What is Hinduism, really? Where did it come from? Who is its founder? Which is its primary scripture? Is God one or many — formless or with form — and can we actually see Him? In Lesson One of his Religious Literacy series, BrahmBodhi answers the first ten foundational questions about Hindu Dharma — gently, clearly, and rooted in the Bhagavad Gita.
1. Why is Hinduism called “Sanatana Dharma”?
“Sanatana” means “that which always exists” — the eternal. Hindu Dharma holds that the foundational principles of dharma — truth (satya), compassion (daya), kindness (karuna), good deeds (sukarma), and devotion to God (Ishvara‑bhakti) — have always existed and always will. They were not invented at some moment in history. For this reason, Hindu Dharma is called Sanatana Dharma — the Eternal Way. This sets the stage for everything that follows. Because the dharma itself is eternal, no single person could ever have “started” it — which leads directly to the next question.
2. Who founded Hinduism? Who are its founders?
Hindu Dharma has no single founder. It is the cumulative result of the knowledge, austerity (sadhana), inner discovery, and lived experience of countless rishis (male sages) and rishikas (female sages). Science, too, has no single founder. Science is the body of knowledge developed and accumulated through the experiments, research, and experiences of many scientists across centuries. In the same way, Hindu Dharma also has no one founder. The oldest scripture of Hindu Dharma is the Rigveda. Therefore the rishis and rishikas of the Rigveda may be regarded as the earliest founders of Hindu Dharma. If there is no single founder, there can hardly be a single book — and that is precisely the next question.
3. What is the one primary sacred book of Hinduism?
Buddhism (founded by the Buddha), Islam (founded by Muhammad) and Christianity (founded by Jesus Christ) are religions established by single individuals. Because of that, each of them has essentially one — or just a few — sacred books. Hindu Dharma does not have a single, exclusive sacred book. As explained above, Hindu Dharma is a kind of science — adhyatma‑vijnana, the science of the inner life — and it is a vast collection of principles and practices discovered by many rishis, avataras, saints, and thinkers. Science itself has no single book. Physics has its own books, chemistry has its own books, biology has its own books. In the same way, Hindu Dharma has separate sacred texts for dhyana‑yoga (meditation), for yajna and Vedic rituals, for tantra‑sadhana, and for bhakti — different paths, different scriptures. Why so many? Because Hindu rishis developed many paths (panthas) to one single goal — moksha. Different paths require different books. And because Hindu Dharma is the world’s most ancient religious tradition, its rishis, saints, and thinkers were given an extraordinarily long span of time to explore inwardly in many directions. That is why so many traditions of knowledge, philosophy, sadhana, and worship developed within it. Yet among all these paths and scriptures, the Bhagavad Gita stands out as the most universally honoured and widely accepted text of adhyatma‑jnana (inner knowledge). All Hindu traditions accept the Gita as their shared, primary sacred book. According to Hindu belief, it is the very word of God. In a brief and simple form, it presents the knowledge of how to make this life noble and how to attain moksha. Dhyana, bhakti, jnana, karma — all the principal paths to moksha — are gathered into this one scripture. The Vedas, too, are foundational scriptures of Hindu Dharma and are considered apaurusheya (not of human authorship); they are therefore also shared, primary scriptures of Hindus. The Vedas, however, deal more with hymns to the devas, yajnas, and ritual practice. For the knowledge of adhyatma specifically, the Bhagavad Gita is the most beloved and most widely accepted. If one scripture stands above the rest, then naturally there must also be ideal individuals who embody Hindu Dharma in life and in teaching — which brings us to the next question.
4. Name the two greatest figures of Hindu Dharma.
How should an ideal Hindu live and act? The supreme practical model of conduct was given by Shri Rama, son of Dasharatha and Kaushalya, through his own life, behaviour, and example. The supreme model of the knowledge‑aspect (jnana‑paksha) of Hindu Dharma was given by Shri Krishna in the form of the Bhagavad Gita. For this reason, these two — Rama and Krishna — are the two highest names of Hindu Dharma. Rama shows us how to live the dharma; Krishna shows us how to know it. Now, since Hindu Dharma had no single “founder,” people often ask how various great teachers fit into the picture. The Hindu tradition draws a careful distinction between a founder and a builder — and that is question five.
5. What is the difference between a “founder” and a “builder”?
A “founder” (sansthapaka) is the one who begins a task or tradition, or who lays its foundation. A “builder” (nirmata) is the one who carries it forward, develops it, and gives it its mature form. For example, if someone lays the foundation of a house, they are its founder. But the one who raises the walls and completes the entire structure is its builder. This distinction matters, because — as we said — Hindu Dharma has no single founder. But it has had many great builders, and they deserve to be remembered. That is the next question.
6. Who are some of the great builders of Hindu Dharma?
In the ancient age — Maharshi Vedavyasa: Maharshi Vedavyasa compiled, classified, and arranged the mantras of the Vedas. This was a monumental work of organizing the foundational scriptures of Hindu Dharma. He also composed the Mahabharata, thereby preserving the historical dimension of Indian dharma and culture. He compiled the eighteen Mahapuranas, gathering the diverse Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, and other traditions into a single narrative heritage. In doing so, he gave ordinary people an accessible, story‑based foundation in dharma. The Vedas and Upanishads were largely confined to scholars; the Puranas made dharma and adhyatma available to the common person in simple and engaging form. In the early medieval period — Adi Shankaracharya: Through his philosophical, educational, and organizational work, Adi Shankaracharya gave fresh strength to Hindu Dharma. He propagated Advaita Vedanta and established four major mathas in the four cardinal directions of India, thereby strengthening the cultural and spiritual unity of Bharat. In the later medieval period — Ramanandacharya: Ramanandacharya set in motion a broad and inclusive stream of bhakti. From his lineage emerged many great saints who carried the message of devotion to the common people, rising above the limitations of caste and birth. Through this, Hindu Dharma was given a new, inclusive direction. Also in the medieval period — Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya, and many other saints and acharyas — made major contributions in the fields of bhakti, darshana, and religious education. Their efforts gave the bhakti movement its wide spread, and the various traditions of Hindu Dharma became even more deeply established. Having understood the history and the human carriers of the tradition, we can now turn to its core teaching about life itself — what is the ultimate goal of being human?
7. According to Hinduism, what is the ultimate goal of human life?
The ultimate goal is moksha — also called final liberation (mukti) and nirvana. Moksha means freedom from rebirth, and through that, freedom from all suffering forever. There is much pleasure in svarga (heaven), but when one’s punya (merit) is exhausted, one falls from there and is reborn in the world, and must suffer once again. For this reason, svarga is not the final goal of life. Moksha is. If moksha is the goal, then the natural next question is: who is the one we ultimately reach — God? Is God one or many? That is question eight.
8. In Hinduism, is God one or many?
In Hindu Dharma, God is One. “Ishvara” means That which is omnipotent (sarva‑shaktimaan). Two omnipotent beings cannot exist, because it is not logically possible: if there were two omnipotent powers, each would limit the other. Therefore, like the other major religions, Hindu Dharma also accepts that God is One. He is called Brahman — or Para‑Brahman. That one Para‑Brahman Parameshwara reveals Himself in many forms at the time of creation. This raises a sensitive and beautiful question — if God is one, why does He have so many forms? Is He really formless, or with form?
9. Is God formless (without a body) or with form (with a body)?
In Hindu Dharma, God is fundamentally formless (nirakara). The formless God is called Brahman. When Brahman (the formless God) creates the universe, He also assumes saakar (with‑form) aspects — bodies with shape and colour — for the work of creation, sustenance, and dissolution. As Brahma, He creates; as Vishnu, He sustains; as Shiva, He dissolves. Furthermore, Hindu Dharma teaches that the Para‑Brahman Parameshwara also takes birth in human form from time to time — to restore the balance between dharma and adharma, and for the joy of His devotees. Thus He took human avataras as Shri Rama and Shri Krishna. So ultimately, it is the One God who is encountered in many forms — and this naturally invites the final question of this lesson.
10. So can we actually see and hear God?
Yes. We can see and hear God in His saakar forms — His with‑body forms. We can even speak with Him. The formless (nirakara) God we cannot see with our physical eyes, but we can experience Him. Describing those experiences in words is difficult — just as describing the formless God Himself in words is difficult. This concludes Religious Literacy — Lesson One.