Historical Vedic Religion - Post-Vedic Religions

Post-Vedic Religions

Hinduism


Hindu History
Deities Trimurti Brahma Vishnu Shiva Devis and Devas Saraswati Lakshmi Parvati Shakti Durga Kali Ganesha Subrahmanya Ayyappa Rama Krishna Hanuman Prajapati Rudra Indra Agni Dyaus Bhumi Varuna Vayu
Scriptures Vedas Rigveda Yajurveda Samaveda Atharvaveda Divisions Samhita Brahmana Aranyaka Upanishad Upavedas Ayurveda Dhanurveda Gandharvaveda Sthapatyaveda Vedangas Shiksha Chandas Vyakarana Nirukta Kalpa Jyotisha Upanishads Rig vedic Aitareya Yajur vedic Brihadaranyaka Isha Taittiriya Katha Shvetashvatara Sama vedic Chandogya Kena Atharva vedic Mundaka Mandukya Prashna Puranas Brahma puranas Brahma Brahmanda Brahmavaivarta Markandeya Bhavishya Vaishnava puranas Vishnu Bhagavata Naradeya Garuda Padma Shaiva puranas Shiva Linga Skanda Agni Vayu Itihasas Ramayana Mahabharata Other scriptures Bhagavat Gita Dharma Shastra Manusmriti Artha Shastra Yoga Vasistha Sutras Stotras Tantras Yoga Sutra others Classification of scriptures Śruti Smriti Timeline Hindu texts
Practices Worship Puja Japa Bhajana Tapa Dhyana Yajna Homa Tirthadana Naivedhya Temple Vigraha Bhakti Samskaras Garbhadhana Pumsavana Simantonayana Jatakarma Namakarana Nishkramana Annaprashana Chudakarana Karnavedha Vidyarambha Upanayana Praishartha Keshanta Ritushuddhi Samavartana Vivaha Antyeshti Varnashrama Dharma Varna Brahmin Kshatriya Vaishya Shudra Ashrama Brahmacharya Grihastha Vanaprastha Sanyasa Festivals Navaratri Vijayadashami (Dasara) Deepavali Shivaratri Holi Kumbha Mela Ratha Yatra Vishu Bihu Baisakhi Puthandu Ganesh Chaturthi Onam Rama Navami Janmashtami Raksha Bandhan
Philosophers Ancient Gautama Angiras Ashtavakra Jaimini Kanada Kapila Pāṇini Patañjali Uddalaka Valmiki Vyasa Yajnavalkya Medieval Adi Shankara Basava Dnyaneshwar Chaitanya Gangesha Upadhyaya Gaudapada Jayanta Bhatta Kabir Kumarila Bhatta Madhusudana Madhva Namdeva Nimbarka Prabhakara Raghunatha Siromani Ramanuja Srimanta Sankardeva Vedanta Desika Tukaram Tulsidas Vachaspati Mishra Vallabha Vidyaranya Modern Aurobindo Coomaraswamy Dayananda Saraswati Gandhi Krishnananda Narayana Guru Prabhupada Ramakrishna Ramana Maharshi Radhakrishnan Sivananda U. G. Krishnamurti Vivekananda Yogananda Sri Sri Ravishankar
Other topics Hindu denominations Hinduism by country Mythology Hindu calendar Hindu law Hindu iconography Hindu nationalism Hindutva Hindu pilgrimage sites Persecution Criticism Glossary
Hinduism Portal Hindu Mythology Portal

Vedic religion was followed by Upanishads which gradually evolved into Vedanta, which is regarded by some as the primary institution of Hinduism. Vedanta considers itself "the purpose or goal of the Vedas." The philosophy of Vedanta (lit. “The end of the Vedas"), transformed the Vedic worldview to monistic one. This led to the development of tantric metaphysics and gave rise to new forms of yoga, such as jnana yoga and bhakti yoga. There are also conservative schools which continue portions of the historical Vedic religion largely unchanged until today (see Śrauta, Nambudiri).

During the formative centuries of Vedanta, traditions that supported it and which opposed the same, emerged. These were the Āstika and nāstika.

Hinduism is an umbrella term for astika traditions in India (see History of Hinduism).
- Puranas, Sanskrit epics
- the classical schools of Hindu philosophy
- Shaivism
- Vaishnavism
- Bhakti
- Shaktism
- Śrauta traditions, maintaining much of the original form of the Vedic religion.

Vedic Brahmanism of Iron Age India is believed by some to have co-existed, at least in eastern North India, and closely interacted with the non-Vedic (nastika) Śramana traditions. These were not direct outgrowths of Vedism, but movements with mutual influences with Brahmanical traditions. Following are the religions that evolved out of the Sramana tradition:

Jainism, traditionally from the 8th century BCE during Parshva's time. There are Jaina references to 22 pre-historic Tirthankaras. In this view, Jainism peaked at the time of Mahavira (traditionally put in the 6th Century BCE).
Buddhism, (traditionally put) from ca. 500 BC; declined in India over the 5th to 12th centuries AD in favor of Puranic Hinduism.

Read more about this topic: Historical Vedic Religion

Famous quotes containing the word religions:

“Deism is good sense not yet instructed by revelation, and other religions are good sense perverted by superstition. All sects differ, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God.”
—Voltaire [François Marie Arouet] (1694–1778)