Crash Course Hinduism

Lesson 1 • Defining Hinduism as a Tradition

Examines why Hinduism resists a single definition and how scholars approach it. Sets the conceptual baseline for the entire course.

Lesson 2 • Hinduism Among World Religions

Positions Hinduism relative to other major traditions and clarifies common misconceptions. Prepares students for comparative analysis later.

Lesson 3 • Geographic and Cultural Roots

Traces Hinduism's origins in the Indian subcontinent and its relationship to geography. Grounds students in the physical and cultural landscape.

Lesson 1 • Smriti: Remembered Literature

Introduces epics, Puranas, and law codes as secondary but widely influential texts. Shows how smriti shapes everyday Hindu practice.

Lesson 2 • Regional and Vernacular Scriptures

Highlights Tamil Sangam poetry, devotional hymns, and regional canons. Demonstrates that Hindu scripture extends beyond Sanskrit.

Lesson 3 • Shruti: Revealed Scriptures

Covers the Vedas and Upanishads as the highest scriptural authority. Establishes the concept of revealed versus composed literature.

Lesson 1 • Schools of Hindu Philosophy

Surveys the six orthodox schools and major Vedantic sub-schools. Gives students a map of Hindu intellectual diversity.

Lesson 2 • Dharma, Karma, and Cosmic Order

Defines dharma as duty and cosmic law, and karma as the law of moral causation. These concepts recur across every subsequent chapter.

Lesson 3 • Samsara and the Cycle of Rebirth

Covers the doctrine of reincarnation and the forces that sustain it. Prepares students to understand moksha as liberation from this cycle.

Lesson 4 • Brahman, Atman, and Ultimate Reality

Explains the concepts of universal consciousness and individual self. Forms the metaphysical backbone of Hindu philosophy.

Lesson 1 • Minor Deities and Local Traditions

Explores Ganesha, Hanuman, village deities, and regional cults. Demonstrates the grassroots diversity of Hindu religious life.

Lesson 2 • The Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva

Introduces the three primary cosmic functions and their divine personifications. Establishes the structural center of the Hindu pantheon.

Lesson 3 • Key Avatars and Their Stories

Focuses on Vishnu's ten avatars, especially Rama and Krishna. Connects mythological narrative to ethical and devotional teaching.

Lesson 4 • The Goddess Traditions

Covers Devi in her many forms, from Lakshmi to Durga to Kali. Shows how Shakti theology complements and challenges male-centered frameworks.

Lesson 1 • Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography

Explains the significance of tirthas, sacred rivers, and pilgrimage routes. Shows how geography itself becomes a religious practice.

Lesson 2 • Samskaras: Life-Cycle Rituals

Surveys the sixteen traditional rites of passage from birth to death. Illustrates how dharma structures the entire human life span.

Lesson 3 • Puja: The Art of Devotional Worship

Details the steps, objects, and intentions of puja at home and in temples. Grounds students in the most common Hindu ritual form.

Lesson 4 • Yajna and Vedic Fire Rituals

Covers the ancient fire sacrifice tradition and its modern continuations. Connects Vedic textual study to living ritual practice.

Lesson 1 • Caste, Reform, and Social Justice

Examines historical abuses of caste, reform movements, and Dalit perspectives. Equips students to engage critically with Hindu social ethics.

Lesson 2 • Purushartha: Four Goals of Life

Introduces dharma, artha, kama, and moksha as the four legitimate human aims. Frames Hindu ethics as holistic rather than purely ascetic.

Lesson 3 • Hindu Ethics in Daily Life

Covers ahimsa, satya, and other ethical principles as lived values. Connects abstract dharma to concrete moral decision-making.

Lesson 4 • Varna: The Four Social Categories

Explains the classical fourfold social order and its textual basis. Provides context for understanding caste without endorsing hierarchy.

Lesson 1 • Vaishnavism: Devotion to Vishnu

Covers the theology, saints, and practices of the Vaishnava tradition. Establishes the largest Hindu sectarian family as a reference point.

Lesson 2 • The Bhakti Movement

Traces the medieval devotional revolution across North and South India. Demonstrates how bhakti challenged caste and transformed Hindu culture.

Lesson 3 • Smartism and Advaita Practice

Explains the Smarta tradition's inclusive worship of five deities. Connects Adi Shankaracharya's philosophy to a living sectarian community.

Lesson 4 • Shaivism: Devotion to Shiva

Surveys Shaiva Siddhanta, Kashmir Shaivism, and Lingayat traditions. Shows the theological depth and regional diversity of Shiva worship.

Lesson 1 • Hindu Diaspora Communities

Surveys Hindu communities in North America, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. Shows how diaspora Hindus adapt practice while preserving identity.

Lesson 2 • Hindu Reform Movements of the 19th Century

Covers Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, and Ramakrishna Mission as responses to modernity. Shows how reformers redefined Hinduism for a new era.

Lesson 3 • Contemporary Issues in Hinduism

Addresses gender, environmentalism, interfaith dialogue, and Hindu responses to science. Prepares students to engage Hinduism as a living, evolving tradition.

Lesson 4 • Yoga and Meditation in the West

Traces how yoga and meditation traveled from India to global wellness culture. Addresses debates about cultural appropriation and authenticity.