Hinduism Research Paper (Research Paper Sample)

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Description the Hindu gods, the three paths, the Bhagavad Gita, the Rig-Veda and the Upanishads
The Hindu gods.
The Hindu people mainly believe on the most fundamental level of God. They believe he is the outright, formless and mainly refer to him as Brahman or the Universal Soul. The Hindu believe that Braham is the universe and all the elements contained in it. Brahman is the reality, truth and has no limits. Hinduism is mainly a pantheistic religion since they liken God with the universe. They are also polytheistic meaning that they are surrounded by many gods and goddesses who personify the aspects of the one true God (Cunningham, Lawrence & Reich, 23). These gods include:
• BRAHMA, THE CREATOR.
Brahma is the first of the Hindu holy trinity as the sole creator since he created the universe except Brahman (Cunningham, Lawrence & Reich, 24). He is believed to have the power to be able to reform all created aspects according to his likeness and ideal.
• VISHNU, THE PRESERVER.
Vishnu is considered the second member in the Hindu trinity. He is responsible for maintaining order and harmony in the entire universe (Renou, 56). Vishnu is worshiped in diverse forms but mainly through incarnations. He is considered a mysterious god since he is less visible than other gods and is considered the divine essence that prevails in the universe.
• SHIVA, THE DESTROYER.
Shiva is considered the third in the Hindu trinity. His main responsibility is to destroy the universe in preparation for the renewal at the end of every cycle of time (Renou, 56). Before any Hindu religious ceremony takes place, Shiva must be invoked since they believe that his name eliminates evils spirits within the vicinity.
• GANAPATI, THE REMOVER OF OBSTACLES.
He is Shiva’s first son who has an elephant head and is placed on divine grounds at the Hindu community. He is considered to be a remover of obstacles in the human life.
• AVATARS OF VISHNU.
An avatar to the Hindu symbolizes a divine descent. The avatars symbolize savior gods who descended to earth to be able to intervene and maintain order and peace. They include Rama and Krishna.
• AGNI, THE FIRE GOD.
He is mainly known as the sacrifice and his main obligation is to be able to receive sacrifices.
• INDRA, THE LORD OF THE GODS.
He is considered as a protector and the provider of rain.
The three paths.
The three paths according to the Hindu religion mainly symbolize the three main ways to salvation or liberation. They include the path of duty, the path of knowledge and the path of devotion (Cunningham, Lawrence & Reich, 27).
Karma Marga or the path of duty is for individuals who prefer salvation through their daily activities (Renou, 60). The path is concerned about living in harmony and avoiding selfishness. This path is important since the Hindu believe that individuals should be doing good deeds in order to deserve a reward.
Jnana Marga or the path of knowledge is mainly for intellectual types. The followers need to be able to dedicate their time in gaining knowledge and meditation. They believe that knowledge helps one overcome ignorance. To be able to attain this knowledge one must pass through the true schools of Hindu philosophy which are Yoga, Sankhya, and Vedanta (Renou, 62). This is the shortest path to salvation.
Bhakti Marga or the path of devotion is for the emotional followers who are able to worship gods of their choice. Worshipping in divine ways helps one gain insight from selfish concerns.
The Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is a seven hundred Hindu scripture verse. It is often referred to as the Gita. Bhagavad Gita is spoken by Krishna, who is trying to explain the purpose of life to Arjuna (Cunningham, Lawrence & Reich, 32). He explains that the main goal of one’s life is to be able to at...