Vaishnavism

Known as “Sri Vaishnavism”, this school of Hinduism is dedicated to the worship and praise of Vishnu. In this practice, Vishnu is considered once again the most powerful being and particularly considered to be the source of all avatars. (Adluri, pg. 280) Not only has the progression of the deity Vishnu supplemented Hinduism and the Sri Vaishnavism, but the progression of Vishnu has also affected the world of philosophy. A Hindu theologian named Ramanuja was the earliest Vedic philosophy who acknowledges Vishnu as a personal god. (Ramakrishna p. 34) One of Ramanuja’s more memorable descriptions of Vishnu is the understanding he brings to the personal level of relationship that is maintained with Vishnu. This is important to the progression of religion in the world considering not all major deities were ever on a personal or relatable level of those who worshiped…

Hinduism What is religion? Religion is a set of beliefs and experience. There are many religions in the world such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, Judaism, Shinto, Daoism, and Confucianism. Every religion has own beliefs systems and experiences. It is based on the individuals’ belief and experiences. Hindu religion is not like the other religions, which based on one person. There are 330 million gods in Hindu religion. It is founded by the Aryan…

Most religion has one God that they worship and pray to; however, many also believe in more than one god for guidance through life. Being monotheistic means praying to only one God to help guide someone through their difficulties in life and that God has a plan for them. Being polytheistic is praying to more than one god because many gods can represent many things in life and praying to that specific god can help someone through that specific obstacle. For Hindus, believing in more than one…

One of the classical depictions of the Hindu God Shiva shows his dancing. Nataraja is considered to be the ultimate depiction of the dance, Nataraja meaning “Lord of the Dance”. Here we see Shiva with his left leg on top of his right, and his hands holding fire and a drum. His other set of appendages are in a very distinct form. Fire encircles him in a ring while he stands on a man. This is commonly attributed to overcoming darkness/negativity and ignorance. This beautiful illustration of…

The final part of the Hinduism chapter discussed the topics about gender roles, health etiquettes, path to salvation, religious living, and the afterlife. The discussion on gender roles was most intriguing to me and it provided some insight about how women were treated in the ancient world. According to Bilhartz, Hinduism emphasizes a nondualistic reality, where "opposites are mere illusions; true reality is indivisible; ultimately everything ( male/female, creator/creature; human/divine) is…

India is one of the most diverse countries in the world, where many colorful cultures reside. It is not only home to a variety of religions, but is also home to Hinduism, which in itself has many various ways of devotion and worship. It has many different types of worship, texts and gods. This is one reason Hinduism is so popular. It can be molded to fit the individual worshiper. There are three main classes in Hinduism each with their own focus when it comes to Puja or worship. Vedic Hinduism…

Radha Madhav Dham is one of the largest Hindu temples in the United States. Located near Austin, Texas, it spans 35,000 feet and is five stories tall. The temple is noted for its architectural beauty and the significance of said architecture in relation to the art and the doctrine of Hinduism. Hindu temples are designed to represent central beliefs, this is shown by their symmetrical style. Before entering the temple, you’re greeted by four main pillars in front of the central doorway. These…

In the episode called “Who is God?” of the series “The Story of God”, Morgan Freeman explores the concept of who God is and how the idea of God has evolved. He visits several places throughout the world, including places like India and Egypt. The episode shares insights, but doesn’t insinuate or stretch facts on who God is? The show begins with Morgan taking a trip to India to get some insights on Hinduism. The woman states that Hinduism is an umbrella term and that there not just…

3. Linga – The Symbol or Phallus The Sanskrit word Linga is the term for the emblem of the Hindu God Shiva. It is the depiction of Shiva in a column or pillar form. It represents the phallus, but at the same time it is the representation of the cosmos and a symbol of fertility, life and regeneration. Linga does not only specific a phallus but it is a word which translates best as a symbol indicating a distinguishing mark, a characteristic of gender or sex. Linga worship is also known as Nirguna…

Hindu is a pagan religion espoused by the people of India and Nepal, was formed through a long march from the fifth century BC to the present. It is a religion of spiritual and moral values as well as legal and regulatory principles taken several gods, according to related works, for every area of the god, and every act or phenomenon there a God for it. There is no specific founder for Hindu religion and most of their books they don’t know who the authors, the religion as well as the books have…