Hinduism

Hinduism

Hinduism is the world's oldest religion. It is the predominant and original religion of India in which 80% of population is Hindu. Hinduism is the collection of different philosophical or intellectual viewpoints instead of strict set of beliefs. It is a form of diverse traditions and does not have a single founder. It is called as world's third largest religion after Christianity and Islam with one billion followers throughout the world. Its traditions include Vaishnavism, Srauta and Shaivism. Besides their practices and traditions, it has a broad ranges of laws based on the concept of dharma, karma and societal norms (Chaudhuri, 1979).

The stages of the life of a Hindu are called “Asrama”. Before going into the details of the four stages of the life of a Hindu, it should be noted that this “path” is existential and religious and it pertains exclusively, at least in its traditional formulations, to the male caste called Arya (i.e. the first three varna), being rigidly excluded from this path is the Sudra (and a fortiori the “outcasts”) and women, the latter belong to any caste. The word Asrama is a Sanskrit word made ??from the roots SRAM (commit to) and a- (realize). These stages are advocated in the literature Smriti, especially the so-called Dharmasastra, and comply with the subdivision into four parts of Sruti: (1) Brahmacarya (conducted in harmony with the Brahman): you enter this stage and to its religious life with the rite, the fundamental, the upanayana. It is the stage of the young religious student, the brahmacarin that must start and complete the study of the Vedas at a teacher (guru), practicing a strict chastity (2) Garhasthya: after ablution (Snana), which ended the period of twelve years brahmacarya, the boy became a man now falls into the normal family life to prepare for the wedding and be the one who is “in house” (g?astha) performing the rites proper to the householder but also enjoying the legitimate worldly satisfactions. This stage of life is very important for the whole society Hindus because, as noted by the same Manusm?ti, all men who live in the other stages of life depend on those who live in it; (3) Vanaprastha : “When you see his wrinkled skin, his white hair and his children's children, then a householder will retire in the forest”, then the head of the family goes to the edge of the village, near the forest, becoming a Vanaprastha (one who dwells in the forest). May entrust their children or allow his wife to follow him. In this condition still has the precise ritual duties but approximates the condition totally ascetic after renouncing worldly pleasures, living in a state of poverty, meditating on the Vedas and practicing yoga and asceticism (tapas). If this way of life becomes an occasion of sickness, unable to continue, then start “towards the north-east, and eating only water and air, stay focused and walk in a straight line as long as his body falls to the ground ...