Basic Facts of Hinduism

Founder: None
Location: India
Date Founded: 1500 BC est.

Sacred Texts: Vedas, Upanishads, Sutras
Spiritual Leader: Guru or sage
Place of Worship: Temple or home

Key Dates in Hinduism

Symbols of Hinduism

Sacred Cow	Tilak	Pratik and swastika	Lotus
found in the Vedas as Devi (goddess) and Aditi (mother of the gods)	Form of bindi for men, a blessing	the social service (upward triangle external actions social service; downward triangle internal actions like meditation; rising sun spiritual progress; swastika fulfillment)	symbol of beauty and non-attachment, grows out of mud and floats above the water and mud (release)
Yantra	Trisula	Bindi	Um
symbol of the universe	Shiva’s three aspects of creator, preserver, and destroyer/will, power, wisdom	Married woman, female energy	hindu sacred sound, essence of the universe, chanted in 3’s; 3 worlds (earth, atmosphere, heaven) 3 gods (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva), 3 scriptures (Rig, Yajur, Sama)

Hindu Beliefs

The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to be release from the cycle of rebirth. This is called Moksha. While some may believe it would be wonderful to go through new lives, it is really considered a horrible fate. Moksha will place a soul into a state of Nirvana. The achievement of nirvana will place a soul at the center of it all along with the Brahma. Brahma is a shapeless, sexless spirit/being. Souls are judged by the law of karma. No good deed or evil deed goes un-noticed. The behavior of the person will determine where their soul will land in their next rebirth which is called Samsara.

The cycle of rebirth is the reason why the caste system of India is difficult to eliminate. It is their belief that Brahma and the karma of a soul placed a person in the situation they are in. To interfere with their own soul, will interfere with their rebirth. Breaking the cycle can be done by choosing one of three paths

The Path of Action: A person dedicates themselves to living a life of total selflessness.

Essentially there are 10 commitments to living a good life to help achieve Moksha:

1. Do no Harm
2. Do not Lie
3. Do not steal
4. Do not overindulge
5. Do not be greedy
6. Be Clean
7. Be Content
8. Be Self-disciplined
9. Study
10. Surrender to God

The Path of Prayer: A person chooses a god or goddess of the Hindu universe and dedicates their lives praying and emulating this god or goddess

The Path of Knowledge: A person chooses to abandon active society and tries to understand and solve the mysteries of the world and universe (brahman) on their own.

Major Gods of Hinduism

Indra

Indra was the supreme ruler of the gods. He was the leader of the Devas, the god of war, the god of thunder and storms, the greatest of all warriors, the strongest of all beings. He was the defender of gods and mankind against the forces of evil.

Brahma: Brahma is the god of creation and he is traditionally accepted as the creator of the entire universe

Vishnu: thought as the preserver of the universe

Shiva is called the Destroyer (of evil), but has also the aspect of regeneration

Festivals and Rituals of Hinduism

There are many festivals in the Hindu calendar, however, there are some major festivals:

Krishna Jayanti: birthday of Krishna
Shiva Ratri: night sacred to Shiva
Ganesha Utsava: Festival to Ganesh

The most holy of places in the Hindu religion is the river Ganges. It is there that rebirth occurs. It is important for Hindus to bathe and to visit the Ganges. Upon death a Hindu is to be cremated and if possible, to have the ashes placed in the Ganges. If too far away from the Ganges, any river will be okay.