 |
Product Search
|
 |
|
Article Search
|
|
|
Resources
| |
|
Home > The Four Major Divisions Of Hinduism
We Have Found 0 Products for your search of The Four Major Divisions Of Hinduism.
Displaying Articles Page 1.
|
| Please vote and
rate this. |
The Four Major Divisions Of Hinduism
by Victor Epand
The four Hindu denominations or divisions are the Saivism, Shaktism, Smartism, and Vaishnavism. Hinduism is a very rich and complex religion.
Each of its four denominations shares rituals, beliefs, traditions, and personal gods with one another, but each sect has a unique philosophy on how to achieve life's ultimate goal, which is liberation and is also known as moksa. For example, a person can be a devotee to Shiva and a Vishnu devotee, but one can practice the Advaita Vedanta philosophy, which believes there is no difference between Brahman and a person's individual soul.
Conversely, a Hindu may follow the Dvaita philosophy, which stresses that Brahman and the soul are not the same. However, each denomination fundamentally believes in different methods of self realization and in different aspects of the one supreme being. However, each denomination respects and accepts all others, and conflict of any kind is rare.
Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Shaktism, respectively believe in a monotheistic ideal of Vishnu, which is often as Krishna, Shiva, or Devi. This view does not exclude other personal gods, as they are understood to be aspects of the chosen ideal. For instance, to many devotees of Krishna, Shiva is seen as having sprung from Krishna's creative force. Ganesha worshipers would connect themselves with Shiva as Shiva is the father of Ganesha, making him a Shaiv deity.
Often times, the monad Brahman is seen as the one source, with all other gods emanating from there. As a result, with all Hindus, there is a strong belief in all paths being true religions that lead to one God or source, whatever one chooses to call the ultimate truth. As the Vedas, which are the most important Hindu scriptures, state that truth is one, the wise call it by various names.
Smartism, is monist as well as a monotheist and understands different deities as representing the various aspects and principles of one supreme entity, Brahman or parabrahman. Teachers such as Swami Vivekananda, who brought Hinduism to the west, held beliefs like those found in Smartism, although he usually referred to his religion as Vedanta. Other denominations of Hinduism do not strictly hold this belief.
A Smartist would have no problem worshiping Shiva or Vishnu together as he views the different aspects of God as leading to the same One God. It is the Smarta view that dominates the view of Hinduism in the west, but in contrast, a Vaishnavite considers Vishnu as the one true God, worthy of worship and other forms as subordinate. Accordingly, many Vaishnavites, for example, believe that only Vishnu can grant moksha. Similarly, many Shaivites also hold similar beliefs for Shiva.
There are some Hindus who consider the various deities not as forms of the one Ishvara, but as independently existing entities, and may thus be properly considered polytheists. Although, the pantheistic tendency in Hinduism allowed only a subordinate rank to the old polytheistic gods, they continued to occupy an important place in the affections of individual Hindus and were still represented as exercising considerable influence on the destinies of man.
About the Author
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. Please visit these sites for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and four divisions.
Related Articles (0 vote) The Hindu Denominations Throughout The World
by Victor Epand. In today's world, Hinduism comprises of numerous sects or denominations. The main divisions in the current Hinduism are the Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaish... products, articles
- (0 vote) Reincarnation - Is It Credible?
by Victor Epand. To start with, let us assume that reincarnation indeed takes place. What do the Vedic literatures tell us as to why it does take place? Two reasons h... products, articles
- (0 vote) Grihasta Ashrama - A Platform for Renunciation?
by Victor Epand. Grihasta, or householder life is the second spiritual stage in the Varnasrama parampara. In this phase the grihasta lives along with his wife and chi... products, articles
- (0 vote) Krishna is the Reservoir of all Beauty and Krishna's Energies
by Victor Epand. Krishna, the Supreme Lord, has three types of energies: 1. Material, 2. Spiritual, and 3. Marginal. The material energy is the dull matter that has n... products, articles
 | |
|
Division Hinduism perceives time as cyclical based on our own experience of days and nights. We see this cyclical pattern in all divisions of time from days to epochs. Time is a never ending cyclical process which is both repetetive and exhaustive. In a sense time is limited. In another it is eternal. from a spiritual perspective time exists when we are in a state of duality,but disappears when we enter into a state of unity or samadhi. Each time cycle has three components, sristhti or creation, sthithi or continuation and laya or dissolution. They are under the control of the trinity namely Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. We can see the same divisions in a day also, In life we see them as childhood, adulthood and oldage. The Hindu calculation of time comes to us from the sage Ganita. He calculated the duration of each cycle in human years. He divided the cosmic time into Kalpas of 8.64 trillion years each, which is a day and night in the time and space of Brahman. Each kalpa is further divided into 100 mahayugas. Each mahayuga is again divided into four yugas namely Krita yuga, Treta yuga, Dwapara yuga and Kali yuga. Their duration vary. Krita is the longest and kali yuga the shortest. A day in the life of gods is equal to a year upon earth. It is divided into a day and night, known as uttarayana and dakshninayana. They are equal to 180 days each. There is another division of time known as Manvantara which is euqal to the period during which the earth is ruled by one particular Manu, the father of Man. A new Manu manifests at the beginning of each Manvantara to produce a new race of human beings. Each Manvantara lasts for about 71 Mahayugas in which appear along with Manu one Indra and seven seers. 14 Manus appear in each kalpa. The current Manu is known as Vaivasvata
|
|
