The most ancient sacred texts of the hindu religion are written in sanskrit and called the vedas. They also help to preserve the religious dimensions of family and society. The veda, which means wisdom, is comprised of four ancient and holy scriptures which all hindus revere as the revealed word of god. Hinduism is the worlds oldest religion, according to many scholars, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. Hinduism or sanatana dharma eternal spiritual path began about 4000 years ago in india. The veda is a rather unusual collection of literature. Hinduism stands for the faith and the way of life most of the people who live in india.
There is no single scripture as it is in other religions like christianity and islam. Hinduism does not have a single holy book, but many ancient texts and scriptures. Christianity broadly consists of individuals who believe in the deity jesus christ. Lord krishna was living in a little town called brindavan 5000 years ago.
Both the sects believe in one god who assumes different forms and roles for the sake of creation. The vedas are scriptures that the hindu people use as a guide to daily and religious life. This holy book is written in the sanskrit language. The vedas a collection of hymns praising the vedic gods. Jun 08, 2011 hindus believe that parents, teacher, and food are next to god. Hinduism for ks1 and ks2 children hindu faith homework help. Today, with about 900 million followers, hinduism is. Others have preferred vedic religion, using the term vedic to refer not only to the ancient religious texts known as the vedas but also to a fluid corpus of sacred.
The hindu religion originated in india thousands of years ago. Unlike other religions in the world, the hindu religion does not claim any one prophet, it does not worship any one god, it does not believe in any one philosophic concept, it does not follow any one act of religious rites or performances. Its followers, called christians, often believe christ is the son of the holy trinity and walked the earth as the incarnate form of god the father. It began about 5000 years ago, linked to the people who lived near to the indus river in about 2500 bc. Roughly 95 percent of the worlds hindus live in india. There are a number of scriptures and holy books in hinduism. I hope that from this short introduction to the holy books of hinduism it is apparent that hindus consider a great variety of literature important, and that this literature is as diverse and complex as it is beautiful. Feb 18, 2017 the most sacred scriptures of hinduism are the vedas books of knowledge, a collection of texts written in sanskrit from about 1200 bce to 100 ce as sruti revealed texts, the vedas are regarded as the absolute authority for religious knowledge and a test of hindu orthodoxy both jains and buddhists reject the vedas. God is believed to have the taken human form of rama to show.
Brahman takes on many forms that some hindus worship as gods or. Central to hinduism is the belief in a supreme god brahman. Here are a few key beliefs of the hindu faith to help you understand. It is the divine in these that makes each sacred and worthy of reverence. They are rig veda, sama veda, yajur veda and atharva veda. The vedas scriptures guide hindus in their daily life.
The vedas and these other works are further divided into two sections. Hindu texts accept a polytheistic framework, but this is generally. Mar 17, 2015 hinduism embraces a diversity of beliefs, a fact that can be initially confusing to westerners accustomed to creeds, confessions, and carefullyworded belief statements. Hinduism is the worlds third largest religion with over 1 million hindus in the united states alone. The scriptures of the vedas are meant to guide hindu believers in their daily lives. The religious scriptures are not followed word to word. Other holy scriptures in hinduism are called the upanisads, the smrutis, the puranas, the ramayana and the mahabharata. Read and learn for free about the following article. Aug 25, 2009 hindus believe that the vedas texts were received by scholars direct from god and passed on to the next generations by word of mouth. Basic beliefs of hinduism hinduism facts hinduism facts. The holy book in the hindu religion is known as the vedas. Hindu religious books for children spiritual india trip.
Teachers give us the knowledge to survive in this world. Hinduism is such an ancient religion that it had many types of beliefs and religious practices. Oct 26, 2014 which i have am written here its too precious, go through it please refer the below brahma sutra. There is only one god, and there are many paths to him. The majority of the vedas are considered the shruti, which is translated to that which is hard. Hinduism definition, hindu religion, gods, beliefs, history, holy book definition hinduism is commonly thought of as a religion, but this is an inaccuracy, it is a way in which most of the people of india who are not muslim live. Information on hinduism for kids primary homework help. From a small basil plant to the vermilion powder, these small sacred objects have a spiritual significance. Parents give us birth, nurture us, teach us values. Hindu religion also referred to as hinduism is a religion that teaches us multiple ways to pray to god and to spirituality one can chant mantra, sing bhajans, do meditation, do deity worship, read multiple scriptures, do yoga, do yajnas amoung the most common ways. Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning. The belief system in the hindi religion is outlined from these scriptures.
The idea of supreme god in hinduism pervades all teachings and methods of worship although it may not always be visible. Hindu belief that the universe is god and god is the universe the idea that there is one supreme being but many. Like the taoist tao te ching, the buddhist dhammapada, the sikh adi granth, the jewish torah, the christian bible and the muslim koranthe veda is the hindu holy book. Hinduism does not just have one sacred book but several scriptures. These texts were initially handed down by word of mouth from teacher to student. Some of the other holy works and books of hinduism are stories and epic poems. To people raised in other faiths, hinduism may seem very complex, but the core beliefs of hinduism are actually quite simple to understand. It was the religion of an ancient people known as the aryans noble people whose philosophy, religion, and customs are recorded in their sacred texts known as the vedas. We do hope that all serious students of hindu religion and philosophy will find the book useful and.
The aryans gave hinduism its priestly language, sanskrit. Vedas and upanishadas are the most authoritative amongst all hindu scriptures and holy books. Followers believe there are multiple paths to reaching their god. Hinduism definition hindu religion, gods, beliefs, history. These nine beliefs offer a basic summary of sanatana dharmas spirituality. Apr 03, 20 that is why there are many holy books in hinduism. The primary sacred texts, known as the vedas, were composed around 1500 b. Hinduism does not have a single holy book that guides religious practice. The song of god, often referred to as the gita, is a 700verse hindu scripture that is part of the epic mahabharata chapters 2340 of bhishma parva. May 03, 2018 hinduism is the largest and the oldest religion of hte world. The famous quotation from the bhagavad gita, which is the holy book of the hindus, is the basis of their belief that god lord vishnu takes birth on the earth as an avatar or incarnation and as a saviour of the humanity in order to cleanse the world of evil and reestablish dharma or law when the human society reaches the nadir of moral and cultural values, and lose all awareness of what is. The most holy of the hindu books is written in sanskrit and is referred to as the vedas.
These texts are glorious tales of the hindu trinity brahma, vishnu and maheshwar shiva. Hindu holy books in english for kids aged 10, 11 and 12. He was born on the earth to make realize the people their sin, and to know their principles of life and protect the good in this world. Followers of judaism believe in one god who revealed himself through ancient prophets. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world.
There are also other holy books like puranas, ramayana, mahabharta etc. According to the bhagavadgita, a hindu religious text, the path of bhakti, or bhaktimarga, is superior to the two. Nine beliefs of hinduism hindus believe in the divinity of the vedas, the worlds most ancient scripture, and venerate. Whitman, md drexel university college of medicine, department of psychiatry, and private practice specializing in pain medicine in philadelphia, pennsylvania. Pain and suffering as viewed by the hindu religion sarah m. The book, which was first published in 1947, has now been rearranged in a more convenient form, with useful additions here and there, and is now released in its fifth edition. The puranas are holy books of hinduism that date back to gupta empire in ancient india.
Hindus believe that the vedas texts were received by scholars direct from. Hindus value many sacred writings as opposed to one holy book. So, what are the holy books of the five major world religions. These are the most ancient religious texts which define truth for hindus. Brahman is present everywhere and there is a part of brahman. It is also the main feature of shaivism and vaishnavism. We believe and respect multiple spiritual books like the veda, puranas. There is no one holy book, there are many books that contribute to the religion, such as the. The hindu faith draws on a number of sacred texts and there is no standard set of beliefs, so it is a religion which is followed in different ways by different groups of people. The holy books of world religions sacred texts in world. However, the puranas are supposed to be complied by muni vyasa. Beyond both of these is the spirit or the spark of god within the soul. Krishna is one of the most popular gods in hinduism. Dec 03, 2014 traditional hindu children stories, recommended for children between 4 and 8 years of age.
The most popular one of the lesser gods are brahma the creator, vishnu the preserver, and shiva the destroyer hinduism has no founder. For many hindus, religion is a matter of practice rather than of beliefs. One can believe a variety of things about god, the universe and the path to liberation and still be considered a hindu. Hindus also worship different gods which individually represent one particular aspect of brahman. Christianity vs hinduism difference and comparison diffen. Hinduism is an indian religion and dharma, or way of life, widely practiced in the indian subcontinent and parts of southeast asia. Hinduism, as the worlds most ancient surviving religion, could have it no other way. The different gods and goddesses in the hindu mythology are derived from these books.
The basic beliefs and history of a religion is often found in its sacred or revered texts. The concluding portions of the vedas are called upanisads. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as sanatana dharma, the eternal tradition, or the eternal way, beyond human history. It is a religion that has slowly developed over a period of time. Brahman is present everywhere and there is a part of brahman in everyone. Nov 04, 2008 the aryans gave hinduism its priestly language, sanskrit. Religion and spiritual practices are among the resources used by patients to cope with chronic pain. However, the holy books in hinduism are the basis on which we have evolved our culture and way of. Feb 21, 2020 judaism is the worlds oldest monotheistic religion, dating back nearly 4,000 years.
Therefore, these three things have utmost importance and reverence in hinduism. Around 1750 bc aryan invaders from central asia settled in north. Today, with about 900 million followers, hinduism is the thirdlargest religion behind christianity and islam. Hindus not just worship idols of gods and goddesses, but also consider some objects as very sacred. Unlike christianity or islam, it is a not a religion that is governed by the book. The holy books in hinduism are there only for guidance.
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