There are several forms of Religious practice of Hinduism as followed by different groups of people. Each family may have a slightly different way of following the scriptures, though all of them have a common link and many similarities. The most common form of the faith is the Brahmanism (Prayers to Brahman or Vedic Hinduism) where practice is very ritualistic following the Vedas and Smritis as in the Smartha Sampradaya. Followers of Poorva Mimaamsa School of Sage Jaimini stressed on rituals and karma as more important for our life and liberation, even ignoring any prayers to God. Rituals, Karma, devotion and prayers to God were put together in Utthra Mimaamsa (Vedantha) School of Sage Vyasa. Some people shunned away from rituals and studied the Vedic scriptures and its philosophy and followed Vedantha. The Agamic Hinduism, is seen in Saiva, Saktha and Vaishnava forms of Hinduism, which follow the Agamas. They pray in Temples, to Deities as manifestations, with Para Bhakthi and Apara Bhakthi, the devotional forms of worship.

Many Hindus join with other groups following different types of worship in a common religious practice and all of them follow the same philosophy. The Vedas are concerned not only with man's longing for the supreme goal of oneness with God and escape from the cycle of reincarnation, but also with his more immediate impulse towards simple pleasures of living on earth and happiness in Heaven. These can be achieved with the help of rituals and prayers to God, several forms of gods, Gurus and Super- Human beings and by service to the society and discharge of social obligations. Vedas describe prayers to various forms of gods and many rituals for daily practice in addition to the Philosophy. While most Hindus accepted the same principles of Vedas, the interpretations often changed. Then, there was the atheistic "Chaarvaaka" who did not believe in any form of a God or in Karma or reincarnations, but only in Artha and Kama. His writings are not available now, but some sketchy references are available in other works.