Rajan Zed

Rajan Zed

Hindu chaplain in Nevada, California.

Rajan Zed is a well-known Hindu leader. He is a Hinduism teacher, serves on various boards of directors, and is a Hindu chaplain in northwestern Nevada and adjoining California. He delivered the historic first Hindu opening prayer in United States Senate in Washington. He earned an MBA and Master of Science in Mass Communications. Close.

Rajan Zed

Hindu chaplain in Nevada, California.

Rajan Zed is a Hindu chaplain in northwestern Nevada and adjoining California. more »

Main Page | Rajan Zed Archives | On Faith Archives


Morality Archives



November 14, 2007 4:41 AM

Forgiveness is Powerful

Forgiveness is godly. Forgiveness is a virtue. Forgiveness is holiness. Forgiveness is powerful. Forgiveness is peace.

Ancient Hindu scripture Bhagavad-Gita says, “Develop purity, forgiveness, vigor, patience, a good will, and avoid pride—these are the riches of the person who is born for heaven."

Continue »




January 21, 2008 6:33 AM

Hinduism Advises to Stay Away from Sinner

In Hinduism, shunning of sinner is advised as sin is thought to be transmittable by physical contact, by thought, and by speech. Association with big sinners (mahapatakasamsarga) is a capital sin (mahapataka), which is difficult to atone for.

Sin is exonerated by purification, knowledge, penance (prayascittas), etc. Evils and sins are collectively known as dosha.

Hinduism instructs to avoid the following: avarice (lobha), jealousy (irsha), envy (matsarya), malice (dvish), fury (krodha), scurrility (durvachana), lust (kamarago), back-biting (parivada), anger (manyu), egoism (asmita), impatience (amarsha), arrogance (mana), sensuality (avirati), gluttony (atyahara), hostility (droha), self-centeredness (mamata), etc.




May 19, 2008 6:11 PM

Marriage is the Most Important Samskar (Sacrament)

In Hinduism, vivah (marriage) is the most important samskar (sacrament). The married couple is looked at as a complete module for worship and participation in cultural/social acts. With the marriage samskar, one thoroughly enters into grihasth-ashram (householder phase), where one can attend to the goals of dharm (duty).

Traditional Hindu marriage is a sacred rite and involves various religious steps, including: kanyadaan (giving of the bride), panigrahan (hand grasping), reciting from scriptures, walking around the fire saying Vedic mantars (hymns), saptapadi (seven steps) on the piles of rice, etc.

The course of a conventional Hindu wedding includes various religious/cultural/social procedures, including: gunapariksha, patrika (horoscope), matching, vagdana (betrothal), pressing a tilak (religious mark) on the bridegroom, worship of gods/ancestors/spirits, mrdaharana (bringing of earth) by mothers, applying mehndi (henna) on the bride, Ganesh worship, worship of goddess Sitala for 3-7 days, bride’s abhishek (consecration) by the priest, saptarsimandal (asking stars to be witnesses), dispersal rites, coconut smashing at the temple, etc.

Continue »




June 2, 2008 5:18 AM

Greed Disappoints

Greed is a form of pollution and is a transgression of spiritual and moral law and is termed evil.

Disappointment is certain if some act is done merely out of greed. Excessive greed blinds the mind. Lobha (greed) is one of the three root sins, along with moha (desire) and krodha (anger), which must be conquered to achieve moksha (liberation). Do not be disillusioned by wants.

Ancient Hindu scripture, Bhagavad-Gita says: there are three gates to self-destructive hell—greed, anger, and desire. Abandon these three. A person freed from these three gates of darkness seeks what is best and attains life’s highest goal.


Categories

Top Local Global

On Faith is an interactive conversation on religion moderated by Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham and Sally Quinn of The Washington Post. It is produced jointly by Newsweek and washingtonpost.com, as is PostGlobal, a conversation on international affairs. Please send your comments, questions and suggestions for On Faith to editor and producer David Waters.