Hindu Dharma is one of the oldest belief systems in the world, yet people still hold many misunderstandings about it. There is a tendency to equate it with Abrahamic religions and even Hindus (rather HINOs – Hindus in name only) have an equally poor understanding of Hindu Dharma.

The following are 5 unique tenets of Hindu Dharma

These tenets make Hindu Dharma stand out from Abrahamic religions:

1) The mind of an Abrahamic follower is often shaped to believe that a religion must revolve around a single prophet, one authoritative scripture, and one supreme deity. They also tend to assume that God is male, created the world, and evaluates human actions. Hindu Dharma, on the other hand, has no such fixed template. There are numerous deities, diverse Granthas, and no central authority assigning judgment.

The Abrahamic mind is so conditioned and rigid that it is difficult for the followers to accept that there could be religions that do not subscribe to their worldview. A Hindu may believe in a single deity whom he/she worships as his/her Ishtadev or may have faith in more than one deity and further he/she could also be an atheist.

2) It isn’t important (though desirable) for a Hindu to offer ritualistic prayer or go to the Mandir every day. Bhagwan is not some iron-fisted ruler that one needs to be afraid of. Many Hindus relate to the divine through affection or devotion rather than fear-driven obedience. As a Hindu one has the freedom to question rituals.

3 Free, independent thinking is encouraged and debates were always a part of Hindu Dharma. Several schools of thoughts grew and flourished because the individual could think independently and objectively. Unlike the Church or Ulema or Caliphate, there is no single controlling body or authority for Hindus, and this decentralized nature is one of the defining differences from many later-established religions. There is flexibility and freedom from dogmas for a Hindu.

4) It is important to remember that everything is not in black and white as far as Hindu Dharma is concerned. Hindu Dharma is vast in scope and offers multiple paths and practices based on individual inclination. At the philosophical level there is Parabrahman, the all-pervading consciousness that controls life so to speak. At the individualistic and entry level are rituals that help one to cultivate devotion. The ultimate aim is to merge with Parabrahman or the universal soul one came from in the first place. It is almost like choosing from a buffet and filling up your plate with what suits your palate.

In the West, though, people often focus on the idea of a personalized divine being who remains hidden and sends messengers periodically to convey stories that may or may not appear rational. A God who demands worship and threatens punishment on a final day of judgment can be perceived as an authoritarian figure whose authority is rooted in fear rather than reverence.

A thinking mind would reject such notions and also be aware that such a depiction is nothing but the imagination of a less educated human. Where there is fear there can neither be devotion nor love. Essentially respect is a byproduct of love and devotion while fear only leads one to obey commands so as not to be left out or not to be punished. Such devotion that arises out of fear is bound to be short-lived. Hence, we see many Christians leaving the Church and turning atheists.

5) Hindu Dharma doesn’t compel anyone, either through inducement or brainwashing, to become a Hindu. Similarly, it doesn’t demean other faiths nor degrades beliefs of others.

To put in simple terms Hindu Dharma is all about an individual approaching a personal Bhagwan/Devi in an individual way as per one’s temperament and inner evolution. Hindu Dharma is known as the eternal faith (Sanatan Dharma) because it consists of codes of life that stand true at all times. Our ancestors understood these eternal truths and cosmic laws and passed it on over several generations and centuries.

The most important aspect of Hindu Dharma is staying true to oneself. Our Dharma has withstood the assault of foreign faiths because it has strong roots and is one of the most liberal belief systems. I’m a Hindu because I have complete freedom to enquire and follow those tenets that suit my temperament without any compulsion and fear.