what was the religion in india before hinduism
History of Hinduism After the Vedic period, between 500[12]-200[36] BCE and c. 300 CE,[12] at the beginning of the "Epic and Puranic" c.q. "Preclassical" period, the "Hindu synthesis" emerged,[12][36] which incorporated śramaṇic[36][37] and Buddhist influences[36][38] and the emerging bhakti tradition into the Brahmanical fold via the smriti literature.[39][36] This synthesis emerged under the pressure of the success of Buddhism and Jainism.[40] During the Gupta reign the first Puranas were written,[41][note 8] which were used to disseminate "mainstream religious ideology amongst pre-literate and tribal groups undergoing acculturation."[41] The resulting Puranic Hinduism differed markedly from the earlier Brahmanism of the Dharmaśāstras and the smritis.[41][note 9] Hinduism co-existed for several centuries with Buddhism,[42] to finally gain the upper hand at all levels in the 8th century.[43][web 1][note 10]
Hindu The word Hindu is derived from the Indo-Aryan[21] and Sanskrit[21][5] word Sindhu, which means "a large body of water", covering "river, ocean".[22][c] It was used as the name of the Indus river and also referred to its tributaries. The actual term 'hindu' first occurs, states Gavin Flood, as "a Persian geographical term for the people who lived beyond the river Indus (Sanskrit: Sindhu)",[5] more specifically in the 6th-century BCE inscription of Darius I.[23] The Punjab region, called Sapta Sindhava in the Vedas, is called Hapta Hindu in Zend Avesta. The 6th-century BCE inscription of Darius I mentions the province of Hi[n]dush, referring to northwestern India.[23][24][25] The people of India were referred to as Hinduvān (Hindus) and hindavī was used as the adjective for Indian in the 8th century text Chachnama.[25] The term 'Hindu' in these ancient records is an ethno-geographical term and did not refer to a religion.[5][26] The Arabic equivalent Al-Hind likewise referred to the country of India.[27][23]
India The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu.[19] The latter term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River.[20] The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi (Ἰνδοί), which translates as "The people of the Indus".[21]
India The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu, equivalent to the Sanskrit word Sindhu,[21] which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River.[22] The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi (Ἰνδοί), which translates as "The people of the Indus".[23]