The word Hinduism has two parts – Hindu and ism. The term Hindu is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Sindhu’ which is the local name for the Indus River that flows through the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent. The Greeks used the word Hindu to describe the people living beyond the Indus river. “ism” was added to Hindu later during early nineteenth century by English writers to denote the culture and religion of the Hindus. The original Sanskrit term for Hinduism is ‘Sanātana Dharma.’ Sanātana means eternal. Dharma, derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Dhri’ meaning to hold together or sustain, may be roughly translated as ‘laws that sustain us.’ In short, Sanātana Dharma is the eternal code of conduct, a set of religious beliefs, and “a way of life.” Sanātana Dharma or Hinduism represents much more – it provides broad guidelines on how to lead life happily with a rational view of reality.
To many people, Hinduism may seem to be a highly complex religion ridden with overwhelming number of gods and rituals. Is it too difficult to learn about the basics of Hinduism? Not really. If you look deep, the core beliefs of Hinduism are simple and easy to understand. Hindus believe in monotheism calling the Supreme Being as Brahman; they pursue knowledge through time-tested ancient scriptures handed down through generations; they believe in a code of conduct based on knowledge of truth and reality; and they strive for a moral order and peace in society.
There are great numbers of people around the world who are eager to know more about Hinduism. The younger generation is curious and wants to know what is in Hinduism. There seems to be greater need now than ever before to learn the fundamentals of Hinduism and how it benefits us.
For your easy learning benefit, we have added links for numerous videos in the gallery section. The video series titled ‘Guru Krupa’ contains many easy-to-understand explanations of the great Sage of Kanchi – the 68th Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam well-known as Mahaaperiyavaa.
The purpose of this website is to encourage people to learn more about Hinduism in an ‘Easy Way.’ So, go ahead and keep visiting the ‘EasyHinduism’ website often to appreciate what Hinduism holds for you to lead a happy and wonderful life.
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