What Makes a Hindu a Hindu?

[ratikala]

dear prabhu ji,

I've wondered about the silk thing. Were the saris and dhotis the deities wore made of silk? Or was silk just a term used for luxurious fabric? I know that India has always produced some of the world's finest cotton. I can't see Sri Krishna wearing a silk dhoti, when the caterpillars have to be killed (boiled) to unwind the silk thread.

I all ways try to buy cotton for my own use , but I do buy silk for the deitys for special occasions, allthough if I can get good quality cotton saris to make their clothing I feel most happy , however I do feel that it is important to buy indian cloth and am against mass produced synthetics and plastic etc .

it is a real dilema !!! krsna is often seen wearing silk and pearls ? yet both cause needless destruction of life ?
there are how ever methods of producing silk without the worm being killed , it is called ahimsa silk :yes:

 

[ratikala]

dear prabhu ji's

radha madhava send their darshan , wearing dhoti and sari cut from the borders of a very fine cotton sari ,their neclaces are made from tiny glass beads and glass pearls and of course flower garlands which I am sure they prefer to pearls any day .sorry the photo is a little fuzzy , my appologies , their crowns of course were brought from vrindarvan.

Radha Madhava ki jai !

 

[chinu]

@ questions

Besides coming on the internet and claiming you're a Hindu, what makes you a Hindu?
OK am not a hindu.
Do you do a daily puja?
True puja is automatically going on inside every human day and night.
Do you attend temple once a week?
For a true hindu, true temple is own mind.
Do you have a Hindu name?
Yes! my first name is HUMANBEING.
Do you meditate daily?
True hindu doesn't meditate daily, a true hindu always try to meditate evrytime.
Do you pilgrimage near of far at least once a year?
True pilgrimage is situated inside everybody, its not in the outer world.
Are most of your friends Hindu?
Yes.. all are humanbeings
Do you listen to Hindu music primarily or exclusively?
True music is flowing inside everybody but due different languages some call it as NAAD, or SHABAD, or BANGE-AASMANI, or NIDA, or WORD, or VIOCE OF SILENCE etc..
Have you been initiated or taken diksha from a bonafide Hindu teacher?
YES
Are you a vegetarian, or at least realise you should be one?
Nobody can be 100% vegetarian, But one should always try to take a simple & light diet earned with honest means because it helps us in our spiritual growth.
Whereas the food like meat is obtained by making somebody unhappy and painfull, the person who cannot feel the pain of others can never get growth in spirituality, vegetarian diet is the step when moving towards spirituality.
Do you dream about Hindu stuff?
Dreams means illusion and illusion means maya.
Will you call yourself Hindu in public?
Am hindu in hindu public, Chirstian in christian publice, and so on..
Will you consult an ayurvedic doctor?
Sometimes
Will you consult a Hindu astrologer?
True hindu always measure happiness and sorrows on an equal balance, so what's the use of a astrologer in life?
Do you know your nakshatra?
Do you believe fully in reincarnation?
True hindu knows only two nakshatras BIRTH and DEATH.
And always try to get rid from this circle.
Do you believe in karma?
Yes.
Do you believe in a divinity within all things?
Yes.
Do you avoid wearing leather?
You remembered me
Do you know at least a few bhajans?
In traditional language BHAJ means RUNNING
The true meaning of BHAJ+AN means Controling the mind from RUNNING.
Thus true bhajan is inside the mind.
BTW, I can honestly answer yes to all 20.
Who can compitite you ?

 

[sadhak]

I've wondered about the silk thing. Were the saris and dhotis the deities wore made of silk? Or was silk just a term used for luxurious fabric? I know that India has always produced some of the world's finest cotton. I can't see Sri Krishna wearing a silk dhoti, when the caterpillars have to be killed (boiled) to unwind the silk thread.

Me too. In the bhajans and aartis we find the word 'Pitambar' being used. Sri Krishna wore pitambar, but it doesn't say silk pitambar or cotton pitambar. Or does the word Pitambar itself signify yellow silk clothing?

 

[DeviChaaya]

If married, or about to be married, did you have, or will you have a Hindu wedding?
When I get married that is what I want! A full on Hindu wedding! Not sure how my mother would take it...

Are you planning to be cremated?
You betcha!

Will you have a pundit of cremation priest say the Hindu last rites right before cremation?
If I don't have any sons. I believe the first born son is meant to say the last rites if possible?

Are you comfortable in Hindu loose style clothing, dhoti, Salwar Kameez, or Sari?
LOVE Salwar kameez but I've never worn a sari!

If married and female, do you wear a wedding pendant on your neck?
I will.

Have you had any of the other Hindu samskaras?
No... But I will have the naming ceremony!

Besides 'yoga' and 'karma', are any other Sanskrit terms in your daily vocabulary?
Aarti! Bhajan! Devi! Mataji! Hara Hara Mahadeva!

 

[Vinayaka]

Regarding silk, there are better quality 'almost silk' polyesters available these days as well as the ahimsa silk referred to by Ratikala. I'm not sure why historically silk being against ahimsa has only come to light in recent years. Maybe the production methods were kept secret on purpose? We have some silk saris, but stopped buying them a few years back once we fully understood the nature of production.

 

[swamplizard]

breath

 

[Vinayaka]

OK am not a hindu.

Which pretty much explains your answers. Universalists don't like labels, I guess, except for 'universalist'.

 

[Jainarayan]

it is a real dilema !!! krsna is often seen wearing silk and pearls ? yet both cause needless destruction of life ?
there are how ever methods of producing silk without the worm being killed , it is called ahimsa silk :yes:

That's what I was getting at... how we reconcile it.

Personally I like cotton and light wool over silk.

Yes, there is a new method for obtaining silk from the caterpillars without killing them. However, it involves using non-contiguous filaments, I believe after the caterpillar has metamorphized and broken the cocoon itself. That makes it more expensive because the fragments of thread have to be woven together, much like wool fibers are spun into yarn.

 

[zenzero]

Friend sarinmall,

Following the vedas and believing is god is true hinduism

according to wiki:

Hinduism conceives the whole world as a single family that deifies the one truth, and therefore it accepts all forms of beliefs and dismisses labels of distinct religions which would imply a division of identity.[72] Hence, Hinduism is devoid of the concepts of apostasy, heresy and blasphemy.[73][74][75][76]

Guess even atheist and those who reject Vedas also gets included; what do you say??

Love & rgds

 

[atanu]

Friend sarinmall,

according to wiki:
Guess even atheist and those who reject Vedas also gets included; what do you say??

Love & rgds

ha ha he he. But what about those who do not believe in the precept of Hinduism that you show from WIKI?

 

[Vinayaka]

Wiki is like Reader's Digest was to my mother.. the ultimate correct source of all information!

 

[zenzero]

Friend atanu,

personal understanding is that all beings follow dharma and so can be labelled *Sanatani* as Hindu word has by its usage become restricted to only those in a geographical region.
Am sure that it uncovers all limitations.

Love & rgds

 

[atanu]

Friend atanu,

personal understanding is that all beings follow dharma and so can be labelled *Sanatani* as Hindu word has by its usage become restricted to only those in a geographical region.
Am sure that it uncovers all limitations.

Love & rgds

Ya. In the absolute sense there is no other and no one is following any dharma. But since we are here in the mental domain, there are some who do not ascribe to the tenets of sanatana dharma, IMO.

But you are also correct.

 

[zenzero]

Friend atanu,

But since we are here in the mental domain, there are some who do not ascribe to the tenets of sanatana dharma, IMO.

For existence ascribing to something is immaterial as ITs laws are eternal and constantly evolving; so where one ascribes or not does not stop evolution in any way to carry all the forms along with itself. Those who attempt at revolutionsing it must realize IT on their own accord.

Love & rgds

 

[MochaRadha]

do only women wear them

 

[Vinayaka]

do only women wear them

A (large) chunk of gold usually worn with a plain string or humble necklace, and usually hiding beneath the blouse or top. It reminds a Hindu woman of her sacred vow of marriage. In some sects the string is renewed on special day of the year. Hindu women generally don't where finger bands, but sometimes in the west they do, not as a wedding band, but just as in indicator to men of their marital status.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangalsutra

 

[dudeactually]

I need to ask a few things from you guys. Please tell me which books do HIndus follow? In which book it is written not to eat non-veg? I have numerous questions to ask you guys if I could get a few answers from here. lately i hv been too consufused.

 

[Vinayaka]

I need to ask a few things from you guys. Please tell me which books do HIndus follow? In which book it is written not to eat non-veg? I have numerous questions to ask you guys if I could get a few answers from here. lately i hv been too consufused.

You should probably start new threads on your questions, or look through old threads where the answers may already be. This thread is mostly about what practises determines a Hindu to be one, although it has been derailed somewhat.

But in very short ... books? many
Vegetarianism ... answers will vary.

You will not get precise or the same answer from anyone.

 

[Vinayaka]

Hindu word has by its usage become restricted to only those in a geographical region.

Darn ... and to think I mistakenly thought I was a Hindu. Oh well, maybe next life time.