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Hinduism portal. v. t. e. In Hinduism, the conception of God varies in its diverse religio-philosophical traditions. [ 6 ] Hinduism comprises a wide range of beliefs about God and Divinity, such as henotheism, monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, pandeism, monism, agnosticism, atheism, and nontheism.
- Subhamoy Das
- Ganesha. The son of Shiva and Parvati, the pot-bellied elephant god Ganesha is the lord of success, knowledge, and wealth. Ganesha is worshiped by all sects of Hinduism, making him perhaps the most important of Hindu gods.
- Shiva. Shiva represents death and dissolution, destroying worlds so they may be recreated by Brahma. But he is also considered the master of dance and of regeneration.
- Krishna. One of the most beloved of Hindu gods, blue-skinned Krishna is the deity of love and compassion. He is frequently depicted with a flute, which he uses for its seductive powers.
- Rama. Rama is the god of truth and virtue and another avatar of Vishnu. He is considered the perfect embodiment of humankind: mentally, spiritually, and physically.
The Kathopanishad has it that God is the Root of this Tree of world existence. The realisation of God is regarded as the Supreme blessedness or Shreyas, as apart from Preyas or temporal experience of satisfaction. The Prasna Upanishad says that God is the Supreme Prajapati or Creator, in whom are blended both the matter and energy of the ...
- Overview
- The term Hinduism
Hinduism, major world religion originating on the Indian subcontinent and comprising several and varied systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual. Although the name Hinduism is relatively new, having been coined by British writers in the first decades of the 19th century, it refers to a rich cumulative tradition of texts and practices, some of which date to the 2nd millennium bce or possibly earlier. If the Indus valley civilization (3rd–2nd millennium bce) was the earliest source of these traditions, as some scholars hold, then Hinduism is the oldest living religion on Earth. Its many sacred texts in Sanskrit and vernacular languages served as a vehicle for spreading the religion to other parts of the world, though ritual and the visual and performing arts also played a significant role in its transmission. From about the 4th century ce, Hinduism had a dominant presence in Southeast Asia, one that would last for more than 1,000 years.
In the early 21st century, Hinduism had nearly one billion adherents worldwide and was the religion of about 80 percent of India’s population. Despite its global presence, however, it is best understood through its many distinctive regional manifestations.
The term Hinduism became familiar as a designator of religious ideas and practices distinctive to India with the publication of books such as Hinduism (1877) by Sir Monier Monier-Williams, the notable Oxford scholar and author of an influential Sanskrit dictionary. Initially it was an outsiders’ term, building on centuries-old usages of the word Hindu. Early travelers to the Indus valley, beginning with the Greeks and Persians, spoke of its inhabitants as “Hindu” (Greek: ‘indoi), and, in the 16th century, residents of India themselves began very slowly to employ the term to distinguish themselves from the Turks. Gradually the distinction became primarily religious rather than ethnic, geographic, or cultural.
Since the late 19th century, Hindus have reacted to the term Hinduism in several ways. Some have rejected it in favour of indigenous formulations. Others have preferred “Vedic religion,” using the term Vedic to refer not only to the ancient religious texts known as the Vedas but also to a fluid corpus of sacred works in multiple languages and an orthoprax (traditionally sanctioned) way of life. Still others have chosen to call the religion sanatana dharma (“eternal law”), a formulation made popular in the 19th century and emphasizing the timeless elements of the tradition that are perceived to transcend local interpretations and practice. Finally, others, perhaps the majority, have simply accepted the term Hinduism or its analogues, especially hindu dharma (Hindu moral and religious law), in various Indic languages.
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Hindu Religion and Myth Quiz
Hinduism has an ancient and extensive iconography tradition, particularly in the form of Murti (Sanskrit: मूर्ति, IAST: Mūrti), or Vigraha or Pratima. [26] A Murti is itself not the god in Hinduism, but it is an image of god and represents emotional and religious value. [119]
Oct 9, 2024 · Shiva, one of the main deities of Hinduism, whom Shaivites worship as the supreme god. Among his common epithets are Shambhu (“Benign”), Shankara (“Beneficent”), Mahesha (“Great Lord”), and Mahadeva (“Great God”). Shiva The god Shiva in the garb of a mendicant, South Indian bronze from Tiruvengadu, Tamil Nadu, early 11th century ...
Jul 31, 2003 · Agni is the Vedic god of fire. He is one of the supreme gods of the Rig Veda. Agni is believed to take the offerings to the other world through fire. Agni is represented by the ram. Varuna is the ...
