Hinduism

• c. 2000 BCE, Aryans began moving, looking for new areas to settle.

• Their languages spread…– forms basis of Indo-European languages.

• They conquered most of India and formed a society with strict class

divisions.• These classes are

called castes.

The Aryan Migration

• There were four varnas (social classes). • Within each varna there were hundreds of

different castes.• Each caste was ranked—one above the other.• You were born into your caste. You couldn’t

change.• Castes determined:

– Who you could marry.

– What jobs you could have.

– How you would be treated by others.

The Caste System

HINDUS PRAYING

BRAHMAN

MULTIPLE GODS

DHARMA

KARMA

SAMSARA

Hinduism in 21st century• Approximatel

y one billion followers worldwide.

• About 90% of them live in India.

• About 80% of Indians believe in Hinduism.

Multiple Gods• Hindus believe there are literally

thousands of gods and goddesses!

• Brahma: the Creator– Four heads—each head

continually recites one of the four Vedas.

– Often depicted with a white beard, because of the near eternal nature of his existence.

– Holds no weapons in his four arms, unlike most other Hindu Gods.

– Brahma’s “consort” is Saraswati, the goddess of learning.

The Trinity

• Vishnu: the Preserver– Maintains order and often

appears in order to restore peace in troubled times.

– Each time he returns to restore order using a different “avatar” or earthly incarnation• Rama and Krishna are two of

the most well-known.

– Lakshmi, goddess of luck, is his consort.

The Trinity

The Trinity• Shiva: the Destroyer

– Also seen as providing creative possibility for reconstruction—his name can mean “purifier” as well.

– Often seen (as here) dancing upon the demon of ignorance, and often wears snakes.

– The Ganges River flows from his hair.

– His consort is Parvati, mountain goddess.

Other Hindu Gods• Saraswati

– Brahma’s consort– Goddess of the Saraswati

River (which ran near the Indus River)• Thus she is a goddess of

purification and nourishment.

– Goddess of intelligence, consciousness, cosmic knowledge, creativity, education, enlightenment, music, the arts, and power• Mother of the four Vedas

Other Hindu Gods• Durga

– A fiercer form of Parvati, Shiva’s consort.

– The Mother Goddess.– Depicted as having 10

arms, riding a lion or a tiger, carrying weapons, maintaining a meditative smile, and practicing mudras, or symbolic hand gestures.

– Mother of Ganesha.

Other Hindu Gods• Kali

– The dark goddess– A fearful and ferocious form

of the mother goddess Durga.

– Her tongue protrudes from her mouth, her eyes are red, and her face and body are covered with blood.

– She stands with one foot on the thigh, and another on the chest of her husband, Shiva.

Other Hindu Gods• Ganesha

– One of the most popular gods.

– He is the lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles.

– Also worshipped as the god of knowledge, wisdom and wealth.

Other Hindu Gods• Lakshmi

– Means "Good Luck" to Hindus.

– Goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual.

– She is the household goddess of most Hindu families, and a favorite of women.

– Usually standing on a full-bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud, which stands for beauty, purity and fertility.

Other Hindu Gods• Rama

– The most perfect avatar of the Supreme Protector Vishnu.

– Embodies truth, morality, the ideal son, the ideal husband, and, the ideal king.

– He is widely believed to be an actual historical figure.

– His story forms the great Hindu epic of Ramayana.

Other Hindu Gods• Hanuman

– Very popular god– Believed to be an

avatar of Lord Shiva– Symbolizes physical

strength, perseverance and devotion.

– Helped Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces.

Other Hindu Gods• Krishna

– An avatar of Vishnu.– Another popular god.– Played the flute.– Had as many as 16,000

wives.– In the Mahabharta he gives

a speech known as the Bhagavad Gita (a short book in and of itself) preaching that you must do your duty (dharma) even if it is difficult or painful.