Re: I am giving a lecture on Hinduism tomorrow: some questions
Namaste eotm,
Nice that you are in demand for speaking about Hinduism, but I wonder how you hoped to get answers to the questions you asked 'yesterday' for "tomorrow's" lecture? Anyway, here are my two cents on them:
1. MokSha is the status of unity with Brahman, of course, but it is not something external to be reached or obtained or accomplished as with a journey or mission; it is nothing more than internal realization that we as jIvas (or manifest souls) are in no way different from Atma or Brahman, the one God who is omni(-present, -scient, -potent).
And then there are different stages of mokSha, differing in their degrees of unity. About the question of re-creation of the universe after a cycle completes, even the trimUrtis (Brahma, VishNu, Rudra) are created, so why are not the souls who attained moKSha? For example, the rishis in the tapaloka continue their individual lives in each cycle, though they have realized their Self.
2. Yes, jAti became hereditory, because it was easier for the son to follow his father's profession rather than take up a new and unknown one. varNa is based on profession and jAti was initially created to identify subgroups within a profession. Spiritual attainment, specially the sAdhana of Self Realization is a legacy of all varNas and castes, as this requires intense personal efforts of meditation, rather than the knowledge of scriptures or practice of rituals.
3. As for the Hindu gods, you might perhaps discuss the family of the Trinity: Brahma-Sarasvati, VishNu-Lakshmi, Shiva-Parvati and then the second generation gods such as Ganesha-Skandha or SAstha and of course Sri Rama and Sri Krishna.
Wish you all the best.
Last edited by saidevo; 15 December 2008 at 02:33 AM.
रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥
To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.
--viShNu purANam
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