Nevada: Hindus have rejected ‘end of the world’ proclamations, saying that the time is considered cyclical in Hinduism and not linear.
One of such declaration said that “God will destroy the world” on May 21, 2011.
Esteemed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) on Sunday, said that ancient Hindu scriptures Upanishads pointed to cyclical/non-ending nature of time through the principle of rebirth and karma.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, says that world travels through infinite cycles of conception, ripening and desolation; thus resulting in the dismantled world to be reborn again.
Zed points out that destruction is not final in Hinduism as each is succeeded by a new fabrication. According to Samakhya, one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, Purusha causes Prakriti to evolve into various constituents, which will ultimately be reintegrated into Purusa at the termination of each cycle.
He argues that at the end/beginning of each mahakalpa, there is diffusion/formulation.
Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about a billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.
ANI
First Published: Sunday, May 22, 2011, 16:14