What do you think are the most positive aspects of Hinduism? Why is it so tolerant of other religions? If you had to worship one of the 1158 deities, who would you choose and why?
Hinduism is a tolerant religion in the sense that it provides a lot of leeway to other religions as they are practiced. This means that religion is a tolerant form and is always important to everyone who practices it but one has to observe the rules of religion accordingly without making out to be error prone. Although Hindiusm has a large amount of deities in its description, one can also observe that it provides a lot of leeway in this area.
Hindiusm is also practiced differently in various parts of the Indian country but it is also practiced in other countries by those who have this religion at heart. To my mind the most positive aspect of Hinduism is the fact that it can be interpreted in various ways and is also part and parcel of a grander scheme of things. The fact that it is based on eternal laws is also interesting and there are also other aspects of it which are very positive especially the one that shows other religions as being important to it.
Personally the most positive aspect of Hinduism is its tolerance towards other religions which definitely demonstrates its wide ranging sense of karma and understanding. This definitely creates a mostly positive allure around the same religion and shows that great things can be achieved accordingly when everything comes together.
It is tolerant of other religions due to the fact that it does not have a real founder and also demonstrates that one can reach a certain stage of karma around itself when pushed. Personally I would worship Shiva as the goddess of light as she brings some very interesting aspects to the Hindu religion and everything comes together accordingly. Shiva is definitely a positive goddess which shows that life can be appreciated through various different aspects in life and this brings a sense of peace and well being to everything.
Hinduism looks at the world in a rather circumspect way without bringing too much to the fore. It is a world which shows that corruption and greed is endemic but there is always some hope for the future in this sense. The concept of Dharma is also important in the sense that it demonstrates that power in this world may mean nothing when compared to the next one where life can be on a much more equal basis focusing primarily on what a supreme state of being can achieve.
How does the teaching of the tale, The Parade of the Ants illustrate this concept?
The Parade of the Ants demonstrates that ants in their insignificance can also contribute to the world’s development in the Hindu religion. Ants are industrious and busy insects which bring about the collective effort and they manage to achieve a huge amount of work in their small way. The story shows that even if thousands die, several thousands more are reincarnated and these continue to provide a cycle which actually never ends.
What do you feel the future holds for India and Hinduism?
India is a burgeoning country which is developing at a fast rate and the opportunities for the young are quite great. The country is rapidly increasing its population at a fast rate and all this is leading to a considerable boom in industry and other areas which shows that several targets can be achieved with a little bit of work. The future for Hinduism is slightly more bleak as the younger generation seem to be abandoning this religion in droves. There are other aspects of the religion which perhaps need review and these include the way it is taught in schools and the way it is handed down to other generations.
Notwithstanding all this there does seem to be some sort of future for Hinduism in India which shows that it is a crucial and important part of culture there. Indians consistently identify themselves as Hindus even when they are out of their country and live abroad so one can safely say that it will remain part of that culture for a long time to come.
One cannot observe that there are any intrinsic changes to Indian society and that Hinduism is still not an important part of that society. When one reinforces the positive aspects of this religion with the other parts of its development one can only say that there is a future for this religion. Although this may also reinforce the strength of the karma aspect of religion with other parts of it, there is also the possibility that Hinduism might develop and grow to other parts of the world. Everything can happen in this respect and in this regard.
Works Cited:
Banerji, S. C. (1992), Tantra in Bengal (Second Revised and Enlarged ed.), Delhi: Manohar, ISBN 81-85425-63-9
Basham, A.L (1999), A Cultural History of India, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-563921-9
Bhaktivedanta, A. C. (1997), Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, ISBN 089213285X, retrieved 2007-07-14
Bhaskarananda, Swami (1994), The Essentials of Hinduism: a comprehensive overview of the world's oldest religion, Seattle, WA: Viveka Press, ISBN 1-884852-02-5[unreliable source?]
Bhattacharyya, N.N (1999), History of the Tantric Religion (Second Revised ed.), Delhi: Manohar Publications, ISBN 81-7304-025-7
Chidbhavananda, Swami (1997), The Bhagavad Gita, Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam
Eliot, Sir Charles (2003), Hinduism and Buddhism: An Historical Sketch, I (Reprint ed.), Munshiram Manoharlal, ISBN 8121510937
