Role of Art and Culture in UPSC and Other State PSC SSC & Banking GK

Religions in India - Hinduism

Introduction

Art and Culture plays a vital role for Exams like IAS, State PSC, SSC and other similar competitive exams.

India has been a land or spirituality, morality and faith. Many religions have thrived in India during same era. Even today people from different faiths and cults live together in India. Major religions in India are:

Hinduism

< >Islam Buddhism Jainism Sikhism Christianity Zoroastrianism Judaism Vedic LiteratureShruti Samriti Vedas Brahmas Aryankas Upnishads Rigveda: it includes hymns and Gayatri. Samaveda: it is rhythmic compilation of hymns. Yajurveda: it includes sacrificial and ritual prayers of yajnas.  Atharveda: it contains magic spells; early traditions of healing and magic. Samhitas: it contains hymns. Brahmanas: it contains prose texts explaining hymns in Vedas, explanation and application of hymns. Aryankas: it was written in forests and it is the concluding part of Brahmanas. philosophy and mysticism i.e. moral science.

It also contains the details of Rishis who lived in jungles.

< >Upanishads: it means ’sitting down near’. It is also called as ’Vedanta’. It is one of biggest religions in India. The word Hinduism came from the word Hindu, which was used by western people to refer to people living across river Indus. In ancient India, Hinduism included various religious sacrifices and offerings and puja to please the Gods. As a result, Hinduism as a religion became very expensive and highly ritualistic. In medieval India, Hinduism went through Bhakti movement in North India where the Sanskrit texts were translated in vernacular languages by the saints and the message of Bhakti and God was delivered to the masses. In modern India, large scale change in the practices of Hinduism were brought. For example, derogatory practices like Sati, untouchability or child marriages were abolished. The Hinduism was influenced by the western ideas of equality, dignity and freedom of thought and expression. We learn about Hinduism through the Vedic literature. Hindu Philosophy

< >Karma Dharma Soul Parmatma Orthodox: it believed in Vedas and ultimate source of knowledge. Sanatan view Heterodox: it was more liberal, included lokayatta philosophy, Upnishads, Sankhya, Yoga and Adwait. Domination of the Brahamans who themselves led a degenerated and corrupt moral life. Rigid caste system was prevalent. Irrelevant rituals and religious practices that were out of reach for common man. Various social dogmas like sati system and child marriages. These loopholes in Hinduism gave rise to other religions and also paved way for Bhakti movement.Raja Ram Mohan Roy started questioning the issues and dogmas in Hinduism. He started Brahmo Samaj in 1828. He rejected iconography i.e. use of idols for worship. He abolished Sati pratha. After his death, Devendranath Tagore took over the mission. Another member, Keshabchandra Sen advocated against child marriage, polygamy and caste system. It was established in 1897. It advocated supreme devotion to god. Its philosophy included: Spread the Vedantic spirituality, strive for harmonious existence of all world religions and to consider the service to mankind as a service to god. Swami Vivekananda was a major follower.

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