Hinduism is the name given in the nineteenth century to the coalition of religions that existed (originated) in India (Bowker 1997: p.18). Muslim invaders named the people of the Indus Valley ‘Hindus’; the name derived from the Persian word Hindu, and the Sanskrit Sindhu, which means ‘river’: But Hinduism’s origins lie in the Vedic religion. The beliefs and practices of Hinduism can be traced, in part, to its vast sacred literature: the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puraanas, the Dharma Sutras, the Dharma Sastras, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, which includes the Bhagvad Gita.

Hinduism is a complex religion with a great variety of beliefs and practices, a social system and way of life. It is a polytheistic religion, though such is its tolerance, that it encompasses beliefs, which are monotheistic and atheistic, although it believes in the supreme authority of a creator God and the supremacy of the spiritual realm over worldly affairs. Hindus believe in the immortality of souls, their transmigration through many lives, driven by karma and the possibility of liberation (moksa); it is actions performed with a sense of attachment that generate karma and the resultant cycle of death and rebirth.

 
Karma has to be annihilated to achieve moksa, the goal of human life, where the soul becomes free from worldly sufferings, is purified, and achieves a state of bliss and oneness with God. It can be achieved by one of three paths: the path of knowledge (jnaan maarga), the path of detachment from actions (karma maarga) and the path of devotion to God (bhakti maarga).

Hindus worship a host of gods and goddesses, such as Vishnu (and his incarnations such as Rama and Krishna) and his consort Laxmi, Siva and his cosorts Parvati, Durga and Kali, and his sons Ganesha and Kartikeya (Agni’s son also), Agni (fire god), Surya (sky god), Vaayu (wind god) and his son Hanuman, and Sarasvati (goddess of learning), which derive from Vedic polytheism, while the Upanishads advocate monism.

God possesses three aspects: creator, preserver and destroyer, the creator is Brahma, the preserver is Vishnu and the destroyer is Siva (Mahesh); these three constitute the trinity of Hinduism, which are encompassed in one supreme Lord Vishnu who is loving, compassionate, benevolent and virtuous. It is believed (mainly by Vaisnavites) that whenever unrighteousness reigns in the world, Vishnu incarnates himself in human form to banish the evil; to date he has been incarnated in nine forms: a fish, a tortoise, a bear, a man-lion (nrisinha), a dwarf (vaamana) and four times in human form as Parasurama, Rama, Krishna and the Buddha. A tenth incarnation Kalki is expected in the near future (Bowker 1997: p.26). Siva is believed to be everything (especially by Saivites), a creator, destroyer and is preserver and is venerated as great yogi and diligent householder; or Bhairava the destroyer and the giver of rest; and serene and peaceful, reconciling them. Siva is often worshipped through his symbol the linga, male energy surrounded by the yoni, the female source of life. Saivism has three principles: pati, or God; pasu or individual soul and pasa, or bondage for earthly existence. The aim of Saivism is to rid the soul of bondage and achieve sivatva, ‘the nature of Siva’ through ascetic practices and penances, and through yoga and renunciation.

Hinduism has many theories about the creation of the world, but generally it is believed that God either created the world from external elements or of material from his own being. An important belief is that the world exists only as a ‘play’ (lila) as directed by God, who created the world in accordance only with the requirements of the law of karma (Tiwari K. 1983; p.20).

 

The human being has been given the highest status in Hinduism, but due to ignorance (avidya or ajnaana), the human soul cannot liberate itself, however, by acquiring knowledge it can dispel ignorance and liberate itself. It is bound by its own karma and can achieve moksa only by its own efforts, one makes one’s own destiny, happiness or sufferings as one sows, so one reaps. The soul enjoys or suffers the fruits of the attached karma in this or subsequent lives; rebirth is, therefore, a result of one’s own actions in previous lives. The three paths to moksa are interdependent: the path of knowledge is the path of inner realisation; the path of action is the path of selfless, detached actions (niskaama karma) and the path of devotion is the life of sincere worship and prayers to God. For inner realisation, Hinduism prescribes the various disciplines of yoga, austerities (saadhanaa) and meditation, thus many Hindu yogis or saadhus renounce the world to reside in the forests and mountains, and practise the path of meditation for inner purity. But Hindus also give great importance to external purity, bathing at home and in sacred rivers, to the purity of their food and the environment, and some consider this external purity an important aspect of their religion.

The Bhagvad Gita advocates the moral path of selfless detached action, setting out the duties of the various castes. The Rigveda and Upanishads contain the core of Hindu morality, the Dharma Sastras describe the ethical virtues.and the duties of each caste and each stage of life:

The general duties prescribed for all Hindus are the practices of ahimsaa, satya, asteya, brahmcarya and aparigraha, identical, to a degree to Jain panca mahaavratas.
The path of devotion to God includes prayers, worship and complete surrender, in daily practice, a Hindu combines all the three paths, performing prayers and worship and practising the virtues of charity, liberality, kindness, honesty and truth, and this may include yoga and meditation. Pujaa is performed in the home, in temples or at places of pilgrimage, where certain celestial beings, the Sun, Indra, Varuna, may also be worshipped. Offerings of sacred substances and food are given during pujaa and afterwards, the food is distributed among the family members. Most temples have a brahmin priest, who makes offerings on behalf of devotees and performs the rituals. Some rituals can be extremely elaborate such as the yagnas, in which sacred offerings, such as sandalwood, to the sacred fire are made to purify the self and the family members. In order that Hindus might gain the grace of the gods or goddesses, animals were slaughtered before the deity and their flesh was distributed as prasaada among the worshippers or the priests. These practices were very prevalent in the times of Mahavira and Buddha, but they are rarity today. Hindus have a number of sacred duties and social rituals such as those for marriage and death, and for some castes, wearing the sacred thread (janoi). Generally, Hindu society is patriarchal, however women are respected and their views are noted, particularly from older women. And since the beginning of this century, women have been given a greater role in the management of the households, businesses, society and the state.

 

Hinduism has two major sects, Saivism and Vaishnavism, and a third strand, Saktism, recognised as an offshoot of Saivism. However, over the centuries, a large number of additional sects have emerged such as Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Rama Krishna Mission, Swaminarayan, Brahma Kumaris, Harekrishna (Iskcon), Sathya Sai Baba and Jalaram Bapa movement. Most of the Hindus are normally very tolerant to other faiths.

The worship, both viewing the image (darsan) and pujaa, is of paramount importance in the home as well as in the temple. The temple has a brahmin priest, who acts as an intermediary between the devotee and the god and makes offerings on behalf of the devotee. Pilgrimages to various sacred places are also an important part of Hindu life. Most of the Hindu places of pilgrimage are near rivers when compared to Jain pilgrimage sites, most of which are on hills. Hindus have many festivals; most common among them are: Lohri, celebrated in Punjab at the end of January to mark the end of winter; Pongal-Sankati, celebrated in south India as feast for the rice harvest in /February; Holi and Sivaratri, both celebrated as national festivals in March; Sri Vaisnavas celebrated in Madras in April to honour Visnu and his consort Sri, when the Temple images of Visnu are carried to the sea shore; Rathyatra celebrated in May to mark the birthday of the Lord Jagannath, with a large  chariot procession in Puri; Janmastami, a national celebration in August, as the birthday of Krishna; Ganesh Caturthi, as the birthday celebration for Ganesha and Dassera to celebrate the triumph over evil in September; and Divali, a national celebration in honour of Rama and his consortin October.

Jainism and Hinduism
The sacred books of the Hindus are the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Smritis and the Puraanas. Both believe in karma theory: Jainism describes karma as fine particles of matter, Hinduism as the mere impressions of actions, but the aim of both traditions is moksa, Hinduism has varying paths for liberation, while Jainism has a singlar path of Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct. Jainism has influenced Hinduism in observing the doctrine of ahimsaa, and the influence of Hinduism can be seen in some Jain rituals.
 Jainism believes the individual soul keeps its shape and, as it has no form, it seems to be merged with other liberated souls; Hinduism believes that the soul merges with God when one attains moksa. Jainism believes the universe to have always existed and that no God created it; Hinduism believes the world has been created by the Supreme God from his own body and external material.

 Jainism does not have the varna (caste) system of the Hindus. It believes in the equality of souls and that every person, irrespective of caste, creed or colour, can obtain liberation, provided s/he follows the path of self-conquest. Hinduism considers Brahmins to have an innate superior; the Brahmin priest acts as intermediary in Hindu worship in the temples between god and the devotee; Jainism believes in equality, the worship is individual and there is no intermediary in temple worship. There is more emphasis on external cleanliness in Hinduism, while Jainism places more emphasis on internal purity.
 Jainism has a well-organised fourfold order of male and female ascetics, laymen and laywomen, and there are substantial spiritual contacts between laity and the ascetics, but Hinduism lacks such an order.

Social rituals are sacred to Hinduism, while Jains do not attach great importance to such rituals, but both religions have influenced one another in devotional practices and in moral values.

Worship also differs, Jains worship the jinas as examplary and do not ask them for any favours, whereas Hindus pray for the realisation of the objects of desire; Hindu offerings in temple rituals are distributed as prasaada, while Jains disdain such offerings. Objects of worship differ,and festivals have dissimilar objectives and Jains do not believe in Hindu rituals such as sun worship, bathing during eclipses, or ceremonial bathing in rivers. Jain rituals follow the example and teachings of the jinas.