The Hindu Religion

The Crossing Place

Began when: Hindu religion began 3,000 – 4,000 years ago

Founded by: Dravidians & Aryans

Holy book(s): Vedas, Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita

Range: Mainly throughout South Asia, but found worldwide

Defining qualities: Polytheistic union of deities, perhaps and religious practices of the conquering Aryans and the conquered Dravidian “dasas” (slaves). Hinduism celebrates vegetarianism and the spark of the divine in humanity, but may also involve blood sacrifices to pacify demons who torment them.

The Crossing Place

In the Hindu religion, one way devotees seek liberation (moksha) , merit, and cleansing from their sins involves a journey to a crossing place. The journey is a path of devotion amidst human flaws to a holy place—often a river seen as sacred—where they bathe in the waters.

At the crossing place, they are purified, and they draw closer to the divine. Here, they believe, they can truly approach God, the temple of their bodies made clean for a while.

The journey to the crossing place acknowledges the very human need for our Creator—for cleansing from our sins (pap). This sincere gesture is intended to please the god(s) and find favor in their sight.

Here, too, God has planted the seed: the desire to know Him and be known, to be cleansed from our sins.

Throughout the world, there has been expressed in humankind a desire to touch God and have Him walk among us. It's present in Hinduism as well.

Not only is it believed that humans may carry a divine spark at different times of life, but legends also tell of avatars-- god-men who came to walk among us.

You can know God and dwell with Him forever. You can be forgiven—forever clean and loved in the sight of God!

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