History UsefulNotes / Hinduism

However, due to modern-day religious tensions, this cannot be said to be universally true. There is a [[VocalMinority significant minority]] that holds on to the belief that one has to be ''born'' a Hindu. The issue of one of caste. The caste system (''Varna'') and Hinduism are very tightly linked, and caste is something one is born with and remains all one's life (the only way to change one's caste is to reincarnate in one's next life). Therefore it is a very perplexing question: for a foreign convert with no family or history in India, what is to be their caste? For modern or "reformed" branches of Hinduism, particularly in the West, it can be a non-issue. For more conservative branches, particularly those in India, it makes conversion to Hinduism simply impossible.

However, due to modern-day religious tensions, this cannot be stated to be universally true. There is a [[VocalMinority significant minority]] that holds on to the belief that one has to be ''born'' a Hindu. The issue of one of caste. The caste system (''Varna'') and Hinduism are very tightly linked, and caste is something one is born with and remains all one's life (the only way to change one's caste is to reincarnate in one's next life). Therefore it is a very perplexing question: for a foreign convert with no family or history in India, what is to be their caste? For modern or "reformed" branches of Hinduism, particularly in the West, it can be a non-issue. For more conservative branches, particularly those in India, it makes conversion to Hinduism simply impossible.

Hinduism is also very loose and allows acceptance of other religions. In fact, there is a passage in the ''Literature/BhagavadGita'' (one of the long sequence of religious texts in the Hindu faith) where ''Krishna himself'' (one of the incarnations of Vishnu and thus roughly analogous to Jesus) explicitly encourages religious tolerance, stressing that all gods are in fact part of one supreme Godhead. The Supreme God, in this case Vishnu, demonstrates this to the warrior Arjuna by allowing Arjuna to see, for a moment, Vishnu's Universal Form (Vishvarupa), which Arjuna promptly begs Vishnu to stop because [[YouCannotGrasptheTrueForm Arjuna cannot grasp the true form]]. For this reason, the very concept of conversion does not exist in any of the Hindu texts, and those that wish to convert to the faith can do so with no ceremony, and may even keep practicing faith in another religion. On the other hand, due to modern-day inter-religious tensions, [[BrokenBase this cannot be stated as a general sentiment]], and there is a [[VocalMinority significant minority]] that holds on to the belief that [[NoTrueScotsman one has to be born a Hindu to be one.]]

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]][[note]]An artistic representation of how said god is omnipotent and has a hand in every aspect of one's life[[/note]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama), to the point that it often more resembles a vast network of interconnected and semi-independent belief systems rather than a single religion unto itself. Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman (not to be confused with Brahma, the creator god), Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} an ultimate manifestation of the universe itself]] (of which you, your home, and even your dog or cat are also part of). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a vast pantheon of gods and beings, they are each recognized to be an aspect/manifestation of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about ''how'' or ''what'' to classify Hinduism as ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[{{God}} monotheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still occurring even today.

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]][[note]]An artistic representation of how said god is omnipotent and has a hand in every aspect of one's life[[/note]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama), to the point that it often more resembles a vast network of interconnected and semi-independent belief systems rather than a single religion unto itself. Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman (not to be confused with Brahma, the creator god), Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} an ultimate manifestation of the universe]] (of which you, your dog and your house are also part - yay!). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a vast pantheon of gods and beings, they are each recognized to be an aspect/manifestation of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about how to consider Hinduism ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism monistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still occur today.

** In addition to all of this, most followers of the ''Sanaatan Dharma'' (the Sanskrit name for Hinduism, literal translation is [[MeaningfulName "The Eternal Way"]]) have a set path - these are the closest thing Hinduism has to sects [[HehHehYouSaidX (get your mind out of the gutter)]]. This system came into being as Hinduism grew to be more focused on a single divinity, and dates from sometime around the 5th Century CE. The general idea is that all the divinities are ''Avatars'' (''lit.'' "Manifestations of Will") of one very powerful God(-ess), who is in charge ''and'' part of everything and everybody. [[BrokenBase ''Which'' God(-ess) is what no one can agree on - and which is the reason that multiple paths exist.]] While not strictly opposed to each other, all sides have some friction between each other - which is largely inconsequential, since all paths worship the same Gods(-esses) anyway. [[GameOfNerds The argument is of a highly technical and theological nature - which is of little or no interest to an ordinary person.]] The most popular paths are:-

It is also common practice for a community to hold faith in a [[OurGodsAreDifferent "local" god]], associated with a single temple or location. On occasion these may not even have temples or even idols or statues; it might merely be the ''concept'' of a higher being, usually a protector and usually named after the location, that is believed in by the local population, with no particular rituals or prayers. Prayer locations of these deities are usually sacred groves, and there are ''thousands'' of such locations and gods scattered across India. Activities like logging and hunting are heavily prohibited in and around these areas, enforced by a combination of tradition, religious beliefs ''and'' the law. Because of this, over the years, these groves have become a haven for both rare animals and plants, as species seek shelter in them due to habitat destruction. This enrichment of flora and fauna has only added to their legend; Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} actually has [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_groves_of_India a page on these]].

** There's also books on prayers, incantations, and offerings, but those generally depend on where you are. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_texts A complete listing]] can be found on Wiki/TheOtherWiki.

*** '''Shaktism''' (Path of Power) - [[WeirdnessMagnet Probably the most misunderstood group within Hinduism.]] These people believe that the Goddess Shakti [[AwesomeMcCoolname (her name literally translates to "All-Powerful")]] is the Supreme Soul, and that reality is essentially feminine. As such, the pantheon in this path is mostly female - any major Hindu Goddess is going to be found in it. The tradition as a whole is heavily focused on acting rather than thinking too much about something - basically [[MemeticMutation "Do Or Do Not - There Is No Try."]] The main reason they have something of a bad rep is because of [[VocalMinority small fringe groups]] who take the "act without thinking" bit to [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity it's logical extreme]] and focus on magic, ritual, and superstition. Note that confusing mainline Shaktists with the loony-fringe madmen is a [[BerserkButton pretty surefire way]] to get an rant-inducing slight earful of rage.]]

As is evident from the description so far, the information provided here by no means summarizes the entirety of Hindu beliefs; as it is easily the most complex religion in the history of the world. Because of the wide range of traditions and ideas incorporated within it or covered by it, even feverently devout Hindus will have trouble coming up with a definition for the word "Hinduism" [[UpToEleven itself]].

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hindu_symbol.png]]

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]][[note]]An artistic representation of how said god is omnipotent and has a hand in every aspect of one's life[[/note]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama), to the point that it often more resembles a vast network of interconnected and semi-independent belief systems rather than a single religion unto itself. Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman (not to be confused with Brahma, the creator god), Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} an ultimate manifestation of the universe]] (of which you, your family and your house and are also part - yay!). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a vast pantheon of gods and beings, they are each recognized to be an aspect/manifestation of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about how to consider Hinduism ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism monistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still occur today.

*** '''Yoga''' (Control) - [[SmallReferencePools The one most non-Hindus have heard of.]] While it does have a focus on physical discipline and exertion, it is by no means exclusively so. They basically believe that one's body is their own temple, and God(s) a largely "personal" concept - therefore, by understanding the limitations of mortality, one can transcend it and achieve liberation from rebirth.

*** '''Carvaka''' [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer (Eat, Drink and be Merry)]] - These guys were basically [[EthicalHedonism ethical hedonists]] mixed in with atheism. [[RiddleForTheAges Or so we think.]] Almost everything we know about them comes from secondary sources, and very little of their own works have survived into the present day. [[WrittenByTheWinners And what little is written about them tends to be unflattering.]] It's an extinct school.
*** '''Ajiivika''' (Special Lives) - These guys were a ''major'' rival to Buddhism and Jainism when those two started off. They were basically nihilistic in their outlook, [[YouCantFightFate believing that free will was an illusion]], that everything that had happened, is happening and would happen is predetermined, has already happened several times before, and nothing is going to change. [[CrapsaccharineWorld Ever.]] Hence they focused heavily on the concept of FigureItOutYourself and to [[TheUnfettered live as one truly desired]], rather than by some predetermined moral code. They didn't really care about God(s) and souls, and felt that by observation they could figure out what do to next and what would happen next. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Which resulted in them coming up with the (pseudo-scientific) concept of astrology.]] They slowly declined in popularity sometime after the collapse of the Mauryan Empire, and as of today, there's maybe a handful of them around. Maybe.

** In addition to all of this, most followers of the ''Sanaatan Dharma'' (the Sanskrit name for Hinduism, literal translation is [[MeaningfulName "The Eternal Way"]]) have a set path - these are the closest thing Hinduism has to sects [[HehHehYouSaidX (get your mind out of the gutter)]]. This system came into being as Hinduism grew to be more monotheistic, and dates from sometime around the 5th Century CE. The general idea is that all the divinities are ''Avatars'' (''lit.'' "Manifestations of Will") of one very powerful God(-ess), who is in charge of everything. [[BrokenBase ''Which'' God(-ess) is what no one can agree on - and which is the reason that multiple paths exist.]] While not strictly opposed to each other, all sides have some friction between each other - which is largely inconsequential, since all paths worship the same Gods(-esses) anyway. [[GameOfNerds The argument is of a highly technical and theological nature - which is of little or no interest to an ordinary person.]] The most popular paths are:-

*** '''Shaivism''' (Path of Shiva) - These ones believe that Shiva is the Supreme Godhead. Less mainstream, and focused more on monastic duty, ascetics and self-discipline. Generally the choice of path for soldiers, labourers, forest-dwellers and anyone else with a hard, demanding path in life. ''Yoga'' as it is known in the West is an outgrowth of Shaivism. Easily recognizable by the horizontal ash-mark on the foreheads of its disciples. Whenever most people think of a Hindu hermit or ascetic, it's a pretty good bet it's these guys that they're thinking of.

The concept of [[{{Satan}} the Devil]], i.e; a central being that causes all evil, does not appear in Hinduism. Simply put, such a character simply doesn't exist in the mythology. Instead, Hinduism states that good and evil exist inside all creatures, and, according to the path one chooses, their fate will be determined. This is where Karma comes into play - in accordance with your actions, in your next life, you will be born as a lesser or higher being. Though demonic creatures do exist in mythology, even they are never portrayed as AlwaysChaoticEvil - not even [[BenevolentBoss Ravana]] and [[NobleDemon Duryodhana]], the BigBad of the Literature/{{Ramayana}} and Literature/{{Mahabharata}}, ever comes off as pure evil.

*** '''Shaktism''' (Path of Power) - [[WeirdnessMagnet Probably the most misunderstood group within Hinduism.]] These people believe that the Goddess Shakti [[AwesomeMcCoolname (her name literally translates to "All-Powerful")]] is the Supreme Soul, and that reality is essentially feminine. As such, the pantheon in this path is mostly female - any major Hindu Goddess is going to be found in it. The tradition as a whole is heavily focused on acting rather than thinking too much about something - basically [[MemeticMutation "Do Or Do Not - There Is No Try."]] The main reason they have something of a bad rep is because of [[VocalMinority small fringe groups]] who take the "act without thinking" bit to [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity it's logical extreme]] and focus on magic, ritual, and superstition. Note that confusing mainline Shaktists with the loony-fringe madmen is a [[BerserkButton pretty surefire way]] to get an [[RantInducingSlight earful of rage.]]

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]][[note]]An artistic representation of how said god is omnipotent and has a hand in every aspect of one's life[[/note]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama), to the point that it often more resembles a vast network of interconnected and semi-independent belief systems rather than a single religion unto itself. Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman (not to be confused with Brahma, the creator god), Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} an ultimate manifestation of the universe]] (of which you, your family and your house and are also part - yay!). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters vast pantheon]] of gods and beings, they are each recognized to be an aspect/manifestation of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about how to consider Hinduism ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism monistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still occur today.

According to two of the four major Hindu sects described above, the universe was born from Lord Brahma (The Creator), maintained by Lord Vishnu (The Preserver), and governed by Lord Shiva (The Destroyer), in the sense that after the age of man is over, the world will be destroyed to unite [[AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence all individual souls with the Supreme Consciousness]]. The three together form the Great Trinity, more popularly known as the 'Trimurti'[[note]]त्रिमूर्ति trimūrti[[/note]] of Hinduism. So not even a question as straighforward as "Who's the TopGod?" [[ComplexityAddiction gets a simple answer in this religion.]]

According to two of the four major Hindu sects described above, the universe was born from Lord Brahma (The Creator), maintained by Lord Vishnu (The Preserver), and governed by Lord Shiva (The Destroyer), in the sense that after the age of man is over, the world will be destroyed to unite [[AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence all individual souls with the Supreme Consciousness]]. The three together form the Great Trinity, more popularly known as the 'Trimurti'[[note]]त्रिमूर्ति trimūrti[[/note]] of Hinduism. So not even a question as simple as "Who's the TopGod?" [[ComplexityAddiction gets a simple answer in this religion.]]

According to two of the four major Hindu sects described above, the universe was born from Lord Brahma (The Creator), maintained by Lord Vishnu (The Preserver), and governed by Lord Shiva (The Destroyer), in the sense that after the age of man is over, the world will be destroyed to unite [[AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence all individual souls with the Supreme Consciousness]]. The three together form the Great Trinity, more popularly known as the 'Trimurti'[[note]]त्रिमूर्ति trimūrti[[/note]] of Hinduism.

As is evident from the description so far, the information provided here by no means summarizes the entirety of Hindu beliefs; as it is easily the most complex religion in the history of the world. Because of the wide range of traditions and ideas incorporated within it or covered by it, even hardcore Hindus will have trouble coming up with a definition for the word "Hinduism" [[UpToEleven itself]].

Hinduism is also very loose and allows acceptance of other religions. In fact, there is a passage in the ''Literature/BhagavadGita'' (one of the long sequence of religious texts in the Hindu faith) where ''Krishna himself'' (one of the incarnations of Vishnu and thus roughly analogous to Jesus) explicitly encourages religious tolerance, stressing that all gods are in fact part of one supreme God. The Supreme God, in this case Vishnu, demonstrates this to the warrior Arjuna by allowing Arjuna to see, for a moment, Vishnu's Universal Form (Vishvarupa), which Arjuna promptly begs Vishnu to stop because [[YouCannotGrasptheTrueForm Arjuna cannot grasp the true form]]. For this reason, the very concept of conversion does not exist in any of the Hindu texts, and those that wish to convert to the faith can do so with no ceremony, and may even keep practicing faith in another religion. On the other hand, due to modern-day inter-religious tensions, [[BrokenBase this cannot be stated as a general sentiment]], and there is a [[VocalMinority significant minority]] that holds on to the belief that [[NoTrueScotsman one has to be born a Hindu to be one.]]

Hinduism is also very loose and allows acceptance of other religions. In fact, there is a passage in the ''Literature/BhagavadGita'' (one of the long sequence of religious texts in the Hindu faith) where ''Krishna himself'' (one of the incarnations of Vishnu) explicitly encourages religious tolerance, stressing that all gods are in fact part of one supreme God. The Supreme God, in this case Vishnu, demonstrates this to the warrior Arjuna by allowing Arjuna to see, for a moment, Vishnu's Universal Form (Vishvarupa), which Arjuna promptly begs Vishnu to stop because [[YouCannotGrasptheTrueForm Arjuna cannot grasp the true form]]. For this reason, the very concept of conversion does not exist in any of the Hindu texts, and those that wish to convert to the faith can do so with no ceremony, and may even keep practicing faith in another religion. On the other hand, due to modern-day inter-religious tensions, [[BrokenBase this cannot be stated as a general sentiment]], and there is a [[VocalMinority significant minority]] that holds on to the belief that [[NoTrueScotsman one has to be born a Hindu to be one.]]

Hinduism is also very loose and allows acceptance of other religions. In fact, there is a passage in the ''Literature/BhagavadGita'' (one of the long sequence of religious texts in the Hindu faith) where Krishna explicitly encourages religious tolerance, stressing that all gods are in fact part of one supreme God. The Supreme God, in this case Vishnu, demonstrates this to the warrior Arjuna by allowing Arjuna to see, for a moment, Vishnu's Universal Form (Vishvarupa), which Arjuna promptly begs Vishnu to stop because [[YouCannotGrasptheTrueForm Arjuna cannot grasp the true form]]. For this reason, the very concept of conversion does not exist in any of the Hindu texts, and those that wish to convert to the faith can do so with no ceremony, and may even keep practicing faith in another religion. On the other hand, due to modern-day inter-religious tensions, [[BrokenBase this cannot be stated as a general sentiment]], and there is a [[VocalMinority significant minority]] that holds on to the belief that [[NoTrueScotsman one has to be born a Hindu to be one.]]

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]][[note]]An artistic representation of how said god is omnipotent and has a hand in every aspect of one's life[[/note]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama). Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman (not to be confused with Brahma, the creator god), Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} an ultimate manifestation of the universe]] (of which you, your family and your house and are also part - yay!). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters vast pantheon]] of gods and beings, they are each recognized to be an aspect/manifestation of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about how to consider Hinduism ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism monistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still occur today.

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]][[note]]An artistic representation of how said god is omnipotent and has a hand in every aspect of one's life[[/note]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama). Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman, Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} an ultimate manifestation of the universe]] (of which you, your family and your house and are also part - yay!). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters vast pantheon]] of gods and beings, they are all recognized to be part of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about how to consider Hinduism ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism monistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still occur today.

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]][[note]]An artistic representation of how said god is omnipotent and has a hand in every aspect of one's life[[/note]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama). Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman, Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather an ultimate manifestation of the universe (of which you, your family and your house and are also part - yay!). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters vast pantheon]] of gods and beings, they are all recognized to be part of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about how to consider Hinduism ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism monistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still occur today.

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama). Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman, Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather an ultimate manifestation of the universe (of which you, your family and your house and are also part - yay!). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters vast pantheon]] of gods and beings, they are all recognized to be part of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about how to consider Hinduism ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism monistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still occur today.

Hinduism stands out in popular Western belief for being seemingly a polytheistic religion, having a high number of deities and manifestations, often [[MultiArmedAndDangerous with many arms]]. In reality, the topic is ''much'' more complicated, and gets blurred further due to Hinduism not being bound by a single doctrine, but rather encompassing a wide range of beliefs with their own evolution and influences each (there is no one leader of the religion, equivalent to the Pope or the Dalai Lama). Generally speaking, however, in the same way Catholicism has the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being different forms of the same God, most Hindu schools share a similar belief: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Brahma, Hanuman, etc. are all different manifestations of one entity, known variously as Brahman, Ishvara, or other names, which is not a distinct father god as in Abrahamic monotheism, but rather an ultimate manifestation of the universe (of which you, your family and your house and are also part - yay!). Although Myth/HinduMythology contains a [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters vast pantheon]] of gods and beings, they are all recognized to be part of Brahman. As a consequence, debates about how to consider Hinduism ([[OurGodsAreDifferent polytheistic]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Pantheism}} pantheistic]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism monistic]], [[LongList others]], or [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie a mix of all]]) have occurred for centuries and still ocur today.

** The '''Itihaasa''' (''lit.'' Histories), which - as the name suggests - is about historical events of note. Not strictly theological, but it is often used as a matter of discussion and debate in philosophical circles. This is the work that includes Literature/TheRamayana, Literature/TheMahabharata and most of the old literary tradition of Ancient India. [[OlderThanTheyThink The concept of time as a cyclic phenomenon is also found in these works.]]
** There's also books on prayers, incantations and offerings, but those generally depend on where you are. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_texts A complete listing]] can be found on Wiki/TheOtherWiki.

*** '''Saamkhya''' (Rationalism) - An atheistic school of thought. They believe that all things can be explained by impartial and dispassionate observation, inference and from consulting reliable sources. Gods are regarded as simply "[[BewareTheSuperman more powerful than you, but mortal - not divine.]]" As such, they regard the Soul as nothing more than the manifestation of human consciousness. Highly influential, they've shaped much of the society and culture of the subcontinent with their focus on ethics and the issues of a normal person's day-to-day.

*** '''Nyaaya''' (Judgement) - Basically ''Saamkhya'', but they believe in the existence of divine beings, and that a soul exists, separate from consciousness. In almost every other aspect, [[MindScrew they are exactly the same.]] Buddhism is generally believed to have emerged from this school of thought, but is sufficiently different to be considered ''aastik''/heterodox.

*** '''Carvaka''' [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer (Eat, Drink and be Merry)]] - These guys were basically [[EthicalHedonism ethical hedonists]] mixed in with atheism. [[RiddleForTheAges Or so we think.]] Almost everything we know about them comes from secondary sources, and very little of their own works have have survived into the present day. [[WrittenByTheWinners And what little is written about them tends to be unflattering.]] It's an extinct school.

*** '''Vaishnavism''' (Path of Vishnu) - These ones believe that Vishnu is the Supreme Godhead. The closest thing to a mainstream that Hinduism has got, it's the most widely followed path - largely since it's easily accessible, and generally non-ascetic. Easily recognizable by the vertical ash-mark on the foreheads of it's disciples. The ''Hare Krishnas'' in the West are an outgrowth of these guys. [[NeverAcceptedInHisHometown In India, the ''Hare Krishnas'' are seen as loony bins by pretty much everyone.]]
*** '''Shaivism''' (Path of Shiva) - These ones believe that Shiva is the Supreme Godhead. Less mainstream, and focused more on monastic duty, ascetics and self-discipline. Generally the choice of path for soldiers, labourers, forest-dwellers and anyone else with a hard, demanding path in life. ''Yoga'' as it is known in the West is an outgrowth of Shaivism. Easily recognizable by the horizontal ash-mark on the foreheads of it's disciples. Whenever most people think of a Hindu hermit or ascetic, it's a pretty good bet it's these guys that they're thinking of.
*** '''Smartism''' (Path of Revelation) - Not so much a path as it is a loose collection of people who depend on scripture for guidance and inspiration. They spend their lives interpreting the Written Works listed above and generally serve as preachers, priests and spiritual guides. Whenever someone speaks of a "Spiritual guide", it's a pretty good bet that it's these guys they're talking about. Largely monastic, they are generally found in ''matths'' (the Hindu equivalent of a seminary, which also serves as a monastery).
*** '''Shaktism''' (Path of Power) - [[WeirdnessMagnet Probably the most misunderstood group within Hinduism.]] These people believe that the Goddess Shakti [[AwesomeMcCoolname (her name literally translates to "All-Powerful")]] is the Supreme Soul, and that reality is essentially feminine. As such, the pantheon in this path is mostly female - any major Hindu Goddess is going to be found in it. The tradition as a whole is heavily focused on acting rather than thinking too much about something - basically [[MemeticMutation "Do Or Do Not - There Is No Try."]] The main reason they have something of a bad rep is because of [[VocalMinority small fringe groups]] who take the "act without thinking" bit to [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity it's logical extreme]] and focus on magic, ritual and superstition. Note that confusing mainline Shaktists with the loony-fringe madmen is a [[BerserkButton pretty surefire way]] to get an [[RantInducingSlight earful of rage.]]

The concept of [[{{Satan}} the Devil]], i.e; a central being that causes all evil, does not appear in Hinduism. Simply put, such a character simply doesn't exist in the mythology. Instead, Hinduism states that good and evil exist inside all creatures, and, according to the path one chooses, their fate will be determined. This is where Karma comes into play - in accordance with your actions, in your next life you will be born as a lesser or higher being. Though demonic creatures do exist in mythology, even they are never portrayed as AlwaysChaoticEvil - not even [[BenevolentBoss Ravana]] and [[NobleDemon Duryodhana]], the BigBad of the Literature/{{Ramayana}} and Literature/{{Mahabharata}}, ever comes off as pure evil.

* UsefulNotes/{{Bangladesh}} (Islam takes up a lion's share, but its Hindu population is much more than many of the above countries' respective Hindu population combined)

** In addition to all of this, most followers of the ''Sanaatan Dharma'' (the Sanskrit name for Hinduism, literal translation is [[MeaningfulName "The Eternal Way"]]) have a set path - these are the closest thing Hinduism has to sects [[HehHehYouSaidX (get your mind out of the gutter)]]. This system came into being as Hinduism grew to be more monotheistic, and dates from sometime around the 5th Century CE. The general idea is that all the divinities are ''Avatars'' (''lit.'' "Manifestations of Will") of one very powerful God(-ess), who is in charge of everything. [[BrokenBase ''Which'' God(-ess) is what no one can agree on - and which is the reason that multiple paths exist.]] While not strictly opposed to each other, all sides have some friction between each other - which is largely inconsequential, since all paths worship the same Gods(-esses) anyway. [[GameOfNerds The argument is of a highly technical and theological nature - which is of little or no interest to an ordinary person.]]

*** '''Shaivism''' (Path of Shiva) - These ones believe that Shiva is the Supreme Godhead. Less mainstream, and focused more on monastic duty, ascetics and self-discipline. Generally the choice of path for soldiers and those with a hard, demanding path in life. ''Yoga'' as it is known in the West is an outgrowth of Shaivism. Easily recognizable by the horizontal ash-mark on the foreheads of it's disciples. Whenever most people think of a Hindu monk or ascetic, it's a pretty good bet it's these guys that they're thinking of.

Within Vedism, almost every entity in nature has a corresponding god or goddess - Agni (Fire), Vayu (Wind/Air), Varuna (Water & Sky), Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Bhumi (Earth), etc. Indra is the King of the Gods, and Lord of ''Swargaloka'', which is {{Heaven}}. ''Narakaloka'' is the opposite, and is {{Hell}}. Naraka's lord is Yamadharmaraja (literally means yama the most just). He is not evil and takes no pleasure in punishing though. He just assigns them to ''Swarga'' (Heaven) or ''Naraka'' (Hell). Yama is the son of Surya(Sun).

The concept of [[{{Satan}} the Devil]], i.e; a central being that causes all evil, does not appear in Hinduism. Simply put, such a character simply doesn't exist in the mythology. Instead, Hinduism states that good and evil exist inside all creatures, and, according to the path one chooses, their fate will be determined. This is where Karma comes into play - in accordance with your actions, in your next life you will be born as a lesser or higher being. Though demonic creatures do exist in mythology, even they are never portrayed as AlwaysChaoticEvil - not even Ravana, the BigBad of the entire Hindu mythos, never comes off as pure evil, though he is definitely [[AxCrazy crazy]].

The concept of [[{{Satan}} the Devil]], i.e; a central being that causes all evil, does not appear in Hinduism. Simply put, such a character simply doesn't exist in the mythology. Instead, Hinduism states that good and evil exist inside all creatures, and, according to the path one chooses, their fate will be determined. This is where Karma comes into play - in accordance with your actions, in your next life you will be born as a lesser or higher being. Though demonic creatures do exist in mythology, even they are never portrayed as AlwaysChaoticEvil - even Ravana, the biggest, baddest BigBad in the entire Hindu mythos, never comes off as pure evil, though he is definitely [[AxCrazy crazy]].

Hinduism is also very loose and allows acceptance of other religions. In fact, there is a passage in the ''Literature/BhagavadGita'' (one of the long sequence of religious texts in the Hindu faith) where Krishna explicitly encourages religious tolerance, stressing that all gods are in fact part of one supreme God. The Supreme God, in this case Vishnu, demonstrates this to the warrior Arjuna by allowing Arjuna to see, for a moment, Vishnu's Universal Form (Vishvarupa), which Arjuna promptly begs Vishnu to stop because [[YouCannotGrasptheTrueForm Arjuna cannot grasp the true form]]. For this reason, the very concept of conversion does not exist in any of the Hindu texts, and those that wish to convert to the faith can actually do so with no ceremony, and can even keep practicing faith in another religion. (However, due to modern-day inter-religious tensions, [[BrokenBase this cannot be stated as a general sentiment]], and there is a [[VocalMinority significant minority]] that holds on to the belief that [[NoTrueScotsman one has to be born a Hindu to be one.]])

This makes Hinduism the only major world religion that is henotheistic by nature, i.e, involving devotion to one god while accepting the existence of others. This is why most Hindu sects do not seek converts, as there is an accepted belief that the goals of spiritual life can be attained through any religion, as long as it is practiced sincerely. It is also one of the only religions in the world that allows the practice of UsefulNotes/{{Atheism}} [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism_in_Hinduism within itself]], and the oldest evidence of the concept itself.

The oldest continuously-practiced religion in the world, and the dominant religion of South UsefulNotes/{{Asia}} (chiefly UsefulNotes/{{India}} and UsefulNotes/{{Nepal}}), with it also being popular in certain parts of UsefulNotes/TheCaribbean (such as many areas of [[{{UsefulNotes/Guyana}} Guyana]] or [[UsefulNotes/TrinidadAndTobago Trinidad]]) due to the presence of Indo-Caribbean people there, certain parts of Oceania (particularly UsefulNotes/{{Fiji}}), the island countries of East Africa (especially UsefulNotes/{{Mauritius}}, which is the only country outside of South Asia to have a Hindu majority), the Arabian Peninsula (particularly UsefulNotes/{{Qatar}} and UsefulNotes/{{Bahrain}}) due to it's huge amount of South Asian diaspora, and parts of Southeast Asia (especially the [[UsefulNotes/{{Indonesia}} Indonesian]] island of Bali), Hinduism's roots can be traced back to [[OlderThanDirt Iron Age India]], and as such it is believed to be the [[OlderThanYouThink oldest living religion in the world]], only contending with UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}} for some.

*** '''Shaktism''' (Path of Power) - [[WeirdnessMagnet Probably the most misunderstood group within Hinduism.]] These people believe that the Goddess Shakti [[AwesomeMcCoolname (her name literally translates to "All-Powerful")]] is the Supreme Soul, and that reality is essentially feminine. As such, the pantheon in this path is mostly female - any major Hindu Goddess is going to be found in it. The tradition as a whole is heavily focused on acting rather than thinking too much about something - basically [[MemeticMutation "Do Or Do Not - There Is No Try."]] The main reason they have something of a bad rep is because of [[VocalMinority small fringe groups]] who take the "act without thinking" bit to [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity it's logical extreme]] and focus on magic, ritual and superstition. Whenever people think about [[ActivistFundamentalistAntics "Superstition, cow worship, irrational fear of modernity, etc. etc."]] and all the other [[AcceptableTargets blanket accusations]] of the "backwardness" of Hinduism, [[NeverLiveItDown it's these guys they're thinking about.]] Note that confusing mainline Shaktists with the loony-fringe madmen is a [[BerserkButton pretty surefire way]] to get an [[RantInducingSlight earful of rage.]]