Hindu Religious Ethos, Cosmology, Mantras and Karma

Haobam Bhuban Singh *

Introduction

Hindu religion is one of the oldest religions of the world and perhaps dates back to around 3000 B.C. It got spread to the entire and reachable world of those days. Kandahar now in Afghanisthan, is believed to be the birth place of Queen Gandhari, mother of Kaurav dynasty of the Mahabharata epic. Singapore, which means City of Horns (Malay Peninsula and Sumatra being the two horns), is a Hindustani name. Caspian sea is the name of a huge inland lake of the size of a sea, and it is believed to be the meditational place of Muni Kashyap.

Hindu Ethos

2. As per Article 25 of the Constitution of India on 'Right to Freedom of Religion' it says in 'Explanation II- In sub-clause (b) of clause (2), of the reference to Hindus' shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Bhuddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed accordingly.

3. Therefore, Hindu religious ethos, cosmology, mantras and belief in Karma are also applicable to the Sikh, Jaina and Buddhist religions as the followers of these religions also believe in these ethos etc.

Western Ethos

4. Dr. Charles Darwin's "Theory of Survival of the Fittest” implies that the fit ones must survive, enslave and exist at the expense of the weak and the unfit. History had witnessed the war of Crusades by Christians of Europe against Muslims in the fourteenth century for control of Jerusalem, which led to utter defeat of the Crusaders. Hindu philosophy is : I live, you live and we all live happily and together.

5. Michael Didbin, in his book 'Dead Lagoon', wrote:-
"There cannot be true enemy, unless we hate what we are not. We cannot love what we are...........For peoples seeking identity and re-inventing ethnicity, enemies are essential..........”

6. Samuel P. Huntington, in his book 'The clash of civilizations and remarking of the world order', wrote :-
"We know what we are, when we know who we are against.”

7. The above views are based on the Western concept of 'We versus they.' Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate in his book 'Identity and Violence—The illusion of Destiny' criticised 'the herd behaviour' of the West. He pointed out that Pandit Ravi Shankar, the great sitarist or Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, the great sarod player, were not identified as Hindu sitarist and Muslim sarod player. They are identified and famous as Indian Sitarist or Indian Sarod player. He opined that our 'right' is their 'wrong' and our 'wrong' is their 'right' concept of "We versus They” is politically highly combustible.

8. This Western concept of "We versus They” led to slavery in the United States of America, where slaves-men and women, boys and girls- were sold in the open market like cattle till President Abraham Lincoln freed the black-slaves. Now the United States of America have a President, who is half-black and half-white in the person of Barack Obama. Hindu concept of humanity has prevailed.

Hindu Ethos and Science

9. Many of the preaching of Hinduism look so primitive and so unscientific that one tends to reject these as bung-kum. But on closer examination, one encounters deepest manifestations.

10. Astronomical scientists are still arguing about the creation of Solar System, as to whether its cause was "The Big Bang” theory or "Gradual Evolution” theory from an orbiting mass.

11. Even the Darwinian 'Theory of Evolution ' of human beings from monkeys and apes, is subject to closer scrutiny and debates. If Darwin's Theory of Evolution is an ongoing process, as it ought to be, then common sense tells you that one should find human species who are half-human and half-monkey just as we do see (1) eggs of frogs, (2) then in tadpole forms, (3) then in the form of small frogs with short tails and finally (4) in tail-less frogs form, which are jumping in front of you. The big question is : Has the Darwinian's "Theory of Evolution” stopped functioning, once human beings got evolved from monkeys? Scientists may please answer, if they believe in Darwin.

12. Hindu religious preachings are pristine and sublime and tend to be rejected as unscientific and illogical. To understand Hindu religion, one has to study Hindu religion and its philosophy deeply. The saying goes : When science ends, philosophy starts. Again, when philosophy ends, religion starts. Religion and religion alone can solve human problems.

13. The basic philosophy of Hindu religion is 'existence of soul' with the accompanying 'Theory of rebirth' and "Creation of human beings by God” rather than the 'Evolution Theory' of Darwin.

14. When a man dies, his pulses will stop beating, and his breathing will cease to function. The dead man has come to zero energy level. Immediately before his death, he has energy for his heart-beat and also for breathing. In order to reduce the energy level of the dying man to zero such that he can die, some energy has to go out. This unknown energy which has gone out of the dead man is Atma or Soul to the Hindus.

Vedic Cosmology

15. Now let as examine Vedic Cosmology. We all know that from nothing you will get nothing. For example, if you are addressing an audience of around four hundred peoples, sitting at a distance of, from fifty to hundred feet, you will need a loudspeaker with a battery. If there is no energy in the battery, then the whole loudspeaker system will fail.

16. So, something has to be there for creating something. Creation began with 'Being', which is the Hindu Divinity 'Narayana'. From the solar plexus of 'Narayana', came out 'Brahma'. This Brahma created the universe and experienced 'will'. This 'Will' manifested itself into 'Saraswati', with 'Words' and 'Speech' or 'Language' there and then. From that very moment, Brahma animated the Universe till date. Therefore, we are existing as human beings. This is Vedic cosmology in a nutshell.

Meitei Cosmology

17. Meiteis are plains people of Manipur. They or, rather we also believe that our planet Earth is made habitable by mankind because of the existence of five things, known as Pancha Bhoot. These are :-
(i) Mei (Fire/Sun)
(ii) Eesing (Water)
(iii) Nungshit (Air)
(iv) Atiya/Akash (Ether)
(v) Leipak/Leibak (Earth)

18. Absence of anyone of the five Pancha Bhoots will completely destroy our planet earth. For example, if the sun refuses to shine even for one day (twenty four hours only), our planet Earth will get frozen and all living things will get killed and destroyed. Of course, it is a different matter that we do not see the sun for a week or more, because of clouds. The sun is still shining and transmitting heat through the clouds. Similarly, without Nungshit (air), all living things on Earth will get suffocated. Therefore, we all can be proud of Meitei Cosmology which was handed over by our ancestors. In fact, I pray to Ibudhou Sanamahi and Leimaren Ima Sidabee (deathless) every day.

Mantras

19. The word 'Mantra' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Mana' meaning 'mind' and 'Trai' meaning 'protect'. Mantra is a mental tool that can release from us, our conditioned mental habits from the bondage of any pre-determined life circumstances. It takes you beyond the static and staleness of everyday mundane work and thought, into the fundamental essence and oneness of consciousness.

20. The practice of 'mantra' actually kneads the flesh of the body with words and sounds of 'mantras'. The delicate cells of the elaborate bundles of nerves are subjected to constant hammering, a seizure of flesh by vibrations of Divine sound.

21. But mantra is not the panacea. It is not the only way or even the best way to solve human problems. Even then, mantras can solve many of the problems we face or it can soften the problems considerably.

22. Since many problem-solving mantras are general in nature, let us hear/read the one for removal of obstacles. It is:-
Om Gum Ganpateyei Namaha
(Om and salutations to the remover of obstacles for which Gum is the seed)

23. Again, for honouring the masculine principle, the Mantra is :-
Om Namaha Shivaya
(Om and salutations. May the elements of creation abide in me)

Karma

24. Karma is carried with us like one's baggage in our body. For example if you start practicing golf even as a caddy boy, perhaps you may become a Tiger Woods, in this life itself. On the other hand, Sanchita Karma (past karma) is such that all our past actions and decisions are stored in the soul. At the time of birth, a portion of the total Karma is released into the physical body and the remaining goes into the subtle body. The rest of our total Karma remains stored and will not come out in this particular life. Portions of Sanchita (or past-life) Karma that have been released, will be expressed in neuron pathways that define the activity of our mind/brain and our personality as well as our physical body.

25. Sanchita Karma will also affect our birth-situation, presenting on us a pre-deposition and an environment that will influence our habits, prejudices and the development of talents and abilities, which we will use in this life time, to work-off a given portion of our total Karma. When a bad effect of Karma faces you, you have to gather strength and face it square and overcome it.

26. Because of factors such as heredity and memory (brain), we are not really separated from the past either. Things that happened long ago continue to affect us every day. At any given moment, our lives are partly determined by events that took place many years ago, even before we were born. The fact that I was to be born as a Meitei, in the Haobam family of Pishum, Hao Ground, Chingamathak, Imphal could not be decided by me. I had no choice. Similarly, your birth as a Manipuri was a pre-determined programme and you have no choice.