Hinduism and Atheism

If you are reading this blog then either you are amazed or are perplexed by the title. Maybe for some people, it might already make sense if they have any prior knowledge. Hinduism and atheism go hand in hand. Hinduism has a much deeper meaning than what people think of it. It is more than just idol worship.

Please read the full article to draw any conclusion. This is my personal opinion and I am open to feedback. I had no intention of hurting anyone’s sentiments while writing this piece.

Introduction

Let’s begin by asking who is God. Many of you would say Jesus, Prophet, Guru Nanak, Shiva, etc. and yes, that’s the normal convention today to understand the meaning of God.

By definition, “God is a supreme being, the creator of the universe, the bearer of all the things around.”
That is Monotheism by definition i.e. there is only one God. But, people have created various versions of theism from non-belief in God(Atheism) to belief in multiple Gods(Polytheism). And, let’s keep it restricted to that and not complicate this article as we need to focus.

What was I taught?

As we all know, one of the prominent religions is Hinduism which falls under the filter of Polytheism and I know how complex and at the same time how interesting can it be to be a Hindu.

I was brought up in the same way as many typical Hindu families. Preachings of various deities, aartis, pooja, fasting, celebrating festivals, photos of Ganesha/Shiva/Krishna/Saraswati/Laxmi, etc. all around the walls of my house. I was just amazed by their presence and each God had one assigned job/power. Praying to them felt like a duty. Because the respective God(s) help us overcome our tough times. Yes, tough times, that’s what you read. Probably a negative thought to start your life with.

Deities were prominent for us because they supposedly protect us from bad energy and punish people with wrongdoings, and they have been protecting humanity since its inception. This was what we understood while growing up. Even if it was not about protection, it was about fear. Fear of not praying to Laxmi will bring bankruptcy, not praying to Saraswati will bring a lack of knowledge, not offering to Shani will bring trouble, and so on.

A false philosophy

I had picked my favorites in my childhood without deep reasoning, but then I was taught the same way and I was devoted to them with awe and fear.

1. Shiva – He was considered superior, the destroyer, and all-powerful.

2. Ganesha – He was supposed to take away all the sorrows and pain.

3. Saraswati – Goddess of knowledge.

I worshipped the gods and goddesses with dedication and also with the fear of their wrath. Every day, proper pooja, aarti, asking for the same wishes, again and again, etc. was part of my chores. My life was just perfect. Then I lost my grandfather in my teenage days and that was the first realization of something wrong with all of this. I had lost a person who fulfilled my every wish, helped me out in every aspect, was my teacher, my best friend, my savior throughout but now he was gone. Why?? Where were the Gods?? Did they not listen to my prayers???

So who was my God?? A person who I had seen, lived with and who had a real impact in my life or a deity whom I prayed every day but could not even protect the most important person in my life. My prayers and trust were shaken to the core and there was no one to answer my doubts. Then in quick succession, I lost my grandmother and father at the time when I was trying to heal my religious sentiments. I gave up. From being an ardent follower of Hinduism, I was now a believer in atheism.

Atheism vs Hinduism

For many years I tried not to think about my religion, deities, etc. because of obvious reasons. For me, my loved ones were my God because I couldn’t rely on invisible beings. This feeling was tough to express being from a family of Brahmins but then nobody questioned my stand and also nobody answered my everlasting doubts. Today, I try to be part of pooja, ceremonies only so that I don’t hurt the feelings of my loved ones, otherwise I am numb to any religious ceremonies exposure.

However recently, I tried to break my chained thoughts and was somehow again attracted to Hinduism but not as a kid with a fear of deities but more as a man who wanted answers to eternal questions. I started reading books on Hinduism and atheism, thoughts behind the essence of deities, etc., and though it’s only a start of a new journey I’m now able to appreciate more, my religion and what it stands for. Hinduism is not only about deities, but it’s also about their significance, their hidden identity, a covenant, that relates to atheism. Deep meaning is wrapped behind the existence of forms which is physical, powerful, and divine.

What is the deeper meaning?

Ramayana, Gita, and Mahabharata our holy books bring out the various virtues of life which are enshrouded by physical beings for us mortals to understand. Rama is a symbol of purity, good son/brother/husband. Sita is a symbol of a perfect wife, who goes to any extent to sacrifice
for her children and husband. Krishna is a symbol of the Savior, an intellectual mentor. Mahabharata teaches us about politics of the world, “dharma” protection, illusions of life and much more. And, just like a balanced world our deities also have some drawbacks which are true for us mortals also – Rama raised questions over Sita, Sita was overly sacrificial, Krishna manipulated Arjun which can be asserted as both good and bad as per the circumstance, Shiva is too innocent, Brahma is too critical of his ego, Vishnu is skeptical and Indra is too arrogant.

Shiva is the time. He teaches us how to control fear and destroys the life cycle which is inevitable. He smears ash which is the last truth of our mortality. Parwati or Shakti is the better half of “Purusha” Shiva. There is no life without Purusha and Prakriti. Brahma is the creator but is also egoistic as he chases to control Prakriti, his daughter but Shiva severed his head to show him his place and lay a ground rule that Prakriti should not be controlled but nurtured.

Vishnu is the preserver who teaches us to create balance in this world, the importance of each and everything. Hanuman is a guardian of purity and truth, a highly intelligent and powerful being. Ganesha is a symbol of knowledge, luck, and success. Laxmi is a symbol of wealth but not greed, Kuber is a symbol of wealth and greed who was defeated by intellectual Ganesha.

Conclusion

So, Hinduism for me is more than just deity or idol worship which I guess I was taught all my life. I think Hinduism is closer to science and reality. Hinduism and atheism can be related. Though I still have a long way to go to understand the definite meaning of religion and Hinduism, I guess a start is a start and I’m happy that I’ve made it. I think people need to understand deities are just an encapsulation of what’s larger than life. Praying is an alibi to suppress fear but not to overcome it. It’s the belief in yourself, the principle and the morals which are important to see and experience God, which otherwise I would say is part of ‘you’ only.

I somehow support the philosophy that there is a power that binds us around but has no shape or structure. It’s transcendental. I believe our “pran” or the soul is the ultimate truth which if understood and purified can lead us to a greater path.

Life and Death are a fact and nobody can deny that. I wish we as Hindus should bring up our kids and youth with this knowledge instead of inculcating in them the seed of fear, protection, and an anonymous form of worship.

Today, I’m an atheist but I’m also a Hindu. I am a human who respects other religions but believes in self-motivation and soul-finding as a way to lead a successful life. Hinduism and Atheism are not poles apart, but if thought about, they are different sides of the same coin.

Image by Tanuj Handa (user:Tanuj_handa) from Pixabay