HTGS Mission Statement

The members of The Hindu Temple of Greater Springfield (HTGS) sincerely believe in the teachings of the Hindu philosophy based on Sanathana Dharma (Ageless Wisdom) — Truth, Love, Peace, Right Conduct, and Non-violence. HTGS’s mission is to preserve and promote the Hindu religion, culture, and philosophy.

Lifelong Learning

To conduct religious education classes, study circles, discourses, celebration of Hindu festivals and religious activities, and cultural events.

Rituals

To conduct daily worship services to Hindu Gods and spiritual masters in accordance with traditional Hindu rituals and customs.

Responsive

To engage in various community service activities and support humanitarian causes.

Future Generation

To enhance pride in Hindu religion for present and future generations.

Hindu Philosophy

To promote understanding and respect for Hindu philosophy.

Among the world’s religions, Hinduism is arguably one of the oldest and largest. The original principles are based on scriptures known as Vedas and Sanathana Dharma – the “Eternal Way of Life”. Hindus believe in peace, prayer, and honoring the natural stages of life. Dharma, or duty to self and society, leads to salvation or Nirvana.

The Vedas, composed in Sanskrit, are central to the practice of Hinduism, while the Upanishads convey the deeper philosophy. These texts, thousands of years old, are still studied, chanted, and practiced today.

Western thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were inspired by Hindu teachings, particularly the Bhagavad Gita. Hinduism gained international recognition when Swami Vivekananda spoke at the 1893 Parliament of Religions in Chicago.

Figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., The Beatles, and Desmond Tutu helped spread the values of Hinduism—peace, self-awareness, and universal love. Epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata continue to guide and inspire generations.

Hinduism embraces diversity in practice, recognizing various forms of the divine: Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer of evil), along with many regional and ancestral deities.

Hinduism’s inclusiveness allows for coexistence with other faiths such as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism—many of which also flourished in India.