1. Hinduism

2. Hinduism
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and today it is the third largest.
It began with the religion of the Aryans, who believed that many gods and goddesses controlled the forces of nature.
We know about Aryan religion from their ancient hymns and poetry.

3. Origins of Hinduism
For centuries, the priests, or Brahmans, recited these works, and much later they were written down in Sanskrit.
Over the centuries, the Aryan religion changed.
It borrowed some religious ideas from the people the Aryans conquered in India.
This mix of beliefs eventually became Hinduism.

4. Brahman
Hinduism grew out of the religious customs of many people over thousands of years.
Hinduism has thousands of gods and goddesses that Hindus tend to think of as different parts of one universal spirit.
This universal spirit is called Brahman

6. Upanishads
The search for a universal spirit is described in the ancient religious writings known as the Upanishads.
These writings say that every living being has a soul that wants to be reunited with Brahman and that this happens when a person dies.

7. Dharma
The Upanishads teach that Dharma stands for the ultimate moral balance of all things.
Dharma belongs to the universe and to the individual.
A Hindu’s dharma is played out in all areas of life: religious, social, and familial.
If a person makes a promise, the promise must be kept at all costs.
The faithful must maintain their religious rituals while attending to their family’s needs.

8. Karma
Karma stands for the belief that a person experiences the affects of his or her actions—that every act or thought has consequences.
Living in a balanced universe, if the individual disturbs this order, he or she will suffer.
But an ethical and moral life, with undisturbed dharma, will lead to happiness.
If the person does not lead a pure and stainless life the only hope for happiness lies in Samsara.

9. Samsara Samsara is commonly known as reincarnation.
It represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth in which a person carries his or her own karma.
Each life cycle presents an opportunity for balance.
An individual may experience effects from past lives, although the circumstances may be totally different.

10. Reincarnation
Many Hindus believe that a person’s worldly status depends upon actions in a past life.
Likewise, good thoughts and actions can liberate a person.
Some Hindus believe that certain people meet in more than one life in order to achieve karmic balance.
Thus, every relationship and situation becomes meaningful.

13. Moksha
Like heaven for the Christians, Hindus strive to reach moksha, or a state of changeless bliss.
Moksha is achieved by living a life of religious devotion and moral integrity without any interest in worldly things.
It may take many lifetimes within the wheel of life before moksha is achieved.
The ultimate reward is release from samsara, or the chain of reincarnations, and union with God.

14. Hinduism Develops
Hinduism has gone through many changes over the last 2,500 years.
The world soul, Brahman, was sometimes seen as having the personalities of three gods: Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the protector; and Shiva the destroyer.
Over the centuries, Brahma gradually faded into the background, while the many forms of Devi, a great Mother Goddess, grew in importance.

15. The Creator of the World
Brahma
The Creator of the World

16. Vishnu
Preserver of the World

17. Shiva
Destroyer of the World

18. Lord of Existing Beings and Remover of Obstacles
Ganesha
Lord of Existing Beings and Remover of Obstacles

20. Krishna
Teacher of the
World

21. Goddess of Light, Beauty, Good Fortune, and Wealth
Lakshmi
Goddess of Light, Beauty, Good Fortune, and Wealth

22. Surya
God of the Sun

23. King of the Gods and Ruler of the Heavens and Sky
Indra
King of the Gods and Ruler of the Heavens and Sky

24. Goddess of Knowledge, Music, and Creative Arts
Saraswati
Goddess of Knowledge, Music, and Creative Arts

26. Parvati
Universal Mother

27. Spiritual Pathways
Hindus today are free to choose the deity they worship or to choose none at all.
Most, however, follow their family traditions that go back for centuries.
They are also free to choose among three different paths for achieving moksha.
These are the path of right thinking, the path of right action, and the path of religious devotion.

28. Hinduism Today
How did the belief in Hinduism and reincarnation affect Indians?
It made them more accepting of the caste system. People believed they had to be happy with their role in life and do the work of their caste.
These beliefs determine what one can eat, personal cleanliness, the people one can associate with, and how one dresses. Even in the most ordinary activities of daily life, Hindus turn to their religion for spiritual guidance.

29. Om or Aum

30. Om or Aum The symbol Om, or Aum, is the principle symbol of Hinduism.
It is a visual and oral representation of Brahmin, or God.
Hindus repeat the word Om in order to transcend their individual thoughts and merge with God.
Om reflects the power responsible for the creation, development, and destruction of the universe.

31. Sri Yantra

32. Sri Yantra
Sri Yantra is commonly used as a visual focal point for meditation.
The design itself represents the form of the Mother Goddess.
It consists of 9 triangles which intersect to form 43 triangles in all. 3 concentric circles surround the triangles and the shape is framed by a square.

33. The symbol represents spiritual evolution.
The triangles stand for the many aspects of God, which, when focused upon, merge into one. When this occurs, consciousness of unity appears in the circles.
The entire symbol is seen as a single unit mirroring the Absolute, or God.

35. The Swastika

36. The Swastika
The swastika is an ancient symbol of auspiciousness, good fortune, and protection.
It is a symbol for Vishnu and it represents the eternal wheel of life which rotates upon an unchanging center, God.
It is not uncommon to find swastikas marked on buildings and animals.
Hindus believe it protects them from evil spirits and natural disasters.

37. The Lotus

38. The Lotus
The lotus bud, which is born in water and unfolds itself into a beautiful flower, symbolizes the birth of the universe, manifesting itself in all its glory.
It is also a symbol of the sun, which rises in the navel of Vishnu.
The lotus is also the seat of Brahma. In fact, many deities are depicted sitting atop the sacred lotus flower.

39. Holy Cow

40. The Cow
Hindus believe the cow is the offspring of the celestial cow, which was created by Lord Krishna from his own body.
Another Hindu myth says the cow was born of the churning of the ocean.
Hindus also believe that the Earth often approaches God in the form of a cow.
Many Hindus use the sacred milk and butter provided by the cow in rituals of atonement.