HISTORY BOOKLET

●​ Hinduism is the world’s oldest known religion (4,000+ years old).

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●​ 3rd largest religion (1+ billion followers), mostly in India (94%).
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●​ No single founder; a mix of traditions and philosophies.
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●​ Hindus worship multiple gods, follow various scriptures, and celebrate diverse customs.
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●​ The caste system was influenced by Hindu concepts but has changed over time.
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●​ Four major sects: Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, Smarta.

●​ Hinduism is more of a “way of life” than a single organized religion.​

●​ Henotheistic: Worships one supreme deity (Brahman) but acknowledges many gods.​

Key beliefs:​

●​ Samsara: Cycle of life, death, and rebirth.​

●​ Karma: Actions determine future consequences.​

●​ Atman: All living beings have a soul connected to a supreme soul.​

●​ Moksha: Liberation from reincarnation to unite with the absolute.​

●​ Dharma: Moral duty and righteous living.​

●​ Sacredness of life: Hindus respect all living beings; cows are especially sacred.​

●​ Dietary rules: Many avoid beef, pork, and practice vegetarianism.​

●​ Related religions: Shares roots with Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.

Two main Hindu symbols:

 ●​ Swastika (卐): Ancient symbol meaning "good fortune" or "happiness" in Sanskrit
(misused by the Nazis later).​

●​ Om (ॐ): Sacred sound representing three Sanskrit letters (a, u, m); commonly found in
temples and shrines.

Hinduism has multiple sacred texts, not just one.​

The Vedas (written ~1500 B.C. in Sanskrit) are the most important and timeless scriptures.​

●​ Four Vedas: Rig Veda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda.​

Other significant texts: Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, 18 Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata.

Origins: Likely began 2300-1500 B.C. in the Indus Valley (modern Pakistan), but many Hindus
believe it is timeless.​

No single founder; evolved as a fusion of beliefs.​

1500 B.C.: Indo-Aryans migrated to the Indus Valley, blending cultures.​

Vedic Period (1500-500 B.C.): Vedas were written; rituals like sacrifices and chanting were
common.​

Epic, Puranic & Classic Period (500 B.C.-500 A.D.):​

●​ Worship of Vishnu, Shiva, Devi became central.​

●​ Dharma (righteous duty) emphasized.​

●​ Buddhism and Jainism emerged and spread.

Similarities: Both Hinduism and Buddhism believe in reincarnation, karma, and achieving
enlightenment through devotion and honor.​

Differences:​

●​ Buddhism rejects the caste system.​

●​ Buddhism eliminates many Hindu rituals, priesthood, and gods.

Medieval Period (500-1500 A.D.):​

●​ New texts emerged.​

●​ Poet-saints contributed spiritual writings.​

Muslim Invasion (7th century onward):​

●​ Muslim Arabs invaded India, and during the Muslim Period (1200-1757), some rulers
restricted Hindu worship and destroyed temples.

British Rule (1757-1947):​

●​ British allowed Hindus to practice but later used aspects of Hindu culture for political
control, worsening caste divisions while promoting Westernized, Christian ideologies.​

Mahatma Gandhi:​

●​ Led a non-violent movement for India’s independence.​

●​ Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 after India’s partition (1947), which split the country
into India (Hindu-majority) and Pakistan.​

Migration and Spread:​

●​ In the 1960s, many Hindus migrated to North America and Britain, sharing their faith
and philosophies with the Western world.

Brahman is the supreme force in all things.​

Prominent deities:​
 ●​ Brahma: Creator of the world and all life.​

●​ Vishnu: Preserver and protector of the universe.​

●​ Shiva: Destroys and recreates the universe.​

●​ Devi: Goddess who restores dharma (moral order).​

●​ Krishna: God of compassion, love, and tenderness.​

●​ Lakshmi: Goddess of wealth and purity.​

●​ Saraswati: Goddess of learning.

Places of Worship:​

●​ Puja (worship) happens in Mandirs (temples) and at home shrines.​

●​ Offerings (flowers, oils) are commonly made to gods and goddesses.​

●​ Pilgrimages to sacred sites in India are important.​

Hinduism Sects:​

●​ Shaivism: Worships Shiva as the supreme deity.​

●​ Vaishnavism: Largest sect, worships Vishnu, Lakshmi, Krishna, Rama.​

●​ Shaktism: Worships the goddess Shakti (Devi), sometimes monotheistic.​

●​ Smarta: Follows a more orthodox path, worships Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Ganesh, Surya.​

●​ Some Hindus see Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva as part of a Hindu trinity, while others view
all gods as manifestations of one supreme deity.​

Hindu Caste System:​

 ●​ Divides society into four main castes:​

○​ Brahmin: Intellectual/spiritual leaders.​

○​ Kshatriyas: Protectors and public servants.​

○​ Vaisyas: Skillful producers.​

○​ Shudras: Unskilled laborers.​

●​ The “Untouchables” are outside the caste system and considered the lowest.​

●​ The system is loosely followed today, with discrimination banned by the Indian
constitution. However, some traditions like marrying within a caste still exist.

Hindu Festivals:

●​ Diwali: Festival of lights.​

●​ Navaratri: Celebrates fertility and harvest.​

●​ Holi: Spring festival.​

●​ Krishna Janmashtami: Celebrates Krishna’s birthday.​

●​ Raksha Bandhan: Celebrates the bond between brother and sister.​

●​ Maha Shivaratri: Great festival of Shiva.

KHAN ACADEMY BOOKLET

Common Hindu Beliefs:

●​ Many gods: Seen as manifestations of a single unity, linked to natural processes.​

●​ Preference for one deity: While acknowledging other gods.​

●​ Karma: The universal law of cause and effect, and belief in reincarnation.​

●​ Moksha: Liberation from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara).
Caste System and Dharma:​

●​ The caste system categorizes people into social classes, believed to reflect
accumulated karma (merit from past lives).​

●​ Dharma: Behaving in ways that align with one's caste and life stage. Not all religious
practices are available to everyone, and different stages of life focus on different goals
(e.g., study, family, reflection, renunciation).​

●​ The pursuit of worldly pleasures and success is not forbidden, as long as it aligns with
one’s life stage and position.​

Moksha:​

●​ The ultimate goal: liberation from samsara (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth).​

●​ Achieving moksha requires detachment from worldly perceptions and realizing the unity
of the soul (atman) with the universal (Brahman).​

●​ Paths to moksha include:​

○​ The way of knowledge​

○​ The way of appropriate actions (karma yoga)​

○​ The way of devotion to God (bhakti yoga