Hinduism
is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is
often referred to as
Sanatana Dharma (सनातन धर्म) by
its practitioners. Hinduism is the world's oldest major religion that is still
practiced.
Origin Of Hinduism
Its earliest origins can be traced to the ancient Vedic
civilization. A conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions, Hinduism has no
single founder.
Spread Of Hinduism
It is mainly found in India, Nepal,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius,
Fiji, Suriname, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.
Concept Of God
Hinduism is a diverse system
of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism,
monism and atheism.
It is sometimes referred to as
henotheistic (devotion to a single God while accepting the existence of other
gods), but any such term is an oversimplification of the complexities and
variations of belief.
Most Hindus believe that the
spirit or soul—the true "self" of every person, called the ātman—is eternal.
God is called Ishvara
("The Lord"), Bhagavan ("The Auspicious One"), or Parameshwara ("The Supreme
Lord").
Click Here To Know About Scriptures, Ceremonies, History
And Practices In Hinduism.
Karma and Samsara
Karma translates literally as action, work
or deed and can be described as the "moral law of cause and
effect".According to the Upanishads, an individual, known as the
jiva-atma, develops samskaras (impressions) from actions,
whether physical or mental. The "linga sharira", a body more subtle
than the physical one, but less subtle than the soul, retains
impressions, carrying them over into the next life, establishing a
unique trajectory for the individual.
This cycle of
action, reaction, birth, death, and
rebirth is a continuum called samsara. The
notion of reincarnation and karma is a strong
premise in Hindu thought. The Bhagavad Gita states
that:-
|
“ |
As a person puts on new clothes and discards
old and torn clothes,
similarly an embodied soul enters new
material bodies, leaving the old bodies. |
” |
Lord Ganesha
Three Headed Shiva
Importance Of Yoga
In whatever way a Hindu defines
the goal of life, there are several methods (yogas) that sages have
taught for reaching that goal. A practitioner of yoga is called a
yogi. An
individual may prefer one or some yogas over others according to his
or her inclination and understanding. For instance some devotional
schools teach that bhakti is the only practical path to achieve
spiritual perfection for most people, based on their belief that the
world is currently in the age of Kali yuga. Practice of one yoga
does not exclude others. Many schools believe that the different
yogas naturally blend into and aid other yogas.
Swami Vivekananda,
shown here practicing meditation, was a
Hindu guru (teacher) recognized
for his inspiring lectures on topics
such as yoga
