Hinduism is the oldest living religious tradition in the world and is also known as Sanatana Dharma and Vedic Dharma. It is not a single religion but a set of different schools of thought and traditions. Hinduism is a mixture of many religious rituals, sects and philosophies and all of them are different from each other in different parts of India. Majority of Hindus follow the Vedanta philosophy of one God (Brahman) who is worshipped in many forms like Vishnu, Siva, Durga, etc.
About 10 billion people worldwide are followers of Hinduism making it the third largest religion of the world. The followers of Hinduism regard the four Vedas as the main scripture. Each Veda is divided into parts called: Brahmanas, Samhitas, Aranyakas and Upanishads which are also widely followed. The other main scriptures are the 18 puranas, 18 up-puranas, the Bhagavad-Gita and Ramayana.
The basic beliefs of Hinduism are:

• Dharma (individual ethics, duties and obligations)
• Samsara (rebirth)
• Karma (actions)
• Moksha (salvation)

Different schools of Hinduism follow different paths or means for salvation. The four main paths that most of the schools follow are: the path of devotion- "Bhakti", the path of action-"Karma", the path of meditation- "Raja" and the path of enlightenment- "Jnana". The basis of Hindu philosophy is that all souls that are born from Brahman (Cosmic Spirit) finally merge with it.
Hindus believe in the divinity of the Vedas, the worlds most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are Gods word and the bedrock of Santana Dharma, the eternal religion which has neither beginning nor end. The four facts of Hindu religion are:
1. Karma
Karma is what the soul undergoes in one of two ways, according to whether its actions are virtuous or not; but both kinds subsist until the end of enjoyment in this world. (Svayambhu Agama)
God’s cosmic law of karma governs our life experiences through cause and effect. As Gods force of gravity shapes cosmic order, karma shapes experiential order. Through karma, your thoughts, emotions and deeds-whether good, bad or mixed return to you. Thus, karma is your teacher. It imparts the lessons you need and are able to meed. For it is a divine law that no karmic situation will arise that exceeds your ability to resolve it. Karma is not fate. You have free will. No God or external force is controlling your life. It is your own karmic creation. To be responsible for your karma is strength. To blame another is weakness. Therefore, remember Gods great law of karma and act wisely.
2. Reincarnation
Through his past works he shall return once more to birth, entering whatever form his heart is set on. This mighty soul unborn grows not old, nor dies, for the soul is immortal and fearless. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)
Your soul is an immortal body of light. It’s Absolute and super conscious essence is identical to with God. Yet, this identity needs to be realized and unfolded within the soul. Toward this goal your soul undertakes many, many lifetimes in a physical body. You are now the sum total of all your past lives. You undergo every conceivable human experience as the forces of the body, ego and desire manifest. In the latter lives the forces are transmuted toward spirituality. Finally, your soul realizes God. After resolving all residual karmas, your soul no longer incarnates into human form. As the Agamas and Vedas teach, the soul continues its evolution in the inner worlds. Therefore, you live joyously, strive for spiritual elucidation and do not fear death.
3. Dharma
May noble wisdom come to us from all sides, undeceived, unhindered, overflowing, so that the Devas may always help us onward, unceasing is their care, our Guardians day by day. (Rig Veda)
Dharma is Gods Devine Law, the law of being. Dharma is to the individual what its normal development is to a seed-the orderly fulfillment of an inherent nature and destiny. When following dharma you are in harmony with the cosmic order; you abide close to God. The moral dimension of Hindu dharma is embodied in the eight yamas (restrains) and eight niyamas (observances). The yamas are: non-violence not stealing; disciplining desire; abjuring lust and greed; curbing arrogance and anger; not lying; avoiding injustice; shunning wrongdoing and evil company. The niyamas: be pure in body, mind and speech; love mankind; seek contentment; cultivate devotion; develop forbearance; give charitably; study the scriptures; perform penance and sacrifice. Every person has his or her path; worship God, and your dharma will become clear.
4. Worship
Offering of perfumed substances, flowers, and incense, lamps and fresh fruits - these are the five elements of the traditional puja which culminates with offering of the lamps. (Kamika Agama)
Worship expresses our profound love for God. Puja, bhajan, prayer and meditation are all worshipful means of direct, personal communion with God and Gods. God, Gods and devas are all real beings dwelling in the inner worlds. They can and want to help you in every aspect of your life. This they do in accord with your own patterns of karma and dharma. Daily, personal puja at home keeps you God-conscious and your home holy. God has established many temples to allow us to intimately communicate with Him. Temple puja opens a channel to God. Through His personal presence and Sakti, prayers are answered, karma softened, spiritual elucidation guided. Surrender, worship with intense love, and God hears.
These four facts-karma, reincarnation, dharma, worship are the essence of the Vedas and Agamas and the fabric of every Hindus life. Speak of them to all who will listen. They are the heritage of all souls.
3. Nine Beliefs of Hinduism
Beliefs are the building blocks of the mind. Our beliefs determine our thoughts and attitudes about life, which in turn direct our actions. By our actions we create our destiny. Beliefs about sacred matters—God, man and cosmos—are essential to one’s approach to enlightenment. But beliefs are not mere matters of agreement. They are what we value and hold as true. Hindus believe many diverse things, but there are a few bedrock concepts on which most Hindus concur. The following nine beliefs, though not exhaustive, offer a simple summary of Hindu spirituality.
• 1) I believe in the divinity of the Vedas, the world’s most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God’s word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion which has neither beginning nor end.
• 2) I believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and non evidential Unmanifest Reality.
• 3) I believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.
• 4) I believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.
• 5) I believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas has been resolved, and moksha, spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny.
• 6) I believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments as well as personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods.
• 7) I believe that a spiritually awakened master, or sat guru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry and meditation.
• 8) I believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, "no injury."
• 9) I believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God’s Pure Love and Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.
Hinduism, the world’s oldest religion, has no beginning—it precedes recorded history. It has no human founder. It is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are one. Hinduism has four main denominations—Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism. The above nine beliefs form a common ground for all Hindu sects.
The term "Hindu mythology" is used by modern day scholars for ancient Indian literature which has historically important details about people, places, kings, style of living, deities, incarnations, sages etc. In academic studies, the term "myth" does not mean fiction or that the narrative is false. It is essentially a western epithet given to all non-Judeo-Christian religious literature. The archaeological evidences point to the veracity of our ancient texts and therefore, Hindu mythology is essentially Hindu legends and cherished beliefs of Hinduism.
The various topics of Hinduism contain stories that are accepted as literal truth by some and as philosophical or allegorical insights by others. The different topics are:
Swargaloka/Swargalok/Heaven
The concept of Swarga (heaven) is that it is a temporary place for enjoying the fruits of good actions committed on Earth. The ultimate goal is "Moksha" (supreme salvation) that every soul wants. Swarga is said to be inhabited by Devas (Gods), who are believed to be the children of Rishi Kashyapa and his wife Aditi.
Indra (the God of thunder and lightning), is the king of Swarga. The other devas residing there include Varuna (the God of the oceans), Agni (the God of fire), Kubera (the treasurer of the Gods), Yamaraja, or Dharma (the lord of righteousness and death), Surya (the sun God), Chandra (the moon God), and Kamadeva (the God of love).
Narakaloka/Naraklok/Hell
The concept of Naraka is that the souls of people is brought here to suffer pains and punishments for the sins they committed on Earth. It is said that Lord Yama rules the Naraka with a band of emissaries called the Yama duta. Chitragupta acts as the accountant for every deed that has been committed by the human beings on Earth and based on that the humans are assigned the privilege of living in Swarga or confined to Naraka.
Hindu Gods and Goddesses
Hinduism believes in one God who is formless, nameless, infinite and eternal. Human minds have portrayed God in many forms with humanistic characteristics like fatherhood, motherhood, love etc. The one eternal god is called "Brahman". All Universes is born from God and everything dies and goes back to him. God is the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. Thus, Hinduism believes in one God who has numerous names and forms.
Hindu Gods
It is said that Hinduism has about 33 crore or 330 million gods and goddesses. However, ancient scriptures have stated that Hinduism has "33 Koti Devas" which has been variously interpreted as 330 million or 33 crore (1 koti = 1 crore) Gods or 33 categories of Gods since "koti" also means "category".
Hindu Gods are male forms of the one God - Brahman. Humans have given different names and forms to the same god. The most commonly worshiped Gods of Hinduism are:
• Lord Brahma/Prajapati: The Creator
• Lord Vishnu/Narayana: The Preserver
• Lord Shiva/Rudra: The Destroyer
• Lord Ganesha
• Lord Rama
• Lord Krishna
• Lord Hanuman
• Lord Kartikeya
• Lord Kubera

Hindu Goddesses
The female form or Shakti has many forms who are worshiped for different reasons. The main goddesses of Hinduism are:
• Goddess Parvati: She is the consort of Lord Shiva and mother of Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya. She is the source of all the power in the universe and the power of Gods is also due to her. Goddess Parvati is worshipped by Hindu females for the longevity of their husbands and children. Her vehicle is the lion and sometimes she is depicted seated on the tiger as well. She has various forms like Durga (goddess beyond reach); Bhadrakali (the auspicious power of time); Amba or Jagdamba (mother of the world); Annapurna (giver of food and plenty); Sarvamangala (auspicious goddess); Bhairavi (terrible, fearful, power of death); Chandika or Chandi (violent, wrathful, furious); Lalita (playful) and Bhavani (given of existence).
• Goddess Lakshmi: Goddess Lakshmi is the consort of lord Vishnu and the Goddess of wealth. She is depicted as a beautiful female seated on a pink lotus and being anointed by a pair of white elephants. Her vehicle is the white owl. She is worshiped by Hindus and on Diwali it is said that she comes for a visit, so people light lamps to guide her to their homes.
• Goddess Saraswati: She is the consort of Lord Brahma and is the patron of music, arts, crafts and learning. Goddess Saraswati is usually depicted as fair and gracefully clad in pure white, riding a swan and holding a Veena and book. She is worshiped by students for blessing them with knowledge and memory.
Sapta Rishi (Seven Sages)
When Lord Brahma decided to create our universe, he created seven sages out of his thoughts. They were called the Sapta Rishis and also "Maanasa Putra"(created out of mental thoughts). The Sapta Rishis are:
Bhrigu
Bhrigu is said to have stepped on Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu to test the greatness of each God. Brahma and Shiva were furious but Vishnu treated the Sage with respect and was declared the greatest. His descendants are supposed to have composed the Atharva Veda.
Angirasa
Angirasa along with Sage Atharvana is said to have composed Atharva Veda. He is also mentioned in the other Vedas.
Atri
Atri is the rishi who composed the fifth Mandala (chapter) of Rig-Veda. He proclaimed the theory of three strands of the sacred thread: Janeu/Janou. The three strands symbolize creation (represents Brahma and the letter "A"), sustenance (represents Vishnu and the letter "U") and destruction (represents Shiva and the letter "M"). Together these three strands show the vow that a Brahmin takes to recite and adhere to AUM/OM.
Gautama
He is credited to have created mantras and also Godavari was formed after he prayed to Lord Siva. Siva descended to Trayambakeshwar and this gave rise to the river Godavari. He is said to be the creator of Dharma Sutras that contain the rules for the four Ashramas, the forty Samaskaras, the four Varnas, kingly duties, the punishments for various offences, etc.
Kashyapa
He is the father of Gods and Demons. Sage Kashyapa is said to have two wives: Aditi (mother of Gods) and Diti (mother of demons).
Vasishta
He was chief of Saptarishis and the Rajaguru of the Suryavamsha (Solar Dynasty). Vasishta is said to be the chief author of seventh Mandala (Chapter) of the Rig-Veda. He also wrote the "Vasishta Samhita" - a book on Muhurtha/Muhurt that forms the basis of predetermined astrology.
Agastya
He is said to one of the greatest of all Sapta Rishis. He is credited with spreading the Vedic religion to South India and creating the Tamil language. He married Lopamudra, the human daughter of Brahma.
All of us take care to keep our bodies and our clothes clean. But do we bestow any attention on our inner or mental cleanliness? Inner impurity is the result of desire, anger, and fear. It is common knowledge that when one is in the presence of one’s mother, one keeps all evil thoughts under control. Similarly, in the presence of the Divine Mother, we can control our evil thoughts. We can cleanse our hearts only by the Dhyana-thirtha (holy water of meditation) of the Divine Mother. When the heart is so cleansed, it will learn to distinguish the real from the unreal, which will result in the end of births. A day spent without a conscious attempt to clean one’s heart, is a day wasted. Impurity of cloth or body will lead to diseases which will last only for one life-time. But impurity of heart will lead to diseases which will afflict the soul for several births.
God or Paramatma is only one, and we worship that God as Father, Mother or Teacher of the Universe. The Vedic religion, which is popularly known as Hindu religion, emphasizes this fact. God in the form of Divine Mother is a personification of kindness and love and he who worships at Her divine feet will secure mental peace quickly. Desires only increase by fulfillment. Desires can be overcome by Santhi and mental discipline. Let us surrender ourselves at the holy feet of the Divine Mother and purify ourselves with her Dhyana-thirtha, and thus free ourselves from desires, diseases and births.
There are two main sects among Christians. But the name of the God and the Holy Book of the Christian religion are common to both. The same is the case with the Muslims. So far as the Hindus are concerned, there are apparently two Gods and two Holy Books, according to whether one is a Saivite or a Vaishnavite – the Tirumarai and the Prabandham. But the basis for both Saivism and Vaishnavism is the Vedas, and according to the Vedas, there is only one God, the God about Whom the Vedas sing. If we had been classified as Saivites, Vaishnavites, and so on, the whole country would have been balkanised. We should, therefore, bear in mind the fact the Vedas form the basis for our religion and that there is only one God. Failure to realise this fact will only lead to the weakening, and finally the disintegration, of Hindu society.
This takes us to the question of preserving the Vedas in their pristine purity. The Vedas are not preserved in writing and the Tamil term marai (hidden) for the Vedas is very appropriate. The Vedas are like the roots of a tree. The different sects are like its flowers and fruits, all deriving their sustenance from the roots. Fortunately, we have the good tradition of the Vedas and the Vedangas being handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and happily for the entire world, the Vedas have been preserved in their pristine purity, especially in the South.
The importance of Sanskrit is due to the fact that it is the language of the Vedas. There is evidence to prove the influence of Sanskrit in Far-Eastern countries like Indonesia and even in places like Persia. It once occupied the place of an international language. The Vedas must be preserved in the Sanskrit language and not in translation, because the spirit will get diluted in the process of translation. Though there may be translations, a reference to the original will become necessary, when difficulty arises in interpretation. We can trace the basis for all religions to the Vedas. For the preservation of Vedas, it is necessary that some people devote their entire time for Vedic study. That is how the Vedas were preserved in the past and were handed down to succeeding generations by oral transmission. A community will cease to exist the moment it loses sight of its purpose in society. The purpose of the Brahmin community is to learn, preserve and hand over to posterity, the Vedas and the Vedangas
The Upanishads are diverse in character and outlook. They recognize intuition rather than reason as a path to ultimate truth. They also represent a strong reaction against the merely ritual and sacrificial duties on which stress had been laid earlier. The Upanishads are supposed to be 108 or more in number. Twelve of them are generally recognized as the principal units. The Isa Upanishad begins with the statement that whatever exists in this world is enveloped by the Supreme. It is by renunciation and absence of possessiveness that the soul is saved. In the Kena Upanshad, the Goddess Uma, Haimavati in the form of Supreme Knowledge expounds the doctrine of the Brahman or Supreme Entity. The Katha Upanishad embodies the aspiration of Naciketas, who declined his father’s offer of property and went into exile, making his way to the region of Yama, the God of Death. Naciketas, in his dialogue with Yama, declines all the worldly possessions and dignities offered by Yama and asserts that all enjoyments are transient and the boon he asks for is the secret of immortality. In This Upanishad occurs the famous saying 'The knowledge of the Supreme is not gained by argument but by the teaching of one who possesses intuition'
In the Mundaka Upanishad occurs the verse which is the germ of the Bhagavad-Gita. People who perform actions and are attached to the world are pursuing a futile path, and This Upanishad accordingly declares: 'Let the wise man, having examined the world and perceived the motives and the results of actions, realize that as from a blazing fire sparks proceed, living souls originate from the indestructible Brahman and return to Him. All doubts disappear and the attachment to work subsides when the Supreme Being is cognized.'
These basic doctrines are further expounded in the Taitiriya Upanishad, which contains This famous verse repeated in other Upanishads: ''May we both (teacher and disciple) be protected; may we both obtain sustenance; let both of us at the same time apply (our) energies (for the acquirement of knowledge); may our reading be illustrious; may there be no hatred (amongst us). Peace, peace, peace. In the more recent Svetasvatara Upanishad is found a summary of the main Upanishadic doctrines, and the idea of devotion to a personal God is also developed. The Chandogya Upanishad, one of the earliest, states that the main doctrines of the Upanishads were first expounded by the Kshatriyas and not by the Brahmins. Later, as is evident from the Kausitaki Upanishad, the Brahmins took up the intensive study of philosophy. The contrast which is often drawn between Brahmanism and Hinduism is therefore not based on a right appraisal of the facts.
8. Theme of Upanishads and Purport of Santi       Mantras.

Upanishads contain philosophical discussions that had taken place at various periods of time between different teachers and their students, regarding Eternal purpose of Creation and the Great Goal of Existence.
We have an incomparable literature on philosophy in the volumes of Upanishads, which are as true today as they were heard several millions of years ago, the authors of which are unknown to us. The rishis in their godly inspiration and intoxicating bliss, forgot to subscribe their names or give references to their masterpieces.
Upanishads have given supreme importance to the acquisition and realization of the knowledge of Brahman and have sidelined the process of sacrificial cult. The Upanishads teach that one should attain Brahman alone to attain immortality. The Upanishads are expounding many an imperceptible Truth regarding the ultimate objects of life. Truths that we cannot arrive at otherwise are expounded here. The following are some of the unique teachings of the Upanishads.
• Brahman is the ultimate cause of this Universe and everything else is dependent upon that one Supreme Cause.
• The Universe was created in a systematic manner according to the will of
the Supreme Cause.
• The entity of Jeevaatma is an eternal principle without any origination or
destruction but is going through the cycle of births and deaths on
account
of the world from beginning less time.
• The Jeevaatma should become aware of its true nature and destiny and
has to shape itself in such a way that it gets rid of the association with
matter.
• Everyone in this world is entitled to become liberated but it waits only for his aspiration and effort.
• All these entities viz. man, matter, time and the celestial abode are dependent upon the Supreme will of Paramaatma and one has to realize his subservience to Paramaatma.
• The way of getting liberated from the bondage of Samsaara (worldly pleasures and sorrows, terrestrial entanglements) is also taught by the Upanishads. One should seek the grace of Paramaatma through submission to His will and due participation in his duties that pleases the Lord. The Upanishads teach that loving meditation upon the Lord and complete surrender unto His will are the means of liberation.

The Upanishads are the ultimate authorities for all the different systems of Vedanta philosophy. It is not an exaggeration if we say that Upanishads have influenced all spiritual speculations in the world and have been the foundation of Indian Philosophical Thought and Culture. All systems of philosophy have drawn from Upanishads valuable thoughts whether they acknowledge or not.
Upanishads like Taittiriya include a “convocation address” delivered to the departing students from Gurukula, the university. The teacher by way of commandments and advice focuses on: 1) advice relating to the individual himself, 2) his relationship with others, 3) his right actions in the world, 4) his attitude towards the eminent men of culture, 5) the laws of charity, and 6) his duty to follow the eminent living men of his own times. Over the shoulders of students the seers of Upanishads addressed the entire Sanatana Dharma Community to follow these commandments and advice.
The departing student was neither thrown out into the world of tension and chaos from which he was so long and so efficiently kept away in the Gurukula till then, as it happens more often today nor advised to follow the life of a recluse. Spiritual education of the Upanishads was so organized as to work perfectly in unison with the demands of the society and the needs of living at that time, so that the student, from the day he had walked out of his teacher’s protection, proved himself to be a fully trained soldier to fight the battle of life practicing Varnaashranma Dharma.

No upanishadic study ever started without the guru and the disciple chanting together the peace invocation. Everyday the teacher and the taught sat together and started their discourses only after a common prayer. The term Upanishad means “sit very near” and comes from the practice of the teacher and the taught sitting together. This indicates the intimate relationship between the preceptor and the disciple. They sit close to each other to hold an intimate dialogue on the most exalted and solemn subject namely, the Supreme Brahman. Because of its content Upanishad is often translated to mean annihilating the ignorance completely. Prayer is a technique by which we tune ourselves to the highest perfection and thereby come to invoke in ourselves a greater perfection of both mind and the intellect. To pray is to be seated with the Lord at his feet. To pray is to aim at the target of God-head with the arrow of intense longing, which has the sharp end of full faith. To pray is again, to receive consolation and inspiration as a disciple at the hands of the teacher. In prayer are included praise, love, adoration and glorification. Just before the study of the Upanishads, thus each day, the Master and the disciple pray, and thus invoke the best in them to come out, through a complete surrender to the mighty powers of the omniscient God-principle. When the mantras are chanted with intonations, a divine atmosphere is created with holy vibrations all round. The resplendent Self is attainable by the practice of spiritual discipline as truth and continence. The chanting of mantras is a great spiritual discipline.
There are six Santhi Mantras for the popular Upanishads—Isaavaasya, Svetaavataara, Mundaka, Maandukya, Prasna, Kena, Katha, Taittereya, Aitreya, Naaraayana, Mahaanaaraayana, Brihadaaranyaka, Chandogya, Kaivalya, Kalisantarana, Ganapatyatharvaseersha, Surya and Amrita Bindu--that are chanted both at the beginning and end of the teachings of the Upanishad by both the preceptor and the disciple. (Some of these mantras are common to more than one Upanishad and these mantras are given separately as Santhi Mantras under the heading MANTHRAS in their original in Sanskrit language along with English translation).
The period of the Epics succeeded the period of the Upanishads. In the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, philosophical doctrines were presented in the form of stories and parables. In these poems of the heroic age recounting the qualities and exploits of exalted individuals the Vedic gods are no longer supreme. Some have disappeared altogether. Indra retains a place of some dignity; but Brahma, Siva and Vishnu have risen to pre-eminence. Even of these three, the first becomes subordinate. Vishnu and Siva become the out- standing entities and are alternately elevated to supreme dignity and very often their ultimate oneness is proclaimed. Vishnu in the Vedas was the friend and companion of Indra and strode over the universe in three paces; in the Epics he often becomes the great deity of destruction as well as of renovation. Each of these two gods in his turn contends with and subdues the other; now one, now the other, receives the homage of his rival; and each in turn is lauded and honoured as the greatest of gods.
The Avatars
The Avatars, incarnations of Vishnu, assume a prominent place in the Epics, and more so in the Puranas. The first three, Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise) and Varaha (boar) have a cosmic character and are foreshadowed in the hymns of the Vedas. The fourth incarnation, Narasimha (man-lion), seems to belong to a later age, when the worship of Vishnu had become established. The fifth, Vamana (dwarf), whose three strides deprived the Asuras of the domination of heaven and earth, is in character anterior to the fourth Avatar and the three strides are attributed to Vishnu in the Vedic text as Urukrama. The sixth, seventh and eighth, Parasurama. Rama and Krishna are mortal heroes whose exploits are celebrated in these poems so fervently as to raise the heroes to the rank of gods. The ninth Avatar, the Buddha, is the deification of a great teacher. The tenth, Kalki, is yet to come; he resembles the manifestation referred to in the Biblical Revelation.
The system of religious thought propounded in the Vedas and the Epics and especially in the Bhagavad-Gita (a part of the Mahabharata) survived the Buddhist impact which led to a renunciation of much ritual and metaphysics on the part of a sizable proportion of the population. Buddhism was absorbed into the parent religion within a few centuries and Hinduism, as the Vedic religion had come to be called, adopted the theory of the Avatars or incarnations according to which the Buddha himself was accepted as Avatar. Jainism also became, in essence, a doctrinal modification and adaptation of the Vedic religion.
The next important milestone is the advent of Sankara. In his short but marvelously active life, he traveled all through the country, refuting atheistic and materialistic systems of thought, wrote commentaries on the Upanishads, on the Brahma Sutra and on the Gita. He interpreted these scriptures and built up his thesis with wonderful clarity and depth of exposition. He remolded Indian thought and destroyed many dogmas. His great capacity for deep feeling and emotional expression was combined with relentless logic. Sankara's contribution to philosophy is his blending of the doctrines of Karma and Maya, which culminated in a logical exposition of the idea of non-dualism. The entire universe consisting of Namarupa, names and forms, is but an appearance; Brahman, infinite consciousness, is the sole reality. Its attainment and the annihilation of the great illusion of the universe called Maya, by a process of realization, were the objects of Sankara’s quest. He revivified the doctrines of the Upanishads and, in Dr. Radhakrishnan's words; he was not a mere dreaming idealist but a practical visionary. His Advaita doctrine is still a living force in India. Adi Sankara established several maths in India to propagate the Vedantic or Advaita doctrine and the successive heads of these math’s as well as later scholars like Madhusudana Sarasvati and the great polymath Appayya Diksita have produced important treatises, elucidating the Vedanta as propounded by Sankaracarya.
Sankara’s outlook was based strictly on philosophical thought and logic; but even he has, in numerous compositions, described the supreme entity in a personal aspect as saviour, helper, friend and guide. He wrote poems dedicated to Nrusimha, Sri Krishna, Laksmi, and Annapurna, and there is his celebrated lyrical homage to Parvati or Durga - the Saundaryalahari.
Sankara was followed by Ramanuja, Madhva and others who called themselves commentators but were indeed creators of new systems. Ramanuja's philosophy was termed qualified monism and Madhva's was a dualistic system. The three major forms of Vedanta developed respectively by Sankara, Ramanuja, and Madhva are distinct philosophies, although each professes to have stemmed from the same three sources - the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutra and the Gita.
Path of Devotion.
Sankaracharya is the first among the three acharyas who reformed Hindu religion by giving their own interpretation to the ancient sacred texts. At the time, the Vedic texts which have come down to Indians through the ages and only orally studied were the monopoly of a certain class. This knowledge was known as shruti, or learning by careful listening. The Vedas were in very old esoteric language were beyond the reach of the common man. The tremendous task of interpreting the true catholic spirit of Hindu philosophy was yet to be undertaken, and the three acharyas, Sankaracharya (788 - 820 AD), Ramanujacharya (11th century AD), and Madhwacharya (13th century AD) -- all hailing from southern part of India are credited for the status of present day Hindu thought and philosophy.
Sankara's arrival on the scene was at a most critical juncture when both Buddhism and Hinduism were fast disintegrating into various sects and cults. Buddha's original teachings were a reaction to the Vedic sacrificial extremities. But in the later centuries, practices like magic and sexual mysticism crept into Buddhism. Vedic religion was not very different, having given way to superstitious ways, and a large number of rituals. It was Sankara who tried to re-assess and integrate sound teachings of Buddha in the Vedic (Hindu) following, and was successful in the revival and reformation of Hindu thinking and way of life.
Sankara was born of poor but pious Nambudiri Brahmin couple in the Kaladi village of the Kerala kingdom. He lost his father early. Sankara had ascetic leanings from the beginning and he wanted to put to use all of the knowledge he could acquire for the better use of the society. He was the couple's only child and the mother resisted her son becoming a monk giving up all worldly life. It took great persuasion on Sankara’s part to win her over. He promised attending on her final hour.
He went in search of a guru for further spiritual guidance and studied under Govinda Bhagavatpada, who was a famous disciple of the great saint Gowdapadacharya. Gowdapadacharya advocated monism or advaita. All the learning Sankara mastered was put to use through his brilliant eloquence. Dialectics, logic and semantics were the primary areas of scholar hood in those days, and the only means to achieve supremacy was to argue and win debates in august assemblies of scholars. Sankara argued and won over many great scholars of his time belonging to different faiths. He established that the original teaching of the Vedas was that God is one and the study of Vedas is the only way to salvation.
At the time Vedic texts were summarized in brief aphorisms. The basic texts of Vedic knowledge were preserved in Brahma sutras of Badarayana, a work of First century A.D. This was known as the main composition of Vedanta (literally meaning "End or culmination of Vedas", used sometimes as culmination of Indian thought). Sankara wrote a brilliant and convincing commentary on Brahma sutras which were accepted throughout India. He wrote commentary of Bhagavad-Gita, chief Upanishads and other philosophic works. He is created beautiful compositions in praise of God and Mother Goddess. Vedanta and its interpretation by Sankara is accepted and revered even by modern theologists including Swami Vivekananda and Aurobindo.
Sankara then took missionary work traveling the entire country (what is India today, then consisting of numerous feudal kingdoms). He established four mutts (or monasteries) in the four corners of the Hindu land -- Kashmir in the North, Dwaraka in the West, Puri in the East and in Sringeri in the South. These institutions are operational till today with innumerable followers upholding Sankara’s advaitism. These mutts and the pilgrims who visited them held India together as one nation for more than twelve centuries! All the heads of these institutions are today known as Sankaracharyas and wield tremendous political power in India. To distinguish these pontiffs from the first preceptor, Sankara is referred to as Adi Sankaracharya or Jagadguru (Universal teacher).
Sankara did not forget his old mother or the promise he had made. Tradition records that he was by his mother's side in her final moments. He then arranged for her funeral, although he himself was an ascetic, "dead" to the world.
While Sankaracharya criticised Buddhism in its decayed form, he assimilated many tenets of Buddhism cleverly, like that of nirvana (void). It was Sankaracharya who was responsible to absorb Buddha into Hinduism and recognize Buddha as an avatar (incarnation) of God!
Sankaracharya was only thirty-two years old at the time of his death. But his life's mission was complete. Revival and reformation of original Vedic religion, which is considered intellectual Hinduism is alive to this day.
Establishment of Family Values through the Institution of Marriage
Suka Maharishi is described thus in Srimad bhaagavatam:
“A mahayogi who has realized the equanimous Brahman, who does not see any difference between various happenings, who constantly resides and is focused in that stage, who is awakened from the reverie of Maya, and who is apparently dull witted.''

Once, vyasa Bhagavan was following his son Suka across a river, where women were bathing. Suka was not wearing anything. The bathing women were indifferent to him. However, as Vyasa passed them, they covered themselves with clothes. When the surprised Vyasa asked the women the reason for this, they said, “You still have the discrimination between she and he, her and him whereas in Sukacharya's unsullied perception there is no such distinction!”

After his formal education in the Vedas and other scriptures, Suka was asked by is father to follow the natural path of gruhastasrama. As we have seen earlier, Suka was already a realized sage for whom the pleasures of the senses had totally no relevance. He debated the futility of gruhasthasrama with his learned father.

Suka: Sir, why do you insist on the avidya of marriage, when you know that I am fully immersed in the higher self? Don't you agree that seeking happiness is also seeking sorrow? I am now in a state of absolute bliss focused as I am on the infinite. Where is the need for me to descend to a level when I would be deprived of that, and instead will have a mix of pain and pleasure? Marriage will make me a slave. Even a prisoner in chain has hopes of freedom, but there is no escape for a married person. The wise men, therefore, keep away from all sense pleasure as if they are the excrement of the body. For the learned souls there is no higher happiness than constantly dwelling in the aatman in a liberated state of mind. Please advise me, wise sage, why I should give up Satyam, Sivam and Sundaram. Why do you want to push me into the orbit of samsaara where I will be compelled to move round and round like the hapless planets? What valid reason is there to stoop to the level of pigs and dogs? After repeated lower births we attain the birth of human beings with the ability for higher learning. Why do you want me to dig low again? Now I am beyond the binding energies of triguNa. Why the bondage again?

Vyasa: I do not doubt, for a moment, your immense learning. My dear son, a house is not a prison. Detachment from the phenomenal world is a mental state. Even a married person can be free from attachment, and yet perform the role of householder. By earning in the right way, discharging duties with devotion, being truthful in thought, word and deed, it is possible to lead a flawless life of a liberated soul even in gruhastasrama. You must marry in order to support brahmachaaris, yatis (saints), and those in vaanaprasthasrama. They depend on you so that they can discharge the duties appropriate to their aasrama. You also need to pay your debts to the other entities such as the birds and animals, forefathers and gods. Penance comes after fulfilling your duties to them.

You may not know how powerful the drives of senses are. You might think that you have them under complete control. Even Rushi Visvamitra could not resist Menaka, in spite of his penance for three thousand years without a morsel of food. Paraasara, the very avataara of mahaavishnu fell to satyavati. You have to marry and go through the motions if you want to avoid waywardness.

Suka: Respectful sage, please tell me how I can find happiness in the indrajala of money, the poisonous bondage to the body? A desire-less person is happier than Indra himself, even though he may be a mere beggar. How often Indra was jealous of a mendicant seer doing penance and provoked the demons to disturb such penance! Hasn't he even sought Lord Siva to destroy the penance of a yogi? The materially wealthy spend sleepless nights. Why do you push me in to the vicious and miserable cycle of birth, suffering, old age and death?

Oh! To serve others for a living! Isn't flattery an important component of serving? Ugh! Sycophancy, after all my learning and wisdom! Even death is better.

Take food for instance. Now, I do not have to worry about what I eat and when. Can I afford that indifference as a gruhastha? I am least interested in action. Teach me, worthy aachaarya, how to destroy karma and accumulation of asset and liability of action, and how to dissolve the cause of birth.
Hearing his son's fervent and logical appeal, Vyasa was overcome by grief.

Suka noticed his father's sadness and thought to himself, “My father is no ordinary mortal. He is a matchless scholar. But he is also in a delusion and is unhappy because of maaya. My only refuge is the Divine Mother. Even Gods Indra and Trimurtis are controlled by Her energy which is infinite. We are told that Vyaasa is an amsa (integral part) of Vishnu, but he is now like a wrecked ship, deluded and in tears. The five elements are the cause of his grief, and I am responsible for his sorrow.”

Suka prayed to the Divine Mother, and talked consolingly to his father, “Sire, you are verily my God. You have a great capacity for flawless reasoning, and discourse. I do not have to tell you that your sorrow is borne out of delusion. But dear father, can hunger be satisfied by looking at the sun? Food, water and all the related business can stop but not satisfy the sun. To control the sense related activity, they must be entertained, but not the sun! Is not all sense pleasures related to and be satisfied with materialism? Alas, only a miser can make and save money. What a misfit I am, in that sphere! I know that I am a brahmin, and that to be born so and be formed as a Rishi is a boon. But I feel that I am not fully liberated. Teach me how not to enter a mother's womb again.” Vyasa felt happy and admired the wisdom and true humility of his son.

He looked at Suka fondly, and said, “Recite the Bhagavad-Gita. By constant recitation you acquire Jnaana and Vijnaana.”

Suka then went to Vatapatrasaayi (Resting on the banyan leaf) Vishnu, and asked “Divine Mother, why am I unhappy?” He heard Her reply, “I am in all. There is nothing new other than the ancient.' He also had Her darSan. Contemplating on her response and seeing Her in the purest form of Vishnu, he queried, “How is this tree created? How did I come into being?” There was silence for some time. She then talked, “Why do you doubt my energy? You are confused. I know that I am the eternal energy. At the end of mahaapralaya, my unmanifested energy will manifest as Myself. Then everything - Brahma, Vishnu and even you - will be created, then the basic energy for the visible universe will emerge, and all that is moving and not moving will be created. So, self-knowledge is the source of liberation. But you need my grace and will for that. Touch your intuitive powers, and you will find secret of creation which is passed on in a chain reaction, and passed on. Recite the chapters of Devi Bhagavatam relating to eternal energy. It will provide you relief from bondage which will help you banish darkness.”

Reciting Devi Bhagavatam, however, did not bring the desired peace for Suka. He still felt disturbed; he became more aloof and depressed.

Seeing this, Vyaasa talked to his wise son. “Why are you like an indebted person? Am I not with you to provide anything that you need? If all the theories do not bring you the inner calmness, go to Janaka who is a brahmajnaani, a true saint and incarnation of unsullied knowledge. Seek from him the essence of liberation, and eternal joy.” If formal learning does not help, residency with seers who can teach applied knowledge will certainly be of use. Janaka maharaja is an embodiment of perfect living. When Suka heard of the sterling qualities of Janaka, he just could not believe that it was possible to lead such a life, like lotus in slime, and like water on the lotus leaf. He decided to meet the king in person, after assuring his father that he would return and pursue the study of the Vedas.

It took two to three years to reach Mithila, the capital of Janaka's kingdom. On the way he met wise sages, yogis, relinquished people leading vaanaprasthaasrama and others doing penance. He crossed the Meru mountain, and at last reached the gates of Mithila where he was stopped by the guards. However, the shining face of the young sage, his excellent posture and nonchalant looks did not earn him an entry. The guards stopped him politely, and asked for the reason of his visit. His ego punctured, Suka felt deeply depressed. He said to himself, “Why did I spend all my energy in this futile travel? This city looks dead; it is without body or soul.” Soon he overcame his anger and explained at length the purpose of his visit, after duly introducing himself as the son of Vyaasa. The guards tested his wisdom by asking him to distinguish between happiness and sorrow.

Now Suka was in his elements. He said, “Lust, desire and avarice result in sorrow. Contemplation on the Atman and devotion to God is happiness. Ekaanta - not that of a recluse as one generally misunderstands the term, but pursuit of sense pleasures leads to misery. Vedanta and aatma-chintana give lasting happiness”. The guards were satisfied of the genuine wisdom of the young sage, and took him to a pleasant abode, passing through many security gates. The beautiful young women who served the sage did not cause a flutter in his heart. He was least agitated by their luscious presence even after the sun set when the cool fragrant wind pervaded the place.

The next morning, the Emperor arrived with his regalia, paid respects to Suka, inquired the health of his illustrious father, offered presents of cows and sweetmeat as befitting an eminent guest, and sought his permission for a conversation.
Janaka: I am but a ruler of a kingdom with all the attendant responsibilities, but you are a detached, contended, peaceful person wanting nothing. I am honored by your visit. Pray, of what assistance can I be?

Suka was instantly struck by the true humility of the great king and paid due homage.
Suka: Your Excellency, the matter seems simple. My respectful father is eager that I should marry and lead the life of a gruhastha, but my mind does not accept his wish. He said your Excellency is the most liberated soul, and that you are the most detached person, burdened as you are with the onerous duties of a king. So he sent me to you for being convinced of the need for gruhasthaasrama. I think that marriage and my temperament are a contradiction like the presence of a flower in the sky. I am interested in total liberation, and nothing else. I do not want to disobey my worthy father. Venerable king, please tell me why should I marry? Please also clear my other doubts. Are penance, pilgrimage, yaaga and Vedic learning true liberation or is there a higher Jnaana?

Janaka: Let me tell you what little I know. After upanayanam every young person should learn the Vedas through an aachaarya (worthy teacher), and then the Vedanta. On completion of formal learning, he should pay appropriate guru dakshina (Payment to Guru as gratitude) before taking leave of the teacher. It is expected that he should then marry and enter the next phase, that of gruhasthaasrama. The apt dharma for a householder includes righteousness, contentment, eschewing desires, a pure heart and a truthful mind, and agnihotram (performance of homa and maintenance of the three perennial domestic fires). In due course of time, he has progeny and the responsibilities attached thereto.

After discharging the functions of a father, he enters the Vaanaprasthaasrama. He then strives to conquer the inner force. As he approaches success in this noble effort, he hands over the care of his wife to his children, having invoked the inner heat from his soul and realizing the dharma of renunciation. He then dons the robe of a sanyasin and follows the path of final liberation through self purification and total detachment.
My son, sense gratification has no place in one's attempt to control the inner force which is the real wealth for the seeker of liberation. But all the prescribed steps are necessary without which one might falter”.
Suka politely interjected.

Suka: If the heart is pure, doubtless and detached, as to why one cannot skip the steps?
(The question amounts to - can one do doctoral research skipping the undergraduate and graduate studies?)

Janaka spoke with immense patience.
Janaka: Dear young scholar, you are not fully aware of the power of the senses. Unless the mind matures (like the lemon fruit becoming pickle!) attractions will grip you and will try to bind you. The sensory motors will hold you. The eyes beholding beauty, the ears honing to sweet music, the nostrils flaring for fragrance, the palate of the gourmet eager for the best wind and food, and the whole physical body yearning for the pleasures of the couch will want to subdue the phenomenal self. Even a yati could be helpless under the onslaught of the senses!

The steps or phases of the first three aasramas help one to decelerate the runaway senses, to rein those horses of pleasures, to regulate them by floodgates as it were. You see, the person perched on a tree is always afraid of falling if he were to go to sleep, but there is no such fear for him who sleeps on the floor. Those who fly are in the danger (like the birds) of falling, but those who are closer to earth hurt themselves less even if they fall. Walking is safer than flying!

Even in the first three stations, one must learn to practice nishkaamakarma (action sans attachment), practice it well over a long period while performing action, so that, in course of time, it gradually becomes second nature. A true jiivan-mukta is not bound by karma. The first three stages are the preparatory ground for realizing the self effulgent atman. They help one to be a mere witness for phenomenal existence. A doubting person can never realize that divine spark within.

You know, self or atman needs no liberation, because it has never been bound in the first instance! If the mind is clear, then the delusion vanishes. I do not have to tell you, learned Brahman, that body and the mind are entities separate from the atman. Intellect is the cause for any such confusion. Seek enlightenment by learning to free your mind from the aatman. It is the business of the senses to divert the intellect away from aatman; and that is Maya. But remember, that for all their mischief, they cannot taint the soul or aatman. However, following the paths of the first three stations of life - brahmacharya, gruhasthaasrama and that of vaanaprastha - one can step on to the fourth with the confidence of the winner. They are prescribed in the scriptures which are never wrong, since they are the touchstone of wisdom and experience of the wisest. The path of the Vedas is always auspicious.

Suka: The Vedas recognize himsa (violence) and other vices. A person enjoying the sense pleasures is bound to have sorrow as a complement. How is it possible to live in a free state of consciousness while being married?

Janaka: There is smoke only when wood is burnt. After wood is totally burnt, there is no smoke! Desires are to be completely burnt to do away with smoke or attachment. (baaba: fry even the seed). Absence of ego binds not even where there is action. Act without thinking of or expecting fruits of action. Neither the action nor the results belong to you. Everything is His.

Suka: It is still not clear to me how one can be detached in the midst of the world of magic. How can moha and mukti be together? Unless the light is switched on darkness cannot vanish. Knowledge of the scriptures is like the light switch. Then the soul attains the love all and serves all status, whereas the married person is circumscribed by his own family limiting his attention. You are falsely promising the thief respect of a saint. Mine and yours can be gotten rid of by the gruhastha? How did you become bodiless, keeping at bay the inauspicious even while being engaged in activities that rightly belong to the first three aasramas? Time cannot bind transcendental state. It can be experienced only by a yogi. Where is the time for you steeped as you are in a multitude of activities? You have an army to take care, a war to wage, a law to enact, a judgment to deliver, a visitor to host and a thousand things to do. How can there be a state of equanimity? It is like a serpent trying to wear a flower garland on its non-existent neck! For the people in the state of awareness, wood and gold are alike. They see the self (aatman) in all creations and serve them naturally as the liberated souls should. Oh! All this is hypothetical and far away from my main question. Convince me that marriage is good for me. As a sanyaasin, I would be aloof; having left the society behind, I would have overcome attachment. My mind would be in constant peace, living the physical existence of an animal, so to say, eating fruits, roots and leaves in the forest, neither seeking nor accepting anything from anybody. I wish to lead this kind of life, away from all sense needs. In this scheme of things and quality existence where is the place for a wife? In the created world of phenomena we recognize forms and their attributes. Creating is nothing but a mishmash of desires and consequent adherence. You claim to be a detached person. You are nothing but an unbelievable contradiction. (Suka's reasoning was not impeccable as it seems. His intellectualization is only an exercise in rationalization from conclusion to the premises, and thus a fundamental flaw in logic. He is overwhelmed by his own certainty, and even starts mocking at the great emperor, clearly exhibiting signs of arrogance and immaturity). He continued, Oh, mighty emperor, you always think of your treasury and taxes, battles won and to be won - men and women to be honored and punished - all that is your duty, is it not? - And anxious. Controlled senses and samsaara! Ugh, what a contradiction. Moderation and ceaseless activity; again, what an inconsistency! So, Videha is only a surname for you. It is an unreal and even hypocritical world that you have created for yourself, where the fool is considered as a scholar, where the blind is known as Surya and the poor considered as Mahalakshmi! You are a Videha only because of your lineage and by merit or performance. Talking about lineage, was not nimi your forefather who fought and exchanged curses with Vasishta while preparing for a Yaga for Indra? Your life is a strange drama of falsehood.

Suka was exhausted after the outpouring. Janaka listened to the vituperation patiently, and replied calmly.
Janaka: Well spoken, revered young saint. You spoke much wisdom. Vyaasa, your father was my aachaarya. Son of that great preceptor, you are of keener intellect. Oh, you mentioned about the forest and living with the animals. But, pray, are not the five elements in forest too? How can you, then, be dispassionate? You would need food, won't you? You may even need a stick for shooing animals and hide to protect against weather. Nowhere can you totally get rid of anxiety. My own worry is comparable to that. Doubt is worrying too, my son. See how far you have traveled to clear a nagging doubt! Your obsession ‘not to marry’ worries you. How can you attain detachment? I am fully conscious of my own anxiety in the realm of action. But I eat and sleep well, because I am not bound by that anxiety; I am serene. You are sad because you imagine things. Remove your doubts. Have a balance of mind that will lead you to a state of bliss. This is not my body, nor is this my house. Banish such thoughts. Absence of thinking that I am this body etc. is a state of nirvikalpa (unwavering and immutable; recognizing no distinction between object and subject and without distinct consciousness of the knower, known and the very act of knowing, and ultimately without even self-consciousness). Possessions do not bind me. You may own just a grain of sand and feel the weight of a mountain, or you may possess the whole world and feel it like a feather. As an intelligent person you have the freedom to choose the right attitude. Enjoy that freedom and use it well, my child! You have my blessings.
Suka was ashamed of his harsh words, and felt humble in the presence of Janaka, a peerless sage who taught true renunciation.

He returned to his father who knew that he would - wiser, mellowed and mature. He married Pivari who bore four children, Krishna, Gauraprabhaa, Bhuridevasrutha and Keerthi.

We thus conclude an interesting episode. The wisdom that Janaka shared with Suka should clear our doubts too. There is an appropriate time for any action. We have to follow the traditional wisdom, because there is no question or doubt that has not been asked and not clarified in our scriptures. Celibacy, even in thought, is somewhat an unnatural quality. Renunciation comes more easily after going through the natural process. However, marriage is not a casual arrangement. All of us know that ‘love’ between two young persons is often infatuation or a play of urge. A stable marriage calls for much giving, and the traditional system of arranged marriages is valid even these days when women are economically independent. Often, an ‘angel’ during courtship turns out to be a ‘devil’ soon after marriage, because assessing compatibility is a complex job. The probability of a stable and happy married life is much higher in an arranged wedding, if all the rules are followed. Moreover, the demands of gruhasthasrama are not restricted just to the man, his wife and children, but also to their extended family. The so called freedom of choice when young people attempt to seek a partner is more a myth than reality, as indicated by hard statistics! There is no shame in following the traditions of proven merit and there need not be a defiant pride in breaking them.