Promod Puri

What Is Hindutva And Why It Conflicts With Hinduism

By Promod Puri The expression Hindutva emerged from Hinduism which simply means a state or quality of being a Hindu. However, going through its etymology Hindutva sought a wider demarcation to move free from Hinduism but keeping a bonded identity with it as well. The Hindutva ideology was first introduced in 1923 by Maharashtra-based Hindu…

Hinduism and Vegetarian Diet

By Arran Stephens The overwhelming majority of the world’s Hindus live in India, which has the largest vegetarian population on earth, numbering many millions. Within the Indian subcontinent, the spectrum of religious thought ranges from strict monotheism to a sweeping panoply of gods, goddesses and animist dieties. Vegetarianism is practiced and scripturally supported by the…

Message of Universality in Hindu Mantra

By Promod Puri OM PURNAM MANTRA “Om purnam adah purnam idam purnat purnam udachyate purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavashishyate”. An ideological and free translation of the mantra begins with the word Om which is personified here as God. The word ‘purnam’ and its related derivates in the mantra mean complete, and signifies His completeness….

Bad Rituals Breed Fanaticism

One major drawback instituted in ambiguous rituals is the fear factor. And in absurdity some rituals promise to work like cure-all miracles. Illogical rituals block the real spirit of a religion. Such customs generate fanaticism. Rituals help in cult formation. The entry of fake gurus in the Hindu faith is thru the contamination created by…

Nothing in the world final

“Nothing in the world is final, ultimate, lasting and durable. THERE IS NO FULL STOP IN HISTORY. What appeared to be final destination might be a stage for the next”.-Balraj Puri, Writer and human right activist. (1928-2014)

What is fate!

Does fate play a role in our lives? Or is it just an imaginary judgment that life is steered by fate. “What is going to happen will happen is pre-determined by fate”. Is it an expression of consolation, helplessness or just an inherent feeling to accept fate. The things we do are controlled by fate?…

BUILDING DIVINE RESIDENCY MORE RELEVANT THAN KNOWING GOD HE OR SHE

By Promod Puri If God or the Supreme Being is He, She or It; residing in heaven, up there in the sky or just omnipresent in the known or unknown universe. Do we need to indulge in this debate? Not really. Rather we create our own god based on noble thoughts, ethics, and good karma….

MANUSMIRITI AND WOMEN

(From the book Hinduism Beyond Rituals, Customs And Traditions by Promod Puri) Since bias knows no boundaries, Manusmriti not only expounds the social distance between the upper and lower castes, but it also delineates the status of women by curbing their rights. It lists guidelines for men in selecting marriage partners and puts a stamp…