Origins of Hinduism

Basic Beliefs, Observances and Symbols

Basic BeliefsPolytheistic

• Followers believe in more than one god

• Worshippers devote themselves to one god

• Household shrines feature pictures and statues of chosen gods

Vedas (Rig-Veda)• Oldest scripture of Hindu

philosophy• Used along with the Upanishads

(opening to spirituality)• Lets individual seek and discover

answers in the quest of life

“Who really knows?Who will here proclaim it?

Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation?

The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe.

Who then knows whence it has arisen?”

Basic Beliefs

Dharma• Ultimate moral balance of all

things – in the universe and individual life

• Divine order within a personal life• Each one has responsibility to

balance own dharma– Plays out in all areas of life

• Religious, social, familial– Promises must be kept at all costs– Faithful maintain religious rituals

while attending to family’s needs

Moksha• State of changeless bliss (like

heaven)• Living a life of religious devotion

and moral integrity without any interest in worldly things

• May take many lifetimes to achieve

• Ultimate reward is union with God

Basic Beliefs

Karma

• Belief that a person’s actions – every act or thought – has consequences– Disturbing the balanced universe

will lead to suffering– An ethical and moral life will lead

to happinessSamsara• Known as reincarnation• Cycle of life, death and rebirth

– Each cycle presents opportunity for balance• An individual may experience effects from

past lives– Worldly status depends on actions in a past lives– Good thoughts and actions can liberate a person

• Every relationship and situation becomes meaningful

Observances

Pilgrimages• Many holy sites, each dedicated

to a certain god, gods or famous happening

• Meeting of spiritual and earthly• Each spot rests on 4 compass

points• Hindus visit each spot

throughout 10 weeks• Tangible journey through

enlightenment requiring self-discipline

• Four principal places of pilgrimage in India– Puri (Krishna)– Rameswaram (Vishnu and Shiva)

• Southern tip of India– Dwarka (Vishnu)– Badrinath (Vishnu, Ganges River)

ObservancesVarna: Caste System• Brahmins

– priest• Kshatriyas

– Warriors and rulers• Vaisyas

– Skilled workers and farmers• Sudras

– servants• Untouchables

– Outcasts of society

• Rank is based on occupation• Rank in caste system is linked to dharma

– Hindus strive to be born into a higher caste in next life

• People expected to marry within own caste– Inter-caste marriages – jatis

• Not recognized by most country, including India– Most Hindus believe varna is unjust– Still exist within small villages

Symbols• Hindus considered water sacred

• Literally and symbolically a source of life, renewal and hope

Ganges River • Born in Himalayas and nourishing

to holy city of Varanasi• People visit banks, washing

themselves, spreading ashes in water, etc.

• Belief that contact with sacred rivers helps balance person’s karma

• Born of water and symbolizes birth of universe

• Many deities depicted sitting on Lotus flower

Lotus

SymbolsOm (Aum)

• Principal symbol of Hinduism– 2 separate letters, A, U and M– A represents beginning, U means

progress, M stands for dissolution • Visual and oral representation

of Brahmin, or God • Repeat the word to transcend

individual thoughts and merge with God

Cow• Offspring of celestial cow, created by

Lord Krishna• Sacred animal providing milk and butter

– Both used in rituals of atonement

Hindu Trinity

Brahma: the Creator• Mystical creator, supreme presence, God

– All other gods came from him• Four faces stand for 4 corners of the Universe• Holds sacrificial ladle, 4 Vedas, holy water

from the Ganges, necklace of prayer beads• Sits on Lotus flower throne

• Polytheistic – Followers believe in

more than one god• Introduced in

Rig-Veda– Worshippers devote

themselves to one god

– Household shrines feature pictures and statues of chosen gods

Hindu Trinity

Vishnu: the Preserver• Greatest of the gods• Maintains balance between good and evil

forces• Comes to earth in different forms – 10 avatars

– Matsya (fish)– Kurma– Varah– Narasimha– Vamana

• Outwit ruling demon-king, Bali– Parashurama– Rama

• Life story of Prince Rama, The Ramayana– Krishna

• Fled to forest, slayed dragons, accidentally killed– Buddha

• Prince Siddhartha of Buddhism – Kalki

• Yet to come – will appear on white horse, wielding flaming sword, at end of time

• Rama, Krishna and Buddha worshipped most today

• Always holds white conch shell, rotating disk, golden mace and lotus flower

Shiva: the Destroyer• Also known as the purifier• Dances in a halo of fire, crushes dwarf of

ignorance• Keeps rhythm beating a drum, holds flame

of destruction• Wears snakes around his neck = power over

evil and symbol of fertility (ability to shed skin)

Holidays and Celebrations

Hindu Calendar• Follows the lunar year• Shykla Paksha

– First 2 weeks – waxing moon

• Krishna Paksha– Last 2 weeks – waning

moon

• Diwali– Nov 9, 2013, lasts for 5 days

• Holi– Mar 27, 2013, last for 2 days

Magha(Jan/Feb)

Phalguna(Feb/Mar)

Chaitra(Mar/Apr)

HoliVaiskha

(Apr/May)Jyestha

(May/June)Ashadha

(June/July)

Sravana(July/Aug)

Bhadrapada(Aug/Sept)

Asvina(Sept/Oct)

Karttika(Oct/Nov)

Diwali

Margasirsha(Nov/Dec)

Pausa(Dec/Jan)

Holidays and CelebrationsDivali

• Hindu New Year– Fall in either October or November

• “a row of lights”• People decorate with small clay

lamps called divas– Lay on streets and in doorways– to greet Lakshmi who brings blessings of

wealth and abundance

• Lasts for 5 days– Decorate floors with colourful floor

paintings made of rice flour– Wears finest clothes and give gifts to

friends and family

Holi • Spring festival to celebrate

Equinox• Begins in evening with bonfires

lit to empower the sun– Dance, sing and pray all night

around bonfires• Water becomes center of festival

– Throw dyed water at each other– Lasts for 3 days

• In Spanish Fork, UTAH

Krishna Temple

• Holi 2012

The End