Hindu mythology is the body of myths attributed to, and espoused by, the adherents of the Hindu religion, found in Hindu texts such as the Vedas, the itihasa the Puranas, and mythological stories specific to a particular ethnolinguistic group like the Tamil Periya Puranam and Divya Prabandham, and the Mangal Kavya of Bengal. Hindu myths are also found in widely translated popular texts such as the fables of the Panchatantra and the Hitopadesha, as well as in Southeast Asian texts.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Hinduism:
Avatar is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means 'descent'. It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes used to refer to any guru or revered human being.
Bhakti yoga, also called Bhakti marga, is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity. It is one of the three classical paths in Hinduism which lead to moksha, the other paths being jnana yoga and karma yoga.
Hindu texts or Hindu scriptures are manuscripts and voluminous historical literature which are related to any of the diverse traditions within Hinduism. Some of the major Hindu texts include the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Itihasa. Scholars hesitate in defining the term "Hindu scriptures" given the diverse nature of Hinduism, but many list the Agamas as Hindu scriptures, and Dominic Goodall includes Bhagavata Purana and Yajnavalkya Smriti in the list of Hindu scriptures as well.
In Hinduism, the tilaka, colloquially known as a tika, is a mark worn usually on the forehead, at the point of the ajna chakra and sometimes other parts of the body such as the neck, hand, chest, or the arm. The tilaka may be worn daily for decorative purposes, as a symbol for sectarian affiliation, for rites of passage or for special spiritual and religious occasions, depending on regional customs. It is also used as an expression of honour or to welcome someone upon arrival.
The following list consists of notable concepts that are derived from Hindu culture and associated cultures’ traditions, which are expressed as words in Sanskrit or other Indic languages and Dravidian languages. The main purpose of this list is to disambiguate multiple spellings, to make note of spellings no longer in use for these concepts, to define the concept in one or two lines, to make it easy for one to find and pin down specific concepts, and to provide a guide to unique concepts of Hinduism all in one place.
Markandeya is a rishi (sage) featured in Hindu literature. He is the son of the sage Mrikanda and his wife, Manasvini. The Markandeya Purana, attributed to the sage, comprises a dialogue between Markandeya and a sage called Jaimini. A number of chapters in the Bhagavata Purana are dedicated to his conversations and prayers. He is also mentioned in the Mahabharata. Markandeya is venerated within all mainstream Hindu traditions.
The Devi Bhagavata Purana, also known as the Devi Purana or simply Devi Bhagavatam, is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas as per Shiva Purana of Hinduism. Composed in Sanskrit by Veda Vyasa, the text is considered a major purana for Devi worshippers (Shaktas). It promotes bhakti (devotion) towards Mahadevi, integrating themes from the Shaktadvaitavada tradition. While this is generally regarded as a Shakta Purana, some scholars such as Dowson have also interpreted this Purana as a Shaiva Purana.
The roots of Shaktism – a Hindu denomination that focuses worship upon Shakti or Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother – penetrate deeply into India's prehistory. The Devi's earliest known appearance in Indian Paleolithic settlements is believed to go back more than 8000 years ago.
Shakti in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refers to the personified energy or power of a male deity and, more specifically, is identified as the consort of the god Shiva.
Tripundra is a Hindu Shaivite tilaka, worn by Shaivas as an indication of their affiliation with Shiva. It is also one of the tilakas worn by Smarta Hindus. It consists of three horizontal lines on the forehead, usually made with sacred ash, and has spiritual meanings in the Shaivite traditions of Hinduism. The Vaishnava counterpart of this tilaka, consisting of vertical lines, is called the Urdhva Pundra.
Mahadevi, also referred to as the Devi, Adi Parashakti and Mahamaya, is the supreme goddess in Hinduism. According to the goddess-centric sect Shaktism, all Hindu gods and goddesses are considered to be manifestations of this great goddess, who is considered as the Para Brahman or the ultimate reality.
Sirappuli Nayanar, also known as Sirappuli, Sirapuli Nayanar, Sirappuliyar (Chirappuliyar), was a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the thirty-fifth in the list of 63 Nayanars. Sirappuli Nayanar is described to have served the devotees of the god Shiva and worshipped the god with various ritual practices.
The Brihajjabala Upanishad is one of the minor Upanishads, written in Sanskrit language. This Hindu text is attached to the Atharvaveda, and is one of 14 Shaiva Upanishads.
Bhasmajabala Upanishad is one of the minor Shaiva Upanishads of Hinduism written in Sanskrit language. It is associated with the Atharvaveda.
The Kalagni Rudra Upanishad, is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism, written in the Sanskrit language. It is attached to the Krishna Yajurveda. It is one of 14 Shaiva Upanishads.
Over the millennia of its development, Hinduism has adopted several iconic symbols, forming part of Hindu iconography, that are imbued with spiritual meaning based on either the scriptures or cultural traditions. The exact significance accorded to any of the icons varies with region, period and denomination of the followers. Over time some of the symbols, for instance the Swastika has come to have wider association while others like Om are recognized as unique representations of Hinduism. Other aspects of Hindu iconography are covered by the terms murti, for icons and mudra for gestures and positions of the hands and body.
The Jabali Upanishad, also called Jabalyupanishad, is a Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. It is attached to the Samaveda, and classified as is one of the Shaiva Upanishads.
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