Hindu, the Oldest Religion of the World

Hinduism, one of the oldest religions in the world offers a large number of scriptures and Hindu religious books. The following are the most important Hindu religious books-

The Vedas- The Vedas are the ancient religious books of Hinduism. Among the four Vedas- Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda, the Rig Veda is the oldest of all. All the Vedas have immense spiritual value and include incantations, hymns, metaphysical contents and the rituals that were practiced in ancient India.

The Vedic philosophy has been continued in the Upanishads and they explain how the atman (soul) can merge with Brahman (the ultimate truth) through spiritual ways like meditation and thoughtful observation. The Upanishads also elucidate the doctrine of Karma (the collective effects of one's actions).

The Puranas, another type of Hindu religious books narrate the entire history of the cosmos, from creation to devastation, the successive generations of the kings, demigods and valiant heroes and so on. There are about seventeen to eighteen canonic Puranas that are classified into three divisions- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva( all named after Hindu deities).

The Bhagavad Gita or the Gita is considered the Holiest Book of the Hindus and consists of philosophical exchanges between the Lord Krishna and the warrior prince – Arjuna. In fact it an excerpt of the great Epic- Mahabharata and elaborates on devotion, duty, meditation, selflessness and other subjects of Hindu philosophy. Ramayana is another famous Epic in Hindu religion.

The ‘Code of Manu' or the ‘Manusmriti' also forms a part of the Hindu religious books and typifies the social codes of the caste system pertaining to the Brahmins.

Vedanta, or the philosophy of the Upanishads, is lofty, sublime and unique. The Western philosophers have paid their tribute to the ancient seers of the Upanishads. They have been amazed at the lofty heights scaled by them. Schopenhauer studied the Upanishads and meditated on the thoughts of the Upanishads just before going to bed. He said: - The Upanishads are the solace of my life and they will be solace to me after my death also. -

The Raja-Yoga system of Hinduism is also splendid and unique. The lessons are immensely practical and highly instructive. No system of physical exercise on the surface of the earth can compete with Hatha-Yoga. Kundalini-Yoga is wonderful. Hence the Americans and Europeans are in search of Hindu Sannyasins and Yogins. They visit the Himalayas frequently in quest of Yoga teachers. Some are living under Hindu Yogins as disciples and are practising Yoga. Many Europeans and Americans are even now Hindus by faith and practice, though they are born Christians. They practise Raja-Yoga and Vedanta.

vedas have four parts - samhita, brAhmaNa, Aranyaka & upanishat. The samhitas are the core part of vedas. They are full of mantras. brAhmaNas help in the application /interpretation of the vedic samhitas. Aranyakas and upanishats are the philosophical part. upanishats cover a spectrum of analysis of the God and relation to It for the soul. They are the benchmarks (prasthAna) in Hindu philosophy. So the philosophers when establishing their concepts proclaim that their theory stands good with the benchmark upanishats. The essence of the Upanishads is brought out in brahmasUtra composed by vedavyAsa, the one who organized the Vedas. The four categories of vedas are Rig, yajus, sAma, atharva. Vedas are the voice of the Divine preserved as it was heard by the sages and hence they are called shRuti. There is another set of scripture are the things remembered from the voice of God. They are called smRuti. The Bhagavad- Gita is considered by eastern and western scholars alike to be among the greatest spiritual books the world has ever known. In a very clear and wonderful way the Supreme Lord Krishna describes the science of self-realization and the exact process by which a human being can establish their eternal relationship with God. In terms of pure, spiritual knowledge the Bhagavad- Gita is incomparable. Its intrinsic beauty is that its knowledge applies to all human beings and does not postulate any sectarian idealogy or secular view. It is appproachable from the sanctified realms of all religions and is glorified as the epitome of all spiritual teachings. This is because proficiency in the Bhagavad- Gita reveals the eternal principles which are fundamental and essential for spiritual life from all perspectives and allows one to perfectly understand the esoteric truths hidden within all religious scriptures. Many great thinkers from our times such as Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Schweizer as well as Madhvacarya, Sankara and Ramanuja from bygone ages have all contemplated and deliberarted upon its timeless message. The primary purpose of the Bhagavad- Gita is to illuminate for all of humanity the realization of the true nature of divinity; for the highest spiritual conception and the greatest material perfection is to attain love of God!

World Top 10 - Largest Hindu Populations

Country Hindu Population India 755,135,000 Nepal 18,354,000 Bangladesh 15,995,000 Indonesia 7,259,000 Sri Lanka 2,124,000 Pakistan 1,868,000 Malaysia 1,630,000 USA 1,032,000 South Africa 959,000 Myanmar 893,000