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Hinduism
Hinduism is the major religion of India. It has about 900 million followers. Although most Hindus live in India, Hindu
literature and philosophy have influenced people throughout the world. Hinduism represents a diverse group of beliefs,
practices, and texts that have developed over thousands of years. Many Hindus claim that their religion has been practiced
for longer than any other religion in the world.
Beliefs of Hinduism
Like most religions, Hinduism has a variety of beliefs about deities (gods and goddesses), life after death, and personal
conduct. Many groups have arisen within Hinduism and developed varying texts, philosophies, and forms of practice.
Written symbol of sacred word OM
Sacred writings. Hinduism has no single book that is the source of its doctrines, but it has many sacred writings that have
contributed to its beliefs and practices.
The Vedas are the oldest Hindu scriptures and include sections that are older than the sacred writings of any other major
religion. The teachings of the Vedas existed for centuries before they were finally written down. There are four Vedas—
the Rigveda, the Samaveda, the Yajurveda, and the Atharvaveda. Each has four parts. The Brahmanas deal with ritual and
theology and include explanations of the Samhitas. The Aranyakas and the Upanishads develop philosophical ideas.
The Puranas are long verse stories that contain many important narratives about deities and the lives of great Hindu
heroes. They also describe Hindu beliefs about how the world began and how it periodically ends and is reborn.
The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are long epics. The Ramayana tells of Prince Rama and his attempts to rescue his
wife, Sita, who has been kidnapped by the demon king Ravana. The Mahabharata describes a struggle for a disputed
kingdom between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, two families who are cousins. Generally, the Pandavas are considered
the rightful rulers and superior to the Kauravas.
Deities. Early Hindus worshiped gods that represented powers in nature, such as rain and the sun. Some Hindus came to
believe that, though deities appear in many separate forms, these forms are part of one universal spirit called Brahman.
Individual Hindus often focus on just a few of the many deities as their ishta devata—that is, their personal deities.
Three important groups of deities center around Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti. Vishnu is the preserver of the universe who
takes various human forms called avatars. Shiva is the destroyer of the universe. Such destruction allows for the
universe’s renewal. Shakti refers to a goddess who is known by many names, including Durga, Kali, Parvati, and Lakshmi.
As Durga or Kali, she is the feared but just goddess of destruction. As Parvati and Lakshmi, she is the beloved of the gods
Shiva and Vishnu, respectively.
According to common Hindu doctrine, animals as well as human beings have souls. Some Hindus worship gods in the
form of animals, including monkeys and snakes. Cows are especially revered because of the gifts, such as milk, that they
provide for people.
The six schools of philosophy. Many schools of Hindu thought have developed through the centuries. Six of these
schools have become especially prominent. In their traditional order, they are (1) nyaya, (2) vaisheska, (3) sankhya, (4)
yoga, (5) purva-mimamsa, and (6) vedanta.
Nyaya deals with logic. Vaisheska concerns the nature of the world. Sankhya examines the origin and evolution of the
universe. Yoga is a set of mental and physical exercises designed to free the soul from reliance on the body so that the
soul can unite with Brahman. Purva-mimamsa categorizes the texts and rituals of the Vedas. Vedanta chiefly interprets the
Upanishads, though some forms also deal with such texts as the Bhagavad-Gita.
Caste is a system of social classes that reflects a general division of labor. Complicated rules traditionally govern contact
between castes. For example, marriages between people of different castes are rare, and the upper castes are not supposed
to eat with lower ones.
According to several Hindu texts, the Hindu castes are grouped into four main categories, called varnas. In order of rank,
these hereditary groups are (1) Brahmans, the priests and scholars; (2) Kshatriyas, the rulers and warriors; (3) Vaisyas, the
merchants and professionals; and (4) Shudras, the laborers and servants. In practice, the caste system includes thousands
of jatis (subcastes). Each jati has its own rules of conduct that usually include a traditional occupation. The ranks of jatis
in relation to one another sometimes are disputed.
A group of jatis, known collectively as untouchables or outcastes, has traditionally existed outside the four varnas and
ranked below the lowest Shudra caste. By custom, the untouchables have held such occupations as cleaning toilets,
disposing of garbage, and tanning animal hides, which Hindu law forbids for a member of any of the four varnas. The
Indian Constitution of 1950 outlawed untouchability and gave the group full citizenship. Discrimination against
untouchables still exists. But a portion of government jobs and university admissions now are reserved for untouchables.
For centuries, various Hindu and non-Hindu groups have criticized the prejudices and the practices of discrimination in
the caste system. The system has weakened, particularly in urban areas. Occupation seldom is tied to caste, and eating
with people of other castes is common. Caste distinctions remain strongest in the choice of marriage partners.
Reincarnation and karma. Hinduism teaches that the soul never dies. When the body dies, the soul is reborn. This
continuous process of rebirth is called reincarnation. The law of karma states that every action influences how the soul
will be born in the next reincarnation. If a person lives a good life, the soul will be born into a higher state, perhaps into
the body of a Brahman. If a person leads an evil life, the soul will be born into a lower state, perhaps as a worm. A
person’s reincarnation continues until he or she achieves spiritual perfection. The soul then escapes the process of rebirth
and enters a new level of existence called moksha.
Worship in the home. Typically, Hindus worship as individuals or families, not as large communities. Many observances
of Hinduism take place at home. Most homes have a shrine devoted to a deity or deities chosen by the family. The
husband or wife usually conducts the daily family worship. Some important ceremonies are performed at home, including
rituals of thanksgiving and rituals connected with such life events as pregnancy and childbirth. Sometimes a family
member conducts these rituals, and sometimes a priest visits the home to perform them.
Worship in temples. Individuals and families also visit temples to worship deities. Most Hindu temples have many
shrines. Each temple recognizes one deity as central. Each shrine portrays a form of the central deity, or sometimes a
different deity, in a sculpted image. Priests perform rituals in which they invite the divine being, who is everywhere, to
reside in the images. Hindus treat these images as special guests. Priests wash and dress the images and bring them food
daily. Hindus do not consider this idol worship, because the deities are believed to actually inhabit the images.
Hindu temples attract crowds for annual festivals commemorating events in the lives of the deities. Pilgrimages have
developed around certain temples and festivals in India. Other festivals, including Diwali and Holi, take place primarily in
the home or neighborhood. Different regions have different calendars and festivals.
Veneration of holy people. Hindus venerate (have deep respect for) holy people, both living and dead, who have
achieved special spiritual status. Some may be gurus (spiritual teachers) who have developed deep spiritual understanding.
Others may be yogis (people who practice yoga) who have gained spiritual power through asceticism (strict selfdiscipline). Hindus who venerate gurus or yogis sometimes disagree about who is a true guru or yogi.
Source: Ramey, Steven W. "Hinduism." World Book Student. World Book, 2010.
DIRECTIONS FOR RESPONSE
On a separate piece of paper, summarize your understanding of the most important aspects of Hinduism in a few short
paragraphs.
In another paragraph, describe an aspect of Hinduism you read about that particularly intrigues you and state your
thoughts about that aspect.
Extra challenge: do a little research yourself. Find a credible source on Hinduism. Bring an artifact or practice to class
that you can either explain or facilitate.