Hinduism (/ˈhɪnduɪzəm/) is an Indian religion or dharma, a strict and all inclusive request or lifestyle by which supporters stand. As a religion, it is the world's third-biggest, with over 1.2-1.35 billion supporters, or 15-16% of the worldwide populace, known as Hindus.




The word Hindu is an exonym,[3][4][note 3] and keeping in mind that Hinduism has been known as the most established religion in the world,[note 4] a large number allude to their religion as Sanātana Dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, lit. ''the Timeless Dharma''), a cutting edge use, which alludes to the possibility that its beginnings lie past mankind's set of experiences, as uncovered in the Hindu texts.[5][6][7][8][note 5] One more endonym is Vaidika Dharma,[9][10][11][12][13] the dharma connected with the Vedas.[14]

Hinduism is a different arrangement of thought set apart by a scope of ways of thinking and shared ideas, ceremonies, cosmological frameworks, journey locales, and shared literary sources that examine religious philosophy, transcendentalism, folklore, Vedic yajna, yoga, agamic customs, and sanctuary working, among other topics.[15] Noticeable subjects in Hindu convictions incorporate the four Puruṣārthas, the legitimate objectives or points of human existence; in particular, dharma (morals/obligations), artha (flourishing/work), kama (wants/interests) and moksha (freedom/independence from the interests and the pattern of death and rebirth),[16][17] as well as karma (activity, purpose and outcomes) and saṃsāra (pattern of death and rebirth).[18][19] Hinduism recommends the timeless obligations, like trustworthiness, shunning harming living creatures (Ahiṃsā), persistence, patience, poise, goodness, and empathy, among others.[web 3][20] Hindu practices incorporate love (puja), fire customs (homa/havan), recitations (pravachan), commitment (bhakti), reciting (japa), reflection (dhyāna), penance (yajña), noble cause (dāna), caring help (sevā), tribute to one's progenitors (śrāddha), family-situated transitional experiences, yearly celebrations, and periodic journeys (yatra). Alongside the different practices related with yoga, a few Hindus leave their social world and material belongings and take part in long lasting Sannyasa (religion) to accomplish moksha.[21]

Hindu messages are grouped into Śruti ("heard") and Smṛti ("recalled"), the significant sacred writings of which are the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Purānas, the Mahābhārata, the Rāmāyana, and the Āgamas.[18][22] There are six āstika schools of Hindu way of thinking, who perceive the power of the Vedas, in particular Sānkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Vaisheshika, Mimāmsā, and Vedānta.[23][24][25] While the Puranic sequence presents a lineage of millennia, beginning with the Vedic rishis, researchers view Hinduism as a fusion[note 6] or synthesis[26][note 7] of Brahmanical orthopraxy[note 8] with different Indian cultures,[27][note 9] having different roots[28][note 10] and no particular founder.[29] This Hindu blend arose after the Vedic time frame, between c. 500[30]-200[31] BCE and c. 300 CE,[30] in the time of the Subsequent Urbanization and the early traditional time of Hinduism, when the Sagas and the primary Purānas were composed.[30][31] It thrived in the middle age period, with the downfall of Buddhism in India.[32]

As of now, the four significant categories of Hinduism are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and the Smarta tradition.[33][34][35][36] Wellsprings of power and timeless realities in the Hindu texts assume a significant part, however there is likewise areas of strength for a custom of addressing expert to extend the comprehension of these insights and to additionally create the tradition.[37] Hinduism is the most broadly declared confidence in India, Nepal, Mauritius and in Bali, Indonesia.[38] Huge quantities of Hindu people group are found in different nations of South Asia, in Southeast Asia, in the Caribbean, Bay states, North America, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and other regions.[39][40]