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Home , Belief, Bindu (symbol), Brahma, Brahman, Chakra, Diwali

Summary of Beliefs

Meaning of name Major Holidays Hinduism, from the Persian hindu ( sindhu ), Mahashivarati (mid-February) literally "river." Means "of the Indus Valley" or simply () "Indian." call their sanatama Ramnavami (late March) , "eternal religion" or "eternal ." Dusserah (early November) (mid-November) Date/Place Founded & Founder Dates to 1500 BC or earlier / / Founder: None Three Paths karmamarga - path of works and Adherents jnanamarga - path of or 900 million (third largest in the ) bhaktimarga - path of devotion to Main Location Three Debts India, also and debt to God Major debt to sages and Saivism, Vaisnavism, Saktism debt to ancestors

Sacred Texts Four Stages of Life , , , brahmacharga - school years - grow and learn

Original Language grhastha - , and career - turn attention to spiritual things Sanskrit sanrgasu - abandon world to seek spiritual things Spiritual Leader or Four Purposes of Life dharma - fulfill moral, social and religious Place of - attain financial and worldy success or home - satisfy and drives in moderation - attain freedom from with polytheistic elements Seven Sacred Cities

Ultimate , , Gaya (Bodhgaya), Kasi (, Benares), Kanci, Avantika (), Dvaraka

Human In bondage to ignorance and , but able to escape 1. - do no harm 2. - do not lie Purpose of Life 3. Asteya - do not steal To attain liberation (moksa) from the cycle of 4. Brahmacharya - do not overindulge reincarnation 5. Aparigraha - do not be greedy

How to Live 6. Saucha - be clean Order life according to the dharma 7. - be content 8. - be -disciplined 9. Svadhyaya - study If unresolved, is born into a new body; if 10. Pranidhana - to God karma resolved, attain moksa (liberation)

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Hinduism embraces a great diversity of beliefs , a that However, there are some beliefs common to nearly all can be initially confusing to westerners accustomed to , forms of Hinduism that can be identified, and these basic confessions, and carefully-worded statements. One can beliefs are generally regarded as boundaries outside of which believe a wide variety of things about God, the and lies either or non-Hindu religion. These fundamental the path to liberation and still be considered a Hindu. Hindu beliefs include: the authority of the Vedas (the oldest This towards religious belief has made Hinduism Indian sacred texts) and the (); the one of the more open-minded when it comes to of an enduring soul that transmigrates from one body to evaluating other . Probably the most well-known Hindu another at (reincarnation); and the of karma that saying about religion is: “Truth is one; sages call it by dif- determines one’s both in this life and the next. ferent names.” Note that a specific belief about God or is not considered one of the essentials, which is a major between Hinduism and strictly monotheistic religions like Siva), the three sacred Vedic scriptures (Rg, Yajur, and , , and . Most Hindus are Sama). Thus mystically embodies the of the devoted followers of one of the principal gods , entire universe . This meaning is further deepened by the or , and often others besides, yet all these are regarded Indian philosophical belief that God first created sound and as manifestations of a single Reality. the universe arose from it. As the most sacred sound, Om is The ultimate of all Hindus is release ( moksha ) from the root of the universe and that exists and it the cycle of ( samsara ). For those of a devotional bent, continues to hold everything together. this means in God’s presence, while those of a philo- sophical look forward to uniting with God as a . One of the most recogni- drop of rain merges with the sea. zable items in Hinduism is the bindi , a dot worn on women’s Authority of the Vedas and Brahmans foreheads. It is a form of the tilak, The authority of the ancient scriptures known as the a symbolic mark worn by many Vedas, as well as that of the priests known as the Brahmans, Hindu men and women, but has are two that are fundamental to Hinduism and dif- less religious connotations than ferentiate the from and . other tilaks. Traditionally, the bindi is worn on the forehead of married Hindu women. It symbolizes female and is Brahman: believed to protect women and their husbands. Bindis are Most Hindus venerate one or more , but regard traditionally a simple mark made with the paste of colored these as manifestations of Ultimate Reality. So who, or what, , or . The bindi is most commonly is the Ultimate Reality that is behind the universe and all the a dot made with vermilion. In addition, the bindi is a way gods? In the Rig Veda, it is referred to as “the One.” In the of accentuating the , the area between the eyebrows Purushasukta , it is given the name “,” and in the where attention is focused during . Men and wom- Upanishads it is called “Brahman,” “the One,” and several often apply a tilak after a or on other religious other names. occasions as a way of invoking religious feelings, concentra- tion and focus. Bindi styles often vary by the area of India in Karma which they are worn. The Sanskirt word karma means “actions” and refers to the fundamental Hindu that one’s moral actions have The linga or (Sanskrit for “sym-bol”) is the of unavoidable and automatic effects on one’s fortunes in this the god Shiva and the form in which he is most commonly life and condition of rebirth in the next. worshipped. The phallic symbol is the main of worship in Shaivite and homes throughout ? India and the world. The linga is a simple Hinduism is a decidedly theistic religion, but it can be stylized that nearly always rests on difficult to determine whether it is a polytheistic, pantheistic, pedestal of a stylized , or female sex or even monotheistic religion. Of course, this is chiefly a organ. Together, the linga and yoni western question: the Indian is much more inclined to represent the power of creative energy and regard divergent views as complementary rather than com- fertility. Lingas range from temporary versions made of peting. sandalwood paste or river clay for a particular rite to more Purpose of Life elaborate ones of wood, precious gems, metal, or stone. There In Hinduism, there is not just one purpose of life, are precise rules of proportion to be followed for the height, but four: Dharma (fulfilling one’s purpose), Artha (prosperity) width, and curvature of the top. Some lingas are topped with a Kama (, sexuality, enjoyment) and Moksha cobra, symbolizing the located at the base of (enlightenment). the spine (in Kundalini ). In the primary religious ritual of devotees of Shiva, the linga is honored with offerings of flowers, , pure , fruit, leaves and rice. A variety of Hindu symbols are used in art, sacred objects and ritual. They usually signify Hindu concepts, the attributes In Hinduism, the lotus (Sanskrit: padma ) of deities, or the gods or themselves. This section primarily represents and non- explains the , meaning and use of some common Hindu attachment. The lotus is rooted in the mud symbols. but floats on the water without becoming wet or muddy. This symbolizes how one Om (also spelled Aum ) is a Hindu sacred should live in the world in order to gain sound that is considered the greatest of all release from rebirth: without attachment to one’s surround- . The syllable Om is composed of the ings. A similar meaning is given to the lotus symbol in Bud- three sounds a-u-m (in Sanskrit, the vowels a dhism. The lotus is associated with several . and u combine to become o) and the symbol’s is described as the “Lotus-Eyed One,” referring to his threefold nature is central to its meaning. It represent several divine beauty. and , the deities of potence important triads: the three (earth, atmosphere, and and wealth, are often seen with the lotus symbol. Other deities ), the three major Hindu gods (Brahma, Vishnu, and associated with the lotus include Vishnu and Sarasvati. The lotus is also a symbol for the of are applied by hand or with a metal stamp. They might be () in the body. made of ash from a sacrificial fire, sandalwood paste, turmeric, cow dung, clay, charcoal, or red lead. In addition to The pratik (“emblem”) is the symbol of the its religious symbolism, the tilak has a cooling effect on the (“path of bliss”) move- forehead and this can assist in concentration and meditation. ment, which was founded in India in 1955 Often a tilak is just a smear of paste, but other it is more and emphases social service along with precise and elaborate. The followers of Shiva wear a tilak of yoga and meditation. The pratik symbol three horizontal lines across the forehead, with or without a consists of the following elements: red dot. Sometimes a moon or trident is included. • upward-pointing triangle, representing one’s external The devotees of Shiva usually use sacred ashes (Bhasma) for actions (social service) the tilak. Among the followers of Vishnu, the many tilak • downward-pointing triangle, symbolizing one’s internal variations usually include two or more vertical lines resem- work (meditation, self-realization) bling the letter U, which symbolizes the foot of Vishnu. There • rising , symbolizing spiritual through the is sometimes a central line or dot. Most Vaishanative tilaks balance of external and internal efforts are made of sandalwood paste (Chandan). The worshippers of • , representing fulfillment or one’s ultimate the or Shakti apply Kumkum, a red spiritual goal tumeric powder.

The swastika (Sanskrit svastika , “all is The trihsula (also spelled trishul or trisula , Sans- well”) is a with four arms of equal krit for "three ") is a trident spear that is the length, with the ends of each arm bent at a emblem of the god Shiva. The weapon symbolizes right angle. Sometimes dots are added empire and the irresistible of transcendental between each arm. The swastika is an ancient reality. The three prongs of the represent Shiva's three symbol that has been found worldwide, but it aspects of: creator, preserver, and des-troyer, as well as the is especially common in India. Its name comes the Sanskrit three (powers): will, action, and . The word svasti (sv = well; asti = is), meaning good fortune, fearsome goddess also brandishes a trishula in one of and well-being. The swastika is most commonly used as a her seven hands. charm to bring good fortune (in which case the arms are bent clockwise), but it has a variety of religious meanings as well. A is a geometrical diagram representing The right-hand swastika is one of the 108 symbols of the the universe. It is used in Hindu worship and god Vishnu as well as a symbol of the sun and of the sun god meditation, especially in Tantrism. A yantra is . The left-hand swastika (called a sauvastika ) usually quite similar to a , but a yantra is differ-ent in that it represents the terrifying goddess , night and . can be a three-dimensional object of worship as well as a two- However, this form of the swastika is not “” and it is the dimensional diagram. Like the mandala, the yantra form most commonly used in Buddhism. The auspicious symbolizes cosmogenic development, from the in the symbol of the swastika is very commonly used in , center to the material world at the edges. often have a architecture and decoration. It can be seen on temples, houses, seed inscribed on them, and they are considered the doorways, , cars, and even cakes. It is usually a major verbal equivalent of a mantra. A yantra is only created during part of the decoration for and special like a highly complex ritual in a purified and ritually consecrated . The Nazis adopted the swastika because it was place. A three-dimensional yantra is made of stone or metal understood as an symbol indicating racial purity and plates and is imbued with the power of a . It is then superiority. (The Nazis propagated a historical theory in meditated upon as the deity, and is used as an instrument for which the early of India were white invaders.) There visions of the unseen. A yantra is also drawn on the site where may also be a connection with the swastika’s magical a temple will be built. The best known yantra is the Sri connections, for Hitler and other Nazi leaders were keenly Yantra or Sri Cakra, which is especially used in the Sri Kula interested in the . of Tantrism. It is made of nine intersecting isosceles triangles of different sizes: five "female" triangles pointing The tilak (Sanskrit , “mark”) is a mark downwards to represent Shakti and four "male" triangles made on a Hindu's forehead. On a man, the pointing upwards represent-ing Shiva. In the middle of the Sri tilak takes the form of a line or lines and Yantra is the power point ( ), the highest, invisible, usually indicates his sectarian affiliation. On elusive center from which the entire figure and the cosmos women, a tilak usually takes the form of a expand. The triangles are enclosed by two rows of 8 and 16 bindi dot, which has its own symbolism (see petals, representing the lotus of creation and reproductive vital above). The tilak is worn every day by force. The broken lines of the outer frame denote the figure to and pious householders, and on special occasions like wed- be a sanctuary with four openings to the regions of the dings and religious . A tilak is also applied by a universe. The Sri Yantra is considered the visual equivalent of during a visit to the temple as a sign of the deity's , for the Sri , a mantra of 15 syllables. Each syllable both men and women (and western tourists, too). Tilak marks represents a goddess who is located within the Sri Yantra.

From www.religionfacts.com/hinduism