Hinduism is the dominant religion, or way of life,[note 1] in South Asia, most n

otably in India and Nepal. Although Hinduism contains a broad range of philosoph
ies, it is a family of linked religious cultures bound by shared concepts, recog
nisable rituals, cosmology, shared textual resources, pilgrimage to sacred sites
and the questioning of authority.[1] It includes Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shak
tism[2] among others, each with an interwoven diversity of beliefs and practices
.[1][3] With approximately one billion followers,[web 1] Hinduism is the world's
third largest religion by population.
Hinduism has been called the "oldest religion" in the world,[note 2] and some pr
actitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanatana Dharma, "the eternal law" or th
e "eternal way"[4] beyond human origins.[5] Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion
[note 3] or synthesis[6][note 4] of various Indian cultures and traditions,[7][n
ote 5] with diverse roots[8][note 6] and no founder.[9] This "Hindu synthesis" s
tarted to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE,[10] after the Vedic times.[10][11]
Hinduism prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, refraining from injuri
ng living beings (ahimsa), patience, forbearance, self-restraint, compassion, am
ong others.[web 2][12]
Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include (but are not restricted to), the four
Puru?arthas, the proper goals or aims of human life, namely Dharma (ethics/dutie
s), Artha (prosperity/work), Kama (emotions/sexuality) and Moksha (liberation/fr
eedom);[13][14] karma (action, intent and consequences), samsara (cycle of rebir
th), and the various Yogas (paths or practices to attain moksha).[15][16] Hindu
practices include rituals such as puja (worship) and recitations, meditation, fa
mily-oriented rites of passage, annual festivals, and occasional pilgrimages. So
me Hindus leave their social world and material possessions, then engage in life
long Sannyasa (ascetic practices) to achieve moksha.[17][18]
Hindu texts are classified into Shruti ("heard") and Smriti ("remembered"). Thes
e texts discuss theology, philosophy, mythology, Vedic yajna, Yoga and agamic ri
tuals and temple building, among other topics.[19] Major scriptures include the
Vedas and Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Agamas.[20][21]
Contents [hide]
1
Etymology
2
Definitions
2.1
Typology
2.2
Indigenous understanding
2.3
Western understanding
3
Diversity and unity
3.1
Diversity
3.2
Sense of unity
4
Beliefs
4.1
Purusharthas (objectives of human life)
4.2
Karma and samsara
4.3
Moksha
4.4
Concept of God
4.5
Questioning authority
5
Scriptures
6
Practices
6.1
Rituals
6.2
Life-cycle rites of passage
6.3
Bhakti (worship)
6.4
Festivals
6.5
Pilgrimage
7
Person and society
7.1
Varnas
7.2
Yoga
7.3
Symbolism

7.4
Ahimsa, vegetarianism and other food customs
8
Denominations
9
Institutions
9.1
Temple
9.2
Ashrama
9.3
Monasticism
10
History
10.1
Periodisation
10.2
Origins
10.3
Prevedic religions (until c. 1750 BCE)
10.4
Vedic period (c. 1750-500 BCE)
10.5
"Second Urbanisation" (c. 500-200 BCE)
10.6
Classical Hinduism (c. 200 BCE
1100 CE)
10.7
Islamic rule and Bhakti movement of Hinduism (c. 1200-1750 CE)
10.8
Modern Hinduism (from c.1800)
11
Demographics
11.1
Conversion debate
12
See also
13
Notes
14
References
15
Sources
15.1
Printed sources
15.2
Web-sources
16
Further reading
17
External links
Etymology
Further information: Hindu and Hindustan
The word Hindu is derived from the Indo-Aryan[22]/Sanskrit[23] word Sindhu, the
Indo-Aryan name for the Indus River in the northwestern part of the Indian subco
ntinent (modern day Pakistan and Northern India).[23][note 7] According to Gavin
Flood, "The actual term 'Hindu' first occurs as a Persian geographical term for
the people who lived beyond the river Indus (Sanskrit: Sindhu)",[23] more speci
fically in the 6th-century BCE inscription of Darius I (550 486 BCE).[24] The term
'Hindu' in these ancient records is a geographical term and did not refer to a
religion.[23] Among the earliest known records of 'Hindu' with connotations of r
eligion may be in the 7th-century CE Chinese text Record of the Western Regions
by Xuanzang,[24] and 14th-century Persian text Futuhu's-salatin by 'Abd al-Malik
Isami.[note 8]
Thapar states that the word Hindu is found as heptahindu in Avesta
equivalent to
Rigvedic sapta sindhu, while hndstn (pronounced Hindustan) is found in a Sasani
an inscription from the 3rd century CE, both of which refer to parts of northwes
tern South Asia.[32] The Arabic term al-Hind referred to the people who live acr
oss the River Indus.[33] This Arabic term was itself taken from the pre-Islamic
Persian term Hindu, which refers to all Indians. By the 13th century, Hindustan
emerged as a popular alternative name of India, meaning the "land of Hindus".[34
][note 9]
The term Hindu was later used occasionally in some Sanskrit texts such as the la
ter Rajataranginis of Kashmir (Hinduka, c. 1450) and some 16th- to 18th-century
Bengali Gaudiya Vaishnava texts including Chaitanya Charitamrita and Chaitanya B
hagavata. These texts used it to contrast Hindus from Muslims who are called Yav
anas (foreigners) or Mlecchas (barbarians), with the 16th-century Chaitanya Char
itamrita text and the 17th century Bhakta Mala text using the phrase "Hindu dhar
ma".[35] It was only towards the end of the 18th century that European merchants
and colonists began to refer to the followers of Indian religions collectively
as Hindus. The term Hinduism, then spelled Hindooism, was introduced into the En
glish language in the 18th-century to denote the religious, philosophical, and c
ultural traditions native to India.[36]

Definitions
Hinduism includes a diversity of ideas on spirituality and traditions, but has n
o ecclesiastical order, no unquestionable religious authorities, no governing bo
dy, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheisti
c, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, agnostic, atheistic or humanist.[37][38]
[39] Because of the wide range of traditions and ideas covered by the term Hindu
ism, arriving at a comprehensive definition is difficult.[23] The religion "defi
es our desire to define and categorize it".[40] Hinduism has been variously defi
ned as a religion, a religious tradition, a set of religious beliefs, and "a way
of life."[41][note 1] From a Western lexical standpoint, Hinduism like other fa
iths is appropriately referred to as a religion. In India the term dharma is pre
ferred, which is broader than the western term "religion". Hindu traditionalists
prefer to call it Sanatana Dharma (the eternal or ancient dharma).[42]
The study of India and its cultures and religions, and the definition of "Hindui
sm", has been shaped by the interests of colonialism and by Western notions of r
eligion.[43] Since the 1990s, those influences and its outcomes have been the to
pic of debate among scholars of Hinduism,[44][note 10] and have also been taken
over by critics of the Western view on India.[45][note 11]
Typology
Main article: Hindu denominations
Hinduism as it is commonly known can be subdivided into a number of major curren
ts. Of the historical division into six darsanas (philosophies), two schools, Ve
danta and Yoga, are currently the most prominent.[46] Classified by primary deit
y, four major Hinduism modern currents are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism and S
martism.[web 3] Hinduism also accepts numerous divine beings, with many Hindus c
onsidering the deities to be aspects or manifestations of a single impersonal ab
solute or ultimate reality or God, while some Hindus maintain that a specific de
ity represents the supreme and various deities are lower manifestations of this
supreme.[47] Other notable characteristics include a belief in existence of atma
n (soul, self), reincarnation of one's atman, and karma as well as a belief in d
harma (duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and right way of living).
McDaniel (2007) classifies Hinduism into six major kinds and numerous minor kind
s, in order to understand expression of emotions among the Hindus.[48] The major
kinds, according to McDaniel are, Folk Hinduism, based on local traditions and
cults of local deities and is the oldest, non-literate system; Vedic Hinduism ba
sed on the earliest layers of the Vedas traceable to 2nd millennium BCE; Vedanti
c Hinduism based on the philosophy of the Upanishads, including Advaita Vedanta,
emphasizing knowledge and wisdom; Yogic Hinduism, following the text of Yoga Su
tras of Patanjali emphasizing introspective awareness; Dharmic Hinduism or "dail
y morality", which McDaniel states is stereotyped in some books as the "only for
m of Hindu religion with a belief in karma, cows and caste"; and Bhakti or devot
ional Hinduism, where intense emotions are elaborately incorporated in the pursu
it of the spiritual.[48]
Michaels distinguishes three Hindu religions and four forms of Hindu religiosity
.[49] The three Hindu religions are "Brahmanic-Sanskritic Hinduism,", "folk reli
gions and tribal religions," and "founded religions.[50] The four forms of Hindu
religiosity are the classical "karma-marga",[51] jnana-marga,[52] bhakti-marga,
[52] and "heroism," which is rooted in militaristic traditions, such as Ramaism
and parts of political Hinduism.[51] This is also called virya-marga.[52] Accord
ing to Michaels, one out of nine Hindu belongs by birth to one or both of the Br
ahmanic-Sanskritic Hinduism and Folk religion typology, whether practicing or no
n-practicing. He classifies most Hindus as belonging by choice to one of the "fo
unded religions" such as Vaishnavism and Shaivism that are salvation-focussed an
d often de-emphasize Brahman priestly authority yet incorporate ritual grammar o
f Brahmanic-Sanskritic Hinduism.[53] He includes among "founded religions" Buddh
ism, Jainism, Sikhism that are now distinct religions, syncretic movements such

as Brahmo Samaj and the Theosophical Society, as well as various Guru-ism and ne
w religious movements such as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and ISKCON.[54]
Inden states that the attempt to classify Hinduism by typology started in the im
perial times, when proselytizing missionaries and colonial officials sought to u
nderstand and portray Hinduism from their interests.[55] Hinduism was construed
as emanating not from a reason of spirit but fantasy and creative imagination, n
ot conceptual but symbolical, not ethical but emotive, not rational or spiritual
but of cognitive mysticism. This stereotype followed and fit, states Inden, wit
h the imperial imperatives of the era, providing the moral justification for the
colonial project.[55] From tribal Animism to Buddhism, everything was subsumed
as part of Hinduism. The early reports set the tradition and scholarly premises
for typology of Hinduism, as well as the major assumptions and flawed presupposi
tions that has been at the foundation of Indology. Hinduism, according to Inden,
has been neither what imperial religionists stereotyped it to be, nor is it app
ropriate to equate Hinduism to be merely monist pantheism and philosophical idea
lism of Advaita Vedanta.[55]
Indigenous understanding
Sanatana Dharma
See also: Sanatani
To its adherents, Hinduism is a traditional way of life.[56] Many practitioners
refer to Hinduism as Sanatana Dharma, "the eternal law" or the "eternal way".[57
] The Sanskrit word dharma has a much deeper meaning than religion and is not it
s equivalent. All aspects of a Hindu life, namely acquiring wealth (Artha), fulf
illment of desires (kama), and attaining liberation (moksha) are part of dharma
which encapsulates the "right way of living" and eternal harmonious principles i
n their fulfillment.[58][59]
Sanatana Dharma refers to the "eternal" duties all Hindus have to follow, regard
less of class, caste, or sect, such as honesty, refraining from injuring living
beings, purity, goodwill, mercy, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosi
ty, and asceticism. This is contrasted with svadharma, one's "own duty", the dut
ies to be followed by members of a specific caste and stage of life.[web 2] Acco
rding to Knott, this also
... refers to the idea that its origins lie beyond human history, and its truths
have been divinely revealed (shruti) and passed down through the ages to the pr
esent day in the most ancient of the world's scriptures, the Veda. (Knott 1998,
p. 5)
According to the Encyclopdia Britannica,
The term has also more recently been used by Hindu leaders, reformers, and natio
nalists to refer to Hinduism as a unified world religion. Sanatana dharma has th
us become a synonym for the "eternal" truth and teachings of Hinduism, the latte
r conceived of as not only transcendent of history and unchanging but also as in
divisible and ultimately nonsectarian.[web 2]
Hindu modernism