Hinduism Monotheistic Religion

1. What is the point of origin?

Hinduism originated in India during the Vedic and Epic ages. Hinduism or Santana Dharma is also known as the “eternal spiritual path", it began about four thousand years ago in India. It was the religion of the people known as the Aryans also known as the "noble people", whose philosophy, religion, and customs are written down in sacred texts known as the Vedas.

2. How did the religion/philosophy spread?

Hinduism started to spread as early as the third century BC, when there were many Hindu kingdoms that established outside India, mainly in South East Asia, Bali, Java, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. These kingdoms encouraged their subjects to have beliefs. Hinduism was spread by merchants.

3. How many followers are

Is the religion monotheistic or polytheistic? What are the deities called?

Hinduism is a polytheistic religion because they believe in many gods. They have many gods but some are considered better known then others, for example Krishna. It describes Vishnu as the spirit of all beings, the master of the past, present and future, the creator and destroyer of all existence, the one who supports, preserves, sustains and watches over the universe and develops all things within.

5. Who founded the religion? When?

Hinduism doesn’t have a founder or really even an origin. It’s been around for such a long time that no one really knows who started it or when it really started, it is said to be one of the oldest religions in the world. Hinduism contains many major sects, as well as countless sub-sects with local or regional variations.

6. What is the name of the holy book?

The holy books of Hinduism are the Vedas, the Smriti, Amayana, Mahabharata and also the Purans. The Vedas is said to be the oldest of the Hindu writings, it was written in early Sanskrit and has hymns, philosophy, and guidance on rituals for priests. It is believed to have been directly related to the early Aryans in India, and they preserved it by oral

For example, the Brahmins being the highest ranking, then the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras. The Brahmins were priests or teachers, the Kshatrivas were the warriors, the Vaishyas were farmers, merchants, business people, and the Shudras were the artisans. There were also people called the untouchables which were considered to be the lowest class, and were looked down upon. The caste system was assigned to them by birth and once you were in it, you could never get out. You were forced to marry in the same caste, talk to the same caste, and you can’t mix with any other caste system. it was very unlikely for people to move up in the caste system.

9. What are the basic beliefs of the religion/philosophy?

That the authority of the Vedas and Brahmin is something you had to follow. There is also the reality of a stable soul that travels from one body to another (reincarnation) and that karma determines a person’s destiny both in this life and the next. The ultimate goal of all Hindus is to get out of the cycle of rebirth. For those who are really religious, this means being in God's presence.

10. What sects of the religion have evolved over