Hindu Religions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hindu Religions - Essay Example This power transforms the truths propounded by them into an inward reality† (http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap30.htm). The Upanisads stress on the knowledge of ‘the Self.’ The sacred mantras like ‘Tat Vam Asi’ meaning – ‘That Thou Art’ and ‘Aham Bramah Asmi’ meaning ‘I am the Brahman’- are the essence of the Upanisads . The Bhagavad- Gita on the other hand, reiterates the necessity of knowing the Self, and also performing one’s duties, without attachment to the results. Sri Krishna says in Chapter II, verse 47, â€Å"Thou art entitled to work alone, not to its results.† This verse, in a nutshell, states that while it is important for man to ‘know the Self,’ he should continue to perform his duties devoid of any attachment to the results (http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-02-46.html). While the Upanisads generally stressed on knowledge more than action, the Bhaga vad- Gita revealed that knowledge is to be gained in the process of one performing his duties without any selfish motive or attachment to the reward.... stly community, the Kshatriyas or the warrior/royal community, the Vaisyas or the trading communities and the Sudras or the community that does hard manual labor. Some Scholars hold that, the caste system began originally as a system of classification indicating the division of labor in the society (http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part20/chap5.htm). 3) What are the gender roles and status of women in Hinduism Hinduism deems women equal to men in abilities; this is proved by the fact that all important aspects of life, like knowledge, wealth, and courage are all given feminine personalities (Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvathi). Even the rivers are considered to be women, like The Ganges is call the 'Ganga Matha' or Mother Ganga. However, for establishing order and hierarchy in the society and clear division of labor, women are classified as under the rule of men (http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part17/chap15.htm). 4) What did you discover from your exploration of Hindu Temples Hindu temples are a place of high activity, with color and rituals forming an important part of worship. The temples depict mythological stories, as well as stories from everyday life, which go to prove that Hinduism is rather, more than a religion, it is a way of living (http://www.mypurohith.com/Epics/Hinduism.asp). 5) What are Hindu concerns about nature Hinduism incorporates into it respect of nature and preservation of ecology - which is why the mountains, the rivers, the trees and the land are all sacred places. Every Hindu is to purify himself by going on a pilgrimage to visit the Holy Ganga (river), the Mount Kailash, which is the abode of Shiva - one of the Trinities, carry the water from the Ganges and mingle them in the sea waters of Rameshwaram (South India), take the