- "Hinduism is the world's third-largest religion, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers."
Basic introduction and history of Hinduism.
Origins of Hinduism: The history and development of Hinduism from ancient times to present day.
Hindu Gods and Goddesses: The various deities worshipped by Hindus, their origins, symbolism, and significance in Hinduism.
Hindu Scriptures: The primary texts of Hinduism, including the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Puranas.
Hindu Cosmology: The Hindu understanding of the universe, the creation story, and the cyclical nature of existence.
Karma and Dharma: The concepts of karma and dharma and their importance in Hinduism.
Yoga and Meditation: The importance of yoga and meditation in Hinduism and their significance in attaining spiritual enlightenment.
Hindu Rituals and Festivals: The various rituals and festivals observed by Hindus and their significance in Hinduism.
Caste System: The social structure of Hinduism, including the caste system and its modern-day implications.
Hindu Philosophy: The various schools of Hindu philosophy, including Vedanta, Yoga, and Samkhya, and their differences and similarities.
Hinduism and other Religions: The comparison between Hinduism and other major world religions, including Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.
Historical Introduction: Provides a detailed overview of the history of Hinduism, including the evolution of the religion, its major philosophical and theological developments, and its interactions with other religions and cultures.
Philosophical Introduction: Focuses on the core philosophical concepts and teachings of Hinduism, including the nature of reality, the nature of the self, the ultimate goal of human existence, and the means of achieving liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Ritualistic Introduction: Explores the complex system of rituals and ceremonies that comprises a significant part of Hindu religious practice, including details about the performance of specific rites and the significance of various symbols and gestures.
Mythological Introduction: Examines the extensive body of Hindu mythology, including the stories of the gods and goddesses, their interactions with humans, and the role of myth in Hindu religious practice and belief.
Devotional Introduction: Emphasizes the importance of devotion, worship, and bhakti in Hinduism, and explores the role of devotional practices such as puja, kirtan, and meditation in fostering a close relationship with the divine.
Cultural Introduction: Focuses on the impact of Hinduism on Indian culture, including its influence on language, art, music, literature, architecture, and social customs.
Regional Introduction: Explores the diverse and varied traditions of Hinduism that have emerged in different regions of India, as well as the distinctive practices and beliefs of Hindus living in other parts of the world.
Comparative Introduction: Compares and contrasts Hinduism with other major world religions, examining similarities and differences in terms of key theological concepts, practices, and beliefs.
Contemporary Introduction: Examines the current state of Hinduism, including recent developments in Hindu philosophy, religious practice, and social and political issues that impact the Hindu community.
- "The word Hindu is an exonym."
- "Hinduism has also been described as sanātana dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, lit. ''the eternal dharma'')."
- "Hinduism is a diverse system of thought marked by a range of philosophies and shared concepts, rituals, cosmological systems, pilgrimage sites, and shared textual sources."
- "Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include the four Puruṣārthas, the proper goals or aims of human life; namely, dharma (ethics/duties), artha (prosperity/work), kama (desires/passions) and moksha (liberation/freedom from the passions and the cycle of death and rebirth)."
- "Hinduism prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings (ahiṃsā), patience, forbearance, self-restraint, virtue, and compassion, among others."
- "Hindu practices include worship (puja), fire rituals (homa/havan), devotion (bhakti), fasting (vrata), chanting (japa), meditation (dhyāna), sacrifice (yajña), charity (dāna), selfless service (sevā), learning and knowledge (jñāna), recitation and exposition of scriptures (pravacana), homage to one's ancestors (śrāddha), family-oriented rites of passage, annual festivals, and occasional pilgrimages (yatra)."
- "Hindu texts are classified into Śruti ("heard") and Smṛti ("remembered"), the major scriptures of which are the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Purānas, the Mahābhārata, the Rāmāyana, and the Āgamas."
- "Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of Brahmanical orthopraxy with various Indian cultures, having diverse roots and no specific founder."
- "The four major denominations of Hinduism are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and the Smarta tradition."
- "Hinduism is the most widely professed faith in India, Nepal, Mauritius, and in Bali, Indonesia."
- "Significant numbers of Hindu communities are found in other countries of South Asia, in Southeast Asia, in the Caribbean, Gulf states, North America, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and other regions."