Hindu philosophical and religious perspectives

Hindu Views

The concept of God is perceived differently by each religion, and while some only worship one God, others offer their praise to more. Given the fact that there are a series of deities in Hinduism, Gods are seen and worshipped in a variety of ways depending on each individual and on his or her guiding principles. Based on their affinity toward a form of deity in particular, Hindus can virtually be categorized into three groups, "Saktas who worship a Mother Goddess, Saivites who worship the god Siva, and Vaishnavites who worship the god Vishnu" (15).

When considering the general perception expressed by Hindus with reference to a divine being, there are three roles that people believe their God should have. The Hindu God is apparently governed by the power of creation, by the power of protection, and by the power of destruction. While certain Hindus can believe that the God they worship has a humanoid form, other go as far as considering that their God can be characterized through a diverse range of elements.

As regards their role in Hinduism, while a number of upper class Gods are associated with a greater role; other divine beings are believed to have less important responsibilities. Apparently, the deities who are less influential are not given access to several privileges enjoyed by the higher caste.

Women are paid little to no importance in most religions, with deities principally being related to a masculine form rather than a feminine one. Hindus respect women because of the numerous contributions they bring to society. Even with the reverence women enjoy in Hinduism, their main role is linked to that of assisting their husbands in various missions. Apparently, up until the nineteenth century, when the Hindus started to be influenced by Western culture, women were considered to be equal to men, as they took part in important religious ceremonies without being impeded by their gender. Consequent to the changes experienced in the Hindu society however, women gradually lost their influence up to the point where they started to be perceived as servants.

The Indian territory has given birth to several religions and whereas some can be traced to the moment of their creation, matters are more difficult when considering Hinduism, as it apparently involves a collection of Indian religions. The term Hinduism was coined by British invaders mainly because of the fact that a large number of Indians lived in the vicinity of the Indus River. Hindus prefer to use the title Sanatana Dharma instead, which means the eternal religion.

Hinduism has its roots in the Vedic era, several millennia ago, when a number of thinkers began to collect and produce information relating to spirituality. It is uncertain whether or not the early native Indians are responsible for creating the foundations of Hinduism or whether it was the invading Aryans who did it. Even with that, the early Vedic people are believed to have played a major role in shaping the Sanatana Dharma. A number of Hindus actually believe that the first documents which refer to Hinduism are the product of divine intervention, and that they were not written by humans.

The early scriptures in Hinduism were focused on the external connections between the individual and the world. The later texts however, known as the Upanishads, were concentrated on teaching one how to behave so as to discover his or her inner self and attain enlightenment, which is presumably the ultimate goal of humans.

Although the Vedic scriptures are considered to be the documents with the peak spiritual value in Hinduism, they were only taught to those who were believed to be worthy of learning the spiritual truth. As matters progressed however, they were available through the Upanishads to practically anyone who was interested in being enlightened.

The sensory pleasures that people have, such as the "eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin" (6), are believed to be of little importance in Hinduism, as they are not permanent. In order to enjoy higher values, individuals are required to abandon material elements and only by doing this are they prepared to discover divinity inside themselves. Apparently, at the time when people succeed in finding their inner selves, they will begin to enjoy "unspeakable peace and bliss" (7).