Hinduism

The sacred scriptures of Hinduism are the Vedas, the scriptures of the Aryans. Veda means Knowledge and the scriptures are described as sruti or 'heard' by the sages or revealed to them. There are four, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. They are mostly collections of liturgies for priests during sacrificial rites. The earliest is the Rig Veda, a collection of sacred hymns dating from about 1500 BC.

The foundation of Hinduism is laid on studying the relationship between mankind, the universe and God or the Universal Spirit. This philosophical structure is given by the Upanishads, mystical and speculative texts compiled by sages from about 1500 to 200 BC. The Upanishads are seen as the final segment of the Vedas and hence called Vedanta or End of the Vedas.

They led to six schools of philosophy being developed: the Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva-Mimamsa and Uttara-Mimamsa. They variously deal with logic, spirit-matter dualism, meditational techniques, Vedic philosophy and ritual and atomistic pluralism. The goal of the various schools is to show how ultimate union of the individual soul or Atman with the Universal Soul or Brahman could be achieved by following the path they devise.

Hindus may engage in some type of formal worship (Sanskrit: pыjв, worship or veneration) either at home or at a temple. At home, Hindus often create a shrine with icons dedicated to the individual's chosen form(s) of God. Veneration may involve offering food, water, or flowers and may be expressed through the burning of incense, lighting of candles or oil-lamps, ringing