ALL ABOUT HINDUISM - The Divine Life Society

1 ALL ABOUT HINDUISMBySRI SWAMI SIVANANDASri Swami SivanandaFounder ofThe Divine Life SocietySERVE, LOVE, GIVE,PURIFY, MEDITATE,REALIZESo SaysSri Swami SivanandaA Divine LIFE Society PUBLICATIONF irst edition :1947 Second edition :1961 Third edition :1977 fourth edition : 1988 Fifth edition :1993 Sixth edition :1997(Copies 5,000)World Wide Web (WWW) edition : 1999 WWW site: ~pkanagar/ Divine /This WWW reprint is for free distribution The Divine Life Trust SocietyISBN 81-7052-047-9 Published ByTHE Divine LIFE SHIVANANDANAGAR 249 192 Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh,Himalayas, TOALL THOSEWHO LOVE HINDUISMAND ITS SUBLIME PHILOSOPHYAND PRACTISE ITS TEACHINGSPUBLISHERS NOTEH induism is veritably the fountain-head of all religions.

2 It contains within itself the seeds ofall religions. It includes all religions and excludes is but natural that people all over the world should show increasing interest in a religionwith so universal an appeal. ALL ABOUT HINDUISM is intended to meet the needs of those who want to beintroduced to the various facets of the crystal that is HINDUISM . The book, which was first publishedin 1947, has now been rearranged in a more convenient form, with useful additions here and there,and is now released in its fifth do hope that all serious students of Hindu Religion and Philosophy will find the bookuseful and interesting. THE Divine LIFE UNIVERSAL PRAYERSIO Adorable Lord of Mercy and Love!

3 Salutations and prostrations unto art Existence-Consciousness-Bliss art Omnipresent, Omnipotent and art the Indweller of all us an understanding heart,Equal vision, balanced mind,Faith, devotion and us inner spiritual strengthTo resist temptations and to control the us from egoism, lust, greed, hatred, anger and our hearts with Divine us behold Thee in till these names and us serve Thee in all these names and us ever remember us ever sing Thy Thy Name be ever on our us abide in Thee for ever and ever. Swami SivanandaIIO Thou Invisible One! O Adorable One! O Supreme! Thou permeatest and penetratest thisvast universe from the unlimited space down to the tiny blade of grass at my feet.

4 Thou art the basisfor all these names and forms. Thou art the apple of my eye, the Prema of my heart, the very Life ofmy life, the very Soul of my soul, the Illuminator of my intellect and senses, the sweet Anahatamusic of my heart, and the substance of my physical, mental and causal recognise Thee alone as the mighty Ruler of this universe and the Inner Controller(Antaryamin) of my three bodies. I prostrate again and again before Thee, my Lord! Thou art mysole refuge! I trust Thee alone, O ocean of mercy and love! Elevate, enlighten, guide and protectme. Remove obstacles from my spiritual path. Lift the veil of ignorance. O Thou Jagadguru! Icannot bear any longer, even for a second, the miseries of this body, this life and this Samsara.

5 GiveDarsana quickly. O Prabho! I am pining. I am melting. Listen, listen to my fervent, Antarika not be cruel, my Lord. Thou art Dinabandhu. Thou art Adhama-Uddharaka. Thou artPatita-Pavana (Purifier of the fallen).Om Santi Santi Santih!vIIIS arvesham Svasti BhavatuSarvesham Santir BhavatuSarvesham Purnam BhavatuSarvesham Mangalam BhavatuMay auspiciousness be unto all;May peace be unto all;May fullness be unto all;May prosperity be unto Bhavantu SukhinahSarve Santu NiramayahSarve Bhadrani PasyantuMa Kaschid-Duhkha-Bhag-BhavetMay all be happy;May all be free from disabilities;May all behold what is auspicious;May none suffer from Ma SadgamayaTamaso Ma Jyotir-GamayaMrityor-Ma Amritam GamayaOm Santi Santi Santih!

6 Lead me from the unreal to the Real;Lead me from darkness to the Light;Lead me from mortality to Peace! Peace! Peace!viCONTENTSPUBLISHERS NOTE ..ivTHE UNIVERSAL PRAYERS .. vHINDU RELIGION .. 1 Purpose Of Religion ..1 Distinguishing Features Of HINDUISM .. 1 The Glory Of Vedanta And Yoga.. 2 Emphasis On Practice ..3 Who Is A Hindu.. 3 Origin And Significance Of The Term .. 4 The Spiritual Soil Of India ..5 The Facts Of History ..6 Reasons For Survival Of The Hindu Religion .. 6 Its Future .. 6 HINDU SCRIPTURES ..7 Sanskrit Literature .. 7 The Scriptures .. 7 The Secular Writings .. 21 Conclusion .. 22 HINDU DHARMA .. 23 Definition Of Dharma .. 23 The Sole Authority Of The Vedas.

7 24 The Changing Dharma.. 24 Dharma In Other Religions .. 25 Benefits Of The Practice Of Dharma .. 25 Kinds Of Dharma ..25 Sanatana Dharma ..26 Samanya Dharma .. 27 Varnasrama Dharma .. 30 Yuga Dharma ..37 Conclusion .. 38 HINDU ETHICS .. 38 Conduct And Character .. 38 Ethics Or The Science Of Conduct .. 38 Ethics, Spirituality And Religion .. 39 Benefits Of The Practice Of Ethics .. 39 Ethical Codes In HINDUISM .. 39 The Foundational Principles Of Hindu Ethics.. 40 Service As Worship ..40 Ethical Culture Or The Process Of Purification .. 41 Philosophy Of Right And Wrong .. 42 Yogic Gardening.. 44 Conclusion .. 44viiHINDU TENETS.. 45 The Law Of Karma .. 45 The Doctrine Of Reincarnation.

8 49 The Concept Of Avatara .. 51 HINDU RITUALS .. 52 Sandhyopasana ..52 The Ten Scriptural Samskaras .. 56 The Pancha Mahayajnas .. 58 Sraaddha And Tarpana .. 60 Pitripaksha And Mahalaya Amavasya.. 61 Navaratri Or The Nine-Day Worship Of Devi .. 63 HINDU WORSHIP.. 65 Worship Or Upasana..65 Benefits Of Worship ..65 Saguna-Upasana And Nirguna-Upasana .. 66 The Bhavas In Bhakti Yoga .. 67 Puja And Ishta-Devata ..68 The Philosophy And Significance Of Idol-Worship .. 69 From Ritualistic Bhakti To Para-Bhakti .. 74 The Glory Of Hindu Philosophy And Hindu Mode Of Worship .. 75 Conclusion .. 76 HINDU YOGA .. 77 The Four Paths .. 77 Karma Yoga .. 77 Bhakti Yoga .. 78 Raja Yoga.

9 79 Jnana Yoga.. 81 The Yoga Of Synthesis .. 82 HINDU THEOLOGY .. 83 Theological Classifications .. 83 The Vaishnavas ..84 The Saivas .. 87 The Saktas .. 88 Miscellaneous .. 88 The Arya Samajists And The Brahma Samajists .. 88 Sadhus And Sannyasins .. 89 HINDU MYTHOLOGY AND SYMBOLS .. 92 Hindu Mythology ..92 Hindu Symbols ..93 Conclusion .. 99 HINDU PHILOSOPHY I .. 99 Philosophy Its Origin And Its Limitations.. 99 The Orthodox And The Heterodox Systems Of Indian Philosophy .. 101 The Shad-Darsanas Or The Six Orthodox Schools .. 101 The Nyaya .. 103 The Vaiseshika .. 107viiiThe Sankhya .. 111 The Yoga .. 120 The Purva Mimamsa .. 125 The Vedanta Philosophy .. 128 HINDU PHILOSOPHY II.

10 131 Introduction.. 131 The Advaita Philosophy Of Sri Sankara .. 133 The Visishtadvaita Philosophy Of Sri Ramanuja .. 136 The Dvaita Philosophy Of Sri Madhvacharya .. 139 The Dvaitadvaita Philosophy Of Sri Nimbarka .. 143 The Suddhadvaita Philosophy Of Sri Vallabha .. 147 The Achintya Bhedabheda Philosophy Of Sri Chaitanya .. 151 HINDU PHILOSOPHY III .. 155 The Saiva Siddhanta Philosophy .. 155 The Sakti Yoga Philosophy .. 158 EPILOGUE .. 164 Unity The Need Of The Hour .. 164 Who Is Qualified To Serve Religion Efficiently .. 164 Education And Nation-Building .. 165 Call For Consolidation Of The Nation .. 167 APPENDIX .. 168I. The Siva-Linga .. 168II. Indian Culture Based On The Bhagavad-Gita.