The basic principles of the philosophy are essentially presented in a very elaborate manner in the Upanishad portions of the Vedas. It is further explained through the six Dharsanas and subsequent Bhashyas written on them by many great Acharyas who have helped to preserve this treasure for all ages. The system of Vedantha by Vyasa Maharishi is widely followed as the Hindu Philosophy in modern times. A study of the other five Dharsanas is also essential to understand Vedantha philosophy fully. Various theories of Adhvaitha, Visishta-adhvaitha and Dhvaitha schools explain the philosophy very well. Religion, for Hindus, is experience and full realization of the Divine Spirit in one's heart and not the mere acceptance of certain time-honored dogmas or creeds, reading of scriptures or performing certain rituals or prayers. The rituals were only the means to reach and understand the faith. The one who has fully realized the Divine needs to perform no rituals.

The basic thought of Hinduism, both in the Vedic teachings and Agamic practice, is the belief that there is One formless God or Nirguna Brahman. According to Vedantha, Adhvaitha and Smartha Sampradaya, He manifests through His Yoga Maya as the Saguna Brahman in the material Universe created by Him and He takes the various forms for our understanding. We are created as a part of His Divine spirit which goes through endless cycles of rebirth until it is purified to be liberated, to be united with the Divine, by performing its various Karma according to each one's Dharma. Explanations of other schools of philosophy, such as Sankhya, Poorva Mimamsa, Dhvaitham, the Bhakthi schools, and followers of Agama forms of worship are slightly different. These will be explained later. Sankhya and Mimamsa are based on the practice of Karma and Rituals as the basic approach without an important role for a God. The Bhakthi schools support the theories of devotion and surrender to God and that all individual souls are different from the Divine Reality and do not attain equality with God but only serve Him to reach His abode as ultimate liberation from the cycle of Samsara, of birth, death and reincarnation.