There is a misunderstanding about the word Hindu.
Max Muller, Monier Williams and other missionary scholars want us to believe that since our ancestors lived near the river Sindhu, we are called Hindus, because the Persians could not pronounce the word Sindhu. This is utter nonsense.
Sat Prem, a French intellectual, in his book ” Aurobindo, the Adventure of Consciousness” remarks that “the term Hinduism is an invention of the West. The Indian speaks only about the Eternal Law, the Sanathana Dharma. Now India, who could understand the Eternal Iconoclast that God is in His Cosmic March, did not have the strength to support Her Wisdom” So true, we were invaded by the Mughal Empire and the British Empire.
The Eternal Law, this Sanathana Dharma, is called by many as Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism etc. ” The Name of this Causality is Divine Law ” said Aurobindo. ” “The Law rules all and is all’ said Cheiro. This Eternal Law pervades the Universe, ruling all.
The real meaning of the word Hindu is that he who is sorrowful in violence is a Hindu, himsayam dhooyathe yasya saha hindurithyabhideeyathe.
Vivekananda wrote
‘ The Hindu believes he is Spirit. Him the fire cannot burn, him the water cannot wet, him the sword cannot pierce nor the wind dry. He is the Absolute Self, center everywhere, circumference nowhere”.