Unveiling Hinduism A Glimpse Into The World’s Oldest Religion
                     Unveiling Hinduism: A Glimpse Into 
The World’s Oldest Religion
Chaitanya Kumari
Writes informational articles on common ethics, 
what is dharma in Hinduism, dharma meaning 
in english, duties common to all along with 
others on finance, health and cultivating 
wisdom.
Hinduism is recognized as the most ancient spiritual tradition in the world. It 
predates all the other religions of the world by thousands of years. Hinduism is 
entirely different from other religions, in the sense that it has no single book or 
founder. The Hindu dharma is an extensive collection of numerous practices, 
philosophies, and traditions.
•Monotheism with a difference: The monotheism of Hinduism is completely 
different from that seen in other monotheistic religions. According to Sanatana 
dharma, “Paramatma” is one but manifests in several forms. Hindus are free to 
worship “Paramatma” in any form of their choice, such as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, 
and Lakshmi.
•Atman: “Atman” is an important concept of Sanatana dharma. It refers to the non-
materialistic God-consciousness that is present in every human being. The ultimate 
goal of Hinduism is to attain moksha where the atman gets merged into the 
Paramatma. The individual then attains freedom from the cycle of births and 
deaths.
•Karma and dharma: Karma emphasizes the universal law that 
states that every action has its corresponding consequences. Good 
actions lead to good consequences, and bad deeds pave the way 
for negative outcomes. Here, dharma is a pivotal aspect, as well.
•Dharma speaks about adherence to ethical principles, and 
fulfilling various social and religious responsibilities. Adopting a 
dharmik approach leads to a future that is free from 
unpleasantness and adversities. Likewise, deviating from 
dharma will compel an individual to face challenging situations 
in the future.
•Different paths for liberation: Hinduism provides different paths 
for attaining moksha; these are called yogas. First, we have 
Jnana Yoga- “the path of knowledge.” This path is centered on 
gaining enlightenment using the acquisition of knowledge. Then 
comes Bhakti Yoga, which is all about devotion and surrender to 
the preferred deity.
•Next, it is Karma Yoga that stresses the significance of 
performing selfless actions without getting attached to the 
result. Finally, there is the path of Raja Yoga, which includes key 
facets like self-control and self-discipline. Raja Yoga encourages 
practitioners to depend on techniques such as meditation and 
yoga asanas, to develop self-restraint.
•Hinduism – a way of life: Hinduism is a way of life, and is not an organized religion. 
This is in stark contrast to other religions, which impose stringent doctrines on their 
followers. This rigidness, in no way, contributes to individual growth and 
development.
•But, Sanatana Dharma puts forward several paths and philosophies, and people 
have full freedom to choose any of those. Hinduism is aware of the truth that there 
are many ways of reaching the final goal. Irrespective of the path an individual 
takes, all Hindus stick to basic moral values like Satya (truth) and ahimsa (non-
violence).
Constantly evolving: Hinduism is a constantly evolving religion that has adapted to 
changing times. Several new concepts and practices were integrated into Sanatana 
dharma, making it more flexible. This again is not the case with other faiths of the 
world and which strongly resist any change.
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