Can you read this? Most people probably
can't. But why? It is because the Hindu written language, the
ancient language is Sanskrit. It is not often used in this day and
age, but was once highly important to the Hindu
people.
Hindus have texts that hold their
religious beliefs, knowledge and tradition. The most important of
these texts is the Vedas, also known as
The Books of Knowledge. They were written between 1200 BCE
and 100 CE. Sections of this text were often memorized and recited
by Hindu people. The oldest and most well known scripture is
the Rig Veda,which contains over 1000 hymns of praise. One such
hymn is Hymn XXIII: Brahmanaspati line number 11 is as
follows: "
"Strong, never yeilding,
hastening to the battle-cry, consumer of the foe, victorious in the
strife, Thou art sin's true avenger, Brahmanaspati, who tamest e'en
the fierce, the wildly passionate."
Another important text, the Bhagavad
Gita, is a short section of the Mahabharta, and is
commonly known as the “Song of the Lord.” The
Bahagavad Gita has become the heart of modern Hindu
Philosophy, helping to create a sense of personal devotion. Because
of its ultimately positive message, many different religions have
been inspired by it. In this text, Vishnu, the preserver of
peace, answers some of the most important questions a Hindu can
ask;
- Why are we here?
- How should we live?
- What is God?
