Marriage

Author(s): Natubhai Shah
Publisher: UK Jain Academy

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HINDU BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS
Origin
Origin of Hinduism cannot be traced; it is the religion (dharma - 'code of conduct', 'law', or 'duty') of the majority of people in India and Nepal and has over 900 million adherents worldwide including about 600,000 in Britain. It is closely associated with the other dharmic religions such as Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism and is 'a family of religions and way of life' with a great variety of beliefs and practices.
Sects
Hinduism have two major sects, Saivism and Vaishnavism, and many groups such as Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Rama Krishna Mission, Swaminarayan, Brahma Kumaris, Harekrishna (Iskcon), Sathya Sai Baba movement, Jalaram Bapa movement and South Indian groups such as Balaji temple. All follow basic Hindu teachings and preaches basic moral values.
Beliefs
Hindus believe in the immortality of souls and their transmigration through many lives because of attached karma (attached, egoistic actions). The aim of human life is to annihilate karma and attain liberation (moksa) where the soul becomes free from worldly sufferings, is purified and achieves a state of bliss and oneness with God. Moksa can be attained by one of three paths: the path of knowledge (jnaan maarga, inner realisation), the path of detachment from actions (karma maarga) and the path of devotion to God (bhakti maarga). For inner realisation, Hinduism prescribes the various disciplines of yoga, austerities (saadhanaa) and meditation, thus many Hindu yogis or saadhus renounce the world to reside in the forests and mountains and practise the path of meditation for inner purity. Hindus also give great importance to external purity, bathing at home and in sacred rivers, to the purity of their food and the environment for the progress towards the path of purification.
God
Most Hindus believe in a Supreme God, whose qualities and forms are represented by the multitude of deities which emanate from him. God possesses three aspects: creator, preserver and destroyer, the creator is Brahma, the preserver is Vishnu and the destroyer is Shiva (Mahesh); these three constitute the Trinity of Hinduism, which are encompassed in one supreme Lord Vishnu who is loving, compassionate, benevolent and virtuous. Hinduism is a
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