Hindu Philosophy
Celibacy (Brahmacharya)
Celibacy (Brahmacharya) can be defined as an act of abstaining oneself from indulging in any type of sexual activity, speaking or imagining about sex as well as touching others with the intent of sex. Such a person is called celibate (Brahmachari). In general, a person who is not married is often referred to as a celibate. Brahmacharya has been given great importance in Hinduism. Lord Hanuman and Lord Kartikeya who are important deities of Hindus are celibates and are believed to possess tremendous spiritual powers. Most of the Hindu sages are celibates. It is believed that celibacy increases spiritual power…
Holy Cow – Why Is Cow Sacred For Hindus?
The cow is a female animal that belongs to the bovine family. The cow is considered as the most sacred animal in Hinduism. Hindus do not eat beef (cow meat). Killing a cow is considered as one of the greatest sins. Orthodox Hindus believe that 33 Crore demi-Gods dwell in the body of the cow. The statement is meant to emphasize the importance of conservation of cow. Hindus consider cow as mother. Hence, the cow is also called as Gomata i.e., mother cow. The cow is considered a very poor-natured animal. It is a symbol of sacredness, purity, motherhood, and…
Who is a Hindu
The answer to this question can be very simple but if you want to know the deep meaning of being a Hindu, you need to know what the definition of Hindu is according to Hindu scriptures and Hindu scholars. The person can be called as a Hindu if he/she: 1. Believes in salvation as the ultimate goal of life. 2. Believes in Vedas. 3. Believes in birth and rebirth. 4. Believes in God. 5. Believes that there are many ways to achieve salvation. 6. Believes that all the deities are the manifestations of God. “Who is a Hindu” according to…
Hinduism and animals
There are some Hindu temples in India where you would find monkeys, dogs, rats, and/or other animals inside the temple. The cow is the highest revered animal for Hindus. Aside from cows, dogs, monkeys, elephants, and other animals are an integral part of Hindu mythology and are associated with different Hindu deities. Most of the animals are given protection in Hinduism except for a few. An important fact about Hinduism is that it has given high importance to the animals including domestic as well as wild. Bhagavadgita says that the same soul exists in the animals as well as human…
Niyoga
The concept of Niyoga might sound barbaric to us, but it was practiced even by cultures likes Jews, though in a different form. What is Niyoga? Niyoga is an ancient Hindu tradition in which a woman copulates with her deceased husband’s brother or a revered person in society with the sole purpose of having a child. Rules of Niyoga: 1. The woman must be either a widow or her husband is infertile or impotent. 2. The man would do this only to help the woman have a child and not have pleasure. 3. He can do this a maximum of…
Is religion really necessary?
The most basic question is “Is the religion necessary for a human being?” You may be a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, or belong to a different religion, this question must have come into your mind at some point. Is religion really necessary for us? Suppose there is no religion and no one follows any religion, what would happen? Would the world drown? Statistics: According to an estimate, about 2.3% of the world’s population describes itself as an atheist, while a further 11.9% is described as nonreligious: United States (4%), Italy (7%), Spain (11%), Great Britain (17%), Germany (20%), and France…