If we need hinduism, why don't we read follwoing text, we will understand more what is hinduism, I have seen a Hindu Temple in heart city, New York, and gurudwar on Mass Ave, NW, in only seculars state,every religions can survive with dignity
Truth is one, though the sages know it as many."
Hinduism
Hinduism (सनातन धर्म; commonly called San¨¡tana Dharma, roughly Perennial Faith by Hindus) is the oldest major world religion still practiced today and first among Dharma faiths. Hinduism is characterized by a diverse array of belief systems, practices and scriptures. It has its origin in ancient Vedic culture at least as far back as 2000 BC. It is the third largest religion with approximately 890 million followers worldwide, 96% of whom live in the Indian subcontinent.
OM, a sacred syllable and a quintessential symbol of Hinduism. Its meanings are many.
Perhaps the Hindu spirit, inspired by no one man or woman in particular, is best captured in a line from the ancient Rig Veda, the "oldest religious scripture in the world." (1):
Sanskrit: एकम् सत् विप्रा: बहुधा वदन्ति
Transliteration: Ekam Sat Vipr¨¡ha Bahudh¨¡ Vadanti
English: "Truth is One, though the Sages know it as Many."
-- The Rig Veda (Book I, Hymn CLXIV, Verse 46)
Essentially, any kind of spiritual practice followed with faith, love and persistence will lead to the same ultimate state of self-realization. Thus, Hindu thought distinguishes itself by strongly encouraging tolerance for different beliefs since temporal systems cannot claim sole understanding of the one transcendental Truth.
To the Hindu, this idea has been an active force in defining the "Eternal Dharma." It has been for Hinduism what the infinite Divine Self of Advaita is to existence, remaining forever unchanged and self-luminous, central and pervasive, in spite of all the chaos and flux around it. In general, Hindu views are broad and range from monism, dualism, pantheism, panentheism, alternatively called monistic theism by some scholars, and strict monotheism, but are not polytheistic as outsiders perceive the religion to be. Hinduism has often been confused to be polytheistic as many of Hinduism's adherents are monists, and view multiple manifestations of the one God or source of being. Hindu monists see one unity, with the personal Gods, different aspects of only One Supreme Being, like a single beam of light separated into colors by a prism, and are valid to worship. Some of the Hindu aspects of God include Devi, Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, and Ganesh / Ganesha. One of the most prominent Hindu monists is the great saint, Ramakrishna whose preferred form of God is Devi and who reiterated traditional Hindu beliefs, that average devotees can invoke God, in whatever form a devotee prefers, (or as monists prefer to call, Ishta Devata, i.e., the preferred form of God) and ask for God's grace in order to attain Moksha, and end of the cycle of rebirth.
However, like Judaeo-Christian religions which believe in angels, Hindus also believe in less powerful entities, such as devas.
Contemporary Hinduism is now divided into four major divisions, Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. Just as Jews, Christians, and Muslims all believe in the same one God but differ in their conceptions of Him, Hindus all believe in one God but differ in their conceptions. The two primary forms of difference are between the two monotheistic religions of Vaishnavism, which conceives God as Vishnu, and Shaivism, which conceives God as Shiva. Other minor forms are aspects of Vishnu or Shiva.
