The Hindu religion is one of the most ancient religions in the world, and to this almost all religions of the past may be traced. The world's primitive religion, sun worship, which came and went in the world, still exists among the Brahmans. They greet the sunrise after bathing in the river; and they are purified by its most inspiring rays. Besides the sun, they worship the moon and the planets, counting every one of them as a peculiar god, signifying a particular power of God.

The mythical religion of the ancient Greeks, the gods and goddesses of the old Egyptians--all that is found today in the religion of the Hindus. They have among their gods almost all animals and birds known to man; and all different aspects of life are explained in their myths, which teach man to see the Divine Being in all. The great powers of the Almighty are pictured as various gods and goddesses, attributed with special powers. Some worship these. Even such savage animals as lions, elephants, or cobras are considered sacred. By this the moral is taught, to love our enemies.

The fire worship of the Zoroastrians may be seen in the Yag and Yagna ceremonies of the Hindus. The idea of Trinity of the Christians may be traced in the idea of Trirnurti in the Hindu religion. The prostration at the prayers, which exists in Islam, may be seen in its complete form in the Pranarn and Dandavat forms of Hindu worship.

Besides all these objects of worship, they are taught the worship of the Guru, the Teacher. The first Guru they see in the mother and father; then every person with whom they come in contact, who teaches them anything, they esteem as their Guru, until they have developed in themselves the worshipful attitude, which in the end they show to the real Guru, who helps them in their spiritual awakening. The following verse, from the Hindi, gives an idea of what the chela thinks of his Guru:

I have enjoyed my life on earth, O Guru, by thy mercy. Thy words have drawn me closer to God. As with the rising of the sun darkness disappears, So thou hast cleared away the darkness of ignorance from my soul. Some adore the earthly beings and some adore the heavenly, But I revere thee, O holy Guru! (Sundar Dhas)