What Do Hindu's Believe? (3)

What Do Hindu's Believe?:

Hinduism is polytheistic which means believing in or worshiping more than one God.  Hinduism has 330 million deities or demigods, all extensions of the one ultimate reality that is Brahman. Brahman is known as the creator; Brahman is beyond the reach of humans. 

The picture above depicts Brahman in Moksha. 

The term Brahman is used when referring to the essence of all things; the Atman is referred to the ultimate reality of oneself. Hindu's believe that there is a part of Brahman in everybody, this part is called Atman. 

The Upanishads are ancient texts that contain the basics of Hindu teachings, in these teaching Brahman is described as neti, meaning “not this, not that.” What you sense and what your mind can ponder is not Brahman, Brahman is considered superior to humans, beyond our reach and thought.  Instead Brahman makes up what you cannot see, he is not material but pure spirit. The image below is of a page in the Upanishads.

Hindu’s believe in Monism which is believing all reality is one, that everything is interconnected. For example monists believe all rivers, lakes, even droplets of rain share a same common essence, the essence is Brahman. Brahman is the source of the universe.

Brahman is the source of the universe. Brahman is impersonal, never seen or heard. Because Brahman and Atman are out of the human reach, humans still need to have contact with the divine. There are 330 million Gods and Goddess, deities that provide contact. Each deity has their own personal characteristics, the Hindus are free to choose who they worship and are allowed to worship as many deities as they like.


    Images of the most popular deities, you will learn more about them in another page.

What You Should Have Learned:


Hindu's are polytheistic because they believe in more than one God.

Brahman is the creator or absolute reality.  

Brahman and Atman are connected

Atman is the ultimate reality of oneself  

Brahman and Atman are so divine they are out of human reach, 
Therefore there are 330 million deities that provide contact

Hindus are free to worship as many of the deities are they like.