7 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT HINDUISM

 Want to know some amazing facts about Hinduism? Here are 7 facts about Hinduism you might not know and will definitely amaze you. Comment below as to how many of these facts did you know.

1. HINDUISM IS THE OLDEST RELIGION IN THE WORLD.

Hinduism has been existing since over 5000 years, making it the oldest religion in the world. Evidences like the ancient religious texts (such as the Vedas and the Puranas) suggest that Hinduism has been existing even before 3000 BCE. However, unlike several other religions, there is no single founder of Hinduism. It is considered to be the combination of several cultures and beliefs. 

2. HINDUISM IS THE THIRD LARGEST RELIGION IN THE WORLD.

With over 1.1 billion followers, Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world, Christianity being the first and Islam being the second. Around 95% of the Hindus live in India and many also live in Nepal and Mauritius.

3. ONE OF THE OLDEST BOOKS IN THE WORLD, RIG VEDA, BELONGS TO HINDUISM.


Rig Veda, the foremost among all Hindu texts, is also one of the oldest books in the world. It is believed that it was written around 3500 years ago, in 1500-2000 BCE. It provides detailed knowledge about the Vedic society and culture. It is followed by three other Vedas, namely Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda.

4. HINDUISM MENTIONS ABOUT 33 DIFFERENT GODS AND GODDESSES.

Earlier it was believed that there are 33 Crore Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism, but modern scholars suggest that there are 33 Gods and Goddesses that are worshipped all over India. The 33 Gods and Goddesses consist of 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras, 8 Vasus and 2 Ashvins.

5. MAHABHARATA, THE LONGEST EPIC IN THE WORLD, BELONGS TO HINDUISM.

Written by the great sage Ved Vyas, Mahabharata is the longest epic in the world in all languages. It consists of over a hundred thousand shlokas (verses) and narrates the story of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It is one of the two major epics in Hinduism, the other being Ramayana, which was authored by sage Valmiki.

6. HINDUISM BELIEVES IN THE SUPREMACY OF LORD SHIVA AND LORD VISHNU.



       

Ancient Hindu texts mention that Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are Paramatmas (The Supreme Beings). The followers of Lord Shiva are called Shaivas, while the followers of Lord Vishnu are called Vaishnavas. It has been a matter of argument as to who is the supreme among both the Gods. Some texts, such as Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavad Gita mention that Lord Vishnu is the supreme while other texts, such as Shiva Purana suggest that Lord Shiva is the supreme. 

7. 'OM' IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST SACRED SOUND IN HINDUISM.

'🕉', pronounced as Om, is considered to be the most sacred sound in Hinduism and is often used in Mantras and Shlokas. It is said to be the essence of the Brahman, the entire cosmic world. It is a representation of the divine, a standard f Vedic authority seen in the beginning and end of several chapters of the Vedas and several other Hindu texts.




I hope that you found these facts interesting. Please comment below and share your opinions and your favourite facts. Thank you so much for reading.

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