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Understanding Hinduism with
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Badakhshan province, Afghanistan

What is Hinduism? What are its timeless principles? Who is a true Hindu? What is the significance and meaning behind the various rituals and traditions followed in Hinduism? Why are so many gods and goddesses worshiped in this religion?

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, spiritual leader and founder of The Art of Living, will unravel the mysteries of Hinduism, one of the oldest religions on Earth, in a special satsang which will be featured live in www.artofliving.org/satsang and www.youtube.com/artoflivingtv. This satsang, happening in the Art of Living International Center, Bangalore, will begin at 7 pm IST on May 9, 2011.

Says Gurudev: “Today rituals have taken over the philosophies of all the religions in the world. The essence of spirituality, the real wisdom has taken a back seat. Now is the time when we must bring the wisdom to the forefront. When there is wisdom, even though there are different view points, there will be no conflict. Wisdom always views reality from various, different angles. Honoring the diversity, finding unity in it, is wisdom. Celebrating diversity in oneness and finding unity in diversity are the two main aspects of wisdom. In today’s world, when we see so much conflict and violence, I thought that there cannot be any better solution than bringing the essence of spirituality to the forefront in the world.”
The human values, like love, belongingness, compassion and gratitude, which Hinduism propagates, are universal and timeless in nature. “Hindu philosophy has also always honored the Gurus and Rishis (Spiritual Masters) of the past, present and the future. Honoring wisdom which is timeless and which comes up from time to time with differences in interpretation is a specialty of this part of the world,” edifies Gurudev.

Hinduism, as a way of life comprises various aspects - symbols, rituals, practices, scriptures and traditions. These symbols, gods and goddesses, mantras have significance.
Even the daily practices of puja, chanting, and lighting a lamp have a deeper meaning. These practices, along with promoting spiritual values and harmony in the family and society, have a scientific foundation as well. However, it is unfortunate that the current generation does not have access to this understanding and the value systems and traditions are lost as a result. This discourse will serve to throw light on these ancient practices and their relevance to this modern era.

People from the world over can participate in this engaging and enlightening talk by filling out a simple form and sending in their queries or questions regarding Hinduism at https://www.artofliving.org/post-questions-to-srisri.

The live webcasts, which have been aired since last December, have seen a truly global audience participating and soaking in wisdom. Groups in Argentina and Russia have been gathering along with their translators, to watch these webcasts. “Thanks to the live webcasts I am able to receive wisdom from a Spiritual Master in India, while staying in Canada. The knowledge and interaction which was once inaccessible for me, is now available at the click of a button!” exclaimed N. Mahesh, a software engineer in Toronto, Canada.

Gurudev’s vision of a violence-free, stress-free society through the reawakening of human values has inspired millions to broaden their spheres of responsibility and work towards the betterment of the world. Join this webcast to truly understand and empower yourself!
Send in your queries or write to us at webmaster@artofliving.org