Invitation to World Religions

126  CHAPTER 4  Hinduism

“saints still remain . . . as they have always been, the generating centers of Hindu religion.” 10 The fully enlightened are regarded as being the most imme- diate means of accessing the divine reality directly, either to obtain material and mundane blessings or to receive spiritual teaching to quicken one’s own journey toward moksha. Some saints are venerated as embodiments of God, others for being humble and perfectly surrendered devotees. Gurus are sometimes powerful religious au- thorities who preside over well-established institu- tions in which the divine authority of a guru has been passed down to his senior disciple in an un- broken lineage for many generations. Certain im- portant gurus and saints have been responsible for the formulation of the specific philosophical orien- tation of various sects and monastic orders, making interpretation of sacred texts and belief more sys- tematic and consistent. We have noted, for exam- ple, the founding roles of Shankara, Ramanuja, and Madhva in, respectively, the Vedanta schools of Advaita, Vishishta-Advaita, and Dvaita. The

A modern painting of the goddess Kali, whose name means both “Black” and “Time,” dancing on the

roles of guru as founder and authority are characteristic of Hindu movements out- side of India, such as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (com- monlyknownastheHareKrishnaMovement)andTranscendentalMeditation—both of which are explored in Chapter 14. Transcendental Meditation is also featured in this chapter’s Global Snapshot box. THE HISTORY OF HINDUISM Hinduism is a vibrant tradition that has exhibited dynamic change and a willing- ness to embrace innovations in thought and practice. At the same time, Hinduism has preserved many of its most ancient elements to the present day, cherishing some traditions that go back more than 3,000 years. The history of Hinduism can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2600–1700 bce) and to the Indo-Aryan peoples who composed the Vedas (c. 1200–900 bce). The Indus Valley Civilization As its name suggests, the Indus Valley Civilization developed along the Indus River, which flows through modern Pakistan. It reached its developmental peak between 2300 and 2000 bce, when its thriving cities, such as Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, body of Shiva. From the Indian state of Odisha. PROPERTY OF OXFORD

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