Hinduism as One of the Oldest World Religions - Essay Example

Karma is the universal energy, which intertwines all beings. Therefore, those that do bad deeds, such as rob or steel, are polluting their karma, which will lead to unfortunate events and vice versa for good deeds. It is also important in the concept of reincarnation, as to how good your karma is will determine what an individual is reincarnated as.  This is especially important because a person must have very good karma in order to escape the cycle of reincarnation in order to achieve a higher state of enlightenment known as moksha.

            An avatar is a manifestation of a Hindu deity on Earth. Each sect of Hinduism has a different view regarding these types of manifestations. The manifestation does not have to occur solely as a human but can be in the form of an animal or any other sort of creature. They appear as a source of divine influence and often speak to people offering sage’s advice. In addition, each avatar has unique qualities, which separate them from one another. Each sect of Hinduism acknowledges the existence of a different number of avatars.

            In the basics of Hinduism for someone who is unfamiliar with the religion, it would sound unique in comparison to its Christian counterpart. The basis behind Hinduism is that a person wants to achieve a state of solitude and live a just, moral life, and performing good deeds to influence the person’s karma can only achieve enlightenment. If not, they would have to be reincarnated and start over in the next life. Also, they must know that deities preside over the celestials and do have the power to influence through avatars.

            Shiva and Kali are major deities in Hinduism. They are lovers and it was said that when the two consecrated their love for one another, the universe was born. Shiva, the destroyer, represents power. Even though he is thought to be a symbol of destruction, he also is a symbol of recreation. He is known to take many forms in response to what sect of Hinduism he is being referred to.  Kali is referred to as the eternal dark mother in that she was born out of the destruction of another evil deity. In order to prevent her continuous rampage, Shiva had to stop her, which is why they are often depicted together.

            Puja is the act of displaying active worship for a god in Hinduism. This can be done through the preparation of an altar, saying prayers, etc. In the process of puja, there is a spiritual connection, which is made with god. They are usually held at some sort of shrine and the connection is facilitated through the use of an object such as a sculpture, painting, etc. Offerings and scriptures are also a common practice when a puja is occurring.

            Being one of the oldest world religions, Hinduism has been able to make not only an impact on history but also on philosophy as well. It has impacted the area of Asia and other religions in that themes and other elements of Hinduism were adopted and assimilated into other religions and philosophies. Hinduism will continue to exist due to reincarnation in that the ideas will return with those that have to start the cycle over.