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Introduction Hinduism, the major religion of India, is one of the oldest living religions in the world. The roots of Hinduism date to prehistoric times in India. About 870 million people practice the religion. Although most Hindus live in India, Hindu literature and philosophy have influenced people throughout the world. Hinduism developed gradually over thousands of years, and many cultures and religions helped shape it. Many sects (groups) arose within Hinduism, and each developed its own philosophy and form of worship. Like most religions, Hinduism has basic beliefs about divinities (gods), life after death, and personal code of conduct. Sacred Writings Hinduism has no single book that is the source of its beliefs and practices. But it has many sacred writings, all of which have contributed to its fundamental beliefs. The most important include the Vedas, the Puranas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata. The Vedas are the oldest Hindu scriptures and 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. These different parts contain: prayers and hymns explanation of theology (beliefs) philosophy written as dialogues (like stories) Divinities Early Hindus worshiped gods that represented powers in nature, such as rain and the sun. Gradually, some Hindus came to believe that, though divinities (gods) appear in separate forms, these forms are part of one universal spirit called Brahman. These Hindus believe that many divinities make up Brahman. The most important ones are Brahma, the creator of the universe Vishnu, its preserver Shiva, its destroyer. One of the most important Hindu divinities is Shiva's wife, who has several names. She is best known as Durga, Kali, Parvati, or Uma. As Parvati or Uma, she is the beloved goddess of motherhood. As Durga or Kali, she is the feared goddess of destruction. For many Hindus, these contrasting natures of the goddess represent the way in which time and matter constantly move from birth to death and from creation to destruction. Many Hindus find great religious truth in this symbolism and worship the goddess as their most important divinity. One important thing to keep in mind is that in certain sects, certain deities are worshipped more widely than others. Brahma Vishnu Shiva According to Hindu doctrine, animals as well as human beings have souls. Hindus worship some gods in the form of animals. Cows are sacred, but Hindus also revere monkeys, snakes, and other animals. Castes Caste is India's strict system of social classes. The caste system may have existed in India from before 1500 B.C. The caste system may have been used as first to keep native peoples and invading peoples separate. Later, the caste system became more elaborate and one of the teachings of Hinduism. The Hindu castes are grouped into four main categories, called varnas. These ranks are hereditary, meaning you are born into your caste. In order of rank, the castes are (1) Brahmans, the priests and scholars (2) Kshatriyas, the rulers and warriors (3) Vaisyas, the merchants and professionals (4) Sudras, the laborers and servants. The caste system includes thousands of sub-castes, each of which has its own rules of behavior. For centuries, one large group, the untouchables, has existed outside the four varnas and has ranked below the lowest caste. Traditionally, the untouchables have had such occupations as tanning (turning animal skin into leather), which Hindu law forbids for a member of any caste in the four varnas. The Indian constitution of 1950 outlawed untouchability and gave the group full citizenship. But discrimination against untouchables has not been eliminated. Through the years, the caste system has weakened somewhat, but continues to be a strong influence in Indian life. Some social distinctions have been abandoned, especially in the cities. Many educated Hindus of different castes intermix and work with one another. Formerly, they would have dined with and would have married only members of their own caste. 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 soul may be reborn in an animal or in a human being, but Hindu doctrine (philosophy) is not clear on this point. The law of karma states that every action influences how the soul will be born in the next reincarnation (the next life). 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 into the body of a worm. A person's reincarnation continues until he or she achieves spiritual perfection. The soul then enters a new level of existence, called moksha, from which it never returns. Worship Hinduism considers temples as buildings dedicated to divinities. Its followers worship as individuals, not as congregations. Most Hindu temples have many shrines, each of which is devoted to a divinity. Each temple also has one principal shrine devoted to a single important god or goddess. The shrines portray the divinities in sculptured images. Hindus treat these images as living human beings. Every day, for example, priests wash and dress the images and bring them food. Hindus do not consider this custom idol worship (worshipping an object). They believe the divinities are actually present in the images. Hindu temples hold annual festivals celebrating events in the lives of the divinities. Huge crowds gather for these festivals. They come to worship and to pray for assistance. Millions of Hindus visit temples along the Ganges River, the most sacred river in India. Many observances of Hinduism take place in the home. Most homes have a shrine devoted to a divinity chosen by the family. In most homes, the husband or wife conducts the daily family worship. A number of important ceremonies are performed at home, including the one in which boys officially become members of the Hindu community. Other religious ceremonies include marriage ceremonies and rituals that are connected with pregnancy and childbirth.