Hinduism (Sanskrit Hindū Dharma—हिन्दू धर्म, also known as Sanātana Dharma सनातन धर्म, and Vaidika Dharma वैदिक धर्म) is a religion originating in the Indian subcontinent, based on the Vedas, and the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. The term, "Hinduism," is heterogeneous, as Hinduism consists of several schools of thought. It encompasses many religious rituals that widely vary in practice, as well as many diverse sects and philosophies. Most Hindus believe in a Supreme Cosmic Spirit, which may be understood in abstract terms as Brahman or which may be worshipped in personal forms such as Vishnu, Shiva or Shakti. The religion is classified by many different forms of theism such as monotheism, monism, pantheism, polytheism and even atheism. Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world with approximately 970 million adherents, (2006), approximately 900 million of whom are in India.
Vyāsa ( Devanāgarī: व्यास) is a central and much revered figure in the majority of Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Krishna Dwaipayana, (the island-born) or Veda Vyasa '(वेद व्यास, veda vyāsa), meaning - 'the one who divied the Vedas'. He is accredited as the scribe of both the Vedas, and the supplementary texts such as the Puranas. A number of Vaishnava traditions regard him as an avatar of Vishnu. Vyasa is also considered to be one of the seven Chiranjeevin (immortals), who are still in existence according to general Hindu belief. Vyasa appears for the first time as the author of and an important character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. It is traditionally held by Hindus that Vyasa categorised the primordial single Veda into four. Hence he was called Veda Vyasa, or "Splitter of the Vedas," the splitting being a feat that allowed the populous of the Kali yuga to understand the divine knowledge of the Veda. - ...that Krishna (pictured) literally means "black" or "dark one" in Sanskrit?
Land of religions, cradle of human race, birthplace of human speech, grandmother of legend, great grandmother of tradition. The land that all men desire to see and having seen once even by a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for the shows of the rest of the globe combined.  | - Expand: Samyama, Tantras, Treta Yuga, Devi Mahatmya, Jnana, Gangga Negara, Kediri, Brahminicide, Brāhmanahatya, Vedanta Society, Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, Yogoda Satsanga, Sarsanghachalak, Thommanon, Baksei Chamkrong, Phnom Bakheng, Phimeanakas, Phnom Krom,Banteay Samré, West Mebon, Kriyamana karma, Sanchita karma, Kama (Purusharthas), Hindu marriage Ceremony, Vedic metal, Kalpa (Vedanga), Parisada Hindu Dharma
- Cleanup: History of Hinduism, Yuga, Hindu view of marriage, Devadasi, Islamic conquest of South Asia, Ancient Vedic units of measurement, Amarnath, Californian Hindu textbook controversy, Women in Hinduism, Swami Ramdev, Vedas, Sri Anandamoyi Ma
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