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what is ubiquitous but not constrained by the brittleness of form, is by definition imperishable.
Hinduism, as a religion, is inseparable from Hinduism as a philosophy.
When religions are largely reduced to rituals, there is always the danger that the form will become more important than the substance.
Bhaja Govindam, in which the last line of every stanza exclaims: ‘Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, foolish one! Rules of grammar profit nothing once the hour of death draws nigh!’
The etymological meaning of Veda is sacred knowledge or wisdom.
There are four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. Together they constitute the samhitas that are the textual basis of the Hindu religious system.
Because they come at the very end of the corpus of the Vedas, they are also collectively called Vedanta, or the end of the Vedas,
The word Upanishad literally means ‘to sit down near’ at the feet of a master or teacher who shares with his pupils spiritual truths or wisdom.
Satyam jnanam, anantam Brahma: Knowledge is truth and Brahman is eternal, was what he proclaimed, and the Upanishads were the source of his jnana.
There is a self, Atman, beyond definition and name and form or attribute because any attribute would only circumscribe its limitlessness.
A sutra ‘is a short sentence or aphorism, shorn of all verbiage and designed to convey the essence of a religious or philosophical idea in the smallest space.’
The most important concept that the Gita enunciated was that of nishkama karma, of action, without attachment or thought of reward, done without selfish desire in a spirit of surrender.
Works of sacrifice, gift, and self-harmony should not be abandoned, but should indeed be performed; for these are works of purification.
there is no man on earth who can fully renounce living work, but he who renounces the reward of his work, is in truth a man of renunciation.
When work is done for a reward, the work brings pleasure, or pain, or both, in its time; but when a man does work in Eternity, then Eternity is his reward.
