Introduction to

Hinduism

What is Hinduism? World’s Largest Hindu Temple in New Delhi

 the oldest major world religion
It is 5000 years old and is the 3rd largest
 It is the traditional religion of India, originated
in the Indus Valley.
The religion is based on God-given truths or
laws, and is a way of life based on universal
principles
Faith Spreads Beyond India
 About 1000 years
ago, the faith was
carried along trade
routes to lands to
the east.
Hindu influences
remain in Thailand,
Malaysia and Bali, in
Indonesia
 The World’s Oldest Living Faith
 It has no founder therefore it is not based
on the teachings of a person or group of
people; most likely the Indus Valley
people
 Archeologists have found many statues of
a female figure in the homes of Indus
Valley people.
 A collection of beliefs and practices
developed over thousands of years
 Hinduism is a polytheistic religion
 The Arrival of the Aryans
 As the Indus Valley cities declined, the Aryans came to
India and settled along the Ganges river.
 The Aryans religious hymns, called the Rig Veda, were
adopted by the Hindus and are the most sacred writings of
Hinduism.
 In early days animal sacrifice to the gods was an important
part of their religion but soon lost its popularity as the
feeling grew that animals should not be killed for
sacrifices.
 Wisdom – Vedas:
the Holy Writings
 Vedas are a collection of Hindu writings
 Considered to be world’s oldest writings
 Word ‘Veda” means “to know”
Vedas are believed to be divinely given (god given) or
revealed knowledge
Vedas are divided into 4 scriptures: the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda,
Sama Veda, Atharva Veda
each Veda has 4 parts
1. “Mantras” – prayers and hymns
2. Brahmanas “priests” – provide information and explain
the rituals, ceremonies and importance of saying prayers
 Vedas: The Holy Writings
3. Aranyakas “ the forest books”– written
for hermits and saints who lived simple lives
isolated in the forest
- contain meditations and asceticism
4. Upanishads “sitting down near” – writings
about the origins of the universe,
characteristics of God and the presence of
the atman or soul in all living beings
- are religious conversations between holy
men that ordinary people could listen to
 Rig Veda
Rig Veda – the oldest
and most important
section of the Vedas.
Vishnu
Brahman

- The Rig Veda tells of 33 gods, all

of whom are born of one creator,
Brahman.
-the 3 gods, Brahman, Vishnu and
Shiva form the Hindu trinity.
Shiva
Worship
A. How do Hindus Worship?
 believe in one supreme being, whom
they call Brahman
 worship that one God in various
forms, according to the different
functions they believe He performs.
 believe that God is omnipresent
(always present) everywhere in all
living things.
 They believe that the deity may be
represented in masculine and
feminine ways.
 How do Hindus Understand God?
 Some Hindus say that the three letters of the
word
G-O-D relate to the deities’ three main functions

 1. G: Generator – this represents God’s ability to

create things
 2. O: Operator – this represents God’s ability to
preserve things and keep them going
 3. D: Destroyer – this represents God’s ability to
destroy things.
 Hindus believe that these three roles are fulfilled
in the Hindu Trinity.
Worship B. The Hindu Trinity
 The Hindu Trinity is composed
of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva
 Hindus believe in more than
one god or deity. They are
polytheistic.
 Worshippers will devote
themselves to one god, their
personal deity
 Household shrines feature
pictures and statues of the
chosen gods
Brahma: The Creator –
 supreme presence, or
God
 all other gods originate
from Brahma.

Vishnu: The Preserver

of the universe
Maintains balance
between good and evil.
Appears in 10 different
forms or avatars
Shiva: The Destroyer
 Worshipped as the
destroyer or reproducer
 -fire represents cycle of
birth and death
 Crushes dwarf to
symbolize ignorance
 holds the flame of
destruction, purification,
and renewal
 His hands symbolize
blessing and protection.
 snakes symbolizes his
power over evil forces.
 C. How do Hindus Worship?
Worship in the Home
 have a small shrine that contains an image of the
family’s chosen god, and objects associated with
them.
 has flowers, jewelry and other decorations to show
that the god is honoured and special.
 perform activities such as
prayer, Meditation, recite
mantras and study sacred
writings.
 Images are washed regularly.
 Worship in the Home
 Puja is the name given to the ritualistic worship
 The shrine in the house contains a Puja tray
 Items on the Puja tray symbolize different things
 Bell: rung to let the deity know that worship is about to start
 Dish containing sandalwood paste: used to mark the worshipper’s
forehead as a symbol of devotion, blessing and protection of God
 Food: offerings of rice, nuts, sweets,
Fruit that symbolizes an exchange of
Love between the worshipper and deity
 Holy Water: used for purification and
Cleansing. Sometimes water is from the
River Ganges.
 Incense stick: lit to purify the air
 Lamp: represents the elements of the
Universe: earth, air, fire, water, ether

Puja Tray
 D. Worship in the Mandir

 The Hindu place of

worship is called a
mandir or temple.
 The mandir is
considered to be the
“home of God”
 each mandir is
dedicated to a god or
deity

World’s largest Hindu temple in

Delhi
 4 Basic Hindu Beliefs

1. Dharma
 Dharma is the moral balance of all things
Dharma is played out in all aspects of life:
religious, social, family
2. Karma

 Karma is the belief that a person experiences

the effects of his or her actions—that every act
or thought has consequences.
 Hindu Beliefs
3. Samsara
Reincarnation “Samsara” – represents the cycle of life, death
and rebirth in which a person carries his or her own karma
 a person may experience effects of past lives and a worldly
status depends upon actions in a past life.
 Good thoughts and actions can liberate a person.

4. Moksha
Like heaven for the Christian, Hindus strive to reach moksha
or a state of changeless bliss. This is achieved by living a life
of religious devotion or moral integrity. The ultimate reward is
a release from samsara and union with God.
 E. The Caste System
 The caste system is the basis for social
divisions in Hinduism
 Each Hindu is born into a caste group
 Whether one is born into a high or low
cast depends on the cycle of rebirth and
depends on the deeds of one’s previous
life
The Four Classes – Caste System

 Fifth level = the

untouchables or
polluted
 did all the dirtiest
jobs