Hinduism

Table of Contents

Introduction
Overview
- The term Hinduism
- General nature of Hinduism
- The five tensile strands
  - Doctrine
  - Practice
  - Society
  - Story
  - Devotion
- Central conceptions
  - Veda, Brahmans, and issues of religious authority
  - Doctrine of atman-brahman
  - Karma, samsara, and moksha
  - Dharma and the three paths
  - Ashramas: the four stages of life
The history of Hinduism
- Sources of Hinduism
  - Indo-European sources
  - Other sources: the process of “Sanskritization”
- The prehistoric period (3rd and 2nd millennia bce)
  - Indigenous prehistoric religion
  - Religion in the Indus valley civilization
  - Survival of archaic religious practices
- The Vedic period (2nd millennium–7th century bce)
- Challenges to Brahmanism (6th–2nd century bce)
- Early Hinduism (2nd century bce–4th century ce)
  - The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism
  - The development of temples
  - The spread of Hinduism in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
  - Questions of influence on the Mediterranean world
- The rise of devotional Hinduism (4th–11th century)
- Hinduism under Islam (11th–19th century)
  - The challenge of Islam and popular religion
  - Temple complexes
  - Sectarian movements
  - Bhakti movements
- The modern period (from the 19th century)
  - Hindu reform movements
    - Brahmo Samaj
    - Arya Samaj
  - New religious movements
    - Ramakrishna Mission
    - Theosophical Society
    - Aurobindo Ashram
    - Other reform movements
  - The struggle for independence
    - Mahatma Gandhi
    - The religious situation after independence
  - Hinduism outside India
Sacred texts
- Vedas
  - Importance of the Vedas
  - The components of the Vedas
  - The Rigveda
  - Elaborations of text and ritual: the later Vedas
    - The Yajurveda and Samaveda
    - The Atharvaveda
  - The Brahmanas and Aranyakas
  - Vedic religion
    - Cosmogony and cosmology
    - Theology
    - Ethical and social doctrines
    - The sacred: nature, humanity, and God
    - Vedic and Brahmanic rites
  - The Upanishads
- Sutras, shastras, and smritis
  - The Vedangas
  - Dharma-sutras and Dharma-shastras
  - Smriti texts
- Epics and Puranas
  - The Ramayana
  - The Mahabharata
  - The Bhagavadgita
  - The Puranas
    - Cosmogony
    - Cosmology
  - Myths of time and eternity
  - Stories of the gods
- Vaishnavism and Shaivism
  - Vaishnavism
  - Shaivism
  - Narratives of culture heroes
  - Myths of holy rivers and holy places
- Philosophical texts
  - Mysticism
  - Philosophical sutras and the rise of the Six Schools of philosophy
- Tantrism
  - Tantric traditions and Shaktism
    - Shaiva Agamas
    - Vaishnava Samhitas
    - Shakta Tantras
  - Nature of Tantric tradition
  - Tantric and Shakta views of nature, humanity, and the sacred
  - Tantric ritual and magical practices
  - Tantric and Shakta ethical and social doctrines
- Vernacular literatures
Practical Hinduism
- Devotion
- Deities
- Worship
- Divination, spirit possession, and healing
- Women’s religious practices
- Pilgrimage
Rituals, social practices, and institutions
- Sacrifice and worship
  - Domestic rites
    - Samskaras: rites of passage
    - Daily offerings
    - Other private rites
  - Temple worship
  - Shaiva rites
  - Vaishnava rites
- Sacred times and festivals
- Ritual and social status
  - Social structure
  - Castes
  - Social protest
  - Renunciants and the rejection of social order
- Religious orders and holy men
  - Initiation
  - Yoga
  - Sectarian symbols
- Cultural expressions: visual arts, theater, and dance
  - Types of symbols
    - Yantra and mandala
    - Lingam and yoni
    - Visual theology in icons
  - The arts
    - Religious principles in sculpture and painting
    - Religious organization of sacred architecture
    - Theater and dance
Hinduism and the world beyond
- Hinduism and religions of Indian origin
- Hinduism and Islam
- Hinduism and Christianity
- Diasporic Hinduism

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images, Videos & Interactives

The main Hindu gods

Hindu Holidays: Festivals of Gods and Seasons

Vishnu and Lakshmi

The Chariot Festival

Rabindranath Tagore

stone image from 9th century

For Students

Hinduism summary

Read Next

Candles Burning On Table In Church

What Is the Most Widely Practiced Religion in the World?

The Chinese philosopher Confucius (Koshi) in conversation with a little boy in front of him. Artist: Yashima Gakutei. 1829

The Axial Age: 5 Fast Facts

Hindu Holi Festival celebrations with colored water, powder and colorful flower petals thrown over celebrants at a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India on March 24, 2021.

Holi: Festival of Colors

Indian hijras participate in a religious procession in Gandhinagar, India, some 30 kilometers from Ahmedabad, on March 22, 2017. Hijra is a term used in South Asia which refers to transgender individuals who are born male. (gender identity, gender expression)

6 Cultures That Recognize More than Two Genders

Ahura Mazda - relief of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda at the ancient ruins of Persepolis in Iran. Also known as Ormazd Zoroastrianism,

Which Religion Is the Oldest?

Discover

Thanksgiving Turkey with all the sides

Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?

An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.

11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Baseball laying in the grass. Homepage blog 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics

10 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time

Super Typhoon Noru over the western tropical Pacific Ocean as observed by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA Aqua satellite July 31 2017

What Is the Difference Between a Typhoon and a Super Typhoon?

Woman tied to a ducking stool, a method of punishment by means of humiliation, beating, or death. (cucking stool)

8 Unusual Punishments Inflicted on Women Throughout History

Diverse elementary school children wearing school uniforms running outside of school. Boys girls

Pro and Con: School Uniforms

A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England

Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution

Hinduism: Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos and Videos

The main Hindu gods

Vishnu and Lakshmi

The Chariot Festival

Rabindranath Tagore

stone image from 9th century

How was the Ramayana translated into contemporary English?

Holi: Explaining the Festival of Colors

Why is Diwali called the Festival of Lights?

Exploring Bali, the land of a thousand temples

See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Topics

bhakti sanctity of the cow Vaishnavism Chaitanya movement churning of the ocean of milk matha Brahmo Samaj Smarta sect Bhagavata Arya Samaj Islam Christianity Judaism Buddhism Taoism Sikhism Confucianism Roman religion Jainism Zoroastrianism

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

Shankara

Shankara

Indian philosopher

Ram Mohan Roy

Ram Mohan Roy

Indian religious leader

Kabir

Indian mystic and poet

Suryavarman II

king of Khmer empire

Keshab Chunder Sen

Hindu philosopher and social reformer

Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th earl of Minto

British official

Chaitanya

Chaitanya

Hindu mystic

(From left) Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal

Lala Lajpat Rai

Indian writer and politician

Shirdi Sai Baba temple

Shirdi Sai Baba

spiritual leader

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Hindu and Indian nationalist

Debendranath Tagore

Hindu philosopher

Sāhibdīn

Indian painter

Ramanuja

Ramanuja

Hindu theologian and philosopher

Vivekananda

Vivekananda

Hindu leader

Ramatirtha

Hindu religious leader

R.C. Zaehner

British historian

S.N. Dasgupta

Indian philosopher

Quiz

Diwali holiday lamps or candles, India. (Indian holiday, oil lamp, flame, candle, fire)

Hinduism

Ganesha. Hinduism. Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings, figure on external walls of a South Indian Temple in Kerala, India.

Hindu Religion and Myth Quiz

A woman and her daughter smear color powder on one another's face on Holi, the Indian festival of colors.

Hindu Holiday Quiz

Omar Ali Saifuddin mosque, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.

World Religions & Traditions

List

The Chinese philosopher Confucius (Koshi) in conversation with a little boy in front of him. Artist: Yashima Gakutei. 1829

The Axial Age: 5 Fast Facts

Indian hijras participate in a religious procession in Gandhinagar, India, some 30 kilometers from Ahmedabad, on March 22, 2017. Hijra is a term used in South Asia which refers to transgender individuals who are born male. (gender identity, gender expression)

6 Cultures That Recognize More than Two Genders

Demystified

Candles Burning On Table In Church

What Is the Most Widely Practiced Religion in the World?