Hindu Tenets
Hindu concept of worship, idols, Gods
Hindus do not have many Gods or single God. Hindu philosophy believes that there is only God and nothing else, philosophically referred to by the terms — brahman, ishwara or parabrahma. All materials and beings in the universe and the universe itself are but different forms of God itself contained by the God itself — thereby making God a cosmic body (purusha).
As a result of this fundamental principle, any form or shape can be worshipped as a symbol of God. Hindus do not worship idols, but the idea of every material or form representing the God. The idols are merely used to facilitate an altar and create an environment of piety for meditation, prayers & rituals. They are merely personifications of aspects of nature and universe — as Vedas call them — Devta. Many vedic rituals are executed merely with rice or betel nuts as symbols of Devta without any form of idols.
Hindus have three formats (kanda) of worships of the supreme — Karma (fire and idol worship), Upasana (worship through prayers, mantras and reading) and Dhyana (worship through meditation). In each format, worship can be done with or without idols.
Hindu concept of destiny, social inequities
Hindu philosophy stresses on God being just and inactive when it comes to showing any favouritism. God is neither kind nor evil. It is just and follows the cosmic rules of Karma. That’s why the responsibility of the outcome lies in the ownership of the action of the individuals. What an individual or group of people receive as fate or destiny is merely an outcome (vipak) of their own doing (karma). That why both — evil and good — within us are part of God’s same universe. The cosmic laws of God are infallible, balanced and complete.
Hindus do not believe in permanent hell or heaven. They are merely state for correction of the evil or good deeds performed. Every individual is born with certain parents, social status as part of this correction. Everyone is equal in the eyes of this karmic principle, the destiny and social inequalities that we experience are merely corrections of our own past doings. It is up to the individual what attitude they keep to approach this fate, thereby generating new set of Karmas.
Hindu concept of materialism and creation
Vedas focus on not only intelligent creation but also material creation. When a spider creates a web, he not only brings in intelligence to create it but also procures material to make it from within. The intelligence without Gunas (material qualities) is nirguna ishwara — the absolute singularity. This singularity is intrinsic nature of brahman. However, the intelligence wrapped with Gunas is called saguna brahman or maya. It is the material world that gives us an appearance of plurality. Hinduism thus accepts both diversity and unity. The diversity (mithya) may have appearance of plurality but underneath is still the oneness , unity of the abosulture brahman (sat).
Creation in Hinduism is top down creation like an ocean where waves are an outcome in the ocean, but they are not part of the ocean. Destruction and creation of the waves does not impact existence of the ocean. Waves are merely an aspect of the water. Similarly, universe — an illusion like waves is merely an aspect of Ishwara — the real.
The self existing, unchanging and absolute reality — sat or brahman — is the basis of creation. and the awareness of this sat is called Chit. The bliss created from this awareness is called Ananda — thereby the term Satchidananda — used for realized beings.
Additional Read: Hindu Tenets Part 2
