Introduction to Hinduism

Introduction to Hinduism is a Religious Studies course that offers a clear, respectful guide to Hindu traditions, texts, practices, and worldviews. Students will build a thoughtful foundation for understanding Hindu history, philosophy, devotion, ritual life, and contemporary communities.

Explore Hindu Traditions, Texts, Practices, And Worldviews

• Gain a structured Introduction to Hinduism through its major concepts, historical development, and diverse traditions.
• Study foundational texts including the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and Mahabharata.
• Understand key ideas such as dharma, karma, samsara, moksha, Brahman, Atman, devotion, yoga, and ritual practice.
• Connect classical Hindu traditions with modern questions about society, ethics, diaspora, reform, and global religious life.

A Clear, Respectful Guide to Hindu Traditions, Texts, Practices, and Worldviews for students of Religious Studies.

This course introduces Hinduism as a living and highly diverse religious tradition shaped by ancient South Asian history, sacred speech, philosophical reflection, devotional practice, family life, temple worship, pilgrimage, and social change. Rather than presenting Hinduism as a single fixed system, the course helps students recognize its many voices, communities, practices, and interpretations.

Students will examine the Vedas and Upanishads, explore the Bhagavad Gita and epic traditions, and learn how concepts such as dharma, karma, samsara, and moksha inform Hindu moral and spiritual life. The course also covers major devotional traditions centered on Vishnu, Krishna, Rama, Shiva, and Devi, while introducing yoga, meditation, Tantra, renunciation, and household practice in context.

As an Introduction to Hinduism, this Religious Studies course also addresses caste, gender, ethics, reform movements, nationalism, diaspora communities, and Hinduism today. By the end, students will be able to discuss Hindu traditions with greater accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and confidence, moving from basic familiarity to a more informed understanding of Hindu texts, practices, and worldviews.