What is the Hindu equivalent to a baptism or confirmation?

Answer 1

One of the ceremonies that are preformed on a new born baby , similar to baptism , is shaving the head...This is termed as "Ayushkarma" in Sanskrit, the scriptural language

of the Hindus. It means enhancing the longevity or the life span of the babys life .Hinduism has a number of "samskaras", or rites of sacramental purification, which are performed from birth till death.

Answer 2

Hinduism is based on Brahmajnana, the omnipotent and eternally unchanging knowledge. Any thing to be accepted as fact must be compatible with it.
Brahmajnana is a three dimensional knowledge.

The three dimensions are,

1. VERTICAL/ DAIVA/ IMAGINATION-REALITY:

In this dimension are the seven Hindu gods

They are,

1. Indra - dreaming

2. Shakti - illusion

3. Brahma - creativity

4. Vishnu - stabilization

5. Shiva - determination

6. Shani - status alteration

7. Yama - compulsion

An activity/ idea is confirmed as a fact in this dimension if, it remains unchanged in both dream and reality.

2. HORIZONTAL/ RIGHT TO LEFT/ VARNAS/ INTEGRITY:

There are four Varnas. Contrary to popular belief, they have nothing to do with occupations and can be applied to inanimate objects also.

They are,

1. Brahmana Varna - In this all activities are merged into a single giant activity called life

2. KshatriyaVarna- Activities integrated at best and worst conditions and independent in the middle.

3. Vaishya Varna - Activities integrated at worst conditions only

4. Shudra Varna - Activities independent of each other.

An idea is considered as a fact in this dimension if, when it is integrated with other ideas and then separated, it remains unchanged.

3. HORIZONTAL/ ANTERO-POSTERIOR/ KALA/ TIME:

In Hinduism there are four kinds of time.

They are,

1. Nirantara/ Instinctive/ Eternal/ Uninterrupted/ At any time

2. Naisargika/ Natural/ In between

3. Ardha Naisargika/ Semi natural / Before

4. Kshanika/ Transient/ whenever possible.

An activity/ idea is considered a fact if remains unchanged when it is executed at a random time and at a convenient time.

Thus, in Hinduism an idea is confirmed as a fact if,

1. It remains unchanged in reality and in imagination

2. Separately and together with other ideas

3. At random time and at convenient time.

Thus, Hindu confirmation is far superior to scientific confirmation and is independent of time, place and person.

Scientific confirmation is applicable to our material world only and that too for short periods of time only.