Despite being the third-largest and oldest religion in the world, many people are unaware of many facts about Hinduism. There are also several misconceptions about Hinduism that need to be explained. Therefore, in this article, I have tried to briefly present all the facts about Hinduism so that everybody would know what it is.
In the history of mankind, many cultures have come and gone, but Hinduism has withstood many challenges posed by time and has spread worldwide. The secret of the success of the Hindu religion lies in its practical approach towards human life, belief in eternal truths, and modifications made from time to time without changing the fundamental beliefs.
Fast Hinduism Facts:
Existence Since: Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion. The history of Hinduism can be traced back to 5000-10,000 B.C.
Facts about size and Rank: It is the third-largest religion in the world, with approximately 1.2 billion followers. It is about 15% of the world’s population. In India, there were about 1.03 billion Hindus in 2020. The Hindu growth rate is 1.55% annually in India.
Location: Most Hindus live in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, and they have a considerable presence in all other parts of the world. About 85% of Hindus live in India. Therefore, India is also called “Hindustan.”
Known as: People who follow Hinduism are called “Hindus.” Hinduism is also known as “Hindu Dharma” (हिंदू धर्म), ” Hindu Religion, “Sanatan Dharma (Eternal Religion),” “Vedic Religion,” or Vedic Dharma.
Founder: Hinduism has no single founder. It has been evolving over thousands of years and will continue to.
Origin: Hinduism originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is primarily based on the teachings of the Vedas.
Meaning of the word: The word “Hinduism” actually has no real meaning because Hinduism was not founded as a religion. The name “Hindu” is given by the people outside of India, especially Greeks and Arabs, to those living in the vicinity of the “Sindhu” river. So, the way of life that those people were following is called “Hinduism”.
What do they worship: Hindus believe in one God named “Brahman” but view other gods and goddesses as manifestations of Him. Therefore, in practice, they worship more than one God.
Most Hindus worship God in the form of an idol. Hindus revere rivers, mountains, trees, animals, and natural things useful to human beings.
Place of Worship: The place of worship for Hindus is called a temple.
Main Deities: Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva are the creator, protector, and destroyer, respectively. These are the three main deities in Hinduism. Besides them, Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna, Lord Hanuman, Lord Rama, and Goddess Parvati are the most popular deities in Hinduism.
Yugas: According to Hinduism, as there are four seasons in a year, there are four Yugas, namely Satya-Yuga, Treta-Yuga, Dvapara-Yuga, and Kali-Yuga. At the end of a complete cycle of four Yugas, life on Earth ends (though not entirely), and a new era starts. Humanity enters into a new era. The present era is Kali-Yuga, i.e., Dark Age.
Facts about sects in Hinduism: Hinduism consists of sects like Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism. The ordinary people follow all three sects, collectively worshiping Lord Shiva, Vishnu, and Devi.
The aims of life: Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire), and Moksha (salvation) are the four objectives of a Hindu’s life.
Goal: Salvation is the ultimate goal of a Hindu’s life.
Stages of life: According to Hinduism, four stages of life are Brahmcharyashram (Student phase), Grihastahshram (Living with wife and children), Vanprasthashram (leaving the home and pray to God, may keep contact with family), and Sanyasashram (discard everything in life including wife, children, and material things).
Contribution: Yoga, Pranayama, meditation, Ayurveda, and vegetarianism are the best gifts of Hinduism to the world.
Tantra, palmistry, acupressure, acupuncture, Jyotish Shastra (astrology), martial arts, and many other ancient wonders originated in India and are part of the Hindu religion.
Hinduism is the inspiration for three other major world religions, viz. Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.
The Zero and the decimal system were invented in India, based on which modern science exists.
Symbols: AUM and the Swastika are the main symbols of Hinduism. Besides those, Kalash, Trishul, Tilak, Lingam, Shri, and Yantra are other popular Hindu symbols. The saffron is the official color of Hinduism, and the saffron flag is the official flag of Hindus.
Sacred Books or Scriptures: The Four Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavadgita, 18 Puranas, Ramayana, and Mahabharata are the sacred books of Hindus.
Language: Most of the Hindu scriptures are written in Sanskrit. Sanskrit is considered to be the mother of all languages. Sanskrit is considered to be the language of the gods.
The languages Hindus use vary according to region. They speak all the Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, Kashmiri, etc. Hindus speak English, Sinhala, Indonesian, and other languages outside India.
Eating Habits: Most Hindus do not eat beef and/or pork. They also do not eat non-vegetarian food on auspicious days. Hinduism strongly advocates vegetarianism. Food is highly revered, and wasting food is considered a bad habit.
Important Hindu Festivals:
1. Diwali – The festival of lights.
2. Vijayadashami – Celebrating the victory of good over evil.
3. Gudhipadawa – Hindu New Year.
4. Mahashivratri – The day on which the universe was created.
5. Makar Sankranti – Transmigration of Sun into Makar Rashi.
6. Navratri – The Mother goddess is worshiped for nine days.
7. Ramnavami – The Birthday of Lord Rama.
8. Ganesh Festival – Festival of Lord Ganesha.
Vedic restraints for Hindus are (mentioned in the Sandilya Upanishad):
1. Ahimsa (not to harm others).
2. Satya (truthfulness).
3. Asteya (Nonstealing).
4. Brahmacharya (Avoiding promiscuity in thoughts, word, and deed).
5. Kshama (Forgiveness).
6. Dhriti (Steadfastness).
7. Daya (Compassion).
8. Arjaya (Honesty).
9. Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
10. Mitahara (moderate food).
Sixteen Samskaras in a Hindu’s life:
Samskaras are rituals that are performed at different stages of human life. According to Gautama Dharmasutra, there are 40 Samskaras, of which 16 are called Shodasha Samskaras.
1. Garbhadhana (pregnancy).
2. Pumsavana (quickening the fetus).
3. Simanatonnayana (parting of a pregnant woman’s hair in the 8th month).
4. Jatakarman (rite celebrating birth).
5. Namakarana (naming the child).
6. Nishkramana (first outing).
7. Annaprashana (baby’s first feeding of solid food).
8. Chudakarana (first haircut of the baby).
9. Karnavedha (ear piercing).
10. Upanayana (entry into school).
11. Vidyarambha (initiation of knowledge).
12. Samavartana (rite of passage in the ancient texts of Hinduism).
13. Vivaha (marriage).
14. Vanaprastha (retirement from worldly life).
15. Sanyasa (renunciation of worldly life).
16. Antyeshti (last rites).
Hindu Philosophy:
Hindu philosophy is divided broadly into six different parts called Darshanas.
1. Samkhya.
2. Yoga.
3. Nyaya or Logic.
4. Vaisheshika.
5. Mimamsa.
6. Vedanta.
Karma: Karma means your deeds. Hindus believe that our fate depends upon our Karma, i.e., as you sow so shall you reap. If you do evil Karma, you have to compensate for it in this and your next life. Your next life depends upon your Karma.
Reincarnation: A soul dwells in every living thing. The body is mortal, but the soul is immortal. Our soul enters a new body when we die, and the cycle continues until we get salvation.
Caste System:
Initially, there were no castes in Hinduism, but there were four Varnas, viz:
1. Brahmin (priests).
2. Kshatriya (warriors).
3. Vaishya (Businessmen).
4. Shudra (laborers).
These Varnas were further divided into castes and sub-castes. Initially, the caste system was not based on birth. Nowadays, caste is determined by birth. During the medieval period, people from a particular caste were supposed to do the same business as their ancestors. This type of caste system no longer exists. People are free to do whatever they want. Castes come into play mainly during marriages. In arranged marriages, people prefer to marry someone from the same caste.
Five Biggest Sins (mahapataka):
1. Murder of a Brahmin (The word brahmin here means a scholarly person).
2. Stealing gold (Gold refers to valuable items).
3. Drinking intoxicating drinks (e.g., alcohol).
4. An illicit relationship with the teacher’s wife.
5. Being associated with the sinners mentioned above.
Dashavatar:
According to the Bhagavad-Gita, whenever Dharma weakens or the sins on the earth increase to the limit, Lord Vishnu incarnates on Earth and removes the sinners and protects the earth. So far, Vishnu has incarnated nine times, and the tenth incarnation is yet to come. The following are the 10 incarnations of Vishnu known as Dashavataram:
1. Matsyavatar.
2. Kurmavatar.
3. Varaha avatar.
4. Narsimhavatar.
5. Vamanavatar.
6. Lord Parshurama.
7. Lord Rama.
8. Lord Krishna.
9. Lord Buddha.
10. Kalki Avatar.
The Basic Concept of Hinduism:
Understanding the basic concept of Hinduism will be easier if you know the Law of Conservation of Energy. Those with a science background or interest in science know the Law of Conservation of Energy very well. It is like this:
“Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Only one form of energy can be transformed into another. The sum of all the energies in the universe remains the same.”
According to Hinduism, the human body is perishable, but the soul is immortal and is subjected to the continuous cycle of birth and rebirth. The soul changes bodies as a living person changes his/her clothes. So, what we call death is just a transformation of the soul from one body to another, as the energy changes from one form to another. This cycle continues from birth to birth, and the soul is subjected to endless sufferings.
So, the ultimate goal of a Hindu’s life is to attain salvation (Moksha or Nirvana), i.e., freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth. One can attain salvation when a person’s soul becomes one with the supreme spirit called “Brahman” (or God), eternal, genderless, omnipotent, and omniscient.
Interesting Hinduism Facts:
So far, we have seen some common Hinduism facts, but now we will look at some interesting Hinduism facts.
1. The institution of marriage was founded and put forth in practice by Hindus.
2. The first lawmaker, Manu, was a Hindu, and Manu Smriti was the first book on law in the world.
3. The Rigveda is the oldest book.
4. Hindus believe that the gods wrote the Vedas.
5. According to the Vedas, lending money with interest is an evil Karma.
6. Acupuncture and acupressure are vital parts of Hindu customs.
7. Vedas were preserved for more than 5000 years without the help of printing technology. This was done by reciting and memorizing all the hymns and through the Teacher-Disciple tradition (Guru-Shishya Parampara).
8. India is the home of four great religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
9. Sanskrit is the oldest language in the world.
10. The Hindus first used the concepts of the decimal system, zero, point, pi, and many others.
11. According to the Vedas, Om is the sound present at the time of the creation of the universe, and it is the only symbol representing God (Brahman).
12. Parents, teachers, and food are considered next to God.
13. Wasting food is considered a bad habit in Hinduism.
14. There is no officially declared Hindu country in the world, as there are Islamic and Christian countries. Nepal was the only Hindu country, but it has become a republic.
15. The Hindu community is the second most tortured community in the world after the Jews.
16. Hindus do not wear footwear inside temples or homes.
17. Because of the usefulness of rivers, they are highly revered in Hinduism. People call them the mother.
18. Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the holiest temple for Hindus. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
19. Kashi is situated along the banks of the river Ganges. It is the holiest place for Hindus. Some Hindus believe that if you die in Kashi, you will attain salvation. Some people prefer to spend the last days of their lives in Kashi.
20. There have been substantial pieces of evidence that Hinduism had spread all over the world, including Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia, the USA, Italy, and many other parts of the world.
21. The Hindu population constitutes about 14% of the world population.
22. Hindus believe we get the human body when our soul passes through 8,400,000 species (Yonis).
23. A few decades back, Yoga, Ayurveda, Vedic Maths, and Hypnotism were considered superstitions and/or rubbish, but with the advent of modern science, it has been proved that these things are beneficial for us.
24. Hindus do not worship Lord Brahma individually. They worship him only in the form of the trinity, i.e., Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh together. There is only one temple of Brahma in the world, which is in Pushkar, Rajasthan. The same thing applies to Indra. Indra and Brahma are both cursed because of their weak characters.
Some people use this thing against Hinduism, but they should understand that Hinduism is bold enough to punish every culprit, whoever he/she may be. This also proves that Hindu mythology is not a fairy tale but a history, as no culture would abandon its gods.
25. The Ganges is the holiest river for Hindus. She is a goddess for them. They believe that all of a person’s sins are washed away when he/she bathe in the Ganges. Ganges water contains more oxygen than any other river, and the water remains fresh for a long time.
According to a program on Discovery, the Ganges water contains bacteriophage, which eat up harmful bacteria. Hence, despite being over-polluted, there are fewer harmful bacteria in it.
26. Most Hindus cremate dead bodies. The practice of burial is also observed in a small number of castes.
27. Since ancient times, Hindus have known that there are nine planets in our solar system.
28. Hinduism believes in a circular rather than a linear concept of time.
29. The 108 is a sacred number for Hindus.
30. The cow is the holiest animal for Hindus.
If you know more interesting Hinduism facts, please share them in the comment section below.
Also Read: Hinduism Facts for Kids
Reference:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism
2. Ancient and Medieval History of India (Book).
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskara_(rite_of_passage)#The_40_Samskaras
Quiet interesting facts
Buddha is not an avatar of Vishnu. Please correct it in your website https://www.hinduismfacts.org/dashavatara/
Matsya Avatar
Kurma Avatar
Varaha Avatar
Narasimha Avatar
Vamana Avatar
Parashurama Avatar
Rama Avatar
Balarama Avatar
Krishna Avatar
Kalki Avatar
I have written names of both Balarama and Buddha. You are free to believe whatever you prefer.
Why Hinduism is mentioned as religion?
Its not a religion instead a philosophy or way of life!
Yes, it was a way of life in ancient times, but nowadays it has become a religion.
Hello, I am a student at the University of Houston in Houston, Texas USA and am working on a project to create a website to promote underrepresented groups. My project group selected Hinduism as it makes up 0.7% of the world population. As part of our project, we have to interview an individual within this religious group. Is there someone that would be willing to speak with us or answer some questions over email? Perhaps someone you could connect us to? Please let me know!
Hindus are not 0.7% of the world population but about 15%. You can ask any question through the Contact Us form on my website. Just inform me through a comment that you have sent an email. If possible, ask all questions in an email.
Hinduism is way of life and not a religion. There are lot of information said in Hinduism which are not proved yet by scientists because of their ignorance. Till now whatever is said in the Gita has not been proved wrong. This info was written 1000s of years back and still stands strong as a pillar.
This proves the power of Sanatan Dharma and the rishi munis who wrote the books. The book is written by enlightened people not some scientists like now where the they change their statements every now and then.
How do we contact you privately
I want to be forever staff of hinduism.
By what logic do you claim that ‘ Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion ‘ ? The terms ‘ Hindu ‘, ‘ Hinduism ‘, etc. occur Nowhere in any of what professed Hindus claim to be their Holy Books. When did this ‘ oldest religion ‘ originate ?
The original name of Hinduism is Sanatana Dharma. Only the name has changed. Philosophy and books are the same. Rigveda is the oldest book which is the basis of Hinduism.
Hindu means cunning people in arabic and hindus were looked as cunning people by them.
but nothing like sanatana dharma in this face of earth.
Thanks
Hinduism was a name given to us by the Zoroastrians of Persia, not Arabs.
From the Sanksrit word Sindhu
The Greeks simply mispronounced or unable to pronounce Hindu and pronounced it Indu or Indos.
What were some of their sacred buildings
rowen webb say that sanskrit is the mather and father of all the languages of the world.
There is a no ‘ism’. Hinduism is a way of life. It is a very scientific kind of thing. Even Scientists are discovering a lot of things from this holy and ancient Dharma.
Does anyone know whether or not it is true that a celebration exists to mark Indra’s slaying of Vritra? If so, who celebrates this, at what time of year and in which country/state(s)? Thanks for any info.!
Hinduism is a very scientific religion or practice. Yoga and medication improves our lives as it is a cure for both physical and mental diseases. This has been shown by the number of publication which prove the medical basis of both yoga and medication. The Hindus were so clever at that time and hence they invented meditation and yoga . Nowadays, it is proved by research done by western doctors (for example Dr. Herbert Benson) and other scientists. It is preventive medicine in action. If you go to Pub Med you will find lots of publications on both meditation and yoga. The yogis/rishises have been proved right. No other religion provides us with the same rationale. As a result yoga and meditation is practiced all over the world. Hinduism should get the credit for that. It is sad that many Indians have stopped doing yoga and meditation.
Would you kindly publish Hindu practices as another page in your website ?
Example : A Hindu first draws water all around the banana leaf, applies cold water in his right hand to his right ear, prays God for providing the food, waits until all the dishes are served to himself and others around, and then start eating. There could be some scientific explanation for such practices which have lost the meaning and are just routinely adhered as generations passed.
It would be very interesting to re-visit such practices and find out their true inner meaning.
Every person in this world whther he is from India or America belong to the same species known as “Human”. There was no religion named hinduism as a matter of fact. The people who lived besides Indus river were called Hindus. Further more ,if we are one race ohr God would be common and as Veda’s are the basics of Sanatana dharma,it clearly states “God is Only one and not even an iota of chance to be two or more” . According to the same Veda’s it is said “na tasya pratima asti” meaning there is no image or idol for God. Yet if one thinks he is following Veda ,he is mistaken. The original ways of Veda will be believing in an unseen one God. Only this can sort the relious problems accross the world for Human race as we are all one and we all go back to him. There is so much that is been hidden but isnt it so simple?? Return to montheism and thats the original teaching. No caste but only conducts or character is what matters.
Hinduism is the root of all the religions but there is no religion as in hindu arya samaj (vedas) follows one god i.e OM, in islam ALLAH, in christinity lord christ’s father i.e OM or ALLAH so the fact is clear that god is one all the gods and goddess send to earth by god are his prophets….!!!!
As far as i am concerned Hinduism is the best religion in the world. Hinduism have a reality and only facts things. It is the oldest religion and we should not know who is the founder of Hinduism. Saskrit is the first language in the world and which is started at Hindu religions.
Hinduism is so diverse and rich in such information and symbolism…Hard to grasp each and every piece of knowledge our ancestors intended us to receive
proud to be an Indian, crade of civilisation and torch bearer of the world, land of the Karma and occult, most tolerant nation on the earth
You are right, I too.
is Hinduism the biggest religion in the world
Yes but not in size but in philosophy. In size, it is the third largest religion in the world.
vamana 5th avatar …..he is related with mahabali who ruled kerala…..bt parasuram 6th avatar considered as creator of kerala…how can he create kerala when mahabali was already a leader of kerala
I think you have some wrong information. Parshuram did not create the Kerala but he recovered the land from the sea. It is quite possible that after the fifth Avatar i.e., Vamana. Kerala must have immersed in the sea as it happened with Dwaraka after Krishna. So, the sixth incarnation Parashuram recovered the land from the sea. So, it is quite possible.
my question is, some say lord shiva is the prime and supreme of all gods others say its vishnu. as i trust lord shiva so for me he is the root cause for not only hinduism but all religins and gods. shiva is god fo gods(mahadev) lord vishu 2nd ,am i right
Different sects believe in different deities as Supreme e.g. Shaiva believes in Shiva as supreme and Vaishnavas believe Vishnu as supreme but speaking in general, Shiva is the supreme of all but Shiva and Vishnu are just different bodies with the same soul. They cannot be compared with each other.
my question is, i heard many times that maa durga created all three lord shiva vishu brahma , so she the supreme to all , is that true
Those who follow Shaktism believe as you said but I do not think it is so. Maa Durga is an incarnation of Maa Parvati only. Then how can she create the world? It is believed that Om created Shiva. Then Shiva created Vishnu and then Brahma was created. Hindus believe that Brahma created this world, so he is termed as creator.
why lord shiva is mostly found in meditation mode & what word does he use in his meditation is it the name of lord ram or its the word OM he chants
I am not sure if he chants anything but if he chants, then it should certainly be Om. I think in meditation, he keeps watch on the world like what is happening around the world or sort of like that or if any of his devotees needs his help.
hi, admin happy shivratri. & i wanna ask something, if u see the site of iskcon(lord krishna’s orgnisation) and search about lord shiva u’ll find that shiva is the biggest devotee of lord vishnu & nothing else & certain lines on lord shiva are not at all fair, this is one of the problem in our hinduism that we don’t have proper unity. if an sound organisation like iskcon express such statements what about others.
If so, they are right but they have not mentioned remaining 50% part that is Lord Vishnu is also the biggest devotee of Lord Shiva.
All three deities are related to different functions (creation, nourishment, destruction). However if you check the holy books it is given that one worships other. This is to imply that all the phases of life have equal importance. Whatever the function is, it should not be considered low any time. On the top it is said to have one supreme power which is actually the power of unity. This is to give a message that even you are great in your field and posses powers, you are not the world. Without support of others you will be nothing and you will not able to survive without help from others.. You should always remember that you will have to respect others.
This is a good article for research projects.
Just as Jesus is prophicized in Old Testament of Jews, I see prophecies of Jesus in Hindu texts. They reference a trinity, God (Brahma) who takes on human flesh, nirvana is like heaven, and many other similarities
There are many similarities between Hinduism and Christianity but Nirvana is not the same as heaven.
it really helps my grade in world history
This is very Awesome n helpful. Even I am also hindu but i did not know these facts which are given in this article. I am married to christian girl. I can show this artical to my wife n show all these facts about our religion. Thanx
Hinduism is merely not a religion like others, it is a tradition, a life-style, an inherent sensitivity. Two or three books are not enough to learn Hinduism. A full period of life is very short to learn this thoroughly.
Krishna purported in Bhagavad Gita, “sarva-dharman parityajya / mam ekam saranam vraja / aham tvam sarva-papebhyo / moksayisyami ma sucah” which implies “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (source Bhagavad Gita As It Is). The valid point to ponder here is religions did not exist during the Mahabharata period. The society tree branched into four classes of Brahman (the teacher), Kshatriya (the protector), Vaishya (the merchant), and Kshudra (the labor). Analogically, the Brahman is the brain, Kshatriya the arms, Vaishya the stomach, and Kshudra the legs in the civic body. No one belittled Kshudras – just imagine a body without legs. Krishna also known as Govinda (The One Who gives pleasure to all the senses) and (Govindam adi purusham tam aham bhajami meaning I worship You oh Govind, as You are the Origin of all – as mentioned in Brahma Samhita) could foresee that in Kaliyug, people will be divided in the name of religion and would not hesitate to kill each other to propagate one’s own religion. So, it is easy to comprehend that Krishna used Arjuna as a medium to address us that in these turbulent times, we must again word towards developing a world without religion and a society based on varnas which was peaceful as against a society based on religions only inclined towards propagating their religion and holding other religions in contempt. We must rise above hate and contribute towards a loving and synergistic existence.
guys no one have right to tell bad word to any religion i am challanging all of you to come at iscon temple or ant place where you can get HINDUISM information.
this is the wonder of Hinduism. we embrace all religions and all sects. i believe that there is only one GOD and we pray to the different avtars of GOD. a simple example is a tree:- one GOD – the trunk of the tree and the different Avtars –the branches. sadly we as human in Kalyug are the leaves that create a boundry between the different religions. all religions teach us one thing LOVE ONE LOVE ALL-TRUTH.
we as humans need to live together as one.
Hi admin . This is an awesome site . I love it . I do have a favor to ask you though . You refer to the murti’s as idols and that word is confusing to people (ecspecially christians), please read the definition . Would you please use image or statue or even murti instead of idol please ?
I guess u hav missed a very important fact of all
That Hinduism is the most superstitious religion in the world
Believing and practising blackmagic . They consider certain animals
As god and even consider their urine as holy water and drink it.
And here comes the most amazing fact they worship shiva lingam ( shiva’s penis ).
I wonder why Hindu women seem to be more interested in it.
People stop blindly glorifying Hinduism and it’s culture and try to
Realise why it is being criticised and mocked by others as the religion of people
Who worship stones , monkeys , cows and rats. I believe that u hav been gifted with something with which u can think.
Hi Albin, thanx for commenting.
Your first point is that Hindus are superstitious because they practice black magic. Do you know, Muslims are considered better than Hindus in the field of black magic. Therefore by your point, Muslims are the most superstitious.
Your second point is that they consider certain animals as gods. Actually, they consider them as holy and useful animals and to express gratitude and in order to give them protection, they worship them.
Your third point is about cow urine. It is proved that cow urine possesses antibacterial properties and is used to kill insects on plants and to improve nourishment of soil. Hence, Hindus use cow urine as a medicine only. Plus, it is just a tradition and not every Hindu follows it.
In fact, Shiv lingam represents the divine power that male and female aspect of energy are different but inseparable. Lingam worship is not common to Hindus only but the pentacle of Jews also represents the same thing. Many Pagan cultures worship Lingam. Your comment about Hindu women show your attitude.
Many people in the world are now returning to the worship of nature i.e., stones, animals, trees, which is a part of Hinduism and we are proud of it. In this way, the protection is given to animals as they are also a valuable part of our lives.
I think I have answered all of your queries. If you have any further doubts, you can always use this website.
Hinduism also believes that “Truth alone Prevails”. Your believes have been answered by the admin but let me add that the Shiva Linga is iust a symbol….it does not represent a penis.
HINDUISM is the only real religion in this world.
It is the most noble religion in the world.
It has high moral principles-
non-violence,vegetarianism,respect for elders,respect for other religions as well.
HINDUS respect all the other religions,yet people of other religion criticize Hindus and try to prove themselves superior to them (though they are not) without any strong basis.
Hinduism is the most peaceful religion in this world.Everyone knows this though they may or may not admit it.
Hinduism prevails.
“Jai Hind”
Hinduism is the unique religion which had no force to worship it only says do good karma and have good karma in return it says you respects your own mother and father and pray them more than god because if you pray to them its mean you had prayed god if you don’t respect them and go to temple and pray to god its useless never hurt your parents they are god on this earth.
Hinduism is the only religion survived without propaganda and no one preaches or never say bad things about other religions as I have heard muslims and catholic preachers say about other religions during the service.