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Article for posting in the Hindu Religion News Group
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Subject: Article for posting in the Hindu Religion News Group
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From: pritam@ns2.emirates.net.ae (Pritam Vachani)
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Date: 20 Dec 1995 22:30:40 GMT
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Approved: srh <srh@rbhatnagar>
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Article: 810 of soc.religion.hindu
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Newsgroups: soc.religion.hindu
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Organization: none
My name is Pritam Vachani and I have been attending discussion groups on the
Hindu Religion thrice a week for the last six years. Our endeavor has been
to understand the essence of Hindu Philosophy and apply it productively to
our daily lives. I now wish to join your News Group and am offering the
following article written by me specially for the purpose of initiating a
discussion.
If you think the article worthwhile for posting, please do so. In future I
will interact as per your published instructions. My e-mail address is
pritam@emirates.net.ae
For the understanding and continuance of the Hindu religion, one must delve
deep into its philosophy and understand and apply its very essence to ones
everyday living. This is best done by discussion in Groups. Users of the
Net are lucky that way, for a News Group can serve the same purpose. To get
this started (not knowing what has transpired earlier in the Group), let us
discuss some of the salient features of Hindu Philosophy applied to=
ourselves.
Hinduism has encouraged thought and deep introspection in order to realize
the Truth. For if one realizes the truth and that includes the realization
of one=92s own self (What am I? Why was I born? What is my role and=
purpose?
How am I supposed to interact?=85...), and one accepts this truth, then one
can be truly content and act appropriately in all situations. So, for
starters, let us address this issue of Realizing One=92s Self particularly=
in
the context of this material world in which our bodies interact continuously
and very often with much frustration.
There can be many questions and recognizing the essence and value of Hindu
philosophy lies in articulating these questions that bother us and seeking
answers to them which will satisfy us in all situations that may arise now
and in the future. Let us start with the three questions mentioned earlier
which are some of the ones frequently asked and invite all to contribute
their views and, through discussion and introspection, attempt to find
logical answers.
What am I?
To understand the answer to this very basic question one must understand
what we mean by God. One is used to seeing idols of various Gods. These
are but aspects of the totality that is the One God. God is the totality of
things - the total environment (what we see and also do not see). God is
the all-pervading energy through which this world was created, sustains
itself and also the =93apparent (to be explained later) destruction.=94 =
Say, if
nothing was born. Would we believe there is a God or even the presence of
this energy? This all pervading energy or God, by definition, must manifest
itself. For if it did not, there is no God. Our bodies, too are
manifestations of this all-pervading energy, just like the mountains, the
flowers, the streams and all other inhabitants in this universe. We all
make up the totality that is God and as such we are all part of that one -
hence =93Aum=94 - I am that.
Why was I born?
To realize what am I and to appreciate the awesome power of God of which I
am an integral part. There will be many more questions on this, so we will
keep this short for the time being.
What is my role and purpose? This phenomenal world is kept going through
the intervention of all beings that constitute it. So, our role too is to
help sustain this world and carry a message namely that we must all know
ourselves, that we all are a part of THAT, love each other, appreciate each
other=92s role without jealousy or anger, and work together to make this=
world
a better place. What exactly this role is, would come to us loud and clear,
if we were first to tune ourselves to the essence of this philosophy, digest
and appreciate it. But we do not give ourselves a chance. Right from a
very tender age, our thoughts are occupied by the attraction of material
values and desires for acquisition that preempt such deep philosophical
thought and appreciation. However it is not too late to correct this=
situation.
How am I supposed to interact? The answer to this will come naturally, once
one appreciates what one is and one=92s role in this world. We will learn=
to
act with humility without letting ourselves be subjugated. We will learn to
contribute effectively and truly appreciate and enjoy life. We will learn
to understand the true meanings of justice, injustice, anarchy, devotion and
charity, and to deal with whatever comes our way.
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