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Hindu scriptures take on a diverse role from monotheistic, Semitic religion. Instead of being prescriptive they are descriptive insisting more on self-enlightenment than collective submission. The Hindu scriptures are numerous including the Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas among them. Oftentimes scriptures will relate the story of Gods such as Krishna or lay down the plot of an elaborate tale. It seems, while reading, that the stories are more for the reader's entertainment than as holy instruction.

Branches of Hinduism are plentiful and intertwined and often don't seem to share underlying truths. As well as describing the lives of gods and mortals, creation and destruction, Hinduism also ventures on a philosophic offshoot that queries the existence of god and the origins of this world.

The Vedanta explores the philosophy rooted in the Vedas and is strongly rooted under the banner of Hinduism. Through intellectual questioning the Vedanta has brought a description of god as something unaffected by the world that is "in" everything and at the same time unattached. These deep ruminations into incredibly hefty topics are invited in Hinduism more so than any Abrahamic religion.

Hinduism, like its diversity of belief, is intertwined with the lives of its adherents. It strokes the fabric of social life forming the basis of religious holidays, customs and popular art. Hinduism is especially protective of the cow as a holy animal and more devotional branches of the faith ask that no animal or plant be hurt. Hinduism retains much of the reverence for nature that it first held and idealizes pacifism as embodied by Gandhi.

Hindu gods number around three hundred million, one for every person in America, and can be made into idols and dolls for worship or in admiration. Praise can be exacted as meditation or peaceful conduct but is not thought of as a direct link-up to god or any of his proxies. Self-peace is considered the height of Hindu spiritualism. In this state, the person reaches his or her Nirvana and holds themselves as part of this world rather than an individual.

The scriptures are not always meant for the masses, while some are simple and pleasant to read others can boggle the average mind and demand tiresome study.

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