Hinduism Religion

The sacred scriptures of Hinduism are the Vedas, the scriptures of the Aryans. Veda means Knowledge and the scriptures are described as sruti or 'heard' by the sages or revealed to them. There are four, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. They are mostly collections of liturgies for priests during sacrificial rites. The earliest is the Rig Veda, a collection of sacred hymns dating from about 1500 BC.

The foundation of Hinduism is laid on studying the relationship between mankind, the universe and God or the Universal Spirit. This philosophical structure is given by the Upanishads, mystical and speculative texts compiled by sages from about 1500 to 200 BC. The Upanishads are seen as the final segment of the Vedas and hence called Vedanta or End of the Vedas.

They led to six schools of philosophy being developed: the Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva-Mimamsa and Uttara-Mimamsa. They variously deal with logic, spirit-matter dualism, meditational techniques, Vedic philosophy and ritual and atomistic pluralism. The goal of the various schools is to show how ultimate union of the individual soul or Atman with the Universal Soul or Brahman could be achieved by following the path they devise.

Hindus may engage in some type of formal worship (Sanskrit: pыjв, worship or veneration) either at home or at a temple. At home, Hindus often create a shrine with icons dedicated to the individual's chosen form(s) of God. Veneration may involve offering food, water, or flowers and may be expressed through the burning of incense, lighting of candles or oil-lamps, ringing a bell, waving a fan, or sounding a conch-shell. Other practices of Puja include meditation, the chanting of mantras, and the recitation of scriptures. It is the most significant thing to make God happy and to get rewards from God.

Hindu temples are a place of worship for Hindus. They are usually dedicated to a primary deity along with associated subordinate deities. However, some temples are dedicated to multiple deities. Most major temples are constructed as per the вgama shвstras and many are sites of pilgrimage. An important element of temple architecture and many Hindu households in general is Vaastu Shastra, the science of aesthetic and auspicious design.

Visiting temples is not obligatory for Hindus. Many Hindus go to temples only during religious festivals, though others do so more regularly. Temples are not used for funerals, or as social hubs but some are used for weddings (e.g. temple of Dnyaneshwar at Alandi, Maharashtra). Many Hindus view the four Shankaracharyas (the abbots of the monasteries of Joshimath, Puri, Shringeri and Dwarka -- four of the holiest pilgrimage centers -- sometimes to which a fifth at Kanchi is also added) as the Patriarchs of Hinduism. Temple (Mandir) is the most significant places of Hindu religion.

Hinduism has a developed system of symbolism and iconography to represent the sacred in art, architecture, literature and worship. These symbols gain their meaning from the scriptures, mythology, or cultural traditions. The symbols Om (which represents the Parabrahman), Swastika (which symbolizes auspiciousness) have grown to represent Hinduism itself, while other markings such as tilaka identify a follower of the faith. Hinduism associates many symbols, which include the lotus, chakra and veena, with particular devas. These associations distinguish the physical representations of the deities in sculptural or printed form and are based upon allegorical references in Hindu mythology. While most representations of deities are largely anthropomorphic there are exceptions. For instance the deity Shiva is worshipped in the form of a pillar-like stone called a lingam.

In many Hindu sects, spiritual aspirants are encouraged to adopt a personal spiritual teacher, called a guru. Traditionally, during brahmacharya (see Ashramas) a Guru taught a disciple all things necessary to lead a dharmic life. The student is expected to follow the instructions of the guru and to have a spiritual life. The guru's recompense paid by the student is known as gurudakshina; in many traditions, this may not be monetary.

Mantras are prayers or chants that through