The basic principle of Hindu Dharma is the belief in one supreme being who is without forms or attributes, worshipped in any one of several of His forms of manifestations. They believe that God accepts every one's prayer to every form they worship. They believe in nonviolence or Ahimsa, in vegetarian food habits, and in compassion to all lives. They believe in Divine duty or Dharma and activity without attachment or Karma yoga and the need for a devotion and surrender to God or Bhakthi. They believe in the indestructibility of the soul, cycle of rebirth and the ultimate liberation of the Soul or Moksha. The basic philosophies are given in the various Upanishad portions of the Vedas. Ancient Sages wrote the six Dharsanas as explanatory texts for these Upanishads. Vaiseshika, Sankhya and Vedantha Dharsanas deal with theoretical aspect of the religious faith, prayers and the philosophy. Nyaya, Yoga and Poorva Mimamsa systems explain the practice of the faith with analysis, logic and pure rituals. They did not stress the importance of a concept of prayers to God.

Nyaya system by Rishi Gauthama is the science of debate, logic and discussion with reasoning and arguing. Vaiseshika by Rishi Kanada arranges its inquiries into categories such as substance, quality, action, property and nonexistence. They were the analytical Systems. Sankhya by Rishi Kapila is called a synthetical system starting from a primordial principle called prakrithi which evolves and brings forth everything, when it comes in contact with Purusha. The Yoga system by Sage Pathanjali is a supplement to Sankhya, laying emphasis on the practical side of self discipline and concentration. Poorva Mimamsa of Sage Jaimini lays stress on the Vedic rituals and sacrifices as the ultimate for the liberation and eternal happiness. They did not deny a God but just ignored His existence. Other Mimamsakas modified Sri Jaimini's theory later to introduce the concept of God in rituals. Utthira Mimamsa or Vedantha of Sage Vyasa or Krishna Dvaipanya explained the Hindu Philosophy.

Sri Vyasa Maharishi founded the System of Vedantha which is the most popular Vedic Philosophy. He also wrote the Dharma Sasthras based on the Vedantha. They are followed by most Hindus as their Philosophy, though many rituals and principles of other systems are also used. According to Vedantha, Brahmam develops Itself into the universe for Its own sporting or lila without undergoing any change and without ceasing to be Itself. It is the material and instrumental cause of the universe. The reality appears to our limited intelligence as the finite universe of time and space due to the mysterious power of Maya of God. It is due to avidya or ignorance, a natural disability of our soul that prevent it from comprehending God as He really is. When the natural limitations of avidya are removed through real knowledge, the individual is no longer there as a separate entity but becomes one with Paramatma.

The Six Dharsanas are the different approaches to the Vedic teachings of Hindu philosophy. The main aim of Hindu philosophy is to search for the answers to the eternal questions. "Where did we all come from and where are we going?" "Is there a superior force directing all this?" "What is the reason for disease, suffering, old age and death?" "How do we get liberation from all our pains and how do we get Eternal bliss?" We can notice the slow evolution of the thoughts in the six Dharsanas. Whereas Vaiseshika, Sankhya and Vedantha give us the theoretical parts of the philosophy, Nyaya, Yoga and Mimamsa give us the applied and practical side of the faith.

The Nyaya-Vaiseshika Schools give us the Arambha-Vaada. At the beginning of each Kalpa, large numbers of atoms and molecules unite to form different objects with different qualities. This may be under the will of God and destiny of the souls. In this theory, the cause remains different from the effect. Nyaaya and Vaiseshika are the analytical types of Philosophy and are very similar in their approach. They arrange all the things in the world into categories or padaarthas. They explain how God has made all this world from atoms and molecules. They show the way to attain true knowledge of God. This world has begun by a combination of atoms. It has samyoga (conjunction) and viyoga (disassociation). The cause of this world is the paramanus (atoms) and the nine dravyas (materials), including Isvara (God). Both systems agree in their essential principles of Self and the atomic theory of Universe. Jiva is the doer and enjoyer with several attributes.

The Sankhya-Yoga schools improve on it by Parinama- Vaada, to postulate all objects and actions into two ultimate realities, in its theory of evolution. One is Purusha which is the conscious and active and the other is the Pradhana or Prakrithi which is unconscious and dormant. In this, the effect is inherent in the cause. Finally, we see the Vivartha-Vaada in Vedhantha as a theory of appearance and reality. Here the system has evolved into one of absolute monism, with the unity of individual and the Divine Soul, the Jivaathma and Paramaathma.