This historical overview of Hinduism is organized into three main time periods:

• Brahmanic Roots of Hinduism (c. 1500 – 500 BCE)
  • Vedic Gods
  • Fire Ceremony
• Basic structures of Hinduism (c. 500 BCE – 200 CE)
  • Upanishads
  • Laws of Manu
  • Four Stages of life
  • Four Goals of Life
• Epics (c. 200 BCE – 500 CE)
  • Mahabharata Epic and the Bhagavad Gita
  • Ramayana Epic
• Hindu Theism (320 CE – 1000 CE)
  • Development and spread of Vaishna and Shakti sects
  • Puranas and development of Puranic Hinduism: tantra, bhakti devotion, pluralism.
  • Decline of Buddhism in India
• Medieval to Early Modern period (1200-1850 CE)
  • Bhakti Vedanta and devotion to Krishna and Rama
• Modern Hinduism (1850 to present)

Brahmanic Roots of Hinduism: 1500 – 500 BC

The Aryan tribes that entered the Indus Valley region around 1500 BCE did not have a writing system. They memorized their hymns and ritual manuals of their sacred texts, the Vedas. The word veda means knowledge. The Rig Veda or hymns of praise to the gods is the oldest Vedic text. The sacred sounds of the hymns and ritual phrases were believed to have been discovered by ancient wise men called rishi, which means one who has knowledge of the supernatural and the spiritual forces of the universe. The knowledge of the hymns and the rituals associated with them was considered to be sacred.

In ancient Brahmanic religion, the rishi were believed to have heard the hymns rather than composing them. In the study of religion, this is called revealed scripture, knowledge that is revealed to humans by divine forces. The language (hymns), and the people who had knowledge of them were considered to be sacred.

Although the Aryans had their own gods, oral hymns, and ritual procedures, they tended to incorporate the religious beliefs and practices of the indigenous peoples that they encountered. Hinduism is therefore a combination of two streams of religion and culture: the religion of the Aryans and elements that they adopted from the remnants of the Indus Valley Civilization. The Vedas were composed and transmitted orally within priestly families. Knowledge of the Vedas was carefully taught to the younger generation through a system of repetition that preserved the oral tradition with performance through ritual movements. You can see this ritual training in the video, Altar of Fire, at the following URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvvI3bIAgVA. This scriptural and ritual tradition came to be known as Vedic or Brahmanic religion. The section on narrative in this chapter describes the Vedas and the gods associated with them.

In the Veda texts, Brahman is the creative power that is released when the hymns are chanted. Brahman also means the ultimate reality and creative principle underlying the universe. The priests who perform the sacred rituals are called brahmins. Notice the difference in spelling.

Structures of Hinduism: 500 BC – 200 CE

During the sixth century BCE the fundamental outlines of Hinduism begin to take shape. This process begins with the Upanishad literature which is considered to be the end of the Vedas as it shifts attention away from the performance of elaborate external rituals and focuses on the practice of yoga which means union. The Upanishads internalize ritual: the body and mind of the practitioner becomes the place of ritual. The goal is to gain knowledge of the ultimate reality through physical and mental self-control. The teachings of the Upanishads will be discussed in the section on Narrative and Experience in this chapter.

By the second century CE (approximately 100 CE), a legal and social code called The Laws of Manu outline the social organization and duties of each class and life-stage. This text had a great impact on how Hindus understood their place in the world as individuals and members of society. The combined religious and social teachings of the Laws of Manu are described in detail in the section Social Organization and Ethics in this chapter.

Epics: approximately 200 BCE – 500 CE

There are two major epics: the Mahabharata and the Ramayana that developed over a long period of time from mythic and narrative materials that date back to the seventh century BC. The epics continued to develop with further additions through the third century CE. The epics illustrate many of the doctrines and social organization beliefs of Hinduism through elaborate story-telling. The epics helped to prepare the way for Hindu theism by dramatizing the relationships between human and divine beings.

In contemporary India the epics continue to influence society. Bollywood film makers have produced modern versions of both epics.

Hindu Theism: 320 CE to present

One of the strengths of Hinduism is its ability to incorporate various religious literature and traditions. Hinduism combines two main cultural streams: the ancient Harappa civilization and the Aryan nomadic groups that settled in India around 1500 BCE. The emphasis on ritual and a portable set of practices is characteristic of the Aryan society whereas the settled, contemplative elements were characteristic of Harappa society. These two fundamental ways of understanding come together in Hindu Theism.

Theistic movements developed into the full practice of Bhakti yoga, the path of devotion. The bhakti movement received a boost in 320 CE when a new ruling family, the Gupta, began to actively support these movements. The Gupta referred to themselves as devotees of Krishna, and suggested that their reign represented the protection of Vishnu. The enthusiasm of the Gupta rulers for devotional practice established theism as a state religion. They donated money to build temples, and their generosity was imitated by other wealthy donors.