Hindusim

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**What is Hinduism?** Hinduism is a religion made up of the influences of the Indus River people, the Aryans, and other native groups. Hindusim sought to unite individual humans with an all-embracing divine principle. This religion is greatly polytheistic. But, unlike western religions or Daoism, it brought on and encouraged political and economic goals. Vedism is the ground structure of Hindusim-the Vedas ( 4 Aryan scriptures). The basic divine essence, Brahma, formed part of everything in this universe. Brahma is several forms of gods, Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiva, the destroyer. Brahma is attained through the wheel of life(//smasara//). Life is accustomed to finding unity with the divine soul. Hinduism brought on and encouraged political and economic goals. Every being has its own individual soul called an //atman//. Hindu's believe in //reincarnation//, a way of rising to a higher class in society by the actions in one's former life. This brings us to //karma,// what comes around goes around. The three goals that should be accomplished in life are Dharma ( virtue), Artha ( success), and Kama ( pleasure). But the one thing to avoid is moksha ( release), the feeling of striving for objects that make up life.

__**The Orgins of Hinduism**__ =

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Hinduism had no single founder and had no central holy figure from whom the basic beliefs branched off off to form the religion. It developed very gradually and struggled through many obstacles over time. Part of the reason that Hinduism has succeeded was because of its ability to adapt and alter itself to all the different needs of the various groups and to change itself according to the situation of that time period. Hinduism was originally called //Brahminism//, and the basic concepts of the religion were in place no later than the 200s B.C.E. Over time the religion of Hinduism became an increasingly formal religion by the first couple of centuries during the common era.

__**Historical Impact**__ From the Epic Age onward, Hinduism accepted the conflict between a religion of ritual, with fixed ceremonies and conduct, and the religion of holy men seeking unity with their divine souls. Poems of the Epic Age emphasized the importance of gentle and generous behavior of the Hindu religion. On the other hand the Upanishads attacked the conventional Brahmin view of religion, but they also outlined Hinduism's most basic concepts. Another document that helped support the Hinduism's religious arguments in favor of the caste system was the Law of Manu. Vedic thought and Hinduism also gave the caste system religious justification. The caste system involved four distinct classes: the priests (Brahmins), warriors and political rulers (Kshatriyas), commoners (vaishyas), and servants, serfs, and members of the lower class (shudras). As time went on they also added another category to the caste system known as the untouchables, and they were the lowest caste in the caste system.

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__**Treatment of Women**__ Although in the Hindu religion women were inferior to men, the Hindu code of behavior required that they were treated with the utmost respect because they played a key role within the family. Men were allowed to own property, however, women were not and were considered to be legal minors even in their adult age. Many Hindu women married very young and in their childhood, and sometimes divorced, but that was very rare in Hindu society. One of the most subservient tasks that women were also expected to do in the Hindu society was the participation in the sati ritual, which where men of a high caste died and his widow was expected to throw herself into the flames and burn to death on her husbands funeral pyre.

__**Culture**__ In the Hindu religion, time follows the life of Brahma and is divided into four yugas called the Great Cycle. There are two different versions of the calander, one being the Vikram Samvant and the other the Saka. The annual calendar is based on the moon, the Vedas, and the movements of the stars, planets, and moon. Each new moment or time period comes into being with each change of the moon's phase. The calendar is also adjusted to be equal to the solar year by adding an extra month. Daily worshinp in the Hindu faith takes place in the home, the temple, and/or a street-side shrine. Also, they participate and practice a series of rights such as purifying themselves with a bath at dawn. Hindus also give an offering to Agni by putting it in their household fire, and ask Savatar the god of the sun for blessing and understanding. On their shrines, they usually have a statue of Krishna or place a picture of Shiva or Durga. On the shrines they also lay food and offerings, and prayers are to be said before it. On special occasions, the Hindu people visit the temple.



__ **Sources:** __
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