HINDUISM

Hindu Pantheon
Introduction:

Hindus have a multitude of gods and goddesses that symbolize the one abstract Supreme Being or
Brahman. The most fundamental of Hindu deities are the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. But
many other gods such as Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Hanuman, and goddesses like Lakshmi, Durga,
Kali and Saraswati top the popularity chart with Hindus across the world.

Manifestations of Gods
Trimurti
The Term Trimurti means having three form, it is the term applied to the three main Hindu gods. This
Triad or Trimurti represents all aspects of the Supreme Being. The Trimurti is depicted as a single -
headed man, thus symbolizes the fact that the three forms are aspects of One Being. God is depicted
as Transcendent ( Nirguna Brahman) extending beyond the limits of ordinary experience.
Immanent (Saguna Brahman) remaining in the domain of our reality.Saguna Brahman with form and
attributes in the ONE GREAT GOD OR ISHWARA. Ishawara is called Brahma when he assumes
the role of Creator, – Preserve, Vishnu and destruction, Shiva. Their consorts are Saraswati,
Laksmi and Kali respectively.

A high degree of symbolism exists to explain the attributes and qualities of the godhead. Different
images of and iconographical features are depicted for different deities depending on the role they
performed. Accordingly every individual deity is furnished with powers and the other support
mechanism necessary to perform his/her task.

BRAHMA ICONOGRAPHY

Brahma is one of the Trimurti. He is the creator.

His wife or consort is Saraswati who is the goddess of
learning.
In Hindu mythology Brahma was born from Vishnu and appeared
out of the golden egg produced in the boundless, cosmic waters.
His wife Saraswati was born out of him. From their union all the
creatures of the world where created. Brahma represents the
Vedas and Saraswati their spirit and meaning. All knowledge,
sacred and secular, comes from them.

Brahma is frequently represented:

- with four arms to show he is creator of everything in all directions,
reaching the four quarters of the world;
- with four heads to show that he is responsible for the four holy
books, ‘the Vedas, the four yugas (ages) the four varnas;
- each head faces in all directions – north, south, east and west to
illustrate that he is the creator of everything;
- sitting on a lotus;
- with a swan that is a sign of wisdom and discrimination.

In the hands of his four arms he carries:

- a string of beads used to say prayers;
- a spoon or ladle, as is used in the sacred fire sacrifice;
- a water pot: he is the first living being that came from the ocean;
- a small book the symbol of the Vedas, sacred knowledge.

SARASWATI ICONOGRAPHY: BHARMA'S CONSORT

Goddess Saraswati is the Goddess of wisdom and learning. Saraswati is the one who gives the
essence of our own self .She is considered as the personification of all knowledge - arts, sciences,
crafts and other skills.
Saraswatis children are the Vedas (scriptures).

River: Her name means “flowing” — related to her early

history as a river goddess.
Swan: same vehicle as her husband
Vina: her musical instrument
Rosary: Prayer and Meditation
Peacock: represents arrogance and pride over its
beauty — the Goddess teaches not to be concerned with
external appearance and to be wise regarding the
external truth.

VISHNU ICONOGRAPHY

Vishnu means ‘one who pervades’, i.e. who has entered everything. He is the preserver, who is the
cause and the power by which all things exist. As the preserver amongst the Trimurti, Vishnu is
eternal and always existing. Even when the world is destroyed, he will remain to create it again.
His wife or consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune. Hindus who worship Vishnu are known as
Vaishnavites or Vaishnavas.

Vishnu is frequently represented:

- with four arms showing his power in all directions;
- he is sometimes depicted with blue skin; the colour we associate
with infinite space;
- dressed in yellow;
- wearing a garland of jasmine flowers.

In the hands of his four arms he carries:

- a lotus, which is a symbol of purity and beauty;
- a conch shell to represent the five elements – earth; air; fire
water; wind. The conch is also used as a signal in battle. It was
blown by Indian warriors;
- Chakra – a wheel or discus, which represents the rotation of
cosmic time. It is also a weapon;
- mace – also a weapon.

These two weapons show that God can overcome demons and evil things in the world.
Symbols associated with Vishnu:
- a sword associated with wisdom
- a bow, which depicts cosmic senses
- Ananta – a thousand – headed serpent on which Vishnu reclines

LAKSHMI: VISHNU'S CONSORT

Lakshmi is described as bestowing coins of prosperity and flanked by

elephants signifying her royal power. Her expression is always calm and
loving. Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity (material and
spiritual), light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; the
embodiment of beauty, grace and charm.
Lotus: Stands of Lotus — symbol of spiritual perfection and rises above
worldly contamination. The lotus also symbolizes the fertile growth of
organic life, as the world is continually reborn on a lotus growing out of
Vishnu’s navel.

Coins: Goddess of means of obtaining objectives: Prosperity Goddess.

dressed in fine garments and precious Jewels.
Elephants: Flanked by elephants signifying her royal power. Some texts
have the owl as her vehicle.

SHIVA ICONOGRAPHY
 Shiva means ‘kindly’ and ‘auspicious’ He is one of the
Trimurti, known as the ‘destroyer’
He is known as Mahadeva which means ‘great god’ and
Maha-yogi which means ‘great ascetic’.
He is master of all science and as Shiva Nataraja (Lord of
the Dance) he brings the world into existence through a
continuous process of preservation and destruction. Those
who worship Shiva are known as Shaivites or Shaivas
His wife or consort is known in three main ways as Parvati,
Durga and Kali

Shiva is represented :
- with Nandi the bull, which is the mount of Shiva.
Symbolically the bull represents animal instincts, and Shiva’s
mastery of the bull shows that he controls the senses. It is
because Shiva can control the senses that he is considered
the master-yogi;
- as Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, he stamps on the demon of ignorance whose tongue hangs
out as a sign of shame.

With four arms in which he carries:

- a drum, which is a symbol of sound and so off all creation;
- fire which is a symbol of destruction;
- a trident (when in a seated position) the three prongs of the trident represent God, the soul and the
slavery of ignorance.
The Trident indicates that Shiva is the Supreme Ruler.
- one hand is held up in a pose which indicates ‘do not fear’
- as Lord of the Dance – Shiva Nataraja, his arm points to the destruction of the demon of ignorance

Symbols associated with Shiva:

- trident
- a small drum
- rosary
- a wand with a skull

KALI ICONOGRAPHY: SHIVA'S CONSORT

 Kali, also known as Kalika, is the Hindu goddess associated with
eternal energy. The name Kali comes from K?la which means black,
time, death, lord of death. Kali is portrayed mostly in two forms: the
popular four-armed form and the ten-armed Mahakali form.
In both of her forms, she is described as being black in color but is most
often depicted as blue in popular Indian art. Her eyes are described as
red with intoxication, and in absolute rage, her hair is shown
disheveled, small fangs sometimes protrude out of her mouth, and her
tongue is lolling.
She is often shown naked or just wearing a skirt made of human arms
and a garland of human heads. She is also accompanied by serpents
and a jackal while standing on a seemingly dead Shiva, usually right
foot forward to symbolize the more popular right-handed path, as
opposed to the more infamous and transgressive left-handed path. In
the ten-armed form of Mahakali she is depicted as shining like a blue
stone. She has ten faces and ten feet and three eyes. She has
ornaments decked on all her limbs. There is no association with Shiva.
Paravati: The Gentle aspect of Shakti (the power of the mother Goddess).
Kali & Durga (below) represents the violent aspect of the feminine power.
Symbol of fertility. Vehicle Lion.
Ganesh: Son of Shiva and Paravati —
Kali: The violent aspect of Shakti (the power of the mother Goddess).The goddess associate with
eternal energy. The goddess of time and change. Some conceive of her a benevolent mother
goddess.
Associated with other Hindu Goddesses like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati and
Chamunda.
Necklace of Heads: after destruction
Skirt of Arms: after destruction
Severed Head: Human Ego which must be slain by Divine Knowledge in order to attain moksha.
Sword: Signifies divine knowledge
GANESHA ICONOGRAPHY

Ganesha or Ganpati is the lord of obstacles. The elder son of Shiva

and Parvati Ganesha was born with a human head and body and that
Shiva beheaded him when Ganesha came between Shiva and
Parvati. Shiva then replaced Ganesha’s original head with that of an
elephant in another story.

Hinduism: Sacred Places

Holy Rivers
1. Ganga (connected with Vishnu & Shiva)
2. Yamuna (connected with Krishna, it merges with the Ganga)
3. Sarasvati (some say it is now dried up, others that it continues to run underground)
4. Godavari (South India)

Holy Spots in India

5. Varanasi (connected with Shiva)
6. Mathura and Vrindavana (connected with Krishna)
7. Ayodhya (connected with Rama)
8. Kanyakumari (connected with Parvati)
10. Prayag (the most important Kumbha Mela site)

Pilgrimage is an important aspect of Hindu religion.

Hindu pilgrims go to temples for the purpose of darsan. It is all about seeing, to stand in the presence
of a deity and look upon the image with their eyes. It is about seeing and be seen and be blessed by
the deity.
Pilgrims from all over the world travel to India to visit holy sites, known as tirthas. There they also
seek the darsan of the places where they believe gods have dwelled.
Sites near the Ganga (Ganges) River are the most popular sites for pilgrims.

Reasons for Pilgrimage

1. To fix the mind on God and to glorify Him
2. For spiritual development and to gain spiritual merit
3. For purification and atonement of sins
4. To gain a particular benediction (e.g. birth of a child)
5. For meeting and taking guidance from holy people.
6. To perform specific religious rites
7. For self-reflection and contemplation
8. For an uplifting and memorable experience

Activities Performed on Pilgrimage

1. Taking darshan of specific deities
2. Participating in worship and glorification (e.g. kirtan)
3. Charity, especially to priests and temples
4. Austerities and penance (such as shaving the head and following vows such as celibacy)
5. Listening to spiritual talks and receiving advice on spiritual life
6. Specific rites (such as the shraddha ceremony in Gaya)
7. Circumambulation of holy places

Hinduism: Major Locations

HINDUISM
Hinduism is a name that Westerners gave to the part of the Indian sub-continent. It was therefore
defined by geography (and then came to represent to the West a set of traditions, beliefs and
practices). The Hindu way of life, is more often called by Hindus ‘Sanatana Dharma’ (the eternal way
of life).
This is the largest religion in Asia and the world's third largest, in terms of numbers of followers with
approximately 806 million worldwide. These tend to be descendants of Hindu immigrants.
It is the main religion of India, where it began. From there it spread, about 1000 years ago, east along
the trade routes to other lands. In some places other religions later became more important In others,
like Sri Lanka and Malaysia, it is still the main religion.

Country Capital
India New Delhi
Nepal Kathmandu
Bangladesh Dhaka
Indonesia Jakarta
Sri Lanka Colombo
Pakistan Islamabad
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur
USA Washington DC
South Africa Pretoria
Myanmar Rangoo
 HINDU SYMBOLS

Om (or Aum)

This is the most universal of Hindu symbols and its sound is used in
meditation. In Hinduism, the word “Om” is the first syllable in any prayer.
More specifically, Om is used to symbolize the universe and the ultimate
reality. Some people say that this symbol represents the three aspects of
God: the Brahma (A), the Vishny (U) and the Shiva (M).
Om is composed of three sounds a-u-m (in Sanskrit, the vowels a and u
combine to become o). The symbol's threefold nature is central to its
meaning.
It represents several important triads:
The three worlds - earth, atmosphere, and heaven;
The three major Hindu gods - Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva;
The three sacred Vedic scriptures - Rg, Yajur, and Sama;

LOTUS

This plant is representative of creation and is used to symbolize

Vishnu, Brahma and Lakshmi.

BINDI
One of the most well-known items in Hinduism is the bindi, a dot (often
the color red) worn on women's foreheads. It is a form of the tilak, a
symbolic mark worn by many Hindu men and women, but that has less
religious meaning then other tilaks. Traditionally, the bindi is worn on the
forehead of married Hindu women. It symbolizes female energy and is
believed to protect women and their husbands from bad things. Bindis
are traditionally a simple mark made with the paste of colored
sandalwood, sindoor or turmeric. The bindi is most commonly a red dot
made with vermilion.
 Hindu Sacred Texts
Introduction:

Every religion has either a book or a collection books on which the religion is based: Christianity has
its Bible with its Old and New Testaments.
Hinduism also has its own collection of scriptures. These can be divided into two main groups: Shruti
or ‘That which was heard', and Smirti, 'That which was remembered'
In general, Hindu scriptures may be classified into two divisions: Sruti scriptures and Smriti scriptures.
Sruti in Sanskrit means "that which is heard." Thus the Vedas are the eternal truths that the Vedic
seers, called rishis, are said to have heard during their deep meditations. The Vedas are not
considered the works of the human mind, but an expression of what has been realized through
intuitive perception by Vedic rishis.
Smriti means "that which is remembered." Smriti scriptures are derived from the Vedas and are
considered to be of human origin and not of divine origin. They were written to explain and elaborate
the Vedas, making them understandable and more meaningful to the general population. All
authoritative writings outside the Vedas are collectively referred to as Smriti. Smriti inlcude the
Dharma Shastras, Nibhandas, Puranas, The Epics, Agamas or Tantras, Darshanas and Vedangas
(Upa Vedas).

Diagram showing the divisions of the Hindu sacred scripture:

The Vedas are the oldest Hindu texts believe to have been written 2,500 years ago.
1. Rig Veda- Veda of priaise 3. Yajur Veda Veda of sacrifice
2. Soma Veda Veda of chants 4. Atharva Veda Contains hymns, mantras
and incantations
Within each of the four books there are four types of composition,the Samhitas comprise the true
Vedas.

 The Samhitas – literally "collections," in this case of hymns and mantras. They form the Veda
proper.
 The Brahmanas – prose manuals of ritual and prayer for the guiding priests. They tend to
explain the Samhitas. They also contain early versions of some stories.
 The Aranyakas – literally "forest books" for hermits and saints. They are philosophical
treatises.
 The Upanishads – books of philosophy, also called "Vedanta," the end or conclusion of the
Vedas. Upanishad means "sitting near," alluding to the tutorials given by a guru to his disciples
(who would traditionally sit "at his feet') discusses the soul, reincarnation, karma, Brahman and
liberation.

Smriti: The Mahabharata

Mahabharata, the history of greater India, was originally composed by the sage Vyasa. Handed down
over thousands of years, its present form of 110,000 verses makes it the longest poem in the world.
The plot is gripping, with many twists and turns, and intertwined with intricate sub-plots. It focuses on
the political tensions between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, and culminates in the fratricidal battle
of Kurukshetra. The book also includes narrations of other historical tales, and several philosophical
discourses. The story particularly explores many of the intricacies of dharma, especially for the
warrior and priestly classes.

The Bhagavad-gita, the "Song of God," is the best-known Hindu scripture in the world. Forming two
chapters of the Mahabharata, it is a spiritual treatise spoken by Krishna to Arjuna as they sat on a
chariot between two armies poised for battle.

The Ramayana, "the Journey of Rama," is a Sanskrit epic compiled by the poet-sage Valmiki.
The Puranas are an important source of popular Hinduism. Purana means "very old" or "ancient.
 Hinduism: Worship
Hindu Puja: How Hindus Worship God

What is Puja? Puja is the act of showing reverence to a god, a spirit, or another aspect of the divine
through invocations, prayers, songs, and rituals. Puja is a means of honoring the gods or goddesses,
whose presence in the home is believed to protect the family and to engender good fortune. An
essential part of puja for the Hindu devotee is making a spiritual connection with the divine. Most
often that contact is facilitated through an object: an element of nature, a sculpture, a vessel, a
painting, or a print.

During puja an image or other symbol of the god serves as a means of gaining access to the divine.
This icon is not the deity itself; rather, it is believed to be filled with the deity's cosmic energy. It is a
focal point for honoring and communicating with the god. The objects are created as receptacles for
spiritual energy that allow the devotee to experience direct communication with his or her gods.
Temples are normally dedicated to one primary god. Often they are elaborately decorated on the
outside with stone or plaster carvings depicting religious stories, and their decoration is specific to the
deity being worshiped. ane should remove one's shoes before entering a Hindu temple in order to pay
appropriate respect to the deity within the temple.

What is meant by this “The objects are created as receptacles for spiritual energy that allow
the devotee to experience direct communication with his or her gods?

Puja is usually performed by at least one member of the household every day.

Hindu worship may take place whenever an individual wish. Worship is usually performed daily at
each household shrine by one or more family members on behalf of the whole household. Temple
worship is often associated with a particular request being made of the deity, or it may follow the
granting of that wish. Festivals to each of the gods take place during the year, and a follower of a
certain deity may choose to participate in the ceremonies associated with that deity either at home or
in a temple.

How is puja celebrated? Wherever puja is performed it includes three important components:
1. the seeing of the deity;
2. puja, or worship, which includes offering flowers, fruits, and foods;
3. retrieving the blessed food and consuming it.
By performing these sacred acts the worshiper creates a relationship with the divine through his or
her emotions and senses.

How important are our senses in Hindu worship?

During a household puja, the head of the household chants prayers to the god or goddess. The
worshipers offer the deity a seat, wash its feet, and give it water. An image may be symbolically
bathed, clothed in new garments, and embellished with ornaments. Perfumes and ointments may be
applied, and flowers and garlands may be placed before it. Incense is burned, and a lighted lamp is
waved in front of the deity. Foods such as cooked rice, fruit, butter, and sugar are offered. Family
members bow before the image, sip the water they have given the god, and receive a portion of
cooked food. The food and water are now considered to have been blessed by the deity for the
devotees.
At the temple, where the gods are believed to dwell as royalty, puja is usually performed at sunrise,
noon, sunset, and midnight. Worshipers may also arrange for a puja to be done by a priest to mark a
special event such as a birth or death or to ask for a particular favor.
Puja is a multi-sensory experience. One observes the offering of the lighted lamps, touches the ritual
objects and feet of the deity (where possible), hears the ringing of the bells and the sacred chants
being recited, smells the incense, and tastes the blessed food offered at the end of the ritual.

Why do you think that the gods are treated in such an anthropomorphic like manner?

Hindus believe that even a glimpse of an image filled with the spirit of the god or saint facilitates a

direct visual communication (darshan) with the deity, which will bring blessings to the worshiper.

Darshan is a reciprocal act between the worshiper and the deity. Not only does the devotee "see" the

deity, but the deity is understood to "see" the worshiper. For this reason, Hindu images often have

strikingly large eyes to facilitate this exchange of glances between devotee and deity.
 Hindu Basic Beliefs: Stages of Life
HINDUISM : THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE

Traditional Hinduism adheres to the belief of varnashrama-dharma where dharma points out to a
Hindu’s responsibility on the subject of ashrama (stages of life) and Varna (class).

The caste system plays an important role in the practice of Hinduism.

Hinduism divides a person’s life in four stages or Asramas:

The four stages may be said to represent periods of

 Preparation
 Production
 Service
 Retirement

1. Brahmacarya / students stage: where the male is a

celibate student who studies the Veda. usually between 12
and 24 years of age. On initiation into Brahmacharya by
means of the Upanayana rites, he becomes a 'Dvija' (a
twice born). 'Upanayana' means 'bringing near'- the disciple
is brought near the Guru for receiving the initiation of
mantras. Celibacy is his forte, discipline is his norm,
devotion to his Guru is his duty and concentration in studies
is his vocation.
2. Grihastha/ householder – the “twice-born” can experience
“life” while he gets married, acquire wealth and responsibilities.
Grihasthashrama means the stage of life when the person is
married and has to fulfil all his duties towards his wife, children,
father, and mother. This is the most important stage of life and
tends to last longer than other stages. During this stage, he is
authorized to enjoy “Kama” as well as he has to work hard to
secure “Artha.” This stage is expected to end at 50 years of
age.

3. Vanaprastha – where the twice-born retires from his

responsibilities but take up religious pilgrimages with his wife.
Vanaprastha means “going to the forest.” This is the third stage
of life. This is the stage when the person is to retire, give up
sexual life, give up all the possessions to children, and enter the
forest. He could leave his wife to the care of his sons or allow
her to accompany him. He will live as a hermit, surviving on
alms.

Notably, a person cannot enter Vanaprasthashrama unless and

until his daughters are married and his sons are able to earn
their own livelihood. This ensures that the person completes all
his duties towards his families.

4. Sannyasa – the twice-born gives up all worldly pleasure,

dons a saffron-colored robe and begs for his food. This fourth
and final stage is the renunciation stage where the twice-born
goal is to attain moksha or liberation from worldly existence.
Sannyasa means complete renunciation. This is the last stage
of life and may start at 75 years of age but there is no such
restriction of age. He is to dedicate himself entirely to spirituality.
He is to live on fruits and roots found in the jungle. He is not
allowed to eat cooked food or beg for alms. He needs to avoid
unnecessary contacts with anybody. He does not need to care
about his body. He is to practice austerities and thus be
prepared for salvation. If he follows this stage properly, he
would be released from the cycle of birth and rebirth and would
attain Moksha (salvation).
 GOALS OF LIFE:

The Four Goals of Life - Purusharthas

Purusha means man and artha means object or objective.

Purusharthas means objectives of man.

Major aspects of Hindu dharma known as purushartha are:

Kama:Seeking physical (sensual love) or emotional pleasure within the limits of dharma.

Artha: As kama pursuit has a limiting satisfaction after a while, artha or seeking power, fame and
wealth will be complementary.

Dharma: With age and maturity, one will have the joy of living in harmony with dharma. Dharma also
means righteousness, or living morally and ethically at all times.

Moksha: The real and infinite goal of one life.

 Hindu Festivals
Introduction:

In the Vedic/Hindu tradition, there are many festivals that are observed throughout the year. There
are major festivals and numerous minor ones, as well as those that are celebrated on a local or
regional basis, which are celebrated differently according to the location, or even named differently.
There are different festivals to celebrate the various incarnations of God, as well as those that honor
the seasons, harvests, relationships, and certain principles of the Vedic culture.

Diwali:

Diwali is perhaps the most well-known of the Hindu festivals. The word Diwali means 'rows of lighted
lamps'. Diwali is known as the 'festival of lights' because houses, shops and public places are
decorated with small earthenware oil lamps called diyas

Deepavali, or Diwali as it is popularly called, is the festival of lights. It symbolizes the victory of
righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness. The word Deepavali literally means rows of clay
lamps. It is celebrated on the New Moon day of the dark fortnight during October-November. It is also
associated with the return to Ayodhya of Lord Rama, His wife Sita and His brother Lakshmana after
their fourteen-year sojourn in the forests.

In general, Diwali signifies the triumph of good over evil, of righteousness over treachery, of truth over
falsehood, and of light over darkness.

Diwali also marks the New Year. For some, the day of Diwali itself is the first day of the New Year,
and for others the new year's day is the day following Diwali. But for all, this season is one of
heralding in the New Year. In the joyous mood of this season, we clean our homes, our offices, our
rooms, letting the light of Diwali enter all the corners of our lives. We begin new checkbooks, diaries
and calendars. It is a day of "starting fresh."

Rangoli is made to welcome Goddess Lakhmi ,the Goddess of wealth,which is a part of Diwali
Celebration.Rangoli is the art which is drawn on the doorsteps with various combinations of colors.
Diwali Rangoli is made up of mixture paste of Turmeric powder,chalk powder and colored rice
grains.In Maharastra it’s called Rangoli,In Bengal its named as Alpana and in South India its called as
Kolam.

Diyas Rangoli Deity (Lakshmi)

Holi:

Holi is a festival celebrated in north India. It marks the coming of Spring, usually in March. Some
families hold religious ceremonies, but for many Holi is more a time for fun than religious observance.
Holi is a colourful festival, with dancing, singing, and throwing of powder paint and coloured water.
Bonfires are lit and roasting grains, popcorn, coconut and chick peas are thrown on by Hindu families.
The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for fun and paint-throwing. Everyone gets involved
- with no distinctions between caste, class, age or gender.

Hindus have fun by smearing each other with paint and throwing coloured water at each other, all
done in a spirit of celebration

Preparations

Entire country wears a festive look when it is time for

Holi celebration. Market places get abuzz with activity
as frenzied shoppers start making preparations for the
festival. Heaps of various hues of gulal and abeer can
be seen on the roadside days before the festival.

Pichkaris in innovative and modern design too come

up every year to lure the children who wish to collect
them as Holi memorabilia and of course, to drench
everybody in the town.

Legends
A Hindu festival, Holi has various legends associated
with it. The foremost is the legend of demon
King Hiranyakashyap who demanded everybody in
his kingdom to worship him but his pious
son, Prahlad became a devotee of Lord Vishnu.
Hiranyakashyap wanted his son to be killed. He
asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with
Prahlad in her lap as Holika had a boon which made
he immune to fire. Story goes that Prahlad was
saved by lord himself for his extreme devotion and
evil minded Holika was burnt to ashes, for her boon
worked only when she entered the fire alone.
 Hinduism: Rites of Passage
Introduction:

Rites of passage for Hinduism provide entry into different stages of life which gives a structure to
spiritual progress. These are called samskaras and are another way that families express their
religious commitment. Hindus believe there are sixteen samskaras but today only a few are carried
out. A sacred fire called a havan is lit at most of the ceremonials.

Religious samskaras serve two purposes. First, they mark clearly within our minds the occasion of an
important life transition. Second, they solicit special blessings from the devas and Deities, society and
village, family and friends. These blessings and feelings of love have a markedly positive effect,
stabilizing the mind so that the deeper meanings of life can unfold within us.

1. Naming A Child: After a baby is born, the baby is named on the eleventh day by a priest.

2. Childs First Outing: The parents and child bath, wear new cloths and apply a dab of 'soot' to
protect the baby from "the evil eye" and expose him to the environment. The parents offer a prayer to
the deities and take the baby out for a short walk.

3. First Haircut: 6-8 months a baby boy has his first haircut, where the barber completely shaves his
head, except for a small tuft of hair at the front. Some girls may have their hair cut also.

4. First Solid Food: 7-8 months after birth the parents recite a special prayer asking the deities to
bring good health and long life to their child. The father then begins feeding the child boiled rice,
mixed with ghee and honey.

5. Upanayana: The Thread Initiation ceremony, preformed by boys of Vaishya, Brahmin, and
Kshatriya castes between the ages of 8-12, marks the transition where they are expected to study
sacred texts. During this time the boy wears a sacred thread over his left shoulder and chants a
mantra.

6. Marriage: Arranged marriages are common in Hinduism, but in the west love matches are also
common. Parents scrutinize that whether the spouse's family is socially, culturally and financially
capable because they believe they are just uniting two people, but a whole family. The wedding
ceremony lasts 3 hours preformed by a priest and assistant priest. Their are 15 rituals in all during the
wedding; the giving away of the bride by father, giving of auspiciousness to the bride by the grooms
family. During this the bride is given a necklace or string that she wears the rest of her married life.
The clasping of hands, and taking 7 steps around the sacred fire.

7. Death & Cremation: Cremation under direction of a priest, a family member bathes and dresses
the body in new/traditional clothing, leaving the face uncovered. light and flowers are offered to the
deceased before cremation. 'Lord Rama' is chanted, passages are read and hymns are sung.

8. Shraddha: The death anniversary, where the priest performs religious rites ceremony.
Since ancient times, cremation, or the burning of corpses, has been a Hindu custom. Like the
marriage ceremony, the rite of passage into death centers around the sacred fire.

The funeral begins when the body is wrapped in cloth and carried away on a stretcher. As family and
friends leave their village for the cremation grounds, they recite prayers to the chosen deity of the
deceased. Traditionally, the eldest son lights the wood of the funeral pyre with a flame lit in a nearby
temple. Prayers and offerings are made in the belief that the deceased is going through a process of
rebirth, cleansed by the fire into new life. The ritual also protects the relatives from evil spirits.

The ceremony concludes when the ashes are thrown into a river. Many Hindus want their remains to
be left in the River Ganges, believing that its waters will help purify their souls.

The coffin leaves for the crematorium during a funeral

In South India, an annual shraddha ceremony, in which pinda (rice balls) are offered to God and to
the departed soul.