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| Lesson - 18 : When did this faith start and how was it practiced? How
is the Religion Practiced over the Time? | ||||
Most Hindus believe that their religion and its teachings are without beginning or end and it precedes even creation. The Vedas are like the very breath of Almighty God. Most philosophers do not like to describe the faith as a mere religion as it does not describe the practice adequately, since even an atheist and agnostic are accepted into the religion. Free thinking of the individual, questioning of the faith and reasoning of its teaching are freely allowed without a dogma. The religion permeates totally into the life of every one born in the faith from the moment of birth all through his life and beyond, whether he is a believer or not, a scholar of the religion or illiterate. The different views and aspects of the religious practice are not contradictory but just complimentary. Every Hindu understands this fact that the religion accepts varying forms of worship and every one of the way the devotee prays, as the prayers for every form of God is for the same Almighty who comes to protect them. This is not a form of Poli-Theism but truly it is Mono-Theism or even Monism. | ||||
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The
main aspiration of a Hindu is to live a life of purity and simplicity with a sense
of justice, follow the proper Dharma, believe in one's Karma and the goal is to
attain Moksha or the ultimate liberation from the cycle of rebirths. The religion
gives to a Hindu a certain peace and tranquillity of mind both in prosperity and
in adversity, courage to face the problems in his life and a definite vision of
his ultimate spiritual destiny. | ||||
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Sanãthana
Dharma ãsthra | ||||