Smartism is a denomination of the religion of Hinduism and is closely affiliated with the Advaita tradition. Smartism is monist in theological belief. Note that this kind of denomination is not that of a coin or banknote. ... Religion, a term sometimes used interchangeably with faith, is commonly defined as belief concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine, and the moral codes, practices and institutions associated with such belief. ... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... Advaita Vedanta is probably the best known of all Vedanta schools of Hinduism, the others being Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita. ... Monism is the metaphysical position that all is of one essential essence, substance or energy. ...

Smartas (followers of Smartism) accept and worship all major forms of God, (Ganesha, Siva, Sakti, Vishnu, Surya and Skanda). Following a meditative, philosophical path, the denomination is generally considered to be liberal and non-sectarian. Popular image of Ganesh In Hinduism, Ganesha (Gaṇeśa, lord of the hosts, also spelled Ganesa and sometimes referred to as Ganesh in Hindi, Bengali and other Indian vernaculars) is the god of wisdom, intelligence, education and prudence. ... This article is about the Hindu God. ... This article is about the Hindu religious concept. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, Surya is the chief solar deity, son of Dyaush or Indra. ... In Hinduism, Kartikeya (also Murugan, Subrahmanya, Skanda, Kumaran, Swaminanda) is a deity born out of a magical spark created by Shiva. ... Meditation usually refers to a state in which the body is consciously relaxed and the mind is allowed to become calm and focused. ... Philosophy (from the Greek words philos and sophia meaning love of wisdom) is understood in different ways historically and by different philosophers. ... In politics, the term liberal refers to: an adherent of the ideology of liberalism or a state or quality of this ideology. ...

In Smartism, devotees pray to whatever form of God 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 achieve Moksha, end of the cycle of rebirth. Monism is the metaphysical position that all is of one essential essence, substance or energy. ... Ishta-Deva, or Ishta Devata is a term from Hinduism that means chosen Deity or revered aspect of God by a devotee and is a widely held concept in Smartism. ... This article is about a religious term. ...

The Ishta-Deva concept has confused outsiders and hence made them perceive Hinduism as polytheistic as Smartas 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 colours by a prism, and are valid to worship. This view of Smartism, the Ishta-Deva concept, has colored the perception of what Hinduism is to the outsider, when in fact the other denominations, do not strictly espouse the belief and more closely adhere to a more conventional Western perception of what a monotheistic faith is.

Notably, Shakti is worshipped to reach Shiva, whom for Shaktas is the impersonal Absolute. Additionally, Shaivites and Vaishnavites often regard Surya as an aspect of Shiva and Vishnu, respectively. For example, the sun is called Surya Narayana by Vaishnavites. In Saivite theology, the sun is said to be one of eight forms of Siva, the Astamurti. Additionally, Ganesh and Skanda for them, would be aspects of Shiva and Shakti. According to smartism, most Hindus worship Saguna Brahman as Vishnu or Shiva. This article is about the Hindu religious concept. ... For the Jewish ritual of mourning, see Shivah. ... Look up Absolute in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Absolute can mean: The Absolute - a concept in philosophy Absolut Vodka - a Swedish brand of vodka Absolute value - in mathematics, the distance either a positive or negative number is from zero. ... Shaivism, also Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Vaishnavites are followers of Vaishnavism in which Vishnu or His avatars are worshipped as the supreme God. ... In Hinduism, Surya is the chief solar deity, son of Dyaush or Indra. ... For the Jewish ritual of mourning, see Shivah. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Popular image of Ganesh In Hinduism, Ganesha (Gaṇeśa, lord of the hosts, also spelled Ganesa and sometimes referred to as Ganesh in Hindi, Bengali and other Indian vernaculars) is the god of wisdom, intelligence, education and prudence. ... In Hinduism, Kartikeya (also Murugan, Subrahmanya, Skanda, Kumaran, Swaminanda) is a deity born out of a magical spark created by Shiva. ... For the Jewish ritual of mourning, see Shivah. ... This article is about the Hindu religious concept. ... Saguna Brahman, also called Iswara, in Hinduism, is God with personal characteristics or attributes. ...

• Additionally, see below referenced web sites.

External links

• http://www.hinduism-today.com/archives/2003/10-12/44-49_four_sects.shtml (Description of Smartism among the four major divisions of Hinduism.)
• Vaishnava.com's site on facts about Hinduism that features a good overview of the four divisions of Hinduism and 9 core Hindu beliefs. (http://www.vaishnava.com/abouthinduism.htm)
• http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part14/chap9.htm (oneness of God and also see chapter 10.)
• http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/avhp/ad_faq.html#8 (oneness of God, through the six forms.)
• [http://www.ikashmir.org/hindudharma/7.html Overview of the three major divisions,

from the book, Hindu Dharma, Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and the three other schools devoted to Ganesh, Skanda and Surya.] Shaivism, also Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, the Divine Mother, in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... Popular image of Ganesh In Hinduism, Ganesha (Gaṇeśa, lord of the hosts, also spelled Ganesa and sometimes referred to as Ganesh in Hindi, Bengali and other Indian vernaculars) is the god of wisdom, intelligence, education and prudence. ... In Hinduism, Kartikeya (also Murugan, Subrahmanya, Skanda, Kumaran, Swaminanda) is a deity born out of a magical spark created by Shiva. ... In Hinduism, Surya is the chief solar deity, son of Dyaush or Indra. ...

• Great overview of the six schools. (http://www.geocities.com/srigant/religion.html)

Template:Hinduism-stub This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... Shruti (what is heard) is a canon of Hindu scriptures, early forms of which may have existed as early as 1500 BC, with most scholarship favoring dates between 1200 and 800 BC. Shruti is said to have no author; rather, it is believed to be a divine recording of the... The Vedas are part of the Hindu Shruti; these religious scriptures form part of the core of the Brahminical and Vedic traditions within Hinduism and are the inspirational, metaphysical and mythological foundation for later Vedanta, Yoga, Tantra and even Bhakti forms of Hinduism. ... The Upanishads (उपनिषद्, Upanişad) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... Itihasa (Sanskrit: thus verily happened) refers collectively to the epic Hindu scriptures, detailing the actions of divine incarnations on earth while interspersing them with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... Lord Ram, Laxman, Sita and Hanuman(crouching) The Ramayana (Sanskrit: vehicle of Rama) is part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki (c. ... The Mahabharata (Devanagari: महाभारत, phonetically Mahābhārata - see note), sometimes just called Bharata, is the great religious, philosophical and mythological epic of India. ... The Agamas are sectarian and monotheistic texts dedicated to worship of Vishnu, Shiva or Devi. ... Smriti (what is fit/deserves to be remembered) refers to a canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... The Tantras (Looms or Weavings), written between 500 and 1800, are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss rituals and meditation. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb √siv, meaning to sew. ... The Puranas are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss devotion and mythology. ... The Brahma sutra is the nyaya prasthana, the logical text that sets forth the philosophy systematically (nyaya - logic/order). ... Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classic Sanskrit manual on Hatha Yoga, written by Swami Svatmarama. ... Smriti (what is fit/deserves to be remembered) refers to a canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... Tiruvalluvar statue at Kanyakumari Tirukkural (திருக்குறள் in Tamil) is an important work of Tamil literature by Tiruvalluvar written in the form of couplets expounding various aspects of life. ... This article is in need of attention. ... In Hinduism, an Avatar is defined as the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. ... In the Vedantic (and subsequently Yogic) schools of Hinduism, Brahman is the signifying name given to the concept of the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all being. ... Dharma - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Karma first came into being as a concept in Hinduism, largely based on the Vedas and Upanishads. ... This article is about a religious term. ... Maya, in Hinduism, is many things. ... Ishta-Deva, or Ishta Devata is a term from Hinduism that means chosen Deity or revered aspect of God by a devotee and is a widely held concept in Smartism. ... Murti Worship Different sects of Hinduism, especially devotional/bhakti and tantric ones, have their own particular monotheistic conception of supreme Godhead from whom all other deities and principles emanate (such as Vishnu or Shiva, Krishna or Devi). ... Reincarnation, also called metempsychosis or transmigration of souls, is the rebirth in another body (after physical death), of some critical part of a persons personality or spirit. ... For the movie by this title, see Samsara (2001). ... In Hinduism, the Trimurti (also called the Hindu trinity) are three aspects of God in His forms as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. ... In early Hindu philosophy, turiya (also called caturtha) is a state of Pure Consciousness, or the experience of ultimate reality and truth. ... Hindu philosophy (one of the main divisions of Indian philosophy) is traditionally seen through the prism of six different systems that are listed here and makes up the main belief systems of Hinduism. ... There exist many schools and diverse movements of Hinduism. ... Early Hinduism is a term used to designate the religious development of India before the historical period. ... Samkhya, also Sankhya, (Sanskrit: सांख्य) is a school of Indian philosophy, and is one of the six astika or Hindu philosophical schools of India. ... Nyaya is the name given to one of the six orthodox or astika Hindu schools of Philosophy - specifically the history of logic. ... Vaisheshika, also Vaisesika, (Sanskrit: वैशॆषिक)is one of the six Hindu schools of philosophy (orthodox Vedic systems) of India. ... Hatha Yoga posture Yôga, meaning union or yoking in Sanskrit, is the primary focus of Hinduisms diverse darshans or points of view. Yôga is a science of the body, the mind, the consciousness and the soul. ... The main objective of the Purva (earlier) Mimamsa school was to establish the authority of the Vedas. ... Vedanta , meaning literally the end section of the Vedas, is a branch of Hindu philosophy. ... Tantra (Sanskrit: loom), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. ... Bhakti yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti Traditionally there are 9 forms of bhakti yoga. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Ayurveda (आयुर्वेद Sanskrit: ayu—life; veda—knowledge of) or ayurvedic medicine is a more than 2,000 year old comprehensive system of medicine based on a holistic approach rooted in Vedic culture. ... A ritual is a formalised, predetermined set of symbolic actions generally performed in a particular environment at a regular, recurring interval. ... Aarti, ãrti, arathi, or ãrati is a Hindu ritual in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities. ... A Bhajan is a Hindu devotional song, often but not necessarily of ancient origin. ... Darshan is a Sanskrit Hindu term meaning sight or a glimpse of the divine. ... In Tibet, many Buddhists carve mantras into rocks as a form of devotion. ... Puja (alternative transliteration pooja, Sanskrit: reverence or worship, loosely) is a religious ritual which most Hindus perform every morning after bathing and dressing but prior to taking any food or drink. ... The company of the highest knowledge and Truth; the company of a Guru; contact with a person or an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the Truth. ... Stotras are Hindu prayers that praise aspects of God, such as Devi, Siva, or Vishnu. ... This article needs cleanup. ... A guru (गुरू Sanskrit) is a Hindu religious teacher. ... General definition of saint In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. ... Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (Shri Shankaracharya, Adhi Shankaracharya; the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of Lord) (Look below for Birth Dates) was the most famous Advaita philosopher, who had a profound influence on the growth of Hinduism through his non-dualistic... Sri Ramanuja Acharya (1017 - 1137 AD) was an Indian philosopher and is recognized as the most important saint of Sri Vaishnavism. ... Shri Madhvacharya,(1238-1317), was the chief propounder of the Dvaita or dualistic school of Hindu philosophy, one of the three influential Vedanta philosophies. ... Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa (February 18, 1836 - August 16, 1886) was a Bengali religious leader. ... Introduction Swami Vivekananda (Narendranath Dutta) (January 12, 1863 - July 4, 1902) is considered one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the Hindu religion. ... Narayana Guru Narayana Guru (नारायण गुरु) (1856 - 1928) was a great sage and social reformer of India. ... Śrī Aurobindo Śrī Aurobindo (August 15, 1872–December 5, 1950) was an Indian nationalist, scholar, poet, Hindu mystic, Evolutionary philosopher, yogi and guru. ... Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950) was a great Hindu mystic of the Advaita Vedanta stream. ... This is an article on Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh. ... Swami Chinmayananda (स्‍वामी चिन्‍मयानन्‍द) (1916-1993) was born Balakrishna Menon (Balan) in Ernakulam, Kerala in a very devout Hindu family. ... Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927 - 2001), affectionately known as Gurudeva, was born in Oakland, California on January 5th, 1927. ... Swaminarayan (April 2, 1781) was born Ghanshyam Maharaj to a brahmin family in the village of Chhapaiya, Uttar Pradesh. ... Hinduism like any other major religion has many sects or denominations. ... Hinduism like any other major religion has many sects or denominations. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... Shaivism, also Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, the Divine Mother, in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity. ... Agama Hindu Dharma is the formal name of Hinduism in Indonesia. ... Hinduism is going through a phase or regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements. ... A Survey of Hindu Organisations Scope The article presents a comparitive overview of the leading Hindu organisations of India. ...