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Q & A
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HINDUISM
QUESTIONS
1)
Who founded Hindu Dharma?
(A)
Hindu Dharma is not founded by any prophet, person, or committee.
The sources of the Hindu Dharma are the Vedas.
2)
What are the Vedas? (A)
The Word Veda means knowledge. The
Vedas are four books that are the basis of Vedic-Sanatan-Hindu Dharma.
They are the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda, and Atharveda.
The Vedas are the principal scriptures of Hindus.
3)
What is the original name of Hindu Dharma? (A)
Teachings of Hindu Dharma are based on the Vedas; therefore, Hindu Dharma is
called Vedic Dharma. These
teachings deal with natural laws that are eternal.
So it is also known as Sanatan Dharma.
4)
To whom was the knowledge of Vedas revealed or first made known? (A)
Vedas were revealed at the beginning of Creation to meditating sages (Rishis),
who were in a super conscious state of mind.
Being virtuous and pure yogis they already experienced God’s presence
in their hearts and minds and were able to perceive the Vedas.
5)
How were the Vedas passed from generation to generation? (A)
In order for mantras and hymns to remain the same, Sages and scholars memorized
the Vedas by oral recitation in various formats. Each recitation was designed to keep the correctness of each
mantra so that exactness could be achieved on reproduction.
This oral transmission from one generation to the next continued
unabated; therefore these Vedas are also called “Shrutis” (heard or
listened).
6)
Why didn’t the sages and scholars write the Vedas down?
(A)
They were written down in book formats called Sahinta. Floods, fires, animals, and man itself can destroy these
Sahintas. By oral recitation and
memorization, however, the sages and scholars managed to keep the Vedas alive
till today.
7)
What language were the Vedas originally written in? (A)
The Vedas also known as Shruti were orally transmitted. They were originally written in Vedic Sanskrit.
Sanskrit is the mother language of all modern Indo-European/Indo-Germanic
languages.
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