Today, Hinduism makes up 80% of the Indian religions today. Hinduism originated in India between 10000 B.C and 4000 B.C. The leaders/preachers of this religion are mainly the priests, monks, and scholars.
Hindu Gods
Brahma- divine creator (image to the right)
Vishnu- preserver
Shiva- destroyer
These three gods form one supreme soul called "Brahma" or "Parabrahma." (The Supreme Universal Soul.)
Places of Worship
Hindus worship in shrines called Mandirs. Mandirs are usually very large but some vary in size. Below is a larger Mandir.
Most Hindus even have little areas set aside for shrines and worship in their homes. They light candles, have pictures and statues.
Religious Beliefs About Afterlife
Hindus have very specific beliefs about their religion. The following are some of the main beliefs: Reincarnation and Nirvana Reincarnation is the ongoing cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. A human that has died can be reborn into another form. Nirvana is freedom from reincarnation and leads to no more suffering. Karma Karma is the belief that all thoughts and actions (good or bad) will reflect on one's reincarnation. For example, if someone has done good actions throughout their life and remained holy, that person will have good reincarnation. This could be opposite if a person has not lived a holy life and made bad decisions. All of these beliefs are stated in the dharma and the Bhagavad Gita.
Caste System
Hindus developed the caste system for classifying social groups among the Hindu people. The caste system has four levels included in the system and one level completely out of the system called the Untouchables. The levels are shown in the picture below.
Dharma and Bhagavad Gita
The dharma and the Bhagavad Gita are very sacred writings of Hinduism. The dharma is all of the collected teachings of Hinduism. The dharma also appears in Buddhism. The Bhagavad Gita also has many teachings in it, but also stories. The Bhagavad Gita is like the Catholic/Christian bible, but with Hindu teachings and stories. Next page on Buddhism includes dharma