Hinduism

A religion, moral code and religious order, Hinduism embraces a widely diverse range of traditions and philosophies. Described as a “family of religions” and “a way of life,” and believers’ moral conduct governs their present and future as they strive to live a moral life of good conduct in which all living creatures are sacred. Major tenets are reincarnation and that one’s karma determines their cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Hindus generally worship a single deity but believe in many others and in multiple ways to reach the divine. The most significant of the huge pantheon of Hindu deities are the Trimurti deities Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and their respective consorts, the Tridevi deities, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati and Parvati’s’ son Ganesh. All are complex, identified by physical traits and symbolic implements and often ride their specific animal mount (vahana) such as Nandi.