What Are Some of the Most Interesting Facts About Hinduism?
Yoga, Pranayama, Ayurveda, Astrology, Numerology, Vastu and Palmistry primarily originated from the Hindu scriptures from the ancient past
Some of the interesting facts of Hinduism are:
- The largest Hindu temple in the world is surprising not in India but in Angkor, Cambodia due to migration of Hindus to other countries.
2. The origin of ‘Yoga’ took place in India as recorded in the ancient Hindu scriptures.
3. Hinduism is the world’s most ancient religion with its roots and traditions dating back to more than 10,000 years or more with different incarnations of Lord Vishnu in various forms.
Hinduism has over 1.1 billion adherents worldwide which is around 14% of the world’s total population.
4. In the beginning there was just one Aryan race of Sanatana Dharma although many different sects and faiths appeared with the passage of time over many generations.
5. Christianity was declared 2000 years ago to denote the beginning of the Christian era; and Islam came into existence about 1400 years ago.
Islam spread its roots very fast and overtook Hinduism in numbers as the Muslim adherents waged many wars and increased their following.
6. ‘Khumbamela’ is a Hindu ritual bath of cleansing the body and spirit in the sacred river which occurs after a gap of every 12 years and it attracts largest gathering of human beings in the world.
7. Buddhism had its roots and origin in India and it later spread to other countries in Asia. — Buddha was the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu.
8. The ‘Kamasutra book’ originated from Hinduism to denote the union of male and female energies and to indicate that sex is the primal natural instinct in all living species. — One has to finally conquer the urge of sexual lust to attain union with the spirit of God.
9. Sikhism and Jain religion have origins and common roots with the philosophy of Hinduism.
10. Bhagavad Gita comprising of just 700 verses in 18 Chapters is the essence of all the Vedas and is the most sacred book of the Hindus. — Gita clearly explains the concept of both the monotheistic and polytheistic worship as per the faith of the individual.
Bhagavad Gita was declared to the humanity by God-incarnate Sri Krishna who manifested as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, more than 5000 years ago.
11. One day of Brahma is 4.32 billion human years. Each such day of Brahma is called a “kalpa.” — The night of Brahma also constitutes 4.32 billion human years.
What does it mean on the time scale of the universe? — Everything including the Sun, Earth,Moon and the planets are perishable although their life is in billion of years.
It means that the entire solar system comprising of the Sun, earth and other planets will disintegrate into fragments after the completion of 8.64 billion years from its creation.
The Sun, earth, moon and other planets have already completed 4.32 billion years of their life and are in their mid-life now, and another 4.32 billion years are still remaining for the disintegration of the entire solar system.
Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita: — “The day of Brahma the Creator, lasts a thousand Yugas, and his night is of equal duration of thousand Yugas. Those who understand this are the real knower’s of time-scale measurements of the Universe.” (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 8 verse 17)
At the beginning of Brahma’s Cosmic day, the entire creation of beings emerges from the unknown invisible unmanifest state; and at the onset of Brahma’s cosmic night, the entire manifest creation dissolves back into unmanifest void again. (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 8 verse 18)
12. A few features and sayings of Bhagavad Gita are as follows:
Reincarnation and rebirth is stated in Bhagavad Gita. — One who dies is sure to take birth again.
Lord Sri Krishna says:
One who is born is sure to die one day, and all those who die are certain to be born again. One should not therefore, grieve over this inevitable and ultimate truth of life. (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2 verse 27)
13. Hinduism believes that soul in all living beings is eternal and indestructible while the physical body dies and perishes.
Bhagavad Gita : “Soul is eternal and everlasting but the physical body is subject to death. Weapons cannot cut the soul, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet the soul, nor can wind dry the soul.” (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2 verse 23)
For millennia, the sacred book of Bhagavad Gita has inspired millions of saints, leaders, scientists, philosophers and people worldwide.
The contents of Bhagavad Gita are of universal nature and non-sectarian and are meant for all those who have faith and belief in this doctrine irrespective of whether one is a Hindu, Christian, Muslim or of any other religion.
14. — ‘AUM’ and Swastika are symbols of Hinduism.
‘AUM’ is the eternal sound of ‘pranava’ or the life force. — ‘AUM’ represents the unmanifest as the absolute reality.
Hindus revere all living creatures and give special status to cows as it nourishes all life with its milk.
15. Nepal has its origin in a Hindu saint by the name of ‘Le Muni.’
16. The Vedas are made up of: The Rig Veda, Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda. — Hindus believe that the Vedas transcend time and do not have a beginning or an end. (Book:Want to Know God: For Young and Old)
The Mahabharata and Ramayana are the national epics of India. They are the longest spiritual poems in any language.
17. India was invaded and ruled by the Muslim rulers for 800 years and by the Christian British rule for over 200 years. — But, India has still remained a Hindu majority country due to the strong roots and traditions of Sanatana Dharma.
Hinduism has now been relegated to the third place in world population due to large scale migration and conversion of Hindus to other religion.
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