Hinduism

~6 mins

Hinduism is the world's oldest major religion, with over 1 billion followers primarily in India and Nepal. Unlike other religions, it has no single founder, central authority, or universally accepted doctrine. Instead, it encompasses diverse beliefs, practices, and traditions united by concepts like dharma (righteous living), karma (action and consequence), and moksha (liberation from rebirth).

1) Hinduism exists because it evolved over 4,000 years from the ancient Vedic traditions of the Indus Valley civilisation and Aryan migrations into India. Unlike religions founded by specific individuals, Hinduism grew organically from the spiritual experiences and philosophical insights of countless sages, teachers, and communities. The word "Hindu" originally described people living near the Indus River, but came to represent this diverse religious tradition. Hinduism encompasses everything from village folk traditions to sophisticated philosophy, from devotional worship to rigorous meditation practices.

2) Dharma is the fundamental concept of righteous living according to one's duty, nature, and stage of life. It encompasses moral law, social obligations, and spiritual practices that maintain cosmic and social order. A student's dharma differs from a householder's or renunciant's dharma. Dharma isn't rigid rules but flexible principles adapted to circumstances whilst maintaining ethical integrity. Following one's dharma leads to good karma and spiritual progress, whilst violating it creates negative consequences. Dharma forms the foundation of Hindu ethics and social organisation.

Related: Dharma | Varna System | Life Stages

3) Karma means "action" and refers to the law of cause and effect governing moral actions. Every thought, word, and deed creates consequences that affect one's present and future lives. Good actions (positive karma) lead to happiness and spiritual progress, whilst bad actions (negative karma) cause suffering and spiritual regression. Karma isn't fatalism — people can change their destiny through conscious choices and spiritual practice. The goal is to transcend karma entirely by acting without attachment to results, as taught in the Bhagavad Gita.

Related: Karma | Bhagavad Gita | Selfless Action

4) Samsara is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth that all souls undergo until achieving liberation (moksha). The quality of rebirth depends on one's karma — good actions lead to better births (as humans or gods), whilst bad actions result in lower births (as animals or in hell realms). This isn't punishment but natural consequence, like water flowing downhill. The soul (atman) is eternal and divine, but becomes trapped in physical bodies due to ignorance and attachment. Samsara explains life's inequalities and motivates ethical behaviour and spiritual seeking.

Related: Samsara | Reincarnation | Atman

5) Moksha is the ultimate goal of Hindu life — liberation from the cycle of rebirth and union with the divine. It represents the realisation that one's true self (atman) is identical with ultimate reality (Brahman). Moksha can be achieved through various paths: knowledge (jnana), devotion (bhakti), righteous action (karma), or meditation (raja yoga). Unlike heaven in other religions, moksha is permanent — once achieved, the soul never returns to samsara. Different schools describe moksha differently, but all agree it involves transcending ego, desires, and the illusion of separateness.

Related: Moksha | Brahman | Yoga Paths

6) The Vedas are Hinduism's oldest and most sacred texts, composed between 1500-500 BCE. They include the Rig Veda (hymns), Sama Veda (melodies), Yajur Veda (ritual formulas), and Atharva Veda (magical spells). Each Veda has four parts: Samhitas (hymns), Brahmanas (ritual explanations), Aranyakas (forest texts), and Upanishads (philosophical treatises). Hindus believe the Vedas are eternal truths revealed to ancient sages, not human compositions. They're chanted in Sanskrit with precise pronunciation preserved for millennia, forming the foundation of Hindu philosophy, ritual, and spirituality.

Related: Vedas | Upanishads | Sanskrit

7) The caste system traditionally organised Hindu society into hierarchical groups based on occupation and spiritual purity. The four main varnas are Brahmins (priests/teachers), Kshatriyas (warriors/rulers), Vaishyas (merchants/farmers), and Shudras (labourers/service providers). Below these are Dalits (formerly "untouchables") who faced severe discrimination. Each varna has specific duties and restrictions regarding marriage, food, and social interaction. Modern India legally prohibits caste discrimination, but social attitudes change slowly. Many Hindu reformers argue caste contradicts Hinduism's spiritual equality, whilst traditionalists defend it as divine social order.

Related: Caste System | Dalits | Varna

8) Hindu gods represent different aspects of one ultimate reality (Brahman) rather than separate deities. The main trinity includes Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer/transformer). Vishnu's avatars include Rama and Krishna, beloved figures who appeared on earth to restore dharma. Devi represents the divine feminine in forms like Durga (warrior goddess) and Lakshmi (goddess of wealth). Each deity has specific qualities, stories, and devotees, but all ultimately point toward the same divine truth. This allows Hindus to worship in ways that match their temperament and spiritual needs.

Related: Hindu Deities | Trimurti | Avatars

9) Yoga means "union" and encompasses physical, mental, and spiritual practices for achieving self-realisation. The eight-limbed path (Ashtanga Yoga) includes ethical guidelines (yamas and niyamas), physical postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), sense withdrawal (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and absorption (samadhi). Western yoga focuses mainly on physical postures for health and flexibility, but traditional yoga aims for spiritual transformation and union with the divine. Different yoga paths suit different temperaments: devotional (bhakti), intellectual (jnana), action-oriented (karma), and meditative (raja).

Related: Yoga | Eight Limbs | Samadhi

10) Meditation (dhyana) is central to Hindu spiritual practice, involving focused attention to still the mind and realise one's true nature. Techniques include concentrating on mantras (sacred sounds like "Om"), visualising deities, observing the breath, or inquiring "Who am I?" The goal is to transcend ordinary consciousness and experience pure awareness beyond thoughts and emotions. Regular meditation purifies the mind, develops concentration, and gradually reveals the divine Self within. Different schools teach various methods, but all aim to quiet mental fluctuations and achieve inner peace and wisdom.

Related: Hindu Meditation | Mantra | Om

11) Puja is Hindu worship involving offerings to deities through images, statues, or symbols. Devotees offer flowers, food, incense, lights, and water whilst reciting prayers and mantras. The deity is treated as an honoured guest — awakened, bathed, dressed, fed, and entertained. Puja can be simple (offering a flower with devotion) or elaborate (temple ceremonies lasting hours). The purpose isn't to feed the gods but to express love, gratitude, and surrender whilst purifying the devotee's heart. Temple worship, home shrines, and personal devotion all use puja to connect with the divine.

Related: Puja | Hindu Temples | Murti

12) Hindu festivals celebrate seasonal cycles, mythological events, and spiritual themes throughout the year. Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrates good triumphing over evil and Lakshmi's blessings. Holi, the festival of colours, marks spring's arrival with joyful colour-throwing and the victory of devotion over pride. Navaratri honours the divine feminine through nine nights of worship and dance. Kumbh Mela, held every twelve years, sees millions of pilgrims gather at sacred rivers for purification. These festivals unite communities, preserve traditions, and provide opportunities for spiritual renewal and cultural celebration.

Related: Hindu Festivals | Diwali | Holi

13) Sacred texts beyond the Vedas include epics and Puranas that teach through stories and characters. The Ramayana tells of Prince Rama's exile, his wife Sita's abduction by demon king Ravana, and their eventual reunion — symbolising the victory of good over evil and the ideal of dharmic living. The Mahabharata, including the Bhagavad Gita, explores complex moral dilemmas through the story of two royal families' war. The Puranas contain myths, genealogies, and teachings about various deities. These stories make abstract philosophy accessible and provide moral guidance through memorable characters and situations.

Related: Ramayana | Mahabharata | Puranas

14) Pilgrimage (yatra) is an important Hindu practice involving journeys to sacred places for spiritual purification and blessings. Major pilgrimage sites include Varanasi (where death brings liberation), Rishikesh (yoga capital), the four Char Dhams (sacred abodes), and Tirupati (richest temple). Pilgrims believe visiting these places, bathing in sacred rivers, and performing rituals burns away sins and advances spiritual progress. The journey itself — often involving hardship and sacrifice — is considered purifying. Pilgrimage creates bonds between diverse Hindu communities and maintains connections to sacred geography.

Related: Pilgrimage Sites | Varanasi | Char Dham

15) Gurus are spiritual teachers who guide disciples on the path to enlightenment. The guru-disciple relationship is sacred — the guru transmits not just knowledge but spiritual power and grace. Traditional gurus lived simply, teaching through example as much as words. Disciples served their gurus with devotion, gradually absorbing their wisdom and realisation. In modern times, some gurus have gained global followings, whilst others maintain traditional ashram life. The principle remains that spiritual knowledge requires direct transmission from one who has realised the truth, not merely intellectual study.

Related: Guru | Ashram | Guru-Disciple Tradition

16) Ahimsa (non-violence) is a fundamental Hindu principle extending beyond physical harm to include thoughts, words, and actions. It means avoiding injury to all living beings, recognising the divine presence in every creature. This leads many Hindus to vegetarianism, though practices vary by region and community. Ahimsa also applies to emotional and mental violence — avoiding anger, hatred, and harmful speech. Mahatma Gandhi demonstrated ahimsa's power in India's independence movement, showing how non-violent resistance can overcome oppression whilst maintaining moral integrity.

Related: Ahimsa | Hindu Vegetarianism | Gandhi

17) The four life goals (purusharthas) provide a framework for human flourishing: dharma (righteous living), artha (material prosperity), kama (pleasure and love), and moksha (spiritual liberation). Unlike religions that reject worldly life, Hinduism recognises that humans need material security and emotional fulfilment whilst pursuing spiritual growth. The key is balance — earning wealth ethically, enjoying pleasures moderately, and ultimately transcending both for spiritual realisation. Different life stages emphasise different goals: students focus on learning, householders on prosperity and family, whilst retirees turn toward liberation.

18) Hindu philosophy encompasses diverse schools of thought exploring reality's nature and the path to liberation. Advaita Vedanta teaches that individual consciousness and universal consciousness are one — separation is illusion. Dvaita Vedanta maintains eternal distinction between soul and God. Samkhya analyses reality as consciousness (purusha) and matter (prakriti). Yoga philosophy focuses on practical methods for stilling the mind. These schools debate fundamental questions whilst agreeing on karma, rebirth, and liberation's possibility. Their sophisticated arguments influenced world philosophy and continue inspiring seekers today.

19) Hindu art and architecture express spiritual truths through visual beauty. Temple architecture follows sacred geometry (Vastu Shastra) creating harmony between cosmic and earthly realms. Sculptures of deities aren't mere decoration but embodiments of divine qualities — Shiva's dance represents cosmic cycles, Ganesha's elephant head symbolises wisdom overcoming obstacles. Classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam tell mythological stories through precise movements and expressions. Music uses ragas (melodic frameworks) to evoke specific emotions and spiritual states. All Hindu arts aim to elevate consciousness and connect viewers with the divine.

20) Modern Hinduism faces challenges of globalisation, scientific materialism, and social reform whilst maintaining ancient wisdom. Reform movements have challenged caste discrimination, promoted women's rights, and adapted practices to contemporary life. Hindu nationalism seeks to assert Hindu identity in politics, sometimes controversially. Meanwhile, yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda gain global popularity, spreading Hindu practices worldwide. Environmental movements draw on Hindu concepts of sacred nature. The challenge is preserving Hinduism's spiritual essence whilst addressing modern concerns and ensuring its wisdom benefits all humanity, not just Hindus.

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