A Bird’s-Eye View of Hinduism§
Hinduism, also known as the Sanatana Dharma, “Eternal Way,” is our planet’s original and oldest living religion, with over one billion adherents. Today it has four main denominations: Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism, each with hundreds of lineages. They represent a broad range of beliefs, practices and mystic goals, but virtually all concur on certain bedrock concepts. All Hindus worship one Supreme Reality, though called by different names. Hinduism has no eternal hell, no damnation, no intrinsic evil, no satanic force that opposes the will of God. Hindus believe the universe is a manifestation of God, the genderless Supreme Being—that He/She is form, pervades form, and yet transcends all form, manifesting, sustaining and reabsorbing the universe, only to recreate it again, in unending cycles. Devotion, austerity, meditation, yoga and selfless service further the soul’s evolution, and each Hindu soul is naturally drawn to one of these. Hinduism’s three pillars are temple worship, scripture and the guru-disciple tradition. Hinduism declares that there are three worlds of existence—physical, astral and spiritual—and myriad Gods and devas residing within the inner worlds. Festivals, pilgrimage, chanting of holy hymns and home worship are dynamic practices. Family life is strong and precious. Love, nonviolence, good conduct and the law of dharma define the Hindu path. Hindus respect and honor other faiths. ¶Hinduism explains that the soul reincarnates again and again until all karmas are resolved and God Realization is attained—and that this is the destiny of all souls without exception. This is a mystical religion, leading devotees to personally experience its eternal truths within themselves, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are forever one. Hindus prefer cremation of the body upon death rather than burial, thereby freeing the soul to continue its process of reincarnation. ¶While we have many sacred scriptures, all sects ascribe the highest authority to the Vedas and Agamas. Hinduism has tens of thousands of holy temples and shrines, mostly in India, but now located around the world. Its spiritual core is its holy men and women who have dedicated their lives to full-time service, devotion and God Realization, and to proclaiming the eternal truths of the Sanatana Dharma.§