Vedic Literature: Hinduism And Homipuality

HINDUISM AND HOMOSEXUALITY

The third largest religion in the world – after Christianity and Islam – Hinduism accounts for roughly 14% of the global population, with approximately 2 million Hindus living in the United States. Among its most familiar texts are the Bhagavad Gita, though the Vedas are considered the authoritative guiding text by which one’s life is shaped. Dating to 6,000 BCE, the Vedas constitute the oldest scripture in the world.

The Vedas are considered the earliest literary record of Indo-Aryan civilization, and the most sacred books of India. They are the original scriptures of Hindu teachings, and contain spiritual knowledge encompassing all aspects of our life. Vedic literature with its philosophical maxims has stood the test of time and is the highest religious authority for all sections of Hindus in particular and for mankind in general. Veda” means wisdom, knowledge or vision, and it manifests the language of the gods in human speech. It is believed that humans did not compose the revered compositions of the Vedas, which were handed down through generations by the word of mouth from time immemorial. The general assumption is that the Vedic hymns were either taught by God to the sages or that they were revealed themselves to the sages who were the seers or “mantradrasta” of the hymns.

Many verses throughout the Hindu canon affirm that the sex of the living entity is determined at the time of conception. They state that if the male sexual fluids (sukra) predominate at the moment of conception the child will be male, and if the female sexual fluids (sonita) predominate the child will be female. If both are equal, either male and female twins or a child of the third sex will be the