Hinduism: The Basics

HinduismThe Basics

Quick Overview of Hinduism

• Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world and originated in India.

• It has no single founder, nor one single holy text.

• Hinduism formed from a combination of the Indus River Valley, Aryan, and Dravidian cultures.

• The religion is still evolving today.

The Vedas and the Mahabharata

• Most scholars believe that Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa composed the Vedas and later changed his name to compose the Mahabharata.

• The Mahabharata is a long

epic poem, with over 1.8

million words, that tells many

stories about the conflict

between 2 families.

Hindu Gods

• Since Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, it has many gods. It has one main being called Brahman, which consists of 3 Gods.

• Brahma – The Creator

• Vishnu – The Preserver

• Shiva – The Destroyer

Yoga and Moksha

• Yoga is a path to enlightenment. The goal of Yoga is moksha. Moksha is union with God, or Brahman.

• There are 4 different Yogas, including Work, Knowledge, Meditation, and Love.

Dharma and Karma

• Dharma (duty) is how you should conduct yourself and live your life.

• Karma is your actions that affect your next life. To have good karma, one must perform his or her dharma.

The Caste System

• There are 4 main castes called varnas.

• Brahmins – Priests• Kshatriyas – Rulers and soldiers• Vaisyas – Farmers and Merchants• Sudras – Artisans• Untouchables – non-Aryans

and slaves

Sources

• Flood, Gavin. An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge University Press, 1996. Print.