
What is Hinduism ? Conversation Devotee and Srila Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada fields questions
Devotee: Here is the first question: “It is said that the greatest strength of Hinduism is its catholicity, or breadth of outlook, but that this is also its greatest weakness in that there are very few religious observances that are obligatory for all, as in other religions. Is it necessary and possible to outline certain basic minimum observances for all Hindus?”

Srila Prabhupada says
As far as Vedic religion is concerned, it is not for the Hindus; it is for all living entities. That is the first thing to be understood. Vedic religion is called sanatana-dharma, “the eternal occupation of the living entity.” The living entity is sanatana [eternal], God is sanatana, and there is sanatana-dharma. Sanatana-dharma is meant for all living entities, not just the so- called Hindus.
Hinduism, this “ism,” that “ism”-these are all misconception. Historically, sanatana-dharma was followed regularly in India, and Indians were called “Hindus” by the Muslims. The Muslims saw that the Indians lived on the other side of the River Sind, and the Muslims pronounced Sind as Hind. Therefore they called India “Hindustan” and the people who lived there “Hindus.” But the word Hindu has no reference in the Vedic literature, nor does so-called Hindu dharma. Now that sanatana-dharma, or Vedic dharma, is being distorted, not being obeyed, not being carried out properly, it has come to be known as Hinduism. But that is a freak understanding; that is not a real understanding. We have to study sanatana-dharma as it is described in the Bhagavad-gitā and other Vedic literatures; then we’ll understand what Vedic religion is. [To a devotee:] Read from the Eleventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gitä, eighteenth verse.
Devotee [reads]:”O Lord Krishna, You are the supreme primal objective. You are the ultimate resting place of all this universe. You are inexhaustible, and You are the oldest. You are the maintainer of the eternal religion, the Personality of Godhead. This is my opinion.
“Srila Prabhupāda: This understanding is wanted. Krishna is eter- nal, we are eternal, and the place where we can live and exchange our feelings with Krsna-that is eternal. And the system that teaches this eternal process of reciprocation that is sanatana dharma, which is meant for everyone.
Devotee: So what would be the daily prescribed religious obser- vances followed by one who is aspiring for this sanatana-dharma What would he do? The complaint is that within Hinduism-or, let’s say, sanatana-dharma-there is such a breadth, there is so much variegatedness in different types-
Srila Prabhupāda: Why do you go to variegatedness?
Why don’t you take the real purpose of religion from Krşņa? Krşņa says [Bhagavad-gita 18.66], sarva-dharmān parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Give up all other so-called dharmas and just surrender to Me.” Why don’t you take that?
Why are you taking up variegated practices under the name of so-called Hinduism?
Why don’t you take the advice of the sanatana, Krsna? You refuse to accept sanatana-dharma-what the sanatana, God, says-but you say. “How can we avoid so many varieties and come to the right point?” Why accept varieties? Take to this one consciousness: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Why don’t you do that?
Devotee: How can people do this practically, on a daily basis? Srila Prabhupāda: How are we doing it? Is what we are doing not practical?
People will manufacture their own impractical way of religion, but they won’t take our practical system. What is that? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: Simply think of Krsna, become His devotee, worship Him, and offer obeisances to Him. Where is the difficulty? Where is the impracticality? Krsna says, “This is your duty. If you do this you will come to Me without any doubt.” Why don’t you do that? Why remain Hindu? Why remain Muslim? Why remain Christian? Give up all this nonsense. Just surrender to Krsna and understand, “I am a devotee of krishna.” Then every thing will immediately be resolved.