HINDUISM

- Is one of the world’s oldest religions. It has complex roots, and involves a vast
array of practices and a host of deities. It plethora of forms and beliefs reflects
the tremendous diversity of India, where most of its one billion followers resides.
- Is more than a religion. This is reflected in a term Indians use to describe the
Hindu religion:
- Sanatana Dharma, which means eternal faith, or the eternal ways things are
(truth).
BELIEFS OF HINDUISM
- A belief in many gods, which are seen as manifestation of a single unity. These
deities are linked to universal and natural processes.
- A preference for one deity while not excluding or disbelieving others.
- A belief in the universal law of cause and effect (karma) and reincarnation
- A belief in the possibility of liberation and release (moksha) by which the endless
cycle of birth, death and rebirth (samsara) can be resolved.
- Moksha is the ultimate spiritual goal of Hinduism.
- How does are pursue moksha? The goal is to reach a point where you detach
yourself from the feelings and perceptions that tie you to the world, leading to the
realization of the ultimate unity of things; the soul (atman) connected with the
universal (Brahman).
- To get to this point, one can pursue various paths: the way of knowledge, the
way of appropriate actions or works, or the way of devotion to God.
PRINCIPAL TEXTS OF HINDUISM
 Vedas
- Are India’s earliest surviving texts, dating from approximately 2000 to 1500
B.C.E. These texts are made up of hymns and ritual treatises that are
instructional in nature, along with other sections that are more speculative and
metaphysical.
- Are greatly revered by contemporary Hindus as forming the foundation for their
deepest beliefs.
- Early Vedas refer often to certain gods such as Indra, the thunder god, and Agni,
who carries message between humans and the gods through fire sacrifices.
- Are considered a timeless revelation, and a source of unchanging knowledge
that underlies much of present-day Hindu practices.
 MAHABHARATA AND RAMAYANA
- These two great epics are the most widely known works in India.
- The Mahabharata is the world’s longest poem, with approximately 100,000
verses. It tells the story of the conflict between the Pandava brothers and their
cousins the Kauravas, a rivalry that culminates in a great battle.
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