You have been born in this world as a human being to worship God; therefore try to acquire love for His Lotus Feet. Why do you trouble yourself to know a hundred other things? What will you gain by discussing philosophy? Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886)
For our cause I too am prepared to die, but for no cause, my friend, will I be prepared to kill. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), Indian spiritual leader
In a day when you don't come across any problems, you can be sure that you are traveling in the wrong path. Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrisha
Not until we see the richness of the Hindu spirituality can we understand India. Lin Yutang (1895-1976), Chinese writer
Faith is like electricity. You can't see it, but you can see its light shining on you. Anonymous
The highest form of grace is silence. Swami Chinmayananda (1916-1922), founder of the Chinmaya Mission
Water is sufficient to cleanse the body, but truthfulness alone can purify the mind. Tirukkural 298
Truth is not only Eternal but also unlimited and infinite. Sanatana Dharma is very simple and natural because it is based on the Laws of Nature. Swami Rama Tirtha (1873-1906), one of the first sannyasins to bring Hinduism to America
Before I came on this earth, I was the same. As a little girl, I was the same. I grew into womanhood, but still I was the same. And, even now, I am the same. Though the dance of creation will ever change around me in the hall of eternity, I shall be the same. Sri Anandamayi Ma, (1896-1982), Bengali mystic
The body of Benjamin Franklin lies here, made food for worms like an old and worn book. Yet it will appear once more, in a new and more beautiful edition, corrected and amended by its Author. Epitaph on the grave of Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), American philosopher and politician, who believed in reincarnation
Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else. Anonymous
I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought of yourselves or your properties, but to care about the improvement of the soul. Socrates, (470-399 bce) Greek philosopher
The first day a guest, the second day a guest, the third day a guest, the fourth day a calamity. Indian proverb
Do not be proud of wealth, people, relations and friends, or youth. All these are snatched by time in the blink of an eye. Giving up this illusory world, know and attain the Supreme. Adi Shankara, 9th century Indian philosopher and saint
The present is the result of past action. Man is the architect of his future. Satguru Yogaswami (1872-1964), Sri Lanka's most revered contemporary mystic
An equation for me has no meaningunless it expresses a thought of God. Srinivas Ramanujan (1887-1920), Indian mathematician
Wake up and find out eventually who you really are. In our culture of course, they'll say you're crazy or you're blasphemous, and they'll either put you in jail or in the nut house (which is the same thing). But if you wake up in India and tell your friends and relations, "My goodness, I've just discovered that I'm God," they'll laugh and say, "Oh, congratulations, at last you found out." Alan Watts, (1915-1973), English philosopher and expert in comparative religion
I think I get enough exercise just pushing my luck. Anonymous
Sometimes I wish karma could talk… That would take a lot of the guesswork out of what we do. Randy Hickey, TV character, brother of the eponymous star in the American show "My Name Is Earl"
Few women admit their age, but fewer men act it. Anonymous
Surrender can never be regarded as complete so long as the devotee wants this or that from the Lord. True surrender is the love of God for the sake of love and nothing else, not even for the sake of salvation. Love Him unconditionally. Sri Ramana Maharishi (1879-1950), South Indian mystic
Each Hindu lineage has within it an inner sound, a nada of a different velocity, varied in pitch and depth. This is sampradaya. This is parampara. This is nada-nadi shakti. This is Hindu mysticism. To hear this very high-pitched eee sound is your first siddhi. It will bring many benefits into your life, smooth out the karmas, keep you inspired and on the subtle path, strengthening your personal force field and that of all those connected to you. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism Today
DID YOU KNOW?
HINDU GODS IN JAPAN
Although hinduism has few followers in Japan, still it had a significant, but indirect role in the formation of Japanese culture. Many Buddhist beliefs and traditions come from Hinduism, spread to Japan from China from the 6th century. Several Hindu Gods are revered in the land of the rising sun.
Japan's very popular "Seven Gods of Fortune" are partly originated from Hindu deities, including Benzaiten (Sarasvati), Bishamon (Kubera), and Daikoku (Mahakala). Benzaiten is specially popular. A text praising Benzaiten, called The Sutra of Golden Light, became an important scripture in Japan used to support the Imperial claim to power and divinity. She is also part of the popular Lotus Sutra.
The Hindu god of death, Yama, is known as Enma. Garuda, the vahana of Vishnu, is known as the Karura. The japanese tennin originated from the Hindu apsaras.
In a massive temple at the Futako Tamagawa area of Tokyo, Lord Ganesha is displayed so many times that He even outnumbers the Buddha!
Through Buddhism, many of the facets of Hindu culture which have influenced Japan have also influenced Chinese culture.
BASICS OF HINDUISM
HINDUISM'S SECOND PILLAR: SCRIPTURES
The three pillars of hinduism are the temples, the scriptures and the satgurus. They sustain and preserve the ancient wisdom. If any two were to dissapear, Hinduism would come back from the third, as perfect as it ever was.
Here we describe the second pillar, Hindu scriptures. The holiest and most revered are the Vedas and Agamas, called shruti (that which is "heard"), both revealed by God through clairaudient and clairvoyant rishis centuries and millennia ago.
The Vedas and Agamas hold eternal truths. They are Hinduism's primary and most authoritative scriptures, expounding life's sacredness and man's purpose on the planet. They were memorized and orally conveyed from generation to generation, then finally written down in the last few millennia. The subtly symbolic language of Hindu shruti is lyrical and lofty, imparting religious practice, rules and doctrine.
The Vedas extol and invoke a multiplicity of Gods through elaborate fire rituals called yajna. The Agamas are specific to each Hindu denomination, centering around a single Deity and His worship in sanctified temples and shrines.
The array of works known as smriti (that which is "remembered") is equally vast. The most prominent and widely celebrated are the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Devotees also revere the many Puranas, which contain Hindu mythology.
Moreover, through the ages God-realized souls have poured forth volumes that reveal the wonders of yoga and offer passionate hymns of devotion.