Hindus believe in ONE god

[Guest]

Introduction

Hinduism is Not a Single Religion

Hinduism is not a term which identifies a single set of beliefs or ways of worship. Indeed the word itself doesn't appear in English until 1829.

Hinduism is the practices of a variety of different religious groups which come out of India.

Origins

Hinduism developed from the religious practices of those who lived near the River Indus in modern day Pakistan.

However Hinduism has been, and continues to be, influenced by the traditions, stories and practices of people from other parts of India and beyond.

The Nature of God

Hindus believe in the universal soul (Brahman), as the sole reality who is present in all things.

Brahman has no form, and is eternal.

Brahman is creator, preserver and transformer of everything.

Brahman appears in the human spirit as atman, or the soul.

What About All Those Hindu Gods?

It is often believed that Hindus worship many gods, but in fact, many Hindus would claim to believe in one eternal god (Brahman) which is indefinable, whilst revering other deities.

They recognise the other gods as different aspects of the Brahman

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hi...sm/intro2.shtml

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My question: How true it is?

[mehtab]

The Nature of God

Hindus believe in the universal soul (Brahman), as the sole reality who is present in all things.

Brahman has no form, and is eternal.

Brahman is creator, preserver and transformer of everything.

Brahman appears in the human spirit as atman, or the soul.

Being from Hindu background i know that the above quote is not totally wrong. In fact there are Hindus (although very few and rare in number) who worship the Formless Almighty and have names like Ram and Hari for HIM. But then again a vast majority feel comfortable worshipping GOD in some "form" or the other, sometimes even more than one form, and so thats where the concept of monotheism becomes really questionable!

[Guest]

I've even heard dat in one of da Hindu Holy books it even says dat workshiping Idols of ne form is not advised. And only reciting Om is da best way.

[Hari]

My question: How true it is?

Very true.There is only Atman, also known as Brahman.Also known in a more personal way as Hari, Krishan, Raam etc.

Please read so called "Hindu" scriptures, like the Upanishad, Bhagvad Gita etc.

You could start off with Ishopanishad, the Upanishad of Ishvar.

[Mehtab Singh]

I think the Bhagwad Gita (which I have read one-third, i.e 6 outta 18 adhyayas...was a kid then) and Upanishads (haven't read any of them) are probably the main source of knowledge in Hinduism and are minus all the weird practices that were born later on. There is also the Srimadbhagwat which has stories from Krishna's life and how the world was made etc. Dunno much bout the puraans. All these gyaan filled scriptures talk about the One Formless Infinite Lord and don't stress on any physical attribute.

[HeyDudesWassup]

Brahma: God of Creation

Part 1: The Hindu Trinity & Lord Brahma

http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa061703a.htm

Behind the Trinity is One

In India, there is a legend about Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Each of them was boasting about their miraculous powers. All of a sudden, a young boy came forth, asking Brahma: "What do you create?" Brahma's answer was quick and proud:"Everything". Asking the other two gods, the boy got the answers: "We sustain and then dissolve everything". The young visitor was holding a small straw in his hand. Showing it to Brahma, the boy asked: "Can you create a straw just like this?" after an extraordinary effort, Brahma admitted that he cannot create such a straw. The child turned to Vishnu and asked him to preserve the form of the straw. To his amazement, Vishnu was looking helpless to the dissolving form of the straw. Finally, the child asked Shiva to destroy the straw. Despite all his efforts, the straw was still there. Then the boy turned again towards Brahma and asked him: "Are you my creator?" Brahma thought thoroughly, but he could not remember creating the amazing boy. The child suddenly disappeared from their bewildered eyes, and the three gods remembered that behind their amazing powers there is always God.

Too Many Gods! Too Much Confusion!

http://hinduism.about.com/cs/basics/a/aa072103a.htm

What is Brahman?

In Hinduism, the impersonal Absolute is called “Brahmanâ€. According to this pantheistic belief, everything in existence, living or non-living comes from it. Therefore, Hindus regard all things as sacred. We cannot equate Brahman with God, because God is male and is describable, and this takes away from the concept of the Absolute. Brahman is formless or “nirakaraâ€, and beyond anything that we can conceive of. However, it can manifest itself in myriad forms, including Gods and Goddesses, the “sakara†form of the Brahman.

According to Prof. Jeaneane Fowler of the University of Wales College, Newport: “The relationship between the many manifest deities and the unmanifest Brahman is rather like that between the sun and its rays. We cannot experience the sun itself but we can experience its rays and the qualities, which those rays have. And, although the sun’s rays are many, ultimately, there is only one source, one sun. So the Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism amount to thousands, all representing the many aspects of Brahman†(Hinduism: Beliefs, Practices and Scriptures)

[ishveir]

"According to Prof. Jeaneane Fowler of the University of Wales College, Newport: “The relationship between the many manifest deities and the unmanifest Brahman is rather like that between the sun and its rays"

Quoting the above lines, it sort of sums it up.

There is ONE God, deities are real, they are beyond humans yet not equal to the creator.

respect deities (even Idols, pictures etc) because they are a reminder to us of their existence and form.

that is why many deities are into many forms -- to appeal to the masses and to appeal to the human senses.

As long as the intentions are one -- to worship -- then everything will fall into place.

=my two cents worth=

[drkhalsa]

Brahma: God of Creation

Part 1: The Hindu Trinity & Lord Brahma

http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa061703a.htm

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh

Dear Singh ji

I have some to ask from you I asked the same to Vijaydeep singh but he directed me to you , Recently reading Gita I came across chapter 12 and as its translation meant it seems Krishan ji is advising that to follow god in form ( in incarnation e.g Krishna) it s more perfect and easy I t really left me thinking as I was not expecting this but what ever i am sending the verse and if you could tell something it will be helpful

Chapter 12: Devotional Service

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 12.1

arjuna uvāca

evaḿ satata-yuktā ye

bhaktās tvāḿ paryupāsate

ye cāpy akṣaram avyaktaḿ

teṣāḿ ke yoga-vittamāḥ

SYNONYMS

arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; evam — thus; satata — always; yuktāḥ — engaged; ye — those who; bhaktāḥ — devotees; tvām — You; paryupāsate — properly worship; ye — those who; ca — also; api — again; akṣaram — beyond the senses; avyaktam — the unmanifested; teṣām — of them; ke — who; yoga-vit-tamāḥ — the most perfect in knowledge of yoga.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna inquired: Which are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly engaged in Your devotional service or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested?

Chapter 12: Devotional Service

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 12.2

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayy āveśya mano ye māḿ

nitya-yuktā upāsate

śraddhayā parayopetās

te me yuktatamā matāḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mayi — upon Me; āveśya — fixing; manaḥ — the mind; ye — those who; mām — Me; nitya — always; yuktāḥ — engaged; upāsate — worship; śraddhayā — with faith; parayā — transcendental; upetāḥ — endowed; te — they; me — by Me; yukta-tamāḥ — most perfect in yoga; matāḥ — are considered.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect.

achieve Me.

BG 12.5: For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.

BG 12.6-7: But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pṛthā — for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.

BG 12.8: Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.

BG 12.9: My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.

BG 12.10: If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage.

BG 12.11: If, however, you are unable to work in this consciousness of Me, then try to act giving up all results of your work and try to be self-situated.

BG 12.12: If you cannot take to this practice, then engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, is meditation, and better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.

BG 12.13-14: One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me — such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.

BG 12.15: He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.

BG 12.16: My devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and not striving for some result, is very dear to Me.

BG 12.17: One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things — such a devotee is very dear to Me.

BG 12.18-19: One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devotional service — such a person is very dear to Me.

BG 12.20: Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me.

Jatinder Singh

]