Unit 2

Religious Studies

Prestatyn High School

Unit 2

Hinduism: Beliefs, Teachings and Practices

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Hindu Gods

Nature and role of Trimurti

Many Hindus believe in Brahman as the ultimate reality – one 'Supreme Spirit' in many

forms. Brahman is male, female and even animal.

Brahman is also commonly understood as

the Trimurti - three gods with three key

functions:

• Brahma - the source of all creation.

• Vishnu - responsible for keeping or

preserving all good things on Earth and

bringing harmony when needed.

• Shiva – destroyer who assists in the

creation of new things – some things have

to end for others to begin.

However, many Hindus believe in Vishnu or Shiva as the one Supreme Deity.

The atman of each of us may also hold a 'spark' of Brahman. For most Hindus, Brahman is

present in the lives of all living things.

The traditional Hindu greeting 'Namaste', usually performed with joined palms and bowed

head, may be translated as 'I bow to the divine spark within you', or ‘the God in me greets

the God in you.”

Shakti

Shakti literally means 'strength' and symbolises

feminine aspects of the divine, often referred to as

Devi and Mata. Some of the many forms of Shakti

include:

• Saraswati – inspires music, drama, science and poetry. Many pray to her for help in these

areas.

• Lakshmi - many Hindus pray to her for a happy family life and financial security.

• Parvati - known to be caring for others and both patient and wise. The balance of female

and male is often represented in Hinduism by images of Shiva and Parvati as halves of one

person.

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• Durga - a warrior goddess who symbolises the 'hidden strength' of women, and divine

opposition to evil.

Other popular deities

• Lord Krishna - one of the most popular gods and source of many legends.

• Prince Rama and Princess Sita - a beautiful love story and model for how people should

live. They both demonstrate loyalty, bravery and disregard for material possessions.

• Hanuman - a deity in the form of a monkey, recognised for his bravery and loyalty. Many

Hindus pray to Lord Hanuman for help in overcoming difficulties.

• Lord Ganesh - commonly depicted with an elephant's head, Ganesh represents wisdom

and prosperity.

Incarnations and avatars

Many Hindus believe that Lord Vishnu has appeared on Earth in human or animal form,

called incarnations or avatars. Examples of this include Rama and Krishna who were both

princes. Hindus believe they were sent to save the Earth in times of danger. Buddha is also

believed to be an avatar of Lord Vishnu.

Worship

For most Hindus there are four aims in life:

• dharma - fulfilling moral duties and living life in accordance with right actions

• artha - gaining wealth in an honest manner and using it wisely

• kama - enjoying the pleasures and beauty of life

• moksha - the ultimate goal involving ending the cycle of reincarnation

There are also four different stages of life most Hindus recognise. These are referred to as

ashrama.

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Features and importance of daily puja: Home

Some Hindus use images to assist puja. Murti are statues of deities, which have been

consecrated and must be treated with respect.

Features of puja

• Water, fruit, flowers and incense may be offered to the murti.

• A bell is rung to 'waken' the deities and arti performed.

• Personal or communal mantras may be chanted.

In addition to puja at home, some Hindus undertake forms of yoga or meditation to help

them to connect with Brahman.

Use and significance of symbolism in private worship

Many Hindus may have images of the sacred syllable aum around

their home. Many Hindus start or end worship by saying 'aum' and

others use it to aid meditation.

The sound of 'aum' connects all these parts of an atman together and

in doing so, connects to the 'Supreme Atman' Brahman.

Prayer and meditation

Many Hindus refer to prayer as prarthana. This may be personal prayer asking or thanking

the divine for blessings in life, or repeating a particular mantra or other prayer.

Many Hindus believe that through experience and meditation they can gain knowledge of

Brahman. This is a personal experience, reached individually.

Some meditate by chanting sacred verses, or by repeating aum. Others may use breath

control, or controlled breathing and body postures, what most people commonly call 'yoga'.

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Other focuses of meditation include the use of a mala or a mandala, a complex pattern that

concentrates the mind, meaning everyday thoughts are cleared away.

Many Hindus who meditate believe it enables them to connect with the divine on a spiritual

level in a way that other forms of worship, eg performing rituals, does not.

Most Hindus worship a personal God in the form of one of the main deities, which they

believe to be forms of Brahman. Some try to communicate directly with Brahman through

meditation, but many use meditation or puja.

Features of a community puja include:

• water, fruit, flowers and incense may be offered

• a bell is rung to 'waken' the deities

• arti is performed by the priest

• personal prayer may be offered and communal mantras may be chanted together

At a community puja, the arti tray is passed around. Worshippers often put money on the

tray, which is used for the upkeep of the mandir.

Many puja services end with the sharing of prashad, food that is offered to, and have been

blessed by God. This is distributed among the worshippers.

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The Mandir

In a community mandir or temple, the shrine, where the murti are kept, is the central and

most important part. There is often a tower, which signifies the presence of the murti.

Some community mandir are dedicated to a particular Hindu god or goddess, whose murti

takes pride of place and is the main focus of worship.

People are asked to remove their shoes and sometimes to wash their hands before entering

the mandir, as it is considered respectful to be clean before God. There may be singing of

bhajans and sometimes a learned scholar may read aloud or explain a passage from the

scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita.

A special type of puja called yajna (or havan) is the ritual of the sacred fire found in the

Vedas. The priest recites mantra from the Vedas as ghee is poured into the fire. Rice,

coconut and other foods are offered as a sacrifice to the fire god Agni, and placed in the

flames.

Some Hindus have yajna/havan to wish for special blessings, eg as part of a wedding

ceremony or when they are moving into a new home.

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Use and significance of symbolism in public worship

Element in Hindu

worship Symbolic meaning

Design of mandir or

temple

Gateway entrance and tall tower over the murti showing the

importance of the god or goddess.

Large statue of the

'vehicle' of the deity

Examples include Lord Shiva riding Nandi the bull, which

represents Shiva's power and energy, or Durga Mata riding a

tiger to show her power and strength.

Murtis Different images of the deities reflect different aspects of

Brahman, eg Shiva the destroyer.

Ringing a bell 'Waking the deity'.

Offerings of food,

money, incense, flowers

Represent the earth and all she provides and symbolise the

thankfulness of worshippers and their hope that the deities will

answer their prayers.

Taking off

shoes/washing hands Shows reverence and respect.

Diva Symbolises the belief in good overcoming evil and the 'light'

provided by the divine.

Hindu worship is often colourful and noisy. In addition to murti, many mandir have art work to

help Hindus think about the many forms of Brahman, and are sometimes very elaborately

decorated.

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In addition to bhajan being sung, other music, drama and dance may be used to praise

deities in a range of forms and to re-tell stories from scripture.

Varanasi

Varanasi is an ancient city on the banks of the River Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, Northern

India.

It is one of the most sacred sites in

India because it is believed to have

been the home of Lord Shiva. Some

Hindus believe that the River Ganges

pays its respects to Lord Shiva by the

direction in which it flows. Usually, the

river flows from the north to the south,

but at Varanasi it flows from the south

to the north.

Millions of pilgrims visit Varanasi in

order to purify themselves by bathing

in the River Ganges at sunrise.

Some Hindus believe that if they die at

Varanasi, they might be able to attain

moksha sooner. Because of this,

some Hindus go there when they are

close to death in order to die there.

Others have their ashes scattered

there by relatives. A feature of the

landscape at Varanasi is the

cremation ghats that line the banks of

the Ganges.

The processions that take the dead

bodies to the ghats may be joyful,

even accompanied by singing and

dancing, because of the belief in reincarnation and the possibility of moksha of the person

who has died.

There are many different funeral rituals, but often the body is dipped into the Ganges and

covered with ghee, then wrapped in cotton before being cremated in the open on a funeral

pyre. The ashes are then scattered in the River Ganges.

Nature and importance

There are lots of mandir in Varanasi, dedicated to Lord Shiva and other deities. Some

Hindus believe that worshipping at the mandir in Varanasi dedicated to their favourite deity

builds positive merit and may aid their path to moksha.

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Rites of Passage

Birth Rites

In some Hindu families, just after the birth of a child, the sacred syllable aum is written on the

baby's tongue with honey. The name of God in a form the family holds dear, eg Krishna,

may be whispered into the child’s ear.

The Fifth Samskara - Nam Samskar (name giving ceremony)

In some Hindu families, 40 days after birth, the baby is taken to the community mandir for a

naming ceremony. The father offers ghee-soaked wood on the fire. After announcing the

baby’s name, the priest pours holy water onto the baby’s head and puts a few drops of amrit

on the baby’s tongue.

Other Hindus perform the naming ceremony on the 12th day of the baby’s life. Sometimes

the father whispers the baby’s name into his or her ear.

Many Hindu parents decide on the first letter of the child’s name by reading the astrological

signs at the time of the birth and choosing a name that matches these signs. A priest or

religious leader may give advice on this, or even choose the name.

In some families, the father might seek blessing from the family god or goddess by placing

the baby’s horoscope before the murti. In others, the father’s sister has the job of choosing

the name from a selection the parents have written down.

In the past, most names were either names of gods and goddesses or reflected important

qualities, eg Shanti (meaning 'peace'). While many Hindus continue this tradition today, it is

also becoming more popular in both the UK and urban India to invent a name or to use

Western names.

Commitment

Sacred Thread ceremony (Upanayana)

The Sacred Thread ceremony is a ceremony for boys in some Hindu communities to confirm

they are of an age to take on religious

responsibility. Girls are sometimes

honoured in the same way, but it is rare

for them to receive and wear the thread.

In some Hindu communities, the male

participant’s head is shaved for the

ceremony, symbolising a cleansing from

their old ways of living. New clothes are

put on after bathing. Gifts and blessings

from family and friends are often

received.

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In some communities, the person asks family and friends for alms to show that they no

longer expect the family to automatically provide for them now they are an adult.

Features of the Sacred Thread ceremony include:

• the thread is made up of three strands, representing purity of thought, words and actions

• the cotton strands go over the left shoulder and under the right arm

• janoi wearers may chant a special mantra when putting on and taking off their sacred

thread

• vows are made to obey all aspects of the first ashrama

Some young Hindus also accept a Guru at this point and start their study of scripture. It is

increasingly common for young Hindus in the UK and in urban India to have the ceremony at

different ages.

Marriage

The Hindu marriage ceremony is considered sacred, binding a man and woman together for

life. It takes the Hindu couple into the second ashrama.

Traditionally, the day before the marriage, the bride has her hands and feet decorated with

beautiful designs made with henna.

On the morning of the marriage, the bride and groom take baths and put on perfumed oils to

symbolise being pure and ready to commit themselves to each other. In some Hindu

communities the bride and groom fast until the wedding ceremony is complete.

Features of the marriage ceremony

• Most weddings take place in a mandap which contains a

sacred fire at its centre. The groom traditionally waits for

the bride in the mandap with the priest and family

members.

• Prayers and offerings are made to Lord Ganesh.

• The bride and groom place flower garlands around each

other’s necks, symbolising an unbroken circle to show

eternal union. The priest then ties the bride’s sari to a

scarf worn by the groom, symbolising the couple’s

physical and spiritual union.

• The bride and groom throw offerings of grains into the

sacred fire in the hope of fertility regarding both food

supplies and children. They walk several times around the

sacred fire with each circuit representing different aspects

of marriage.

• The bride and groom take seven steps and make seven

promises to each other, including respecting each other,

to have children, to be together for life and to protect each other.

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• The groom puts red powder into the bride’s hair to show that she is now a married woman.

• The parents, family members and friends give their blessing to the couple using rice as a

symbol of fertility.

In a traditional Hindu marriage, the aim is for the couple to grow together and share their

joys and sorrows with each other. They will take care of their children and later, share

wisdom with their grandchildren.

Death rites

Death rites vary from family to family and also according to which type of Hindu tradition is

followed. The region of India a family comes from will also have an impact on what happens

when a Hindu dies. In some communities, relatives wash their body and clothe it in white

garments. They may put a few drops of water from the River Ganges into the mouth of the

deceased to help purify them.

In India, relatives may carry the corpse on a stretcher to the funeral pyre that is near a river

before the next sunrise or sunset and traditionally, the eldest son lights the funeral pyre. In

the UK, many Hindu families have the body cremated as soon as reasonably possible at a

crematorium.

During the funeral ceremony, the priest and the mourners may recite verses from scripture

and mantra. Most Hindus would say they are grieving for the person they knew, not the

atman, which they believe will be reincarnated.

Shraddha

After the death of a loved one, some Hindus perform Shraddha. Offerings are made to

family gods and goddesses to help the atman of the deceased to move on. Some Hindus

believe the atman remains around loved ones while they grieve, so Shraddha symbolises an

end to mourning. Some Hindus give gifts in charity on behalf of the departed loved one.