Hindu mythology is the dominant set of beliefs and traditions in the Indian subcontinent, including legends of gods and heroes in ancient texts. Karma and dharma are important concepts, and Vishnu is a supreme being who can manifest as various avatars. Reincarnation is also a key belief. Hinduism has influenced other religions and has been referenced in popular culture. The Mahabharata and Ramayana are important texts, and the Bhagavad-Gita is a sacred text to many Hindus.
Hindu mythology describes the sacred figures and stories of the Hindu faith. This is the dominant set of beliefs and traditions for many in the Indian subcontinent, one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hindu mythology includes legends of gods and heroes included in the sacred texts and epics of ancient India. Some of these texts are thousands of years old, making Hinduism one of the oldest religions on Earth. An important element of Hinduism known throughout the world is karma – the belief that a person’s actions are rewarded or punished on a cosmic scale.
The original Hindu faith has split into many sects and divisions in modern times, but many still believe in some form of a supreme god who takes on many aspects. This supreme being, Vishnu, can manifest as various avatars or earthly incarnations, including the blue-bodied Krishna. Adherents of the incarnation of Krishna include the Hare Krishna sect, perhaps the best known Hindu faith in the United States and the Western world. For this reason, many Westerners confuse Hinduism with Hare Krishna, which is just one of many spiritual paths originating in India.
An important work of Hindu mythology is the Mahabharata, an epic poem originating in the first millennium BC The Mahabharata is one of the oldest and longest texts in the world and its influence is as widespread as that of other religious texts, such as the Bible or the Koran . One section, called the Bhagavad-Gita, involves Vishnu’s Krishna avatar explaining the concepts of morality and honor on the eve of a battle. The Bhagavad-Gita has itself become an important religious text, sacred to the Hare Krishnas and other Krishna sects, as well as Hindus in general. The other classic Hindu text is the Ramayana, which describes the life of Rama, a former avatar of Vishnu.
According to Hindu mythology, all people and animals have immortal spirits and these spirits are regenerated, or reincarnated, after death. A person’s actions in life will determine how their spirit is reincarnated. Bad people can become lower animals, while good people can become higher spirits, called bodhisattvas, or even abandon the cycle of reincarnation altogether. This sense of cosmic balance is called karma and is widely known, even non-Hindus discussing good and bad karma, often in a metaphorical sense. An equally important concept is dharma, which involves a natural order of the universe and the attempt to find one’s place within that order.
Hindu mythology has had a wide influence on the philosophy and spirituality of the world. The faiths of Buddhism and Zen had their origins in Hinduism before becoming widespread belief systems in their own right. Many popular works of fiction and non-fiction refer to Hindu spirituality. An example is Nina Paley’s 2009 independent film Sita Sings the Blues, an animated retelling of the Ramayana. The Mahabharata itself has been filmed many times, including a five-hour version by British director Peter Brook released in 1989.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
