Introduction to World

Religions and Belief Systems

Hinduism
Group 4

Venice D. Cindy Sheena Aj Bergado Angelo

Bañoc Pernites Berondo Cornites Bisoc
 Hinduism

Historical Sacred Beliefs & Worship & Subdivisions Selec ted

Bac kground Sc riptures Observanc es Issues
Doc trines

- Origin - Shutri
- Holidays - Shaivism
- Population - Vedic - Deities - Hinduism
- Trimurti - Holy Place - Shaktism
- Adherents Sc riptures and
- Routes - Place - Vaishnavism
- Priest Women
- of
to Moksha - Smartism - Caste
- Symbol Shmriti
Worship
System

Concept Map
Hinduism
The term Hindu originated from the Persian
word hindu which means “river.” The name
Hinduism was given in the nineteenth century
to describe the wide array of belief
systems in India. Hinduism was
originally known as “Arya Dharma”
or the “Aryan Way.”
Hinduism is one of the
Dharmic Religions along with
Buddhism, J ainism, Sikhism
and others.
In Hinduism, dharma is the
order that makes life and
universe possible. It includes
duties, rights, laws, conduct,
virtues and "right way of
Historical Background
 Origin
The birthplace of Hinduism is Indus Valley or
Indus River Valley which runs through
northwest India into Pakistan. Historically,
the foundations of Hinduism may have
originated from the customs of the early
peoples of the Indus valley around 2500
As early as 3000 B.C.E., there
were already thriving
civilizations in India, such as
those discovered in the ancient
Punjab city of Harappa and in
Mohenjo-Daro in Indus Valley.
There resides the Pre-Aryans
who was later on invaded by
The Aryans
The ancient Aryans were a
group of people from central
Asia who settled in Northern
India. There they established
the Vedic religion which
continues in the form of
Hinduism.
Population

Hinduism is the third largest religion. Behind

Christianity (31.5%) and Islam (23.3%) There
are about 1.2 billion Hindus around the world,
representing 15% of the global population.
Adherents
Hindus, are people who religiously adhere
to Hinduism. Hinduism has approximately
1.2 billion adherents worldwide.
Historically, the term has also been used
as a geographical, cultural, and later
religious identifier for people living in the
Indian subcontinent.
Hindu Priest
A Pujari/Pandit performs
worship services which
include ceremonies and
rituals. Typical Hindu rituals
and ceremonies may include
daily deity worship, special
deity celebrations, special
ceremonies and life sacrament
Sym bol
Om (pronounced Aum)

Om (or Aum, ॐ) is the sacred sound symbol that

represents Universe; the ultimate reality
(Brahman). It is prefixed and sometimes suffixed to
all Vedic mantras and prayers. Aum is often
said to represent God in the three aspects of
Brahman (A), Vishnu (U) and Shiva (M)
Sacred Scriptures
The sacred texts of Hinduism have
been principally passed down
throughout generations by way of
music, recitation, dance, and drama.
The sacred writings of the
Hindus are categorized into two
classes, the Shruti and Smriti.
Shruti
Historically, Shruti literally means “that which is
heard.” They are regarded as eternal truths that were
passed orally until the beginning of the present age
wherein there came the need to write them down. The
four collections of texts of the Vedas form the
shruti and are considered primary sources and the most
authoritative texts ofthe Hindu faith.
Vedas

The Vedas are a large body of

religious texts originating in ancient
India. The word Veda means
"knowledge" or "sacred lore." The
texts constitute the oldest layer of
Sanskrit literature and the oldest
scriptures of Hinduism.
There are four Vedic
Books, which are
sacrificial hymns
compiled from an
earlier oral tradition
and these are:

• Rig-veda
• Sama-veda
• Yajur-veda
Upanishad
Forming the fourth part of the Vedas, the term
Upanishad literally translates as “sitting down
near” or “sitting close to” as it implies listening
intently to the mystic teachings of a spiritual
teacher who has fully understood the universal
truths. It could also mean "brahma-knowledge”
whereby ignorance is totally eliminated.
Sm riti
Smriti literally means “that which has been
remembered.” These writings serve to
reinforce shruti and are interpreted by sages
and scholars alike. Most of these texts are
sectarian in nature and considered of lesser
importance compared to shruti, such as
stories and legends, codes of conduct for the
These are national epics of India and
considered to be the sacred texts of
the masses where they draw their
values and ideals:

Ramayana
Mahabharata
Bhagavad
Gita
Ramanaya

The Ramayana, translated as the “Story of

Rama” or “Rama’s Journey,” is a Sanskrit epic
poem written by the poet Valmiki consisting
of 24,000 verses in seven books and 500
cantos. Central to the story is Rama, a prince
and later portrayed as the incarnation of the
Hindu god Vishnu, who was born in Ayodhya.
Mahabharata

Another major Sanskrit literature of old India is

Mahabharata which is composed of around one
hundred thousand verses making it the word’s
longest poem. The Mahabharata tells of a great
struggle among the descendants of a king
called Bharata, a name used by many Indians to
mean “India”
Bhagavad Gita

A cebrated episode within the Mahabharata is

the Bhagavad Gita which is translated as “the
Lord’s Song.” It is considered as one of the holiest
books by the Hindus, the Gita is a 700-verse
narrative of a dialogue between the Pandava
prince Arjuna and his guide- cousin Krishna
Beliefs &
Deities
Hindu scriptures state that there are 330 million
gods or devas. These include manifestations
of natural phenomena, evil forces, and even
illnesses. Others are venerated humans or
town deities. Hindu worship or puja involves
images, prayers, and diagrams of the universe.
 gods & goddesses
Hindus worship many gods and
goddesses in addition to Brahman,
who is believed to be the supreme
God force present in all things.

Some of the most prominent

deities include:
Brahma
(Creator)
Brahma is the Hindu
god of creation. Also
known as the
grandfather, he was the
original creator of the
universe He is
responsible for the
creation of the world
Vishnu (Preserver)
Vishnu is the
preserver and
protector of the
universe. His role is to
return to the earth in
troubled times and
restore the balance
of good and evil
Shiva (Destroyer)
Shiva is known as
"The Destroyer". He
is the god that
destroys the
universe in order
to recreate it.
Saraswati: the goddess
of knowledge, music,
art, speech, wisdom, and
learning

goddess Saraswati is
Brahma's wife. She is
considered to be "the
embodiment of his power,
the instrument of
creation and the energy
that drives his actions".
Lakshmi: the goddess of
wealth and purity

Hindu goddess of wealth

and good fortune. The
wife of Vishnu, she is said
to have taken different
forms in order to be with
him in each of his
incarnations.
Parvati: goddess of
marriage, family, beauty,
fertility, devotion, and
motherhood
Parvati is the wife of the
Hindu god Shiva. She is a
manifestation of Shakti,
the divine feminine energy
of the universe. She is
the mother of the
universe.
Devi: the goddess that Krishna: the god of
fights to restore dharma compassion, tenderness and
Devotion to the
Trimurti
Central to Hinduism is the Brahman who is the ultimate
reality, one and undivided. The Brahman is often seen in
three forms or functions called the Trimurti, these are
creation, preservation, and destruction. These functions
are expressed in god forms, namely, Brahma, the creator;
Vishnu, the preserver; and Shiva, the destroyer.
Atma
n
In Hinduism, the Atman, or soul, is one's eternal Self. The
Atman resides in all living creatures, the Atman itself gives
the materialistic body life. The Atman is all-knowing; it
comes from the supreme God, Brahman

Moksha

Moksha is the end of the death and rebirth cycle and is

classed as the fourth and ultimate artha (goal) the term
moksha literally means freedom from samsara
Karma

Karma is a concept of Hinduism which

describes a system in which beneficial effects
are derived from past beneficial actions and
harmful effects from past harmful actions,
creating a system of actions and reactions
throughout a soul's
reincarnated lives, forming a cycle of rebirth
Routes to Moksha
Moksha is the liberation from the cycle of
death and rebirth. Derived from the Sanskrit word
muc (“to free”).

Firstly, every soul dies and is reborn

anew in new form (this cycle is called
samsara).
Second, one’s deeds have an effect in this or a
future life. and birth which is associated with one's
This particular liberation can be achieved through the four
yogas that involve a system of practices aimed at producing
spiritual enlightenment. The word yoga is derived from the
root word yuj which translates as “to yoke” or “to join.”
In Hinduism, all life goes through birth, life, death, and rebirth
and this is known as the cycle of samsara . According to this
belief, all living things have an atman , which is a piece of
Brahman, or a
spirit or soul
Worship &
Holidays

Vital to Hindu worship is darshan that pertaining to

seeing and being in the presence of deity. While
worship may be undertaken any day of the week,
Thursday is considered to be the most opportune
day. Hindus celebrate a number of festivals that are
based on the Hindu calendar and often related to
seasonal changes.
Main festivals include Holi, Diwali, and Dusserah.
Diwali (Festival of
Lights)
The Diwali or “Festival of
Lights” is India’s biggest and
most important holiday of the
year held in October or
November. Indians light outside
their homes to symbolizethe
inner light that safeguards the
people from evil forces.
Holy Place
Th city of Varanasi also
called Benares in the
northern India dating to the
11th century
B.C. Regarded as the
spiritual capital of India
and the most important
sacred prilgimage and is
Place of worship The Mandir (temple) is
where Hindu worship
usually takes place. Hindus
can also worship with their
shrines at home. The giving
of offerings is an important
part of Hindu worship. It’s a
common practice to present
gifts, such as flowers or oils,
to their gods. Additionally,
many Hindus take
pilgrimages to temples and
Subdivisions
Followers of Hinduism vary in their set of
beliefs and practices, including reverence to
a particular god. Presently, there are four
principal denominations within the Hindu
faith. These are Shaivism, Shaktism,
Vaishavism, and Smartism.
 Shaivism
Lord Shiva, the Compassionate One, is God for the
Saivites. Followers of Shaivism value self-disciplineand
philosophy. They worship in temples and practice yoga.
 Shaktism
The Goddess Shakti is supreme for Shaktas. She is the
divine mother and assumes many forms, be it a gentle
one or a fierce deity. Believers use chants, magic, and
yoga to summon cosmic forces.
 Vaishnavism
Lord Vishnu is God for the Vaishnavites, especially in
his incarnations Krishna and Rama. Adherents have
multitudes of saints, temples, and sacred texts.
 Sm artism
For the Smartas, devotees are left to choose their own
deity in one of six manifestations, namely,
Ganesha, Siva, Shakti, Vishnu, Surya, and Skanda.
Smartas are known as liberals as they embrace all
Hinduism and Women
Even though the Manusmriti or the “Laws of Manu” states
that women should be honored in Hindu society, women
have always been considered inferior to men in almost all
aspects of life. A woman's life revolves around the men in
her life. Women are relegated to performing household
chores and are expected to become loyal to their husbands,
even after their husbands die.
Caste System
The caste system is one major distinguishing feature of
Indian culture that stillaffects modern-day society. A
system of social class composed of the Brahmins,
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, opportunities are
based upon family origin. One person belongs to a caste
by being born to parents of that particular caste
Thank you!