The Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord)

The Bhagavad Gita is the highest expression of philosophical Hinduism. It is a story of the
immense Indian epic, the Mahabharata, the saga of the war between the Pandavas and the
Kauravas.
Arjuna, hero of the Pandavas, is about to confront the army of the Kauravas on the
battlefield. Among the opposing army are his friends and relatives. Convinced that it
would be wrong to kill his own kinsmen, Arjuna is overcome by despair. He lays down his
bow and declares that he will not fight. The God Vishnu, incarnated as the charioteer
Krishna, explains that Arjuna should do his duty and do battle. The human soul, which is
part of the universal soul, is immortal - therefore no-one is actually slain. If people perform
the duties appropriate to their station, without attachment to success or failure, then they
cannot be stained by action.
The Bhagavad Gita is an expression of the Hindu philosophy that God is in all things, and
all things are in God. The one God is the pinnacle of all things - the radiant sun of lights,
the guiding light of sensory organs, the intellect of beings, the ocean of waters, the
Himalayas of mountain ranges, the Ganges of rivers. He is also the inherent essence of
everything - including evil. He is the gambling of rogues, the courage of the courageous,
the rod of disciplinarians, the statecraft of politicians, the Knowledge of the knowing.

The Importance of Hindu Scripture

It is doubtful if modern day Hinduism would buy the argument that these
and these alone (and any other religious book for that matter) would
ensure salvation to an individual, although it does emphasize that one
should live and act in accordance with ones own dharma ( sacredness in all
life) and the scriptures. Those who still trust their religious validity look
for new meaning in them, while others look elsewhere for answers to their
perplexing questions.
Each person alone has the solace and the comfortable feeling of assurance
that his/her religion and his/her scriptures give liberty to pursue truth in
his/her own way.

Nirguna Brahman
("without attributes")
Monotheistic view Ishvara is the
personified form of Brahman; that is,
Saguna Brahman has particular traits.
These traits are expressed through the
Trimurti (three manifestations).

Brahma
"The Creator"

Pantheistic view the entire universe is one

divine entity who is simultaneously at one with
the universe and who transcends it as well.

Saguna Brahman
("with attributes")
Ishvara

Vishnu
"The Preserver"

Siva
"The Destroyer"

Closet to Jesus Christ like figure

Polytheistic View the ten incarnations, or avatars, are the original gods of Hinduism; it is
estimated that there are now some 300 million gods in the Hindu religion. Each god is said to
provide focus on an aspect/attribute of Ishvara a path to understanding.

Ten Incarnations
According to Hindu tradition, Brahman became personal in the form of Ishvara Ishvara became
known to humanity in three manifestations. Ishvara then became known further through the ten
mythical incarnations of Vishnu, called avatars (animals: a fish, a boar, a tortoise and humans:
Krishna, Rama, Buddha). The stories of these avatars are told in the Bhagavad Gita.

The Hindu Life

Ultimately, Brahman is an impersonal oneness that is beyond all
distinctions, a being who is entirely transcendent, yet is the essence of
everything.
The soul, known as the Atman, is one with Brahman and is
representative of the true self. Just as the air inside an open jar is the
same as the air that surrounds it, so our essence is identical to that of
Brahman it is the job of every Hindu to open the jar.
Humanitys primary problem, according to the Hindu, is our ignorance
to our divine nature. We have forgotten that we are extended from
Brahman and so we mistakenly attach ourselves to the desires of our
separate self (ego) and thereby suffer the consequences. Because of our
attachment to desire and individualistic existence, we are all subject to the
law of Karma.
The Law of Karma is the moral equivalent to the natural law of cause
and effect. In essence, we reap what we sow. Every action produces a just
and definite reaction. Moreover, the effects of our actions, follow us not
only in our present lifetime, but in lives to come

 Reincarnation (Transmigration of the Soul), is the Hindu concept that the

soul is transferred into another body after death. This is the ever-revolving
wheel of life, death, and rebirth. A persons karma determines the kind of
body (any living being) into which he or she will inhabit in the next life.
Through pure acts, thoughts, and devotion, one can be reborn at a higher level.
Likewise, bad deeds can cause a person to be reborn at a lower level. The
unequal distribution of wealth, prestige, and suffering are thus seen as the
natural result of Karma.
In acknowledging the truth of the above process, Hindus organize their
lives around certain activities, known as purusharthas (the doctrine of the
fourfold end of life).
dharma righteousness in religious life; sacredness of all life
artha success in economic life; material prosperity
kama gratification of the senses; pleasurable existence
moksha liberation from the cycle of rebirth
Liberation (moksha), is attained through the realization that the concept of
the individual self is an illusion and that only the undifferentiated oneness of
Brahman is real. Detachment from self is the the path to liberation.

Important Hindu Terms

Puja the act of showing reverence to a god or to aspects of the divine through prayers,
songs, and rituals. The essential part of puja for the Hindu is making a spiritual
connection with a deity.
Ahimsa doctrine of nonviolence to all life, which is the basis for Hindu vegetarianism.
Guru one who shows by example a spiritual path to follow.
Tilak (Kumkum) Generally, no religious work should begin without a Tilak on the
forehead. There are 13 places on the body where the Tilak can be placed, however, it is
only on the forehead that it is noble. The head is the summit of the body with the brain
being the axis of the entire body. The wearing of the Tilak is a symbol of worship and
devotion.
Yoga (5 types) Bhakti (means intense love for God), Karma (is often called the path of
right action), Jnana (described as the way to God through intellectual ability), Hatha
(meant as a controlling of physical self the body), Raja (teaches the path to God
through meditation).