To many Hindus, Hinduism has always been in existence. It is unborn and eternal, hence its Sanskrit name, Sanatana Dharma.
While it is true that Hinduism is uncreated and eternal, there had to be a point in time that Hinduism had to be established on Earth in this current Mahayuga. The time period around which Hinduism was founded is circa 8000 BCE i.e 10,000 years ago by Rishi Brihaspati and other Saptarishis.
Hinduism in its earliest form was simply known as Dharma. In all the Shastras esp the Puranas and other Holy Scriptures, the word Hinduism is never mentioned as the name of the religion, save for the geographical term Hindustan in the Bhavishya Purana to denote whole of the Indian Subcontinent. Hence, the term used to describe the inhabitants of Hindustan slowly evolved from the term Aryas into Hindus, and our religion was simply known as the Hindu Dharma, anglicized into Hinduism.
In hindsight Hinduism is not really a religion per say as religion requires blind faith and fanaticism to function. Hinduism is a way of life, something greater than a religion. It is Dharma and requires facts and scientific inquiry to function.
Dharma is based on Individual Duty, Social Order, and Bhakti i.e Devotional Love for God. The Dharma aspect focuses on the Code of Conduct one must follow to peacefully live a happy life while Bhakti focuses on the Devotional Relationship one has with God in order to attain Freedom from this world of suffering and attain everlasting Oneness with God.
But I digressed. Hinduism and the Indian Civilisation are always one and the same. Where ever we Hindus and Indians go, we always take a little piece of Hindu and Indian civilisation with us. Thus where ever we Hindus live that place becomes a small piece of Bharat or Aryavarta. The Ancient Indus Valley Civilisation, also known as the Harrapan Civilisation was thought to have been the first urban based society in India that began circa 3000 BCE, but recent archeological excavations have provided evidence that the Harrapan Civilisation may have been 1000 years older than previously thought, and the new finding suggest it was founded around 4000 BCE.
But what is really intriguing is that there was another, even earlier civilisation with respect to the Harrapan Civilisation, simply known as the Pre-Harrapan Civilisation. Archological discoveries have shown that its most earliest urban settlements were founded well before 8,000 BCE. With this, we can conclude, Hindu Civilisation is over 10,000 years old.
So what was the name of this Pre-Harrapan Civilisation? According to the Puranas, there was a King by the name of Prithu. This King, says the Puranas, was the first King of an urban based society. Much of the founding of agriculture and animal husbandry in India has been credited to him in the Puranas. It says that before King Prithu's initiative to spread agriculture through his kingdom, there were no markets, no mines, towns and cities. This all changed thanks to King Prithu, and towns and industries sprang up throughout India.
Indian society tends to name themselves after the name of their ruler. Just like the oppressive rule of India under the British was known as the British Raj, so too was Prithu's empire known as Prithu Raj lit. the Reign of Prithu.
All this happened 10,000 years ago. As the Indian civilisation slowly developed, so did Hinduism thanks to the many learned Rishis and Avatars over time.
According to Puranas, Lord Brahma created the Saptarishis lit. the Seven Sages. These seven Rishis, chief among them Rishi Brihaspati established Dharma (as Hinduism was known at that time) on earth.
The followers of Dharma called themselves Aryas (now known as Hindus), and they followed their Varnadharma i.e their Dharma as a Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisyas, and Sudra without fail and discrimination.
Hence, we know that Hinduism was founded 10,000 years ago, circa 8000 BCE, in India by Rishi Brihaspati and other Saptarishi around Prithu Raj, and called themselves Aryas.
Thank you for your time, Namaste and Om Har Har Mahadev.
No comments:
Post a Comment