HINDUISM

WHAT THE GREAT THINK

DR.T.V.RAO MD
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 1
HISTORY OF HINDUISM
ACCORDING TO HISTORIANS, THE ORIGIN OF HINDUISM
DATES BACK TO 5,000 OR MORE YEARS. THE WORD
"HINDU" IS DERIVED FROM THE NAME OF RIVER INDUS,
WHICH FLOWS THROUGH NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. IN
ANCIENT TIMES THE RIVER WAS CALLED THE "SINDHU",
BUT THE PERSIANS WHO MIGRATED TO INDIA CALLED
THE RIVER "HINDU," THE LAND "HINDUSTAN" (SANSKRIT,
HINDI), AND ITS INHABITANTS "HINDUS". THUS THE DAILY
LIFE PRACTICES EVOLVED AS THE RELIGION
FOLLOWED BY THE HINDUS CAME TO BE KNOWN AS
"HINDUISM
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 2
WHAT IS HINDUISM
HINDUISM IS A TERM FOR A WIDE
VARIETY OF RELATED RELIGIOUS
TRADITIONS NATIVE TO INDIA.
HISTORICALLY, IT ENCOMPASSES
THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGION
IN INDIA SINCE THE IRON AGE
TRADITIONS, WHICH IN TURN
HARK BACK TO PREHISTORIC
RELIGIONS SUCH AS THAT OF THE
BRONZE AGE INDUS VALLEY
CIVILIZATION FOLLOWED BY THE
VEDIC RELIGION.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 3

WHAT IS HINDU PHILOSOPHY
HINDU PHILOSOPHY HAD SIX
BRANCHES, EVOLVING FROM
ABOUT THE 2ND CENTURY BCE TO
THE 6TH CENTURY CE, VIZ.
SAMKHYA, YOGA, NYAYA,
VAISHESHIKA, MIMAMSA, AND
VEDANTA. MONOTHEISTIC
RELIGIONS LIKE SHAIVISM AND
VAISHNAVISM DEVELOPED DURING
THIS SAME PERIOD THROUGH THE
BHAKTI MOVEMENT.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 4
SUPREME COURT DEFINES
HINDUISM
IN 1995 THE SUPREME COURT OF
INDIA HIGHLIGHTED BAL
GANGADHAR TILAK'S
FORMULATION OF HINDUISM'S
DEFINING FEATURES:
ACCEPTANCE OF THE VEDAS
WITH REVERENCE; RECOGNITION
OF THE FACT THAT THE MEANS
OR WAYS TO SALVATION ARE
DIVERSE; AND THE REALIZATION
OF THE TRUTH THAT THE
NUMBER OF GODS TO BE
WORSHIPPED IS LARGE, THAT
INDEED IS THE DISTINGUISHING
FEATURE OF HINDU RELIGION.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 5
HINDUISM IS SANATANA DHARMA
HINDUISM IS OFTEN REFERRED
TO AS SANATANA DHARMA
MEANING 'THE ETERNAL PATH'.
THE BELIEF IS A CONGLOMERATE
OF RELIGIOUS, PHILOSOPHICAL
AND CULTURAL IDEAS
CHARACTERIZED BY THE BELIEF
IN REINCARNATION, THE PATH TO
RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THE
DESIRE TO LIBERATE FROM THE
CYCLE OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 6
HINDUISM IS HUMAN DHARMA
HINDUISM RESTS ON THE
SPIRITUAL BEDROCK OF THE
VEDAS, HENCE VEDA DHARMA,
AND THEIR MYSTIC ISSUE, THE
UPANISHADS, AS WELL AS THE
TEACHINGS OF MANY GREAT
HINDU GURUS THROUGH THE
AGES. MANY STREAMS OF
THOUGHT FLOW FROM THE SIX
VEDIC/HINDU SCHOOLS, BHAKTI
SECTS AND TANTRA AGAMIC
SCHOOLS INTO THE ONE OCEAN
OF HINDUISM, THE FIRST OF THE
DHARMA RELIGIONS.

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 7
DHARMA IS FOUNDATION OF
HINDUISM
DHARMA, A SANSKRIT PHRASE
MEANING "THE ETERNAL LAW", BY
ITS ADHERENTS. HINDU BELIEFS
VARY WIDELY, WITH CONCEPTS OF
GOD AND/OR GODS RANGING FROM
PANENTHEISM, PANTHEISM,
MONOTHEISM, POLYTHEISM, AND
ATHEISM WITH VISHNU AND SHIVA
BEING THE MOST POPULAR DEITIES.
OTHER NOTABLE CHARACTERISTICS
INCLUDE A BELIEF IN
REINCARNATION AND KARMA, AS
WELL AS PERSONAL DUTY, OR
DHARMA.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 8
GAYATRI MANTRA RAISES THE HUMAN
CONSCIOUSNESS
AUM BHUR BHUVAH
SVAH
TAT SAVITUR
VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA
DHIMAHI
DHIYO YO NAH
PRACODAYAT
WE MEDITATE ON THE
TRANSCENDENTAL
GLORY OF
THE DEITY SUPREME,
WHO IS INSIDE THE
HEART OF THE EARTH,
INSIDE THE LIFE OF
THE SKY,
AND INSIDE THE SOUL
OF THE HEAVEN.
MAY HE STIMULATE AND
ILLUMINE OUR MINDS. "
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 9
CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD
ON ORIGIN OF LIFE
"IN THE BEGINNING WAS ONLY BEING,
ONE WITHOUT A SECOND.
OUT OF HIMSELF HE BROUGHT FORTH THE
COSMOS
AND ENTERED INTO EVERYTHING IN IT.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT DOES NOT COME
FROM HIM.
OF EVERYTHING HE IS THE INMOST SELF.
HE IS THE TRUTH; HE IS THE SELF SUPREME.
YOU ARE THAT, SHVETAKETU; YOU ARE THAT."

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 10
EVERY MANS PRAYER
LEAD ME FROM THE
UNREAL TO THE
REAL.
LEAD ME FROM
DARKNESS UNTO
LIGHT.
LEAD ME FROM
DEATH TO
IMMORTALITY.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 11
CONCENTRATION IS MEDITATION
THE EARTH SEEMS TO REST
IN SILENT MEDITATION;
AND THE WATERS AND THE
SKY AND THE HEAVENS
SEEM ALL TO BE IN
MEDITATION." ON EARTH,
THOSE WHO REACH
GREATNESS
ACHIEVE IT THROUGH
CONCENTRATION.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 12
WHO IS GOD
"HE IS EVERLASTING
AND OMNIPRESENT,
INFINITE IN THE GREAT
AND INFINITE IN THE
SMALL.
HE IS THE ETERNAL
WHOM THE SAGES SEE
AS THE SOURCE OF ALL
CREATION.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 13
WHAT IS CREATION VEDA
UPANISHAD
WHERE THERE IS
JOY THERE IS
CREATION. WHERE
THERE IS NO JOY
THERE IS NO
CREATION: KNOW
THE NATURE OF
JOY.

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 14
OUR FUTURE LIFE IS DECIDED
BY..
LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH
OUR DEEP, DRIVING
DESIRE. IT IS THIS DESIRE
AT
THE TIME OF DEATH THAT
DETERMINES WHAT OUR
NEXT LIFE IS TO BE. WE
WILL
COME BACK TO EARTH TO
WORK OUT THE
SATISFACTION OF THAT
DESIRE.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 15
FROM MORTAL TO IMMORTAL
WHEN ALL THE DESIRES
THAT SURGE IN THE
HEART
ARE RENOUNCED, THE
MORTAL BECOMES
IMMORTAL.

WHEN ALL THE KNOTS
THAT STRANGLE THE
HEART
ARE LOOSENED, THE
MORTAL BECOMES
IMMORTAL,
HERE IN THIS VERY LIFE.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 16
TRUTH ALONE TRIUMPHS
WHATEVER TAKES
FORM IS FALSE.
ONLY THE
FORMLESS
ENDURES.
TRUTH ALONE
TRIUMPHS.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 17
WHO IS INFINITE
FOR GOD IS
INFINITE,
WITHIN THE BODY
AND WITHOUT,
LIKE A MIRROR,
AND THE IMAGE IN
A MIRROR.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 18
ASHTAVAKRA GITA 1: 18-20

AS THE AIR IS
EVERYWHERE,
FLOWING AROUND A POT
AND FILLING IT,
SO GOD IS
EVERYWHERE,
FILLING ALL THINGS
AND FLOWING THROUGH
THEM FOREVER.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 19
ASHTAVAKRA GITA
I AM BOUNDLESS
SPACE.
THE WORLD IS A
CLAY POT.
THIS IS THE TRUTH.
THERE IS NOTHING
TO ACCEPT,
NOTHING TO
REJECT,
NOTHING TO
DISSOLVE.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 20
SRI RAMAKRISHNA
THE FORMLESS
ABSOLUTE IS MY
FATHER, AND GOD WITH
FORM IS MY MOTHER.
GOD REVEALS HIMSELF
IN THE FORM WHICH HIS
DEVOTEE LOVES MOST.
HIS LOVE FOR THE
DEVOTEE KNOWS NO
BOUNDS.

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 21
TIRUKKURAL ON COMPASSION
FIND AND FOLLOW THE
GOOD PATH AND BE
RULED BY COMPASSION.
FOR IF THE VARIOUS WAYS
ARE EXAMINED,
COMPASSION WILL PROVE
THE MEANS TO
LIBERATION.

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 22
MUNDAKA UPANISHAD
NOT BY THOSE WHO
PRACTICE WRONG
DISCIPLINES
CAN THE SELF BE
REALIZED. THE SELF
REVEALS
HIMSELF AS THE LORD
OF LOVE TO THE ONE
WHO PRACTICES RIGHT
DISCIPLINES.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 23
SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN (1888
1975)
HINDUISM IS NOT JUST A
FAITH. IT IS THE UNION OF
REASON AND INTUITION
THAT CAN NOT BE DEFINED
BUT IS ONLY TO BE
EXPERIENCED. EVIL AND
ERROR ARE NOT ULTIMATE.
THERE IS NO HELL, FOR
THAT MEANS THERE IS A
PLACE WHERE GOD IS NOT,
AND THERE ARE SINS
WHICH EXCEED HIS LOVE.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 24
MAHATMA GANDHI (1869 1948)
AFTER LONG STUDY AND
EXPERIENCE, I HAVE COME TO
THE CONCLUSION THAT
ALL RELIGIONS ARE TRUE; ALL
RELIGIONS HAVE SOME ERROR
IN
THEM; ALL RELIGIONS ARE
ALMOST AS DEAR TO ME AS MY
OWN HINDUISM,
IN AS MUCH AS ALL HUMAN
BEINGS SHOULD BE AS DEAR
TO ONE
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 25
THE MAHABHARATA ON HIGHEST
HUMAN DHARMA
DO NOT TO OTHERS WHAT
YE DO NOT WISH
DONE TO YOURSELF; AND
WISH FOR OTHERS TOO
WHAT YE DESIRE AND
LONG FOR, FOR YOURSELF.
THIS IS THE WHOLE OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS, HEED IT
WELL. Dr.T.V.Rao MD 26
RIG VEDA
WHEN THERE IS HARMONY
BETWEEN THE MIND, HEART
AND RESOLUTION THEN
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE
ONE SHOULD PERFORMED
HIS DEEDS FOR THE
BENEFIT OF MANKIND WITH
AN UNBIASED APPROACH
BECAUSE OF BIAS GIVES
BIRTH TO EVIL, WHICH
CREATES THOUSANDS OF
OBSTACLES IN OUR PATH.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 27
RIG VEDA
EGO IS THE BIGGEST
ENEMY OF HUMANS.
PEOPLE WHO ARE SOFT
SPOKEN AND TRUTHFUL
ARE LOVED BY ALL.
A PERSON CAN ACHIEVE
EVERYTHING BY BEING
SIMPLE AND HUMBLE.
HAVE A CHILD LIKE
INNOCENCE
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 28
RIG VEDA
BY GETTING UP EARLY
IN THE MORNING ONE
ALSO GETS MORE TIME
AT HIS DISPOSAL FOR
WORK AS COMPARED
TO LATE-RISERS.
SCHOLAR AND
THINKERS GET UP
EARLY IN THE MORNING
AND CONTEMPLATE
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 29
RIG VEDA
ONE SHOULD, PERFORM
KARMA WITH NONCHALANCE
WITHOUT EXPECTING THE
BENEFITS BECAUSE SOONER
OR LATER ONE SHALL
DEFINITELY GETS THE
FRUITS. ~
PEOPLE ACCEPT ONLY THAT
PERSON AS THEIR LEADER
WHO IS RADIANT WITH GOOD
KNOWLEDGE AND KARMA
(DEEDS). ~
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 30
RIG VEDA
ONE SHOULD BE CAUTIONS
NOT TO SPEAK ANYTHING
THAT HURTS OTHERS.
SUCH KIND OF SPEECH
NEVER HELPS BUT ALWAYS
BRINGS DESTRUCTION.
THE MAIN FACTOR
BEHIND SUCCESS IS - SELF
CONTROL
.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 31
RIG VEDA
KINDLED IN VARIOUS
FORMS, THE PERENNIAL
FLAME IS ONE;
SPRINKLING THE
WORLD WITH GOLDEN
BEAMS AT DAWN;
PAINTING THE EVENING
CLOUDS WITH
CHANGING COLORS,
THE SUN IS ONE.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 32
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
YOU HAVE TO GROW
FROM THE INSIDE
OUT. NONE CAN
TEACH YOU, NONE
CAN MAKE YOU
SPIRITUAL. THERE IS
NO OTHER TEACHER
BUT YOUR OWN
SOUL.

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 33
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
WE ARE WHAT OUR
THOUGHTS HAVE
MADE US; SO TAKE
CARE ABOUT WHAT
YOU THINK. WORDS
ARE SECONDARY.
THOUGHTS LIVE;
THEY TRAVEL FAR


Dr.T.V.Rao MD 34
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
THE GOAL OF MANKIND IS
KNOWLEDGE ... NOW THIS
KNOWLEDGE IS INHERENT IN MAN.
NO KNOWLEDGE COMES FROM
OUTSIDE: IT IS ALL INSIDE. WHAT
WE SAY A MAN 'KNOWS', SHOULD,
IN STRICT PSYCHOLOGICAL
LANGUAGE, BE WHAT HE
'DISCOVERS' OR 'UNVEILS'; WHAT
MAN 'LEARNS' IS REALLY WHAT HE
DISCOVERS BY TAKING THE
COVER OFF HIS OWN SOUL, WHICH
IS A MINE OF INFINITE
KNOWLEDGE.

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 35
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
NEVER THINK THERE IS
ANYTHING IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE SOUL. IT IS
THE GREATEST
HERESY TO THINK SO.
IF THERE IS SIN, THIS IS
THE ONLY SIN TO SAY
THAT YOU ARE WEAK,
OR OTHERS ARE WEAK.

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 36
DHARMA BASIS OF HINDUISM
DHARMA IS GOD'S DIVINE LAW
PREVAILING ON EVERY LEVEL OF
EXISTENCE, FROM THE SUSTAINING
COSMIC ORDER TO RELIGIOUS AND
MORAL LAWS WHICH BIND US IN
HARMONY WITH THAT ORDER. EVERY
FORM OF LIFE, EVERY GROUP OF MEN,
HAS ITS DHARMA, THE LAW OF ITS BEING.
RELATED TO THE SOUL, DHARMA IS THE
MODE OF CONDUCT MOST CONDUCIVE TO
SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT, THE RIGHT AND
RIGHTEOUS PATH.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 37
DHARMA IS DIVINE LAW
WHEN WE FOLLOW DHARMA,
WE ARE IN CONFORMITY WITH
THE TRUTH THAT INHERES
AND INSTRUCTS THE
UNIVERSE, AND WE
NATURALLY ABIDE IN
CLOSENESS TO GOD. A
DHARMA IS OPPOSITION TO
DIVINE LAW. DHARMA IS TO
THE INDIVIDUAL WHAT ITS
NORMAL DEVELOPMENT IS
TO A SEED--THE ORDERLY
FULFILMENT OF AN INHERENT
NATURE AND DESTINY.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 38
WHAT IS SUPERIOR
THE DESIRES ARE
SUPERIOR TO THE
SENSES, THE MIND IS
SUPERIOR TO THE
DESIRES, THE INTUITION
(UNDERSTANDING) IS
SUPERIOR TO THE MIND,
THE GREAT SELF IS
SUPERIOR TO THE
INTUITION.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 39
CONTROLLING SELF REMAIN THE
HIGHEST YOGA
THE SENSES, THEY SAY, ARE
THE HORSES; THE OBJECTS
OF SENSE, WHAT THEY
RANGE OVER..
HE WHO IS EVER OF
UNRESTRAINED MIND, DEVOID
OF TRUE UNDERSTANDING,
HIS SENSE-DESIRES THEN
BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE
LIKE THE WILD HORSES OF A
CHARIOTEER.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 40
MAHATMA GANDHI (1869-1948)
HINDUISM HAS MADE
MARVELLOUS DISCOVERIES IN
THINGS OF RELIGION, OF THE
SPIRIT, OF THE SOUL. WE HAVE NO
EYE FOR THESE GREAT AND FINE
DISCOVERIES. WE ARE DAZZLED
BY THE MATERIAL PROGRESS
THAT WESTERN SCIENCE HAS
MADE. ANCIENT INDIA HAS
SURVIVED BECAUSE HINDUISM
WAS NOT DEVELOPED ALONG
MATERIAL BUT SPIRITUAL LINES
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 41
MOTHER SARADA DEVI,
HINDUISM
DOES NOT
SEE SINS,
BUT ONLY
MISTAKES
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 42
WHY I AM A HINDU
MAHATMA GANDHI
I AM A HINDU
BECAUSE IT IS
HINDUISM WHICH
MAKES THE WORLD
WORTH LIVING. I AM A
HINDU HENCE I LOVE
NOT ONLY HUMAN
BEINGS, BUT ALL
LIVING BEINGS
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 43
HINDUISM IS SPIRITUAL PROGRESS
HINDUISM HAS MADE
MARVELLOUS
DISCOVERIES IN THINGS OF
RELIGION, OF THE SPIRIT,
OF THE SOUL. WE HAVE NO
EYE FOR THESE GREAT
AND FINE DISCOVERIES.
WE ARE DAZZLED BY THE
MATERIAL PROGRESS THAT
WESTERN SCIENCE HAS
MADE. ANCIENT INDIA HAS
SURVIVED BECAUSE
HINDUISM WAS NOT
DEVELOPED ALONG
MATERIAL BUT SPIRITUAL
LINES


MAHATMA GANDHI

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 44
SRI AUROBINDO
HINDUISM.....GAVE ITSELF NO NAME, BECAUSE IT SET
ITSELF NO SECTARIAN LIMITS; IT CLAIMED NO
UNIVERSAL ADHESION, ASSERTED NO SOLE
INFALLIBLE DOGMA, SET UP NO SINGLE NARROW PATH
OR GATE OF SALVATION; IT WAS LESS A CREED OR
CULT THAN A CONTINUOUSLY ENLARGING TRADITION
OF THE GOD WARD ENDEAVOR OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.
AN IMMENSE MANY-SIDED AND MANY STAGED
PROVISION FOR A SPIRITUAL SELF-BUILDING AND
SELF-FINDING, IT HAD SOME RIGHT TO SPEAK OF
ITSELF BY THE ONLY NAME IT KNEW, THE ETERNAL
RELIGION, SANTANA DHARMA...."
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 45
WILHELM VON HUMBOLDT
BHAGVAD-GITA IS THE
MOST BEAUTIFUL,
PERHAPS THE ONLY
TRUE PHILOSOPHICAL
SONG EXISTING IN ANY
KNOWN
TONGUE....PERHAPS
THE DEEPEST AND
LOFTIEST THING THE
WORLD HAS TO SHOW.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 46
VOLTAIRE ON SACRED LAND
I AM CONVINCED
THAT EVERYTHING
HAS COME DOWN TO
US FROM THE BANKS
OF THE GANGES, -
ASTRONOMY,
ASTROLOGY,
METEMPSYCHOSIS,
ETC."




Dr.T.V.Rao MD 47
RALPH WALDO EMERSON ON BHAGWAD
GITA
IT IS SUBLIME AS NIGHT
AND A BREATHLESS
OCEAN. IT CONTAINS
EVERY RELIGIOUS
SENTIMENT, ALL THE
GRAND ETHICS WHICH
VISIT IN TURN EACH
NOBLE POETIC MIND
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 48
DR. ANNIE BESANT
AFTER A STUDY OF SOME
FORTY YEARS AND MORE OF
THE GREAT RELIGIONS OF
THE WORLD, I FIND NONE SO
PERFECT, NONE SO
SCIENTIFIC, NONE SO
PHILOSOPHIC, AND NONE SO
SPIRITUAL AS THE GREAT
RELIGION KNOWN BY THE
NAME OF HINDUISM. THE
MORE YOU KNOW IT, THE
MORE YOU WILL LOVE IT; THE
MORE YOU TRY TO
UNDERSTAND IT, THE MORE
DEEPLY YOU WILL VALUE IT

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 49
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 50
WILL DURANT
HINDUISM TEACHES LOVE FOR ALL
PERHAPS IN RETURN FOR
CONQUEST, ARROGANCE AND
SPOLIATION, INDIA WILL TEACH
US THE TOLERANCE AND
GENTLENESS OF THE MATURE
MIND, THE QUIET CONTENT OF
THE UNACQUISITIVE SOUL,
THE CALM OF THE
UNDERSTANDING SPIRIT, AND
A UNIFYING, A PACIFYING LOVE
FOR ALL LIVING THINGS."

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 51
HINDUISM CONTINUES TO
INSPIRE GREAT THINKERS
IN THE WORLD IN SPITE OF
SEVERAL RELIGIOUS
BELIEFS
EMAIL
DOCTORTVRAO@GMAIL.COM
Dr.T.V.Rao MD 52