Hinduism

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Hinduism
Worlds Earliest Polytheistic Major World
Religion
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Post Classical Period 500-1450

• Two Major Themes
• Religion
• Buddhism, Christianity and Islam
• Hinduism and Judaism
• Trade
• Indian Ocean Trade Network
• Silk Roads

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World trade routes. Between 1100 and 1500 a relay
system of trade by land and sea connected almost
all populous regions of Eurasia, as well as north
and east Africa. Long-distance traders carried
goods along their own segments of these routes,
and then turned them over to traders in the next
sector. The western hemisphere was still
separate, and had two major trade networks of its
own.
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Who Practices It?

• Aryans and others in the Indian subcontinent

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Description

• Creator Brahma--Nameless, formless, unlimited
  supreme force of such complexity it is
  unimaginable to humans
• Other gods are manifestations of Brahma

BrahmaThe Creator
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Hinduism

• Beliefs

Vishnu -preserver of life Shiva -destroyer
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Hinduism

• Beliefs
• Each family may worship hundreds of additional
  minor deities specific to a particular village or
  family
• Some include

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Hinduism

• Beliefs
• Ganesha
• God of wisdom

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Hinduism

• Beliefs
• Saraswati
• Goddess of knowledge the arts

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Hinduism

• Beliefs
• Durga
• Goddess of war female creative energy (shakti)

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Hinduism

• Beliefs
• Krishna

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Reincarnation

• your actions in past lives dictate status in
  current life repeats until you reach Moksha (a
  state of perfect internal peace and release of
  the soul)
• dharma (duties and obligations of your caste)
• karma (actions that bring good or badfate)

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Caste System

• Brahmin-Priests, Teachers, Scholars
• Kshatriya-Kings and Warriors
• Vaishya-Traders
• Sudra-farmers, some artisans

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No central sacred text

• Vedas and Upanishads guide Hindus