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The roots of Hinduism date back to before 3,000 BCE and encompass an entire Hindu Culture and way of life for the Hindus. Hinduism was the religion of the Hindu Vedic Scriptures. The Vedas and the Universal Wisdom for the Hindus, The Sangtana Dharma. There are numerous Hindu sects but Hinduism has no clearly delineated religious organization. Hinduism was an ancient and complex religion with no single founding Hindu prophet or religious leader. Due to the extreme hierarchical nature of the Hindu castes, as well as, the divergent rituals, beliefs, and daily habits of the Hindus, the forms of Hindu worship varied considerably between them. The complex system of hereditary Hindu groups, ranked Hindus by their social strata and occupations (Brahmans, priests and scholars, Kshatriyas, warriors and rulers, Vaishyas, farmers and merchants, Shudras, peasants and laborers, and Panchamas, menials and untouchables).
Although the Hindu castes
also adhered to the principle of the four stages of life for the Hindus
(Brahmacharya, celibate student, Grihastha, householder, Vanaprastha, forest
hermitage, and Sannyasa, spiritual renunciation), in practice the Hindu
householder and the ascetic continued to be the main alternatives.
Hinduism was a family of myriad faiths that range from an absolute monistic triad, (Brahma, the Creator, Vishnu, the Preserver, and Shiva, the Destroyer) to a pluralistic Hindu theism (the Supreme Being manifests as many gods and goddesses). One billion adherents follow Hinduism today, mostly in India but there are large populations in other countries. The scriptures and Vedic hymns of the Hindus espouse many different viewpoints on Ultimate Reality but there are still many beliefs shared by all Hindus. Ultimate, unchanging reality, composed of pure being and consciousness, Brahman, the all pervasive, was both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. Brahman, the primal soul, existed behind the apparent multiplicity of the phenomenal world, and was fundamentally identical to the inner essence of the human being.
This all encompassing
divinity, order, balance, harmony, law, principle of intelligence, unified life
energy, or pure consciousness underscored, emanated, and resonated throughout
all of existence...Continue
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Hinduism Hindu Vedic Vedas 
