MANY GODS AND ONE DIVINE PRINCIPLE
linked to Hinduism’s view of God
Goddess Ganesh- portrayed as an elephant
God Shiva-portrayed with more than two arms
Goddess Kali-portrayed holding a severed head while standing on corpses
Some temples enshrine particular deities with other minor deities: Vishnu or
Shiva is the most common deity found in temples.
Image of the favorite gods and goddesses are enshrined in the family shrine or
altars in one’s home
Vedas-(early Vedic Hymns)- mention the name of countless deities
Three (3) highest deities called Trimurthi(Trinity)
 Brahma- the creator
 Vishnu- the preserver
 Shiva-the destroyer
Goddess consort, who are also worshipped by devotees:
 Saraswati- the goddess of speech (consort to Brahma)
 Lakshmi- the goddess of wealth (consort to Vishnu)
 Parvati- usually worshipped as the Mother of Goddess(consort to Shiva)
Despite of the multiplicity of deities in Hinduism, the Vedas say that all deities or
gods are ultimately manifestations of one divine principle.
According to Upanishads, this divine principle is referred to as the Brahman or the
Absolute.
A PERMANENT SOUL/ ULTIMATE SOUL: ATMAN
Hinduism believes in the doctrine of Atman, which claims that there is “soul” (atman)
in each and every living creature. It is the atman that assumes the physical body
through reincarnation, depending on the merits of one’s deeds.
Brahman-Atman or the Absolute/ Ultimate Soul is where the doctrine of atman is
Ahimsa- non-violence to all beings
KARMA, SAMSARA, AND MOKSHA
Karma- simply means “action” but more so, the consequences of one’s action
Law of Karma- one of the beliefs of Hinduism, means that a person’s actions will
always have consequences, and thus will shape the person’s future.
Transmigration of the soul- the process of transferring of the atman (soul)
Samsara- the cycle (sometimes called wheel) of birth-death-rebirth
Moksha- the liberation or momentous release from the seemingly never-ending cycle
of birth, death, and rebirth
If moksha is achieved, the atman does not look for a material receptacle to
reside in and unites with the Brahman-atman, the principle of all life in the
universe
CASTE SYSTEM
The traditional social structure that follows Hindu principles of karma and samsara is
called the caste system
The origin of the word is not an Indian, but actually a Portuguese which means
“chaste” or “pure”
Jati- a social rank one receives upon birth. Jati is a social classification system that
determines one’s rank on the basis of the family’s occupation
4 main jatis in different varnas(social groups) arranged from the highest to the
lowest:
1. Brahmins- are the highest in the hierarchy and are regarded as the purest of
all castes. They are the ritual experts or priests who lead temple worship
 2. Kshatriyas- consist of political rules and warrior, those who administer
justice, and defend territory against invaders. This class forms most of the
nobility and their subordinates in India
3. Vaishyas- make up the economic specialists and merchants. They are
responsible for producing food and other goods and exchanging them in
markets for everyone’s benefit.
4. Shudras- consist of manual laborers. They are considered impure because the
nature of their job, which includes garbage collectors, embalmers, and
undertakers. In due course became known as “untouchables”

Mohandas Karamchad Gandhi well known as Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

 a social activist who attacked the caste system and called the Shudras, who
were the least among the castes, as harijans or “children of God”

PUJA

 The most common way to worship deities is by doing puja

 It is the act of offering material good like food and the performance of rituals
at the altar of a god or goddess.
 The goal of the puja is darshan, where the devotee “exchange glances” with
the god or goddess. The darshan is an intimate, encounter between the deity
and the devotee