Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to avoid alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and general misbehaviour before making the pilgrim-
age.
Did you know that blood-drinking Kali is another form of milk-giving Gauri?
Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of
Hindu Mythology
by Devdutt Pattanaik sheds light on this and other fascinating Hindu folklore.
Sacred Texts
Hindu sacred texts fall into two categories: those believed to be the word of god (
shruti,
meaning 'heard') and those produced by people (smriti, meaning 'remembered'). The Ve-
das are regarded as
shruti
knowledge and are considered the authoritative basis for Hin-
duism. The oldest of the Vedic texts, the Rig-Veda, was compiled over 3000 years ago.
Within its 1028 verses are prayers for prosperity and longevity as well as an explanation
of the universe's origins. The Upanishads, the last parts of the Vedas, reflect on the mys-
tery of death and emphasise the oneness of the universe. The oldest of the Vedic texts
were written in Vedic Sanskrit (related to Old Persian). Later texts were composed in clas-
sical Sanskrit, but many have been translated into the vernacular.
The smriti texts comprise a collection of literature spanning centuries and include ex-
positions on the proper performance of domestic ceremonies as well as the proper pursuit
of government, economics and religious law. Among its well-known works are the
Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as the Puranas, which expand on the epics and pro-
mote the notion of the Trimurti. Unlike the Vedas, reading the Puranas is not restricted to
initiated higher-caste males.
OM
One of Hinduism's most venerated symbols is 'Om'. Pronounced 'aum', it's a highly propitious mantra (sacred
word or syllable). The 'three' shape symbolises the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe (and
thus the holy Trimurti). The inverted
chandra
(crescent or half moon) represents the discursive mind and the
bindu
(dot) within it, Brahman.
Buddhists believe that, if intoned often enough with complete concentration, it will lead to a state of blissful
emptiness.
