| It is said in ancient Indian scriptures that each individual | | | | over a period of time. Vedic scriptures describe many |
| is a representation of the universe. This wisdom is | | | | God like Indra, Varun, Fire, Brahaspati, Krishna, Vishnu, |
| stated as "Aham Brahmiasmi" (I am the Universe) | | | | Shiva, and Brahma. All Gods have different names and |
| which means that in each person lies something of | | | | description. Gradually the concept of Absolute God or |
| everything. There is no emotion which we can not feel. | | | | Brahma was established in the time of Upanishads and |
| There is no situation which we can envisage purely | | | | it was believed that Brahma is beyond for and |
| from our imagination. All knowledge of this world has | | | | imagination of human mind and all Gods are actually |
| been created in the mind of some individual which he | | | | the manifestation of Brahma. Gradually some Gods |
| revealed to the world. | | | | were given lower status and some higher one. The |
| It is, therefore, often said that the world is nothing but a | | | | three Gods which are given the top status in Hinduism |
| reflection of our own self. World is like a mirror where | | | | in the modern times are called Trinity of God viz. |
| we see our images. However, like a child, we presume | | | | Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (Mahesh). Brahma is the |
| that we are seeing another person in the mirror while | | | | God of creation, Vishnu the God of Sustenance and |
| in reality the image is nothing but us. The image moves | | | | Shiva the God of destruction. |
| as we moves and waves when we waves. However, | | | | Yet in the modern times, when the whole world has |
| as we grow in life, we learn that the image is nothing | | | | come very close to each other and the people of |
| but our own self. The importance of image continues | | | | different cultures and religions are working together in |
| as a mirror continues to be the only method to know | | | | the same society and also getting married to people of |
| the truth about our physical self in the most accurate | | | | different religions, the world God is used to represent |
| and unbiased manner. A spiritually awakened person | | | | the Gods of all religions. |
| knows that world is nothing but the mirror of self. | | | | Yet when the name of God is uttered, each person is |
| Hence the only way to change the world is to change | | | | likely to view a different image of God in his |
| oneself. | | | | imagination. The world may be same but the God as |
| However, most of us believe that world is different | | | | known to different people is really totally different. |
| than us which lies outside us. This is true scientifically | | | | They were just given same name in English. |
| and physically but farthest from the truth philosophically. | | | | Indian in their typical culture of synergy and assimilation |
| The proof of the cake lies in the pudding. You have to | | | | tries to believe that all Gods are One and that they are |
| only open your eyes of reason to know the truth | | | | merely known by different names. The favourite |
| yourself. If you are bad, you would see the world as | | | | bhajan (religious song) sung by Gandhi was, |
| bad and if you are good you find the world good. We | | | | Ishwar All Tero Nam |
| find the world extremely lovely when we are in love or | | | | Sabko Sanmati De Bhagawan. |
| in a good mood. However, when we are gripped in | | | | Iswar (Hindu name of God) and Allah (Muslim Name of |
| pessimism and hatred, we find the world similar to our | | | | God) are Thy Name, |
| state of being. | | | | Give this wisdom to every one. |
| It is for this reason that when we ask the opinion of | | | | The secular scholars try to resolve the issue by giving |
| several people on the same situation or the same | | | | another analogy. They say that just like a person is |
| person we get as many opinions. It is because each | | | | known by different names (designations) to different |
| person is different and everyone see his image in the | | | | persons (like father, son, uncle, etc) same is true with |
| person or situation. An interesting experiment was | | | | God. All religions actually speak of the same God who |
| done to establish this same point. | | | | is merely referred by different names in different |
| An Experiment with a Difference | | | | religion. |
| In one experiment, a group of people were asked to | | | | Nothing can be farther from the Truth. Even the God |
| respond to the concept of beauty. They were asked | | | | as described in Torah (Old Testament), Bible and |
| to sit around a conference table. Each person was | | | | Quoran are not same. If Old Testament God says, |
| given the photograph of a girl named "Rita". They | | | | "Eye for Eye", Jesus asked people to "turn the other |
| were asked to have a look of her for few seconds | | | | cheek". The God of Quoran is quite critical of both |
| and then return the photograph to the organizers. Then | | | | Jews and Christian. The God of Hinduism are totally |
| they were asked if the girl in the photograph was | | | | different than the God described in Books. Brahma, |
| beautiful. They were also asked to justify the reasons | | | | Vishnu, Shiva are themselves quite different and they |
| for their judgment. There were two judges, who have | | | | have little in common with Allah, Christ or Yahweh. |
| to award the person giving best reasons for explaining | | | | Thus it is extremely difficult for people to accept that |
| beauty. | | | | there is only one God unless attempts are made to |
| However, when the discussion started it was found | | | | find the common meeting grounds between all religions |
| that each person sitting on one side of the table said | | | | and to prove in simple language the common truth |
| that the Rita was extremely beautiful girl while all | | | | between all religions. |
| people on the other side sated that Rita was not | | | | The Common Truth of All Religions |
| beautiful. Each person had their own argument to | | | | Though there are numerous religions which all |
| prove his point and each person stick to their point. | | | | describes God in different way, yet the soul or |
| The judges were surprised as they never expected | | | | essence of all religions are the same. The main |
| such strong difference of opinion about the beauty of | | | | difference lies in the procedures (rituals) and the |
| a girl. | | | | implementation. While Abraham religions have carrot |
| The mistake was soon discovered when it was found | | | | and stick policy i.e. to reward the good and punish the |
| that by mistake the organizers have given two | | | | evil, the Eastern religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, |
| different photographs of two different girls both names | | | | Jainism or Sikhism motivates the people to be spiritual |
| "Rita". One Rita was beautiful while the other was not. | | | | as it is good for them. Thus an eastern religion does |
| The difference of opinion was not due to any | | | | not prescribe any punishment, if a person does not |
| subjectivity on the understanding of beauty but due to | | | | believe or follow some rituals. |
| the fact that the participants were talking about two | | | | However the fundamental knowledge of all religions |
| different persons. | | | | are same which can be broadly summarized as |
| This experiment explains that before arguing a case, | | | | following:o Man is an spiritual animal. He can not live for |
| one must ensure that the facts are right. If two people | | | | bread alone.o Believe in God as without Faith in God or |
| are talking about two different people who incidentally | | | | Supreme, man can not get lasting peace or |
| have the same name, there is no possibility that they | | | | happinesso God is present in every being. So love all |
| can ever come to a conclusion. | | | | beings and do service to His creation is service to |
| This seems to be the main reason why people are | | | | Godo Every person has to reap what he sows. |
| fighting in the name of God all over the world as there | | | | Hence good means are necessary for good ends.o |
| is no one God. They are merely given same name in | | | | God is loving and compassionate. Thus man can |
| English language. | | | | always reform himself from evil path and become |
| Many Gods- One Name | | | | good.o Actions like prayer and rituals are necessary |
| There is no doubt that there can be one and only one | | | | for transformation of man to become spiritual.o God is |
| God in the universe. There can not be many Creators | | | | all merciful and kind. So forgive others and be kind to |
| in this world. The concept of creator and sustainer of | | | | others. |
| the universe has been developed by human minds | | | | God is Universal |
| over a period of thousands of years in different part | | | | It is remarkable that though the concept of God has |
| of this world. Each society imagined God in their unique | | | | been developed in different part of the world at |
| way and gave Him a unique name. If God is called | | | | different time, yet all concepts of God have many |
| Yahweh by Jews, He is knows as Christ to Christians | | | | common truths. There are also many differences in |
| and Allah to Muslims. These three religions of Abraham | | | | religions yet these are merely in body and not on soul. |
| have the same prophets and their scriptures describe | | | | However, to understand real God one has to transact |
| the same God, yet are they same? | | | | from the words of the scriptures to the spirit of the |
| Hinduism, the oldest religion of the world, too evolved | | | | scriptures which is same for all religions. |
| over period of time. It has discovered many Gods | | | | |