“HINDUISM”

The word “Hindu” does not exist anywhere in the Sanskrit text of the Vedas…”Hinduism” is a fallacy and a misnomer spoken by foreigners.😊

It should be pointed out that the word “Hindu” is not found in any of the classical writings of India. Nor can it be traced to the classical Indian languages, such as Sanskrit or Tamil. In fact, the word “Hinduism” has absolutely no origins within India itself. Still, it persists, and traditions as diverse as Shaivism and Jainism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism, have been described as “Hinduism.” This may work as a matter of convenience, but ultimately it is inaccurate.

“Sometimes Indians both inside and outside India think that we are preaching the Hindu religion, but actually we are not. One will not find the word “Hindu” in the Bhagavad-gītā. Indeed, there is no such word as “Hindu” in the entire Vedic literature. This word has been introduced by the Muslims from provinces next to India, such as Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and Persia. There is a river called Sindhu bordering the northwestern provinces of India, and since the Muslims there could not pronounce Sindhu properly, they instead called the river “Hindu,” and the inhabitants of this tract of land they called “Hindus.’” —A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada