Hinduism is many things to many people. It is the sweeping hymns of the Rig Veda, the searching quest of the Upanishads, the message of love and hope of the Bhagavad Gita. It is the acceptance of, and adherence to, Dharma, the rule of good conduct and Karma, the law of causative justice. Equally it is the millions of gods who illuminate our everyday lives, the familiar rituals of the temple and home, the stories of valour, sacrifice, and faith from the great epics. Above all, it is Sanatana Dharma, a faith so timeless that it has no beginning and no end and that will survive forever.
The one Supreme God is Brahman, who is everywhere and in all things. But in our humanity we seek Him in many deities who are but his multiple faces. Thus our worship of Ganesh who makes all things auspicious, Shiva whose third eye scorches ignorance into ash, and Durga who gives us the encompassing love of a mother. They are the tangible reminders we cling to in our striving for salvation from rebirth, so that we can achieve moksh and realize the immortal words of the Upanishad: “From joy we are come, and unto joy shall we return.”
Do I agree with these words? Certainly not. They were sent to me by a Hindu believer. May God give me strength, wisdom, and boldness to know how to preach Jesus here. We shall see how it goes. ….