Facts & Misconceptions
Interesting Facts
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Hindus believe that we have not just one body, but another subtle body made of energy that underlies the physical body. There is also another subtler body made of consciousness underneath the energy body. Treatments such as homeopathy and acupuncture work on the energies in the subtle body.
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Yoga is actually a Hindu concept dealing with the balance of the mind and soul. There are several paths of yoga that one can take to reach the spiritual goal of life, moksha. The types of yoga are bhakti yoga (path of love and devotion), karma yoga (the path of right action), raja yoga (the path of meditation), and jnana yoga (the path of wisdom).
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Contrary to popular belief, Hindus respect women very much, and out of respect for the female gender they usually list the woman’s name first. When they refer to Rama and his wife Sita, they’ll say “Sita-Ram” or for Krishna and Radha they’ll say “Radha-Krishna.” Rama himself is sometimes called Sita-Ram signifying that he is the man privileged to have Sita as his wife.
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The swastika is originally a Hindu symbol representing happiness and good luck. It is still regularly used to decorate Hindu temples, altars, and pictures.
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The largest Hindu temple in the world, called Angkor Wat, is located in Angkor, Cambodia, and was built in the early 1200s.
Hindus will often greet you with the phrase “Namaste!” or “Namaskar!” Both words mean “I honor you.” According to Swami Rama Bharati, the full translation is actually, “I bow to the divinity in you!”
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The Kama Sutra, a manual written by a monk on aesthetics, etiquette, and sex, is considered a sacred text. Kama actually refers to the many forms of sensual pleasure including, for example, flower arranging.
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The word Aryan, which today is associated with fair skinned and haired individuals, is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “noble, virtuous, or worthy.” An Aryan was a noble person who practiced the rites associated with the holy book called the Vedas.
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Hindus believe that Buddha was an incarnation of Vishnu who arrived to keep too many people from becoming enlightened and preventing the world from being depopulated.
Common Misconceptions
Hinduism has many stigmas and misconception that are not accurate.
Hinduism is polytheistic, meaning followers worship several gods.
Hinduism is not a polytheistic religion, rather it is monotheistic. Hindus believe in only one supreme being, Brahman, who can be represented in different forms.
Hindus worship cows.
Hindus don’t worship cows in the same way they worship God. However, heavy reliance is placed on the cow. Cows gave a highly useful protein-rich milk, as well as fuel and fertilizer. Additionally, the cow was often used to till fields. Because of its unselfish giving, the cow is viewed as a caretaker and symbolically, a maternal figure. For this and other reasons, many Hindus don’t eat meat.
Hinduism dictates the Indian caste system.
Although different classes are mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures, they were intended to make an efficient, harmonious society. This system was by no means hierarchical, for all the classes were considered equal. Later, these classes were misconstrued and morphed into a rigid, immobile caste system, which Hinduism, by no means, promotes.
Hinduism encourages sati, the practice where a widow throws herself on the burning funeral pyre of her husband.
The practice of Sati was not part of Hinduism. It was a social practice that arose in India's Middle Ages, limited to certain regions, and had nothing to do with Hindu laws and scriptures. Sati was abolished from Indian society in the 20th century.
Hindus pray to idols.
Hindus do not blindly worship idols. Rather, images of Gods and Goddesses, or murtis, are used as focal points to help aid in meditation and prayer. Hindus do not consider God to be limited to the murti. Murthis are strictly used to help channel concentration during worship.
Hinduism was founded by a single person.
Hinduism does not have any one founder, and it does not have one central text such as a Bible or a Koran to which controversies can be referred for resolution.
Hindus are not allowed to eat meat.
Hinduism does not mandate that its followers be vegetarian. Many adherents of Hinduism are not vegetarian, although a vegetarian diet is encouraged in accordance with principles such as ahimsa (nonviolence) extended to animals.
Hinduism developed through outside influences, such as the Aryan invasion.
Hinduism was not brought to India by Aryan Invaders. The Aryan Invasion theory has been debunked by scholars.
Hinduism is a little-known religion and has few followers.
Hinduism is not practiced by a relatively small group of people. It is the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam, with roughly 1 billion adherents.
Hinduism is rarely found in countries other than India.
Hinduism is not practiced only in India or just by Indians. Other countries with large Hindu populations include Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
