Why Hindus Worship

• What are the Upanishads

  • The Upanishads are part of the oldest Hindu scriptures , the shruti  
  • They contain details about Brahman

  
• Hindu beliefs on how the atman achieves moksha

  • There are 2 views on how the atman achieves moksha 
  • Some say it by a person’s own efforts 
  • Others say it is by grace (a free gift from God), through Brahman or another deity

  
• Beliefs about the atman that lead Hindus to worship

  • Some Hindu thinkers teach that the atman is always one with Brahman 
  • They believe the aim of life should be to return to the perfect spiritual realm - like a drop of water merging with the ocean 
  • Other Hindu thinkers teach that when the atman reaches liberation and returns to Brahman, it always remains separate - like a green bird entering a leafy green tree 
  • It can never be totally the same as Brahman because Brahman is supreme , beyond human understanding and complete 
  • Both beliefs lead Hindus to worship

  
• The importance of the Story of Gajendra , and how it links to reaching moksha


  • The story of Gajendra is usually told to show how souls are saved by God’s grace (as Vishnu saved Gajendra) 
  • However, another point of view is that human effort (good conduct, knowledge, detachment and devotion to God) is also the way to reach moksha (shown through Gajendra reciting prayers) 
  • This is why Hindus put a lot of effort into their worship