only11,000 Indians in this state.I am the only one in myschool district. . . . My near-est Indian neighbor lives 45minutes away.

While I was attendingpublic school, a lot of kidsasked me questions aboutHinduism. Some of thesequeries—like “Why do youworship cows?”—are easierto answer than others.Especially challenging arethe sarcastically nettlingquestions like: “You want abite of beef?” or “Are yougoing to sacrifice me toyour Goddess?” Usually, Iam able to keep a levelhead. When I get asked thetough questions, I findmyself thanking God forthe chance to answer, butalso praying that myresponses are suitable. . . .

I have been attendingregular classes at the Chin-maya Mission Balaviharsince I was five years old.There I have been fortunateto learn of the deep mysti-cism of Hinduism, and alsoabout Indian culture. Thespiritual titan Swami Vive-kananda said: “Unity is

knowledge, diversity isignorance. This knowledgeis your birthright. . . .”Inspired by this and a say-ing often repeated at theChinmaya Mission,“Knowledge is power,” Ifind myself deeply rootedand firm in my beliefs. I amnot one to be swayed.

Thanks to this trainingand the wisdom of mymother, I have been able tointelligently deflect manyinsults and answer manyantagonistic questions atschool.

When I am asked aboutcows, I calmly reply: “Firstof all, we don't worshipcows. We respect them.India is a land where farm-ing is a common job, andcows play a big part in thelives of many Indians. Theyhelp us in many ways . . .(Then, of course, I wouldgo on to explain this). Andbesides, what does it matterif I don't eat cow? Do youeat snakes? Or dogs? No?Dogs are quite a delicacy inKorea, you know.”

. . . Growing up Hindu inAmerica was a bit unnervingat first. This was simplybecause many of the peoplethat I met did not know any-thing about Hinduism. And

people generally fear whatthey do not understand.

Being Hindu is some-thing that I have alwaysbeen proud of. I was raisedthat way. I feel sad when Isee another Hindu kidlaughing along with thejokes that are made aboutus and our culture.

When we put up barriersbetween people on the basisof religion or race, we areallowing ourselves tobecome ignoble bigots. If afellow student ridicules myreligion, I do not have toturn around and ridicule his.

Any advice I might haveis directed toward otherHindu youth like myselfgrowing up in America. It isthis: “Don't get disheart-ened by the ridiculous ques-tions and insulting com-ments. Be proud of the reli-gion that you belong to. Bean exemplary Hindu. If youcan do that, you will haveachieved something thatyou can truly be proud of.”

BY GAUTAM RAMA VARMA PATHIAL.GAUTAM, 15, LIVES WITH HIS PARENTS IN

NEWBERG, OREGON, WHERE HEATTENDS PRIVATE SCHOOL AND ASPIRES

TO BE A LAWYER. ARTICLE USED BYPERMISSION FROM HINDUISM TODAY,

WWW.HINDUISMTODAY.COM.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)Mahatma Gandhi (meh-HAT-meh GAN-dee) is revered by Indians as a great champion

for political rights, by Hindus as a charismatic holy man, and by the entire world as aninspirational leader for the rights of the powerless, wherever they may be.

Originally a lawyer in the Indian community in South Africa, Gandhi returned to Indiain 1941 to help lead India’s struggle for independence from the British. He insisted thatnonviolence was the only acceptable way of protest. He also spoke for the rights of thepoor and powerless; in fact,he saw the full rights of citi-zenship given to the“untouchable” caste ofHindu society.

India gained indepen-dence in 1947, but just ayear later Gandhi was assas-sinated by a Hindu fanatic.His example has inspired alegacy of others who workfor change through nonvio-lent protest. For example,Martin Luther King, Jr., usedGandhi’s methods in theUnited States civil rightsmovement in the 1960s.

When approached by fol-lowers who wanted to imi-tate him, Gandhi referredthem to this piece of advicecalled the Gandhi Talisman:“Recall the face of the poor-est and most help-less person whomyou may have seen,and ask yourself ifthe step you con-template is going tobe of any use to him;will he be able togain anything fromit? Will it restorehim to control overhis life and destiny?In other words, willit lead to swaraj (self-rule) for the hungryand also spirituallystarved millions of our coun-trymen? Then you will findyour doubts and your selfmelting away.”

Earth has enoughfor everyone’s need

but not for everyone’s greed.

—GANDHI

A Ladder for SocietyTied to the idea of samsara is the caste system in

Hinduism. Every Hindu is born into one of four groups, asexplained in Hindu scriptures. These form the basis ofHindu society. Within this system, Hindus support each

other by performing theduties of their caste. Ifone does not do his orher duty (dharma) per-fectly, it harms all of soci-ety and the entire uni-verse suffers. How well orpoorly one performsone’s duties has directbearing on one’s karma.

Your previous karmadetermines into whichcaste you will be reborn.The castes are ranked ona purity scale and thegoal is to get to the toprung of the ladder. It ispossible to create suchbad karma in your pres-ent lifetime that thegods punish you by hav-ing you reborn as an animal.

Brahmins are at thetop of the ladder. Thepurest group, Brahminsare priests who performtemple rituals and teachthe sacred scriptures.

Brahmins are vegetarians so that they never inadvertent-ly kill another life.

Satriyas (Sha-TREE-yas), the next purest group, are thewarriors and rulers: soldiers, police, government officials,and the hereditary ruling families. They may study thescriptures, participate fully in religious activities, and carryweapons.

Vaishyas (VISH-ee-as) are the farmers, shopkeepers,skilled craftspeople, and teachers. They too may study thescriptures and participate in some (but not all) religiousactivities. They may not carry weapons.

Shudras (SHOO-drehs), at the bottom of the ladder, aremanual laborers such as potters and carpenters. They maynot study the scriptures or participate in sacred rituals butmay follow a simplified form of domestic worship.

Untouchables are not even allowed near the ladder.They are the unfortunate ones who do the “dirty work” ofsociety: garbage collectors, cremation workers, streetsweepers, and others. Members of other castes avoid touch-ing them, lest they become polluted themselves. The rightsto full citizenship for this caste in the nation of India wasthe result of some of the democratic reform work ofGandhi in the 1950s.

How important would caste be to you if you were aHindu? If you lived in rural India, it would determine mostof your life. Your caste would dictate your level of educa-tion, your job, even your choice of spouse (you could notmarry above your caste). Elsewhere in the world, caste ismore flexible. But for all Hindus, how well you perform theduties of your caste determine who and where you’ll be inyour next life.

A SHOPKEEPER IS CONSIDERED A VAISHYAIN THE CASTE SYSTEM.

How are Hinduism and Christianity alike?Different? Here are some questions to discuss in yourgroup meetings and to think about on your own:• How is the Hindu idea of “eternal life” (reincarna-

tion) different from our understanding?• How is the Christian idea of sin like the Hindu con-

cept of maqa?• How do Hindu and Christian ideas of incarnation

differ?• What difference does it make to you to have a faith

that’s centered on the one, unique person of JesusChrist rather than on many gods/goddesses?

• What can Christians learn about worship fromHindus?

• Which Hindu marga or yoga do you find mostappealing? Which marga echoes Christianity theclosest?

• Is yoga a good activity for everyone, includingChristians, or should we avoid it because of its asso-ciation with another religion?For other comparisons, check your copy of the

chart “World Religions at a Glance.”

HINDUISM AND CHRISTIANITY

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One God or Many?How many gods and goddesses does Hinduism have?

One Hindu would tell you there is only one—Brahman;another might name twenty or so that she knows of, andadd that there are many more she doesn’t—too many tocount! Who’s right?

Both are. Hindus believe that while there is only oneeternal being, there are thousands of gods. While there isonly one formless god, people need a god or goddess theycan feel close to, picture, worship, and claim as their own.Each one of these gods or goddesses is only one face of thesupreme Brahman.

Three main gods are responsible for the creation, preser-vation, and destruction of the world: Brahma, the creator;Vishnu, the preserver; and Shiva, the destroyer. The worldrevolves through this cycle of beginnings and endings in acontinuous repeating pattern.

When Vishnu needs to appear on earth to preserve theworld from danger or evil, he takes on the form of ahuman or animal. This is called an incarnation or avatar.Vishnu has acted in ten such avatars. (The tenth, Kalki, willappear at the end of the present time riding a white horseand holding a flaming sword.) Two of these avatars, Ramaand Krishna, are also honored as gods. The most recentavatar was Buddha.

The Gods of Hinduism

BRAHMA (not Brahman) First member of the trimurti;the god who makes the creation of new ages

possible. Brahma, the creator, has four faces so he can lookin all directions at once. His four arms point to the fourpoints of the compass. Each arm holds a different object: astring of beads symbolizing time, a pot of water for thesource of life, a tool used in sacrifice for the world, and abook (Brahma is the god of knowledge and thought). Hesits on a swan, a symbol of wisdom.

VISHNU Second member of the trimurti. A powerfulbut kind god, Vishnu preserves, protects, and

defends the world. His four hands enable him to be every-where in the world; each holds a symbol of his divinity. Hecarries a lotus for the beautiful world; a conch shell, whichwhen blown sounds like the Om; a club for power overtime; and a wheel symbolizing the wheel of life. He standson the lotus as a guardian of the world and usually wears acrown, symbolizing his kingship.

SHIVA Final member of the trimurti. Though a destroy-er, he is also a liberator, since in destroying an

evil world he makes it possible for a new, pure world to becreated. As Lord of the Dance, Shiva creates the energy thatflows through the world, making day and night, thechanging seasons, birth and death. He stands on the headof the dwarf Ignorance and is surrounded by a circle offlames representing time, which has no beginning and noend. His upper right hand holds the drum on which hebeats out the rhythm of his dance, and his upper left handholds the flame of his power. A third eye in the middle ofhis forehead looks inward and symbolizes wisdom.

PARVATI The beautiful wife of Shiva; one of the mostworshiped goddesses in Hinduism. Usually

gentle, she can also take the form of Durga, a warrior god-dess, or Kali, an ugly goddess who destroys evil throughwar, strife, and disease.

GANESHA Son of Shiva and Parvati. This elephant-headed god specializes in removing obsta-

cles, so he is often worshiped by Hindus who are begin-ning a new job, moving to a new home, starting a longjourney, or undertaking another new endeavor. His largeears help him hear the prayers of his worshipers. His pot-belly shows he is prosperous and successful. Some Hindusalso begin their time of worship by praying to Ganesha.

KRISHNA The most popular of the gods. A young,handsome man, he is usually pictured as

blue and playing a flute. He is known as a loving god whoaccepts all gifts, no matter how small, if they are given inlove. In North America, members of the Hare Krishna soci-ety devote their worship to Krishna. They wear Hindudress, celebrate Krishna worship in public places like air-ports and parks, and practice strict vegetarianism. Haremeans “God who forgives your wrongdoings.”

BRAHMA VISHNU

SHIVA PARVATI

GANESHA KRISHNA

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The SacredWritings

Hinduism recognizes sixdifferent scriptures orsacred texts:• Vedas: (VAY-des) Collec-

tions of hymns used inthe earliest years ofHindu worship. Theywere handed down oral-ly for hundreds of yearsbefore being set down inSanskrit, an ancientIndian language.

• Upanishads: (oo-PAH-nih-shahd) Collectionsof teachings that grewout of sessions held byteachers and their stu-dents. Dating from 600B.C., they contain theessential teachings aboutBrahman.

• Mahabharata: (ma-BA-reh-teh) An epic poem of90,000 stanzas (probablythe longest poem in theworld!) about the civilwar between two rulingfamilies of India. The godVishnu appears asKrishna to help solve theconflict. One of the mostfamous sections in theMahabharata is theBhagavad Gita or “Songof the Lord,” whichrecounts the dialoguebetween Krishna and thehero Arjuna. Krishnaexplains the various waysto find moksha and givesinstruction in the yogas.

• Ramayana: (ra-MA-yeh-n e h ) A n o t h e r l o n gpoem, this one aboutthe inca rna t ion o fVishnu as Lord Rama.Rama escapes from ban-ishment and, with thehelp of the monkey godHanuman and his armyof monkeys, rescues hiswife, Sita, from thedemon king Ravana,who has taken her to afortress in Sri Lanka; hereturns home to be awise and just king.

• Puranas: (pu-RAH-nes) Acollection of ancient sto-ries and myths that werecompiled over hundredsof years. Many of the sto-ries are about Brahma,Vishnu, and Shiva.

• Dharmashastras: (darh-MUH-SHAS-truhz) Agroup of law books thatprovide detailed discus-sion of correct Hindusociety. The caste system,the proper purposes oflife, and the stages of lifeare all explained.

The Creation of the World1. In the beginning this world was Soul alone in

the form of a person. Looking around, he sawnothing else than himself. . . .

2. He was afraid. Therefore one who is alone isafraid. . . .

3. Verily, he had no delight. Therefore one alonehas no delight. He desired a second. He was,indeed, as large as a woman and a man closelyembraced. He caused that self to fall into twopieces. Therefrom arose a husband and a wife.. . . He copulated with her. Therefrom humanbeings were produced.

4. And she then bethought herself: “How nowdoes he copulate with me after he has pro-duced me just from himself? Come, let mehide myself.” She became a cow. He became abull. With her he did indeed copulate. Thencattle were born. She became a mare, he a stal-lion. . . . Thence were born solid-hoofed ani-mals. She became a she-goat, he a he-goat; shea ewe, he a ram. With her he did verily copu-late. Therefrom were born goats and sheep.Thus, indeed, he created all, whatever pairsthere are, even down to the ants.

5. He knew: “I, indeed, am this creation, for Iemitted it all from myself.” Thence arose cre-ation. Verily, he who has this knowledgecomes to be in that creation of his.

—BRIHADARANYAKJA UPANISHAD

MANY OF THE SACRED WRITINGS WEREHANDED DOWN ORALLY

FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARSBEFORE BEING WRITTEN.TODAY, MOST OF THESE

WRITINGS CAN BE FOUNDIN PAPERBACKS AT LOCAL

BOOKSTORES.

FROM THE SACRED WRITINGS

As leaving aside worn-out garmentsa man takes other, new ones,so leaving aside worn-out bodiesto other, new ones goes the embodied soul.

—BHAGAVAD GITA

From delusion lead me to Truth.From darkness lead me to Light.From death lead me to immortality.

—BRIHADARANYAKJA UPANISHAD

THIS VERY IMPORTANT HINDU TEXT IS WRITTEN IN SANSKRIT, AN ANCIENTLANGUAGE OF INDIA AND THE LANGUAGE OF HINDUISM’S SACRED WRITINGS.

SANSKRIT IS READ FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.

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designed for seeing—not just the worshiper seeing the god,but the god seeing the worshiper. This is why Hinduimages have such huge eyes. Puja involves all the senses:worshipers see the lamps, touch the ritual objects, hear thebells and the sacred sounds, smell the incense, and tastethe food.

PilgrimagesDevout Hindus travel to holy places, which radiate

sacredness to the pilgrims who worship there. There are somany sites for pilgrimages in India that by visiting each ina circular route, a pilgrim could walk around the wholeland of India! All the major rivers in India are worshiped asgoddesses because they bringwater and life to an arid land.In fact, the most importantplace for pilgrims to visit is theriver Ganges, whose watersthey believe can wash away aperson’s bad karma. Mostdevout Hindus try to wash inthe river at least once in theirlifetime.

FestivalsHindus celebrate several

major festivals and manysmaller ones tied to a local cus-tom or event. Most of thesecommemorate or celebrate astory from Hindu mythology.Food, drama, dance, music,and puja are all part of the cel-ebrations. Hindu festivals fol-low a lunar rather than numer-ical calendar, so festivals aren’talways celebrated on exactlythe same days each year.

Hindus at Worship Worship at the temple, worship in the home, pilgrim-

ages, and festivals are all important in the life of the devoutHindu. Faithful and pure devotion will be well rewardedwith good karma and sanctifies all of life.

Temple WorshipA Hindu temple is a holy place where the gods and

humanity can meet, a “crossing” where members of anycaste can be with the divine reality. The largest temples aredevoted to the major gods like Shiva, but most villages willhave a smaller temple to a local deity. Hindu communities in

North America often buildtheir own temples. The tem-ples are open all day for peo-ple to bow down before thedeity in the shrine room, givetheir offerings, pray, and sing.Only the Brahmin priestsmay “wake up” the deity,bathe it, dress it, feed it, andput it to sleep.

Home WorshipDaily worship, puja, is an

important ritual. Puja con-sists of three steps: seeingthe deity; offering flowers,fruits, and cooked food; andretrieving the blessed foodand eating it. This ritual iscarried out in front of a fam-

ily shrine devoted to the family god or goddess. The puja ritual begins by asking the deity to be present.

When the presence is felt, the worshipers welcome it bysymbolically bathing it and offering it gifts. Worship is

A Hindu Teen at WorshipI am the eldest daughter in my

family. My father is a pediatri-cian who came to this countrytwenty years ago to study for hismedical degree. There was a needfor doctors here so he decided tostay rather than go back to India.He was not yet married, so aftergraduation he returned to Indiafor several months and marriedmy mother, who is also aBrahmin. Their families selectedthem for each other, for it isimportant that they be from thesame caste. My father leads myfamily in the way of devotion orBhakti. He has chosen Krishna tohonor as a messenger from god.We also honor Ganesha, Shiva’sson, for my father has had tomake many long trips.

We live in a suburb of our cityin a brand-new house. We haveset aside one of the bedrooms tobe our shrine. My father mustleave for work at 7:30 and I mustcatch my bus at 7:15, so everymorning at 6:30 our family gath-ers at our shrine to worshiptogether for thirty minutes.Before we enter the room, wemust have showered, put onclean clothes, and not yet eatenbreakfast. We remove our shoesbefore entering the room. This isto show respect to Krishna and toshow that we have left worldlydistractions behind.

The shrine is set against thewall. It is on a table about fivefeet high and four feet wide. Alight on the ceiling shines on itso it is always in light. My

mother has prepared the altar forus before we get there. She haslaid down a clean red cloth overthe table. Red is the color of deityor holiness. The figures ofKrishna and Ganesha have beenfreshly washed and oiled, andmother has placed garlandsaround their necks. In front ofthem my mother has placed newsticks of incense, a candle, freshflowers, and a food offering offruit and rice. A handbell rests atthe edge of the altar. Each ofthese offerings is matched to oneof our senses so that our worshipinvolves all of our being: wesmell the incense, see the candle,touch the flowers, taste the food,and hear the bell.

My father begins our worshipby lighting the candle and

incense and ringing the bell. Weall sit in our favorite yoga posi-tion and chant the Om togetherwhile we focus our minds on theatman within us, rid our mindsof distracting thoughts, andmeditate on the goodness ofKrishna. My father ends our timeof worship by reciting some vers-es from the Gita, which helearned as a boy. He has to trans-late them into English for usbecause we don’t know Sanskrit.

We leave the room to get readyfor school and work. The incenseand candle are left burning. Wewill eat the fruit and rice forbreakfast.

THE LARGEST HINDUTEMPLE IN NORTH

AMERICA SITS IN A FIELDOF MARIGOLDS 10 MILESSOUTHWEST OF AUSTIN,TEXAS. IT WAS BUILT ON

WHAT WAS ONCE ACATTLE RANCH.

PILGRIMAGE TO BATHING FAIR ALONG THE

GANGES RIVER.

DAILY WORSHIP (PUJA) ISIMPORTANT FOR HINDUS.THEY WORSHIP IN THEIRHOMES AT SHRINES LIKETHE ONE SHOWN HERE.

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OmThis is the sacred Sanskrit syllable

“Om” or “Aum.” It’s often spoken atthe beginning of prayers and worship,as well as in mantras, as a vocalexpression of Brahman or oneness.The symbol is found everywhere in

Hindu society: posted on the walls of homes, paintedon the dashboards of cars, and worn as jewelry.

LotusA s y m b o l o f t h e b e a u t y o f

Hinduism and the beauty of the uni-verse. Just as the lotus grows fromthe dark bottom of the pond to floaton the surface and opens its beautifulblossom to the light of the sun, so

the world rises out of the unknown mystery to thelight of true light and consciousness. This design ofthe lotus blossom is used as the central figure inmany yantras, meditation pictures.

YantraA picture used as a kind of visual aid

to meditation, designed to turn one’sattention inward. Notice the circlesthat suggest the wheel of life and thelotus petals.

MantraA verbal aid to meditation, a mantra

is a syllable or words that one repeatsover and over, with the effect of increas-ing one’s spiritual level. The Om (spo-ken as “Aum”) is often used as a mantra.Gurus often give their students a specialmantra of their own.

Thou Art ThatThe Sanskrit Tat Tvam asa (TAT

TVAM Asee)—thou art that—is a sym-bol of the central theme of Hinduismand a saying repeated multiple timesin the Upanishads. You (the individualsoul) are that (the universal essence).

Red DotTraditionally, all Brahmins wore the

red dot or talik as a mark of their caste.The dot is placed at the meeting pointbetween the two eyes, where the thirdspiritual eye is said to be. The dots arepainted on with a paste made from a

herbal powder. Red is the sacred color in Hinduism.Today, the talik is used as a sign of devotion for all castesand can be worn for worship.

Sacred CowsCows have a special place in Hinduism. Cows roam

the Indian countryside freely: tying up traffic, eatingfood in marketplaces, and bothering tourists. They maynot be killed and the beef is never eaten. Why? Partlybecause all life is sacred (the reason many Hindus arevegetarians) and because the cow is simply so valuableto the Indian economy. For many families, survivaldepends on owning a healthy cow.

The Four YugasThe Hindu year has twelve lunar months. Each year is

counted by the gods as only a day in a god’s year. Thereare 360 Hindu years in a god’s year, and 12,000 gods’years make up a cycle of four ages or yugas: Kryta, Treta,Dvapara, and Kali. In the Kryta yuga the world was at itsbest and people were happy. In each of the followingyugas, life got progressively worse. According to this cal-endar, we live in the fourth yuga of the cycle, the worstone. Hindus believe that this yuga will end in violence,chaos, and destruction. Kalki, the tenth avatar of Vishnu,will appear at this time to begin a new, perfect age.

Gurus and SwamisA guru is a religious teacher or guide. A genuine guru is

known by the quality of his teaching and the nature ofhis life. A guru can show you the way, but you must trav-el it alone. A swami is a title of respect like “sir.” A studentmay choose to address a guru with this title if the studentfeels the teacher deserves it. If truly deserved, it will beadopted by all the students and used from that point on.(Try it out on your guru!)

Sit on floor, as shown. Left foot in fold of right leg. Hands on kneesor in lap with palms up.

Right foot against upper left thigh.

Left foot high on right leg.Left knee touching floor.

Right foot on left thigh. Knees on floor, bottoms offeet up. Hands on knees or

in lap with palms up.

AIDS TO HOLINESS

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Yoga, Anyone?Mention “yoga” and most people think of a set of exercises designed to help increase

control of the mind and the body. In Hinduism, however, yoga is intended to build upone’s spiritual power in order to attain moksha (union with the Brahman).

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes the perfect disciple of yoga:The person who aims at that supreme conditionof perfect yoking with Godmust first of all be moderate in all things,in food, in sleep, in vigilance, in action,in exercise and recreation. Thenlet him, in seeking God by deep meditation,abandon his possessions and his hopes,betake himself to some secluded spot,fix his heart and thoughts on God alone. . . .. . . then let him sitfirm and erect, his body, head and backstraight and immovable, his eyes directedtoward a single spot, not looking around,devoid of passion, free from anxious thought,his heart restrained, deep in meditation. . . .He whose senses are well controlledattains to sacred knowledge. . . .Quietness in mind is the state of the Supreme.He who, intent on meditation,joins his soul with the Supreme, is like a flamethat flickers not when sheltered from the wind.

A series of postures are used for training the body to practice yoga. The most importantone is the lotus position (seated with legs crossed onto the thighs) because it is the mostconducive to a peaceful mental state (see diagrams). Other postures include the cobra(lying flat on the floor, stomach-side down, with head and shoulders raised) and the star(standing bent at the waist so the forehead touches the knees).

Breathing exercises are also used to promote special rhythms and control breathing. Aperson practicing yoga might also use a yantra as a visual aid and a mantra as a verbal aid(see definitions elsewhere on this page).

Yoga has become very popular in North America as a tool for relaxation and stress-reduction. Yoga classes can be found at health centers, sports clubs, heart rehab units, andpain clinics. Supporters of yoga claim it brings better health, improved powers of think-ing, peace of mind, and longer life.

Do-It-Yourself YogaHere are two basic yoga positions for meditation. Begin with the half-lotus, practicing it

until you’re comfortable. Then, if you’re game, you may want to try the full lotus position.

Half Lotus

Full Lotus

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Snakes andLadders

This game is fun and alsoteaches the Hindu belief in aseries of reincarnations ortransmigrations that lead tothe ultimate goal of moksha(deliverance from rebirth).According to this belief, a per-son is reborn higher in thesocial system if he or she haslived a good life, or lower if heor she has lived an evil life. Therebirth can even be to an ani-mal level, if the law of karmareflects an evil life.

Begin by having players puttheir markers at space 36(humanity’s estate). Each playertosses the die and moves aheadaccordingly. If a marker landson a snake’s head, it must bemoved down to the square atthe snake’s tail. If it stops at thebottom of a ladder, it mayadvance to the square at thetop of the ladder. The object ofthe game is to see who canreach moksha first.

—FROM WORLD RELIGIONS FOR THE CLASSROOMBY DOROTHY ARNETT DIXON, © 1975,

TWENTY-THIRD PSALM PUBLICATIONS,MYSTIC, CT 06355.

Cook’s CornerLike to cook? Like to

eat? Here are some recipesthat you may want tocook up (or persuadesomeone else to) as youlearn about Hinduism.

Easy Curryserves 3-4

Brown in small amount of fat1/4-1/2 pound (.11-.22 kg)

chicken or other meat(raw or cooked), fine-ly cut

Add21/2 cups (.60 L) water

Chop and add in orderaccording to cooking timeneeded2 medium carrots2 stalks celery1 green pepper1/2 medium onion

Add1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt1/8 teaspoon (1.6 mL)

pepper1 tablespoon (15 mL)

curry powderBlend together1 cup (.24 L) tomato

sauce1/3 cup (.08 L) milk2 tablespoons (30 mL)

cornstarch

Simmer 45 minutes oruntil vegetables are tenderand sauce is thick andglossy. Stir frequently.

Options:• Substitute white flour

f o r h a l f t h e w h o l ewheat flour

• After turning chapati,rub with a few dropsmargarine or oil. Whensecond side is finished,turn over again andcook briefly on firstside. Rub oil on secondside and fry briefly.

—CYNTHIA PEACOCK, CALCUTTA,INDIA. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OFHERALD PRESS, SCOTTDALE, PA 15683AND WATERLOO, ONT. N2L 6H7 FROM

EXTENDING THE TABLE: A WORLDCOMMUNITY COOKBOOK BY JOETTA

HANDRICH SCHLABACH.

Banana Yogurt Salad(India)

Kela Raita (KAT-lah RIE-tah)serves 3-4

A simple, cool side dishto serve with hot currymeals. A healthy hot-weather snack or pleasantlight meal.Slice 2 bananasSprinkle with2 teaspoons (10 mL)

lemon juiceToss with2/3 cup (150 mL) yogurtTop with 2 teaspoons

(10 mL) shreddedcoconut (optional)

Option:• To sweeten, add a bit

of sugar—SARA LARSON WIEGNER, AKRON, PA.

REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF HERALD

PRESS, SCOTTDALE, PA 15683 AND

WATERLOO, ONT. N2L 6H7 FROM

EXTENDING THE TABLE: A WORLD

COMMUNITY COOKBOOK BY JOETTA

HANDRICH SCHLABACH.

Hindustani Tea (Chai)serves 7-8

Heat together in a 3-4qt. saucepan6 cups (1.4 L) water7 teaspoons (35 mL)

loose teaBoil 10 minutes. Add6 cups (1.4 L) milk

Heat to near boiling.Add to taste10-15 teaspooons (50-75

mL) sugar

Tastes best when pre-pared 2 or more hours inadvance and set aside.Reheat during meal andserve with fresh fruit fordessert.

—JOHN NYCE, GOSHEN, IN. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF HERALD

PRESS, SCOTTDALE, PA 15683 ANDWATERLOO, ONT. N2L 6H7 FROM

MORE-WITH-LESS COOKBOOK BYDORIS JANZEN LONGACRE.

100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91

81 82 83 84 85 68 87 88 89 90

80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

20 19 18 16 15 15 14 13 12 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Faith

Impurity

Stealing

Steadfastness

MaliceVanity

Almsgiving

Lying

Dis

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DevotionDrin

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Conduct

Ascet

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Knowledge

Heave

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passion

Debt

Murder

Heaven

HeavenGreedPrid

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Anger

Heaven

MOKSHA

Desire

Serve over rice, noodles,or biscuits.

—MARIE J. GRANTZ, NORTH NEWTON,

KS. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF

HERALD PRESS, SCOTTDALE, PA 15683

AND WATERLOO, ONT. N2L 6H7 FROM

MORE-WITH-LESS COOKBOOK BY DORIS

JANZEN LONGACRE.

Indian Flat Bread (India)Chapati (chah-PAH-tee)serves 10

Chapatis are made invarying sizes and thick-nesses in South Asia andEast Africa. Pieces of chap-ati are used instead ofutensils to scoop up currydishes.

Combine2 cups (500 mL) whole

wheat flour1 teaspoon (5 mL) mar-

garine, meltedpinch of salt

Gradually add1/2 cup (125 mL) or more

lukewarm water

Knead until dough issoft. Cover with damp clothand let rest l hour. Dividedough into ten pieces. Onfloured surface, roll eachpiece into 4-inch (10 cm)circle, 1/4-inch (3/4 cm) thick.Heat heavy ungreased fry-ing pan. Cook each chapatiuntil it starts to bubble onbottom, turn, fry other side,and remove. Stack in a teatowel to keep warm.

Where and When It Began: India; 3000 B.C.

Founder Figure: no one founder

Major Deities: Brahman is the one eternal being ofHinduism, the source of everything. However, thereare thousands of gods, including the trimurti ofBrahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; andShiva, the destroyer.

Places of Worship: shrines in homes or in temples

Sacred Places: numerous sites in India but especiallythe Ganges River

Holy Books: Hinduism recognizes six different sacredwritings, among which the Upanishads contain theessential teachings about Brahman.

Major Festivals: Hinduism has numerous local festi-vals that vary from place to place; its main univer-sal festivals are Holi, which celebrate the grain har-vest, and Divali, a tribute to the Lakshmi, the god-dess of wealth and success.

Where Practiced: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh,Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indonesia. About 1.1 mil-lion Hindus live in North America.

Online: www.Hinduismtoday.com; www.beliefnet.com;www.about.com; www.adherents.com

FACTS IN A FLASH