Hinduism: A Brief History, Essay Example

Touted as the oldest world religion, Hinduism germinated in a unique fashion in comparison to other world religions. It burgeoned in modern-day India approximately around 1500 B.C. during the Vedic age, generating new ideas and attracting diffuse popular interest as a religion of salvation. It drew inspiration from various epic poems and literary works and became a popular religion when it departed from elite traditions and developed into a faith that addressed and catered to the needs of ordinary people (Bentley & Ziegler, 2000, p. 232). The presence of several denominations of Hindu today attests to its global impact and popularity of basic Hindu values and ethics worthy of studying.

Mythology provides a cogent window into the values, intellectual development, and culture of the people from the civilization from which it germinated. Two great epic poems, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, which elite scholars revised, convey how Hindu values and ethics developed. The Mahabharata covers a battle between two groups of cousins for control of northern India, and the foremost Hindu god and preserver of the world, Vishnu, plays a prominent role by intervening on behalf of individuals rendered ethical and virtuous. The Ramayana presents a romance and adventure narrative about Prince Rama–who later became an incarnation of Vishnu–and Sita, his loyal and loving wife. Rama faces a litany of obstacles as he works to liberate Sita who has been kidnapped by Ceylon, a demon king (Bentley & Ziegler, 2000, p. 232). Dharma, which translates to duty, retained immense currency within the canon of moral and religious Hindu laws. Sita goes with Rama on his preliminary journey while exiled because she thinks that doing so will help her achieve her dharma, or duty in Hindu society that, according to her caste, she was born to do. As such, Rama acquiesces to Sita’s request. Once Rama realizes that his wife has been abducted, he realizes his own dharma lies in saving her from the demons who kidnapped her. Hanumen, a monkey god, eventually saves Sita. It is interesting that Sita viewed her dharma as a significant facet of how she comports herself and her life ultimately impacts the way that Rama perceives his own dharma.

The Bhagavad Gita, which translates to “Song of the Lord,” best exemplifies the promise of salvation within Hinduism and the expectations made of individuals who follow it. It was compiled by hundreds of people between 300 B.C. and 300 C.E., articulately evoking the cultural climate witnessed in India during the Mauryan and Gupta dynasties. It proffers a dialogue between Krishna, a charioteer who is another human incarnation of Vishnu, and Arjuna, who is a member of the warrior Kshatriya caste who is about to go into battle. Arjuna articulated a personal reluctance to fight because his family and friends were considered the enemies he was to battle with. While he knows that the cause is just, he nonetheless does not want to go to battle. Krishna persuades Arjuna to fight by invoking various Hindu tenets in his line of argumentation. First, Arjuna should not fear killing the his friends and families because even if their body is lifeless, their souls never die with them. War weapons lack the capacity to touch the human soul. Hinduism is a stringently hierarchical religion in which one’s caste dictated their role in society. As a member of the warrior caste, Arjuna maintained a social responsibility and moral duty to fight and govern; shudras were born to serve others; vaishyas had the duty to labor; and brahmins had a duty to seek sagacity and to learn Hindu scriptures (Raju, 1992). Krishna further contended that upholding one’s social duties retained spiritual currency, and failing to do so constituted a sin that hurt his soul. The Bhagavad Gita further expounds on central Hindu ethical teachings, which facilitated efforts by the caste members to achieve the promise of salvation by actively participating in and carrying out their worldly duties. Krishna states that individuals should perform these obligations in a detached manner, thereby eschewing any emotional or personal attachment when carrying out certain actions required of them (Bentley & Ziegler, 2000, p. 233). Thus, actions should be done without thought of consequences. Moksha, or salvation of the soul, would be achieved if an individual balances his or her dharma; artha, or the pursuit of economic prosperity and well-being; and kama, which refers to the enjoyment of physical, sexual, and social pleasures. These elements of Hinduism appealed to all segments of society, which is why Hinduism quickly diffused across the globe.

References

Bentley, J.H. & Ziegler, H.F. (2000). Traditions & encounters: A global perspective on the past. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Raju, P.T. (1992), The Philosophical Traditions of India, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited

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