Hinduism is not only a way of life but the complete way of life.
Non parochial and all encompassing.
It is endless, ageless and timeless.
For thousands of years, indigenous religious consciousness has enriched Hinduism according to aspirations and needs of the human society.
It is a mixture of various sects, cults and doctrines and highly informative and venerated religious literature like –the Vedas, the Epics and the Puranas are ample testimony to its ocean like vastness.
Hinduism which is full of symbolism also propounds the theory of trinity of Gods i.e. the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer.
Lord Brahma (the creator) is the supreme creative spirit and linked with the origin of the universe and Lord Vishnu (the preserver) is shown to have been endowed with the qualities of permanence , continuity and the preservation while Lord Shiva ( the destroyer ) represents destruction , austerity and the more malignant forces.
Another important aspect of Hinduism is the incorporation of Mother Goddesses symbolising fertility, protection, religious order cultural creativity and material abundance.
Some important examples of these forms are Durga, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati and Prithvi and they play most fundamental role of guardian of the cosmos.
Hinduism very rationally and scientifically has described the march of civilization linking it with the origin of the life on this planet.
Interestingly, in a very systematic description, it explains that how Vishnu descends on the earth in different forms to rescue the mankind from the evil.
The first signs of life were found in the water and the Matsya incarnation symbolises the forming of protoplasm and invertebrates and the Kurma incarnation symbolises the amphibian form both water and the ground , Varaha (wild boar)symbolises the development of mammals , Narasimha symbolises half man and half animal , Vamana (the dwarf ) reflects the incomplete development of man , Parashrama symbolises further development and heralding of the stone and metal age, Rama shows the ideal way of life and ability of mankind to adhere to norms and systems , Krishna shows the sixty four arts and professing of way of life as per the Dharma and performing the Karmas to attain ultimate salvation.
Hinduism also assimilated Budha in its fold which incarnation reflects the intellect and the scientific temper while it believes that yet another incarnation Kalki would descend to save the mankind when moral excellence would cease and the rule of law would disappear.
Another hall mark of Hinduism is ‘Vasudhev Kutambkam’ and the doctrine has been the guiding light to the world religions and interestingly during Parliament of World Religions’ at Chicago (USA) in 1893 Swami Vivekananda had got accolades for explaining this unique feature to the world.
Over the centuries, the religious Gurus like Shankaracharyas and others have preached and interpreted Hinduism for guidance, solace and the salvation.
It is a religion which has truly shaped the mankind.
Henry David Thoreau had said “In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagvat Geeta.’’