How did Hinduism begin? Include who started it, where did it start, when did it start, etc.
Hinduism began in India in the valley of the river Indus .There are more than 700 million Hindus in the world, making it one of the biggest religions worldwide. It began about 4000 years ago in India. It was the religion of an ancient people known as the Aryans whose philosophy, religion, and customs are recorded in their sacred texts known as the Vedas.
Define Brahma, Vishnu, and Sivu
1. Brahma is the first god in the Hindu triumvirate.
2. Vishnu is the second god in the Hindu triumvirate
3. Shiva is the third god in the Hindu triumvirate.
Brahma is the creator of the universe while Vishnu is the preserver of it. Shiva's role is to destroy the universe in order to re-create it.
2. Vishnu is the second god in the Hindu triumvirate
3. Shiva is the third god in the Hindu triumvirate.
Brahma is the creator of the universe while Vishnu is the preserver of it. Shiva's role is to destroy the universe in order to re-create it.
What are the concepts of Brahman and Atman?
Atman means "soul" or "individual soul." Atman refers to each individual living thing soul. Each living thing has an Atman that forms each thing's eternal essence. The Atman is not the body. The body houses the Atman until the body dies. Atman is immortal and eternal.
Brahman is "world soul" or "cosmic soul." It is the universe and the ultimate divine reality. It is not an individual being it is more like the primal ground or reality of all being and existence.
Brahman is "world soul" or "cosmic soul." It is the universe and the ultimate divine reality. It is not an individual being it is more like the primal ground or reality of all being and existence.
How is the concept of Brahman similar to the)\ God envisioned by Jews, Christians, and Muslims
Some people characterize God as supernatural. Some people characterize God as superhuman. But others see a human being as God. They tell stories that treat God as a human-like being. Hindus have many stories about God in the forms of Brahman, Shiva, Vishnu, and the Goddess. Jews, Christians, and Muslims share stories about how God created the world. Many people envision God as well as talk about God. In the Hindus world Brahman is the supreme God force present within all things. In Christianity God is the eternal being who created the world. Christians believe God to be both transcendent. In Judaism God in Judaism is strictly monotheistic.
Why are cows sacred to Hindus?
In Hinduism the cow is very respected,as the source of food and symbol of life. It may never be killed. The cow although sacred it is not a god. .The cow is a symbol of the earth. It makes good sense to protect the cow.
What is Karma?
Karma is the universal law of cause and effect. Many Hindus hold that the cosmos is populated by numerous Gods who actively influence the world and who interact with humans. The tradition is typically divided into four major sects: Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shakta, and Smarta.
Timeline of Hinduism
Beliefs of Hinduism
- Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.
- Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion.
- Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.
- Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.
- Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be deprived of this destiny.
- Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods.
- Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation and surrender in God.
- Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury, in thought, word and deed.
- Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/3/4/24349478/8788389.jpg)
This is the most used symbol of Hindu and its sound is used in meditation. In Hinduism, the word “Om” is the first syllable in any prayer. Some people say that this symbol represents the three aspects of God: the Brahma, the Vishny, and the Shiva.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/3/4/24349478/385562.jpg)
This symbol is characterized by nine triangles that start from the center point. The four upright triangles represent the masculine side; while the five inverted triangles represent the feminine. The Sri Yantra is used to symbolize the bond or unity of both the masculine and the feminine divinity.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/3/4/24349478/6834875.jpg)
The swastika is a sign of luck and fortune. This variation of the cross has been present in ancient Hinduism and is used to represent honesty, truth, purity and stability.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/3/4/24349478/1224229.jpg)
This symbol is often placed on the forehead of a devoted of Hinduism. This is different from the bindi worn by Hindu women. The tilaka comes in many different shapes. A devotion to Vishnu is indicated by a U-shaped tilaka. Horizontal lines symbolize a devotion to Shiva.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/3/4/24349478/2800617.jpg)
This lotus plant is representative of creation and is used to symbolize Vishnu, Brahma and Lakshmi.