HINDUISM & LINUX

Some abstract concepts/ideas can only be understood with the help of an analogy. Many people esp. explorative Indians and foreigners have asked me:
What is Hinduism? What is the USP of it? How is it different from other religions? Who is a Hindu? Who is not a Hindu
What do I tell them....

So here is an analogy
Hinduism is to religion what Linux is to software

For the uninitiated people in the world of Software, following is the definition of Linux as per Wikipedia:
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system family. Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free software and of open source development; its underlying source code is available for anyone to use, modify, and redistribute freely.[1]

Now without going into the technical intricacies of what is Linux, the salient points of Linux are:
1. It is a free software
2. You don't need to purchase any License or sign a Contract to use Linux
3. The source code (tenets) of Linux can be analyzed, modified and redistributed freely by anyone i.e. you can have your own version of Linux. It's not a software with fixed pre-defined features
4. It's platform independent i.e compatible with all other softwares and hardwares
5. There is no single person/group owning and controlling the Linux. Anyone can be Linux user anytime and yet keep using the other softwares too.
To understand the importance of Linux better, you can just compare the above features with Microsoft Windows.

Now we go onto Hinduism
The salient points of Hinudism are:
1. More than a religion, its a way of Living
2. It's not a 'Single Book' religion unlike abrahmic religions (Islam or Christianity).
3. The countless holy books/scriptures available in Hinduism have been written in different periods of time starting back thousands of years ago by different people... These books are not written/controlled/reviewed/approved by any single one person/group. So every books has its own version of truth which might even contradict with the other one.
4. Hinduism encourages you to Explore the Truth in your own way rather than forcing a single/pre-defined strict version of truth.
5. There is nothing like a anti-Hindu or non-Hindu as per any of the holy scriptures. In fact there is no term suggesting someone like a 'non-believer' or Kaafir (like in Islam). Everybody is welcome to live this 'Way of Life'......
As they say in Sanskrit:
"Ayam Nij Paro Veti ganana laghuchetsaam...Udaarchitanaam to Vasudhev Kutumbakam"
(Transalation: only the small hearted/mean people deliberate constatntly on what/who is mine and what/whose is other's whereas for the large-hearted the Whole Universe is family)

6. Any person is free to explore the Truth and write his/her own scriptures in any area of knowledge like Medicine(Ayurveda), Money(Atharvaveda), Administration or even Sex (Kamasutra).

7. There are thousands of sects (read versions) which are thriving under the grand umbrella of Hinduism like Jainism, Budhism, Sikhism, Kabeerpanthi etc. Most of these were started by brilliant people who were not satisfied with the mainstrem Hindu practices prevalent in their times and therefore chose to redefine the truth in their own way. Most notable thing is this happened without any noticable confrontation with mainstream Hinduism

8. There has been no religiously approved Crusade or Jihaad to convert people or to take revenge from 'others' in the history of Hinduism.

All we have discussed so far is the true nature/character or dharma of Hinduism and not the specific tenets. We will discuss the tenets later.

Hinduism is a trully universal religion ahead of its times and thats why its called the 'Sanatan Dharma' meaning 'the eternal religion' which cannot be bound by a time line.

Of course, in different periods of times, there were certain shortcomings introduced into Hinduism due to different influences. These were particularly more damaging in the Medival times. We will go into them later....


Aryavrat

The Begining

Hi Readers,
Let's begin from the beginining....how did it all start
As you might know the geographical formation of today's Indian subcontinent happened much before the histtory of mankind started. A land mass from African continent was split from there and floated till it reached the Asian continent and the great Indian subcontinent was formed.
The same formation proved has been proved fateful in the history of mankind so far and is about to play a glorious role once again.

Aryavrat

Preface

Hi all readers,
Welcome to yet another destination in the ever-going journey to knowledge.
First of all, I would like to thank my friend Dr Net vet (pseudonym) for inspiring me to write. In this process, I plan to express the truths, visions I want to share and hope to kindle the candle of knowledge.

I am sure this journey would be exciting and enriching for you and me!!!


Watch this space for more to follow...


Aryavrat