The spiritual and mythological beliefs amassed by the Mandalorian warrior culture formed what is known as the Mandalorian religion. Mirroring the Mandalorians themselves, their religion underwent numerous transformations throughout history, with several concepts either evolving or fading from common practice over the course of time. The Taung founders and ancient Mandalorians were profoundly devoted to their beliefs, establishing a deeply religious society. They took creation myths, such as the Akaanati'kar'oya—or "War of Life and Death"—as literal truth, and engaged in ritual combat to venerate Kad Ha'rangir, the god of destruction, whom they believed represented change and was opposed by Arasuum, the god of stagnation and sloth. This intense focus on battle culminated in the Mandalorians' deification of war itself, believing that engaging in warfare was equivalent to embodying divinity.
However, this intense zeal did not endure. As time passed, the Mandalorians became progressively disenchanted with their former fanaticism and reverence for war. Mandalorian beliefs shifted towards a more pragmatic and secular outlook: their ancient myths of warring gods, and stories depicting the fallen rulers of Mandalore as the nighttime stars, were reinterpreted as philosophical allegories. Contemporary Mandalorians sought to extract symbolic meaning from these narratives, rather than accepting them as literal fact, as their predecessors had done. The belief in a literal afterlife diminished, giving way to a belief in the manda, a collective oversoul characterized as the very essence of Mandalorian identity. A Mandalorian who lacked knowledge of their heritage and culture was deemed dar'manda—soulless—and would be excluded from the manda after death. Being dar'manda was considered a dire fate by Mandalorians, and they placed great emphasis on understanding and living their culture as defined by the Resol'nare, the culture's six core tenets.
The Taung, the ancient originators of Mandalorian culture, established a religious warrior society that was governed by intricate laws that later evolved into the Canons of Honor. They adhered to the creation narrative of the Akaanati'kar'oya—the "War of Life and Death"—and attributed the stars visible in the night sky, known as the Ka'ra, to the fallen rulers of the planet Mandalore. These early Mandalorians had faith in a pantheon of deities, including Hod Ha'ran, a trickster deity regarded as a representation of the unpredictable nature of fortune. However, their primary object of worship was the destroyer god Kad Ha'rangir, who symbolized the potential for change and growth that destruction offered, in contrast to the sloth-god Arasuum, who opposed Kad Ha'rangir as an embodiment of stagnation. The Mandalorians participated in ritualistic combat in honor of Kad Ha'rangir to gain favor with their deity, resisting the temptations of passive consumption presented by Arasuum.
This conflict between stagnation and change was further reflected in the ancient Mandalorian belief regarding the afterlife. It was believed to exist as a realm of spiritual energy in constant struggle between stagnation and growth, with every deceased Mandalorian joining the army of the afterlife, defending their families residing in the eternal, peaceful homestead. Ancient Mandalorians believed that this home beyond death was the only place they could truly attain a non-temporary existence.
One of the first significant alterations to the Mandalorian religion occurred around 4000 BBY. According to legend, Mandalore the Indomitable, the reigning leader of the Mandalorians, traveled to the planet Shogun, where he experienced a vision that sparked a revelation. Upon returning to the clans, Mandalore the Indomitable guided his people to abandon their worship of ancient gods like Kad Ha'rangir, Arasuum, and Hod Ha'ran, instead elevating the very act of war to the central tenet of their religion. War became revered, and engaging in warfare was considered a divine act. From that moment onward, the Mandalorians gained notoriety as Crusaders, a reflection of their belief that waging war was a sacred crusade.
Mandalore the Indomitable was not the last of the Mandalorian leaders to reportedly receive a vision while on Shogun. Following his succession to the role after the Indomitable's death, Mandalore the Ultimate journeyed to Shogun, where he claimed to have been shown a new vision. Mandalore the Ultimate's revelation led him to permit members of other species to join the Mandalorian culture alongside the founding Taung. Provided they demonstrated their worthiness in combat and pledged to uphold the tenets of the Resol'nare, the Ultimate decreed that they should be treated as equals within the Mandalorian clans. Under Mandalore the Ultimate, the Crusaders rebranded themselves as Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, adopting a new symbol for their movement that represented their leader's ability to interpret the will of the old war gods. It was also during his reign that the Mandalorians became convinced of the impending arrival of the mythical Ani'la Akaan, the so-called "Great Last Battle." The warrior culture later believed they had found the Ani'la Akaan at Malachor V, where the Neo-Crusaders clashed with the Jedi-led forces of the Galactic Republic, only to be defeated as Mandalore the Ultimate fell to the Jedi Knight Revan.
Over time, the Mandalorians grew disillusioned with the religious fervor of their ancestors and their worship of war. Their belief system drifted further from the supernatural, and a greater emphasis was placed on secular pragmatism. While creation myths such as the Akaanati'kar'oya had once been taken literally, later generations instead viewed these narratives as allegories, seeking philosophical insights from them rather than literal truth. The ancient gods, though remembered, were largely un-worshipped in contemporary times. Common sentiment held that divine masters were to be tolerated only if they contributed to the culture.
The concept of a literal afterlife also diminished over the centuries, replaced by a belief in the manda. The manda was described as an oversoul, a collective consciousness, and the very essence of being Mandalorian. To merge with the manda after death, a Mandalorian was required to possess knowledge of their culture and practice its tenets in their daily lives. A Mandalorian who was ignorant of their heritage was considered dar'manda—without a soul—and would have no place in either their culture or the collective afterlife. The concept of being dar'manda was greatly feared within Mandalorian society and was regarded as a terrible fate.