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HINDUISM
Origins of Hinduism:
The Indus Valley Civilization
• Hinduism, unlike most major religions, does not
have one person who is considered a
“founder.”
• Instead, its roots are with the people of the Indus
River valley who lived 5000 years ago.
Origins of Hinduism:
The Indus Valley Civilization
Many early Indus
practices and
beliefs shape
Hinduism:
• Cleanliness &
bathing
• Agriculture
• Water is sacred
Origins of Hinduism:
The Aryan Invasion
• The Aryan tribes
were powerful and
conquered all
they came into
contact with.
• They had a very
different belief
system and way of
life from the Indus
people.
Origins of Hinduism:
The Aryan Invasion
• The Aryans were not agricultural
– they were warlike
• They worshipped only male gods
• Over time, the Indus and Aryan religious
beliefs and practices mixed together
Origins of Hinduism:
The Vedas
• The Vedas are one
of the sacred texts
of Hinduism.
• For centuries, they
were passed down
orally until the
Aryans transcribed
them into Sanskrit,
the sacred Hindu
language.
Hindu Deities: The Hindu Trinity
Hinduism is a polytheistic religion.
What does that mean?
Hindu Deities: The Hindu Trinity
The Vedas introduce 3 main Hindu gods:
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
Although each deity has his own characteristics,
many Hindus believe they represent three
properties of one god.
Hindu Deities
Brahma: The Creator
• Many Hindus believe that
all other gods originate
from Brahma.
• He has four faces that look
to the four corners of the
universe.
• He holds the Vedas, a jar
of holy water from the
Ganges River, and a
necklace of prayer beads
• He sits on a lotus throne
Hindu Deities
Vishnu: The Preserver
• Vishnu’s role is to keep
a balance between
good and evil in the
universe.
• To do this, he returns to
earth in different forms,
both animal and
human, called avatars.
• Tradition says Vishnu
has had 10 avatars,
but the two most
beloved are Rama
and Krishna
Rama
Krishna
Hindu Deities
Shiva: The Destroyer
• Shiva is worshipped as the
destroyer or purifier.
• He dances in a halo of fire,
representing the cycle of birth
and death.
• He is crushing the demon of
ignorance
• He holds a drum in one hand
and the flame of destruction,
purification, and renewal in the
other
• Shiva wears snakes to symbolize
his power over evil forces.
Hindu Deities:
Hindu Goddesses
• Lakshmi (goddess of wealth)
• Durga (universal mother)
• Sarasvati (goddess of learning and arts)
Hindu Deities: Kali
• Durga, like many
Hindu deities,
takes many forms.
One of her most
popular and
feared
manifestations is
Kali: Goddess of
Destruction
Hindu Deities: The Ramayana
• The epic poem,
Ramayana, tells the
story of the life of
Rama, a Prince
and the 7th
incarnation of
Vishnu. It is one of
the most
celebrated stories
in all of Hinduism.
• It is often retold and
performed around
the world.
Hindu Beliefs: Dharma
• Dharma stands for
the ultimate moral
balance of all things.
• The universe has a
divine order, but
there is also order
within one’s personal
life.
• Each person has the
responsibility to
balance his or her
own dharma.
Hindu Beliefs: Karma
• Karma is the belief that a person
experiences the affects of his or her
actions--that every act or thought has
consequences.
Hindu Beliefs: Samsara
• Samsara is also known as
reincarnation. It represents
the cycle of life, death, and
rebirth in which a person
carries his or her own karma.
• Many Hindus believe that a
person’s status depends
upon actions in a past life.
• Good thoughts and actions
can liberate a person.
Hindu Beliefs: Moksha
• Hindus strive to reach moksha--a state of
changeless bliss, or happiness.
• It is achieved by living a life of religious
devotion and moral integrity without any
interest in worldly things.
• It may be many lifetimes within the wheel
of life before Moksha is achieved.
Hindu Beliefs:
The River Ganges
• To Hindus, water is both
literally and symbolically
a source of life,
renewal, and hope.
• The river Ganges, which
begins in the Himalayas,
is the most sacred river
in India.
• Many believe that
contact with the river
helps balance a
person’s karma.
Hindu Holidays: Diwali
• Diwali, is the Festival of Lights.
It celebrates the Hindu New
Year. It usually falls in
October or November (late
Oct 2011!)
• People decorate their streets
and doorways with small clay
lamps, and their floors with
colorful floor paintings made
of rice flour.
• The celebrations last for five
days.
Hindu Holidays: Holi
• Holi is the Hindu spring festival.
• The holiday begins in the evening with
bonfires that people sing and dance around.
• In the morning, the fires are put out. People
throw colored powders and colored water at
each other in a playful spirit.
Hindu Worship: The Mandir
• The Hindu mandir, or
temple, is a holy place
of gathering and
worship.
• Each temple is
dedicated to a
particular god.
• Each morning, a priest
decorates a shrine to
the god or goddess with
fresh flowers, fruit,
incense, candles or
lamps.
Hindu Worship: Family Shrine
• Many Hindus keep a
shrine in their home.
These are dedicated to
a particular god and
can vary in size.
• Some common features
of a family shrine are
–
–
–
–
–
–
A picture of the god
Fresh fruit and flowers
Incense or perfume
A bell, rung for prayers
An oil lamp
Scriptures from which
prayers are read
Hindu Symbols: Om
• The symbol Om, or
Aum, is the main
symbol of Hinduism. It
is both a visual and
oral representation of
Brahmin, or God.
• This symbol is the most
widely used in all
Indian religions,
appearing in both
Buddhism and Sikhism.
Hindu Symbols: Swastika
• The swastika is an
ancient symbol of good
fortune and protection.
Besides being used as a
symbol for Vishnu, it also
represents the eternal
wheel of life.
• In India, it is common to
find swastikas marked
on buildings and
animals to protect them
from evil spirits and
natural disasters.
Hindu Symbols: The Lotus
• The lotus bud, which is born in water and
unfolds itself into a beautiful flower,
symbolizes the birth of the universe.
• Many deities are depicted sitting on a
sacred lotus flower.
Hindu Symbols: The Cow
• For ages, the cow
has been held
sacred by Hindus.
One myth says that
the cow was
created by Krishna
from his own body.
• For many Hindus the
cow is a sacred
animal, providing
milk and butter, but
not eaten for its
meat!