26. How is Hinduism the most systematically organized Religion?

As said earlier, Hinduism covers all walks of life.

There are different types of collections of Hindu Scriptures that are written in a different way or different purposes. Accordingly they are called as a SAstra, sUtra, siddhAnta or samhitA.

SAstra is that covers all aspect of life, it is the word of God.

sUtra or aphorism is that which means to explain anything in the most precise and shortest way.

siddhAnta is generally a rule or a principle or an established theory.

samhitA is any methodically arranged collection of established texts or verses

We will try to briefly understand in what way Hinduism covers all aspects of life.

• veda-s – Topmost Authority covering mantras and where to chant a particular mantra or personal and universal well being.

• vedAnta (upanishads) – Philosophical Part of veda-s unfolding the highest truth.

• bhagavad gItA and other gItA-s independent and from purANas- and itihAsa

• brahma sUtra – Topmost canonical text clearing contradictions, refuting multiple views and establishing truth (This texts is to be studied last after studing Gita and Upanishads)

• itihAsa (history) – rAmAyaNa and mahAbhArata

• purANa-s – Speaking of God in a friendly way through stories

• yoga – control of mind, body and breath. Texts like patangali yoga sUtra, thirumandiram, etc – for meditatative purposes

• dharma smriti-s – civil codes

• nATya SAstra – Doctrine of Drama and Acting

• nritya SAstra like bhArata NATyam, and other dance forms

• niti SAstra-s – vidur niti, chANakya niti

• haTha yoga – haTha pradipikA, gerANDa samhitA

• yaska's nirukta – splitting of sanskrits words and giving multiple meaning

• amarkoSa – sanskrit dictionary

• pANiNi's aShTAdhyAyi – sanskrit grammar

• patanjali mahAbhASya – commentary on pAnini's  aShTAdhyAyi further explaining sanskrit grammar

• grihya sUtra-s – describing day-2-day activities of house holders

• vAstu SAstra – Art of house and temple building, city planning

• Silpa SAstra for idol making and temple construction.

• jyotiSa SAstra-s – Texts on Astrology like brighu samhitA and rAvaNa samhitA

• paulisa siddhAnta, surya siddhanta, arya siddhAnta of Arya bhaTTa and others for Astronomy

• ank SAstra – Science of Mathematics, mystery of numbers

• nyAya and tarka SAstra – School of Logic

• chAyA SiddhAnta – Problem solving through the science of shadow

• tantra – external, internal and mixed for of worship of God, related to awakening of kuNDalini and activation of chakra-s and other subtle bodies.

• vimAnika SAstra – science of aeronautics.

The Taboo

• kAmaSAstra - vAtsyAyana's kAmasUtra and nandi's kAmaSAstra – study of sexual behaviour. Contrary to popular belief, it's not 'sex manual' and has spiritual elements.

• VamachAri mArg - Left Hand Paths which are generally considered as taboo by common man crossing the human and civil limits, moral and ethical codes and do what is prohibited and still get enlightenment. KamasUtra is not a manual of tAntrika sex.

An e.g. is aghori sAdhu-s. They are masters of energies and subtle bodies and do not consider anything as unholy as Siva is present in everything and is everywhere. Nothing exists that is not Siva.

Other paths which are corrupted from pure paths are secret techniques invoking ghosts, and Gods invisible power either for personal gain or for destructive purpose.

latA sAdhanA-s found in 64 bhairava tantra-s are connected with spiritual gains via sexual pleasures. They are rejected even by Saiva-s, sects worshipping Lord Siva as supreme, probably due to being born as a result of corrupted understanding of tantra.

• tantra-s were designed so that men and women of all varNa and jAti can practise them. There is no restriction to anyone as far as practising them it concerned. Only advice is to learn them under the guidance and care of an enlightenmed Guru or a well veresed AcArya.

• Lokayata / brihaspatya / cArvAka of prajApati daksha – An athiest docrtine supposedly founded by prajApati daksha of athiest nature which emphasizes on materialism. CarvAka-s consider lust as the cause of creation. According to pancAdaSi and sarvadarSana samgrah of SrI vidyAraNya svAmI, there were two types of cArvAka-s – (1) those who thinks Atman (Self or 'I') is physical gross body and (2), those believing that jIva is 'I' or Self or Atman.

Four upa-veda-s (sub veda-s or secondary veda-s)

• Artha Sastra – kauTilya's artha Sastra for Financial management

• dhanurveda – martial arts and art of war planning using different forms like cronch vyuh, chakra vyuh

• Ayurveda – Science of medicine e.g. charaka samhitA, dhanvantari samhitA, Sushruta samhitA (plastic surgery). It is said that there was also blood transmutation in Ancient Indian technique.

• gandharva veda – Science and art of singing and music. Music originated from sAma veda (sargam – sA, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni)

• Oral traditions – many things not covered for changed according to the demographics and local culture

• Independent compositions – poetic, prakaraNa grantha-s and related to and complimenting upanishads, bhakti sUtra-s like nArada and SanDilya bhakti sUtra-s are highly revered.

• Advances in Engineering – non-rusting Iron pillar in Delhi calle viShNu stambha (Qutub Minar) was an astronomical observatory. Zinc distillation was carried out in India in Ancient days which no other country could replicate it at that time.