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Hinduism in India

Hinduism encompasses the different beliefs, practices, traditions, and philosophies that have emerged from the Indian Subcontinent as a result of Aryan religious influence on the indigenous Dravidian people. The religion evolved throughout the Indian subcontinent during the reigns of various dynasties, particularly the Gupta and Mughal Empires. According to most scholars, Hinduism is commonly regarded as a henotheistic religion because Hindus recognize multiple manifestations of Brahman, the supreme, underlying, eternal, divine spirit of the universe. Adherents of Hinduism strive to fulfill the four main goals of life, or the purushartas, which include artha, kama, dharma, and moksha. Hindus believe in samsara, which refers to the continuous cycle of birth and rebirth brought about by the moral law of action and reaction, also known as karma. Hindus practice the four main types of yoga to achieve moksha, or liberation from the cycle of reincarnation: Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, and Raja yoga. Hindu beliefs and established doctrines have also served as the foundation for the Caste system, a form of social hierarchy still evident in Indian society today.

Doctrines of Hinduism

Hindus value moral and religious duty, or dharma, as well as the importance of uniting the soul (Atman) with the Brahman to achieve moksha and recognize the true essence of existence. The Hindu concept of karma, which pertains to the natural law of action and consequence, facilitates samsara, the cycle of birth and rebirth, by influencing the status of one's reincarnation. Hindus strive for the purushartas, or the four primary goals of life: artha (economic wealth), kama (craving and desire for satisfaction), dharma (individual duty), and moksha (escape from samsara). Hindus seek moksha by practicing various yogas, which all influence the Indian lifestyle and outlook on life. Karma yoga is the pursuit of selfless action, in which one performs deeds without concern for reward or self-gain. Bhakti Yoga is the practice of worshiping and devoting oneself to a specific Hindu deity based on personal needs. Jnana yoga practitioners seek divine understanding and the significance of distancing oneself from one's physical body and becoming one with Brahman. Raja yoga is a type of meditative and reflective yoga in which one maintains harmony and control over one's body and mind. Hindu philosophy-based yogas have compelled followers to prioritize compassion and virtuous karma in their lives in order to be reborn into a higher caste and eventually attain moksha.

History of Hinduism

Main Article: History of Hinduism

Origins of Hinduism

Map displaying the geography of the Ancient Indus River Valley Civilization between 2600 and 1900 BCE.

Hinduism is the world's oldest known religion, dating back between 2300 and 1500 BCE. The religion is believed to have originated in the Indus River Valley, which today encompasses southern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwest India. The excavations and archaeological findings at the Harappan sites indicate that the inhabitants of the ancient Indus River Valley civilization practiced the Ancient Vedic religion prior to the development of Hinduism.. In contrast to other world religions, Hinduism developed with no specific founder, date of origin, or single set of beliefs and practices. Scholars believe that around 1500 BCE, the Aryans, a group of nomadic tribes, traveled and settled in the Indus River Valley. Aryan ideas and beliefs consequently merged with the local pre-existing Vedic doctrines of the Dravidians, resulting in the emergence of Hinduism as a religion comprised of different beliefs and practices. The Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, and the Atharvaveda are the sacred Sanskrit Hindu texts composed by the Indo-Aryans in Ancient India. These ancient scriptures, presumed to have been written between 1500 and 1200 BCE, established Brahmanism and served as the foundation for classical Hindu philosophy, ritual, and way of life..

Hinduism under the Gupta Empire (320 to 550 CE)

Hinduism grew in popularity during the Gupta dynasty and was promoted by emperors Chandra Gupta I and Samudragupta in the 4th and 5th centuries. The Gupta rulers were Hindus who strictly enforced and promoted the caste system. Brahmins, in particular, gained greater influence in Hindu society as they were granted land and exempted from taxation under the Gupta empire. During this time, the Guptas also incorporated Hindu teachings and practices into Indian educational systems and used Hinduism as a common religion to unite the state. The Gupta Dynasty saw the development of Hindu temples dedicated to different Hindu gods, particularly Lord Vishnu, the god of preservation, and Lord Shiva, the god of destruction. As adherents of Brahmanism, the Guptas emphasized the worship of the Trimurti, the three most important Hindu manifestations of Brahman. Hindu practices began to diversify and become more complex during Gupta rule, as the ancient Vedic religion continued to evolve and form the basis of contemporary Hinduism.

Hinduism under the Mughal Empire (1526-1857 CE)

In the sixteenth century, following the fall of the Dehli Sultanate in 1526, emperor Babur established the Mughal Empire. The Mughals were Muslim rulers who ruled over a predominantly South Asian Hindu population. The Mughal Empire was famous for popularizing and spreading Islamic ideals, architecture, philosophy, and culture throughout the Indian subcontinent. Throughout the Dehli Sultanate and Mughal Empire, Hindus of the lowest caste, also known as Dalits, gravitated toward Islam, a religion that rejected the inequality brought about by the caste system. Religious tolerance was generally promoted under the Dynasty's early rulers such as Babur, Humayun, and Akbar. However, during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, Hindu temples were destroyed, and many Hindus were persecuted and forced to convert to Islam. The widespread oppression of Hindus under Aurangzeb led to widespread rebellion and unrest across the state, causing the Mughal Empire to decline as the divisions between Hindus and Muslims grew.

Caste System

Image illustrating the social class hierarchy enforced in Indian society.

The Hindu Caste system was a type of social hierarchy instituted throughout the Indian subcontinent that classified people into four groups: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The caste to which one belongs is determined by heredity, so one remains in the same caste from birth and for the remainder of one's life. Hindus believe that performing virtuous karma will allow one to be reincarnated into a higher caste, whereas failing to live by one's dharma, or duty, will result in reincarnation into a lower caste. The caste system arose as a result of the arrival of the Aryans between 2000 and 1500 BCE. The term was first employed in the Bhagavad Gita when Krishna encourages Arjuna to fight by reminding him of the importance of upholding one's dharma according to one's caste. Krishna's words were later cited in the Manusmriti, or Laws of Manu, which suggests the need for a strict caste system in order to fulfill the divine order emphasized in the Vedas. The specific professions and people one can marry are also determined by one's caste. The highest caste, the Brahmins, were primarily noble Hindu priests and academic religious figures. The Kshatriyas are the varna below the Brahmins and served as warriors, militaristic, and administrative leaders. The Vaishyas were the common people who worked as farmers and merchants beneath the Kshatriyas. The Shudras comprised the lowest caste in the social hierarchy, consisting of artisans and manual laborers. The Dalits, or untouchables, were considered impure people who belonged to India's lowest social class. Dalits were low-wage workers who cleared dead animals and collected trash.