This questions and answers document is prepared by a group of Hindu Speakers as a source of information for them or for any one seeking information on Hinduism. There are multiple ways of answering a single question and this group is not claiming to provide all potential answers here.
On Hinduism
The target audience is 9th grader Abrahamic students in American Schools but it will be useful to anyone interested in learning about Hinduism. All answers are designed to answer in about a 3 minute time frame. We have also provided links to other reading materials and video links relating to each question.
Considering Hindu speakers are invariably asked some sensitive geopolitical questions, we have included some potentially sensitive topics here to help speakers answer them from Hindu perspective. However we wish to clarify that this group is composed of Hindus but the group does not have any political affiliation.
Questions starting with “z” are being worked on now. We hope to list some 300 questions and answers below.
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04. Name Hinduism
Hinduism is third largest and the world’s most ancient religion with over 5000 years old history. Hinduism is most popularly known as Sanatan dharma or Vedic dharma. Sanatan literally in English means “eternal”. Dharma is duty, virtue and morality, and it refers to the power which upholds the universe and society. The very reason it is called Sanatana (eternal) is because no one knows how and when it started.
While the origin of most religions can be traced back to a certain person, like Christianity starts with Jesus Christ and the idea of Islam was propagated by Prophet Muhammad, no body can point out a certain person who started the idea of Sanatana Dharma.
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Other reading material: Short answers to real questions about Hinduism, http://veda.wikidot.com/dharma
Relevant videos: Swami Nikhil Anand Hinduism Q & A: What is the Original Name Of Hinduism,
Contributor: Nilesh Chaudhary
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04. Name Hinduism
Sanatan translates to eternal. Dharma is universal order and conformity to natural righteousness.
Saints and seers of India codified their experienced spirituality into the ethics, arts, sciences, architecture, food, practices, and rituals based on the observation of the order in the universe around them – something that has always existed and is eternal. Hence the term Sanatan Dharma, which is too broad to be any kind of an “ism”.
Hinduism is a modern term invented after ”Indus” valley civilization which compromises the essence of Sanatan Dharma.
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Other reading material: Short answers to real questions about Hinduism, Rajeev Singh: About Sanatan Dharma
Relevant videos: Swami Nikhil Anand Hinduism Q & A: What is the Original Name Of Hinduism, What is Sanatan Dharma?,
Contributor: Geetha Ravula
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04. Name Hinduism