ABSTRACT

Hinduism is extensive, rich, pluralistic, and complex. ‘A religious growth of many centuries cannot be a simple and transparent creed admitting of easy definition and classification’ (Radhakrishnan 2004, p.72). However, this does not make Hinduism an imprecise entity. Rather, a common stamp of Hindu culture, Hindu civilization, Hindu philosophy, and Hindu religion – Hinduism has been recognized. Though the term ‘Hindu’ itself is non-Vedic in its origin and its meaning has been problematic, it is considered as the name of the civilization, culture and religion

as well as philosophy rooted in the Vedas (Adhikary 2006d, Ayod-Dhaumya 2000). Hinduism should be viewed as the consummation of different Vedic and postVedic schools of thought – from extreme spiritualism to extreme materialism and as customs, rituals and traditions that have acted and reacted upon each other, giving rise to a sense of oneness.