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34 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Aryans
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Invaded India from the north, bringing a religion focused on sacrifices and gods Indra, Agni, Soma, and Brahmanaspati
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Atman
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An individual's soul or self
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Avatars
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An earthy manifestation of a god, usually a human or an animal
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Bhagavad Gita
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Sacred book of the Hare Krishna sect, Krishna's teachings about devotion
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Brahman
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The oneness that Hindus want to become, the power behind everything
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Brahmanas
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Commentaries on the Vedas giving more details on mantras, sacrificial rites, and the impact of sacrifices on the eternal world. There is a specific one for each Veda.
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Brahmins
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The priests and top caste, the ones who primarily study and teach the Veda and preside over and preform sacrifices.
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Darshan
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Seeing, being seen by a god while worshipping
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Dharma
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Means virtue, fulfilling the duties of one's caste
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Dravidians
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The original inhabitants of India, conquered by the Aryans around 1500 BCE
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Harijan
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Children of God, name given to the Untouchables by Gandhi
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Jats
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Sub-castes often based on occupations, function like castes
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Kalki
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10th avatar of Vishnu, yet to come, will destroy evil
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Kshatriyas
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Second caste after Brahmins, warriors and nobles with great temporal power but not the priestly power of the Brahmins
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Law of Karma
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The results from past actions coming to fruition in various lives, continues until the karma is "used up", the reason why everything happens
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Manusmriti
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Laws of Manu, caste parameters
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Mahabharata
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An epic poem from the Smriti about the wars between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, includes the Bhagavad Gita
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Maya
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The true nature of the cosmos as we can see it in our human lives, means illusion
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Moksha
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Liberation or release from the cycle of death and rebirth
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Nirvana
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A state of non-existence achieved when you are one with Brahman
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Puranas
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A group of writings about Hindu gods and goddesses and their activities
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Ramayana
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A story in the Smriti about the god Rama and his wife Sita and their battle between good and evil
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Reincarnation
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The idea that people will die and be reborn as different people or things depending on their karma
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Rishis
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Holy men
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Sadhu
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A person who has given up everything to become a wandering hermit seeking moksha, the fourth stage of life
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Samadhi
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The eighth and final stage of meditation when the person's mind realizes the Ultimate Reality
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Samsara
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Reincarnation, the cycle of death and rebirth
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Shruti
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"That which is heard", religious texts such as the Vedas received by holy men
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Smriti
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"That which is remembered", written stories about the gods and their activities
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Shudras
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The lowest caste (not counting the Untouchables as a caste), not twice born, the servant class involved in various trades or crafts
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Upanishads
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Later collection of stories, discussions, and instructions addressing issues of the relationship between the human and the ultimate realms
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Vaishyas
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The third caste, made of farmers, merchants, accountants, moneylenders, etc.
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Veda
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Foundational Hindu texts, used mainly for sacrificial rituals, consists of the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yagur Veda, and the Atharva Veda
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Wheel
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The rounds of death and rebirth
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