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42 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Natya
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Natya is the dramatic arts, encompassing dance, performance, music plays, and other arts. The Natya Shastra (authored by Bharata, but written by many people) describe all aspects of the arts, and is a prescriptive teaching on how plays and other arts should be. When it comes to plays, early Western commentators claim Indian drama came from Greece during Alexander the Greats conquering, but Indian Nationalists argue otherwise, using arguments such as the necessity for a happy ending to push their point.
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Endogamy
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The practice of marrying within a specific class, Jati, or group. Jatis of high status are instructed to not marry those within other Jatis, as they are unfit to marry someone of this particular Jati.
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Jati
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Jati or "Birth" is the word given to describe the 10,000 to 20,000 subgroups of people in India. Jatis are usually designated by job or tribe or religious belief. Jatis are hereditary, endogamous, and commensal. Members of a Jati must follow the specific Dharma or code of life/conduct for that Jati. They are somewhat analogous to the European "castes"
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Yuga
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Yuga is the term for an age in the cycle of 4 ages. From an emic perspective, natya was created in the 3rd Yuga. Originally, Brahma instructed Indra to be stage manager, but after Indra declared gods unfit for the stage, Brahma instructed Bharata to take managerial duties. Additionally, when Bhishma chooses to die in the Mahabharata, we transition from the 3rd Yuga to the 4th Yuga, where the world begins to deteriorate.
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Bharata
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Bharata is the symbolic "knower figure" and the reputed author of the Natya Shastra. The Natya Shastra had many authors, but Bharata as the master of the science of drama is honored as the author.
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Bhava
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Bhava is an emotional state that is evoked in response to a particular Rasa or "sentiment" from on stage action. The natya shastra defines 8 "stable sentiments" and there corresponding Bhavas, including love, sorrow, anger, and others.
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Nanda
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A dynasty in Maghada during the 4th century bc. They prevailed over some of the expansion of the Maghada mahajanapada.
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Maghada
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Maghada was one of the ancient kingdoms or mahajanapadas in India. Maghada begins to expand right before Alexander the Great, who weakened the other states during his conquering to unintentially help the rise of Maghada and the Nanda dynasty of Maghada. Maghada was a hotbed for coal and iron, and had wetlands for rice and agriculture. Setting for Dream of vasavadatta
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Bhasa
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Bhasa was a playwright responsible for 13 plays, who lived somewhere between 3rd and 1st century BCE. He wrote the play "Dream of Vasavadatta" which was lost in 15th century ce, but was rediscovered in 1912. It discusses the marraige of King Udayana to the princess of Maghada, a commentary on the culture and politics of the time.
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Ayurveda
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The ayurveda is the veda of health, which theorizes upon the components and balance in the human body, including the chakras, which rise up through the head from energy flowing through the nadis, or channels through the body. It is a traditional form of medicine, which poses many alternatives to other forms of medicine like surgery.
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King Shudraka
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A King who had multiple plays, including the Toy Cart, attributed to him. Shudraka means "the little Shudra" which is suggestive of King Shudrakas origins, and falls in line with the Toy Carts theme of revlolution. His attributed authorship is an example of a common practice of ghost writers attributing works of art to higher powers as a sign of respect.
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Chandragupta Maurya
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Maurya was the founder of the Mauryan empire in the 4th century BCE. Chandragupta is depicted in the Signet ring of Rakshasa, along with his minister Chanakya. Chandragupta allegedly retired to become a Jain monk and starved himself to death. The accomplishments of Chandragupta are renowned in India.
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Ashoka Maurya
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Emporer Ashoka Maurya of ruled in Magadha in the 3rd century BCE and instated Imperial Buddhism as a method for maintaining his rule (etically). Buddhism outlines the position of universal emperor, which fit into Ashokas plans. Etically, dynasties on the verge of collapse would turn to buddhism to extend their rule, and preach nonviolence after the millitary force cannot continue to sustain rule. Ashoka inscribed buddhist teachings on rocks. Pillar edicts inside the kingdom where he had more control, and rock edits on the borders of the kingdom.
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Stupa
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Stupas were imperial monument like structures which contained a buddhist relics as a source of power. Emically, they are a source of power and are of great importance.
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Hinayana
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Hinayana was the "lesser vehicle" of buddhism. It described the path of buddhism from India to Sri Lanka, then to Southeast Asia, as opposed to the Mahayana, where buddhism traveled from India to Afghanistan then to china and japan. The two vehicles describe two differing methods for practicing buddhism. Over the course of the travels, many specifics were changed, for exmpale, dhyana or meditation, was translated and changed over time to mean roughly the same as zen.
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Vatsyayana
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Vatsyayana is the author of the Kama shasta or Kama sutra, which preached the practice of Kama, the enjoyment of material things through the medium of the senses and the sensory pleasures. The kama sutra discusses the science of maximising sensual pleasure which can lead to achieving Moksha and a release from the material world. Vatsyayana disagreed with many who did not believe women should study science, as the Kama Sutra is the science of Kama. He argues that it should studied etensively by courtesans, but men and women should study it as well. It details many things from specifics of kissing to the role of courtesans and women during the absense of husbands.
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Moksha
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Moksha is the release from the material world, halting the wheel of birth and rebirth and all the suffering. Vatsyayana argued that studying the science of Kama through the Kama sutra could be a method for achieving Moksha, as it puts one in tune with the sensory pleasures
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Kama Sutra
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Vatsyayana is the author of the Kama shasta or Kama sutra, which preached the practice of Kama, the enjoyment of material things through the medium of the senses and the sensory pleasures. The kama sutra discusses the science of maximising sensual pleasure which can lead to achieving Moksha and a release from the material world. Vatsyayana disagreed with many who did not believe women should study science, as the Kama Sutra is the science of Kama. He argues that it should studied etensively by courtesans, but men and women should study it as well. It details many things from specifics of kissing to the role of courtesans and women during the absense of husbands.
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Mlechha Kings
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Mlechha King was the emic term used to describe Kings outside of India. From an etic perspective, it is evidence of a notion of the role of India in the world, and politics outside of India. The Mlechha term comes up in the Signet rign of Rakshasa.
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Kautilya
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or Chanakya, served as the minister under Chandragupta's reign of the Mauryan empire. Chanakya is the reputed author of the artha shastra, a shatra on the art of ruling, policy and politics. It is very pragmatic and prescriptive, detailing the role of a king and his minister, and other aspects of kingship, such as taxation, fees, and military. Chanakya was also depicted in the play Signet Ring of Rakshasa, and interestingly goes against the teachings of the artha shastra, and is clearly the master of the puppet king Chandragupta.
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Chanakya
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or Kautilya, served as the minister under Chandragupta's reign of the Mauryan empire. Chanakya is the reputed author of the artha shastra, a shatra on the art of ruling, policy and politics. It is very pragmatic and prescriptive, detailing the role of a king and his minister, and other aspects of kingship, such as taxation, fees, and military. Chanakya was also depicted in the play Signet Ring of Rakshasa, and interestingly goes against the teachings of the artha shastra, and is clearly the master of the puppet king Chandragupta.
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Ashrama
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Ashramas, as detailed by the dharma shastra are the stages of life, which include the student life, the householder life, the forest dweller life, and the wandering ascetic life. Ashramas are often marked by the Samskaras, or rituals, rites of passage, which get one to the new ashrama. These two are very tied to the varnas, as some varnas partake in certain ashramas and some do not. For example, Only Men of varnas higher than Shudra are allowed to become students in the first ashrama. Ashrama in our plays becomes synonymous with the hermitage later life.
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Samskara
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Ashramas, as detailed by the dharma shastra are the stages of life, which include the student life, the householder life, the forest dweller life, and the wandering ascetic life. Ashramas are often marked by the Samskaras, or rituals, rites of passage, which get one to the new ashrama. These two are very tied to the varnas, as some varnas partake in certain ashramas and some do not. For example, Only Men of varnas higher than Shudra are allowed to become students in the first ashrama.
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Gandharva wedding
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A gandharva wedding is one of the forms of marriage outlined in Indian Society. It is a love-marriage between two mutually attracted people, and takes place without marriage rituals or family participation. It is the style of marriage which King Dushyanta and Shakuntala were married. It is frowned upon for varnas other than Kshatriyas, and from an etic perspecitive shows some of the rigidity between varnas in allowed forms of marriage.
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Valmiki
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Is the author of the Ramayana, as noted in the text itself, in which Valmiki is a character. He is the author by eye-witness, which makes the Ramayana itihasa. Sita was living in Valmikis hermitage and Valmiki told the story of the Ramayana to Kusa and Lava. He created the shloka verse form, after witnessing a hunter shoot at a pair of birds in love, killing one. He was filled with such sadness that he uttered a curse to the hunter in this shloka form.
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Shloka
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Shloka is a verse form created by Valmiki. The Ramayana is written in sholka form. He created the shloka verse form, after witnessing a hunter shoot at a pair of birds in love, killing one. He was filled with such sadness that he uttered a curse to the hunter in this shloka form.
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Itihasa
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Itihasa means "thus it happens" and is one of the literary styles where from an emic persepctive is accurate history. The two main Itihasa works are the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, which both outline the trials tales of historical figures as vessels for teaching. Itihasa, like the shastras, is immersed in morality and dharma, but goes about it in a much more story oriented way, as opposed to the prescriptive and orderly nature of some of the shastra.
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Hanuman
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Hanuman is a monkey who befriends Rama and Lakshmana to help save Sita from Ravana. Hanuman is depicted as a loyal servant who would do anything for Rama. Hanuman, as seen by the Northern India, can be interpreted eticly as a depiction of a loyal South Indian, as they were often described as monkeys. It preaches that South Indians should be unquestionably loyal to the North during the invasion. Many South Indians worship Hanuman and he is often favorable for lower-jatis and Wrestlers as a champion.
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Jatayu
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Jatayu is a vulture who tried to save Sita from capture by Ravana. He fights Ravana and is killed in the process. Rama claimed that he was more sorry for the bird [Jatayu] who gave his life than for Sita being carried off. From an emic perspective, remnants of jatayu as stone can be found as proof of the Ramayana events happening.
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DK movement
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The DK movement was an Anti-Brahmin Anti- Noth India movement led by EV Ramasamy. Ramasamy argued that Rama and the Ramayana was and effort to invade and conquer South Indians, especially depicting South Indians in the Ramayana as monkeys to capture their "sub-human" essence. Characters like Hanuman depict inhuman servants to Rama and the North, and Ev Ramasamy and the DK movement rebelled against this notion in a wave of South Indian Nationalism.
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Vibhishana
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Vibishana was the younger brother of Ravana who sided with Rama. Vibhishana advised Ravana to release Sita, and when he did not, left to side with Rama. Rama placed him as the King of Lanka after Ravanas defeat. Lanka can be seen as either a traitor, for betraying family and helping an enemy, or as someone following the path of Dharma leading him to helping rama.
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Adams Bridge
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Adams bridge, from an Indian Emic perspective, known as Rama's bridge, was the bridge built by Rama (monkeys helping rama) to Lanka (modern Sri Lanka). Much like the remnants of Jatayu, this bridge is emic evidence of the events of the Ramaya taking place. Christians believe that the bridge was built by Adam, hence the name. Eticly however, science shows that this bridge was evidence of continental drift separating India from Sri Lanka.
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Firdawsi
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Ferdawsi was a national poet of Iran who presented the Shahnameh to King Mahmud of Ghazni. Mahmud promised Ferdawsi a sum of gold coins for the work, but paid him in bronze coins. Thusly, Firdawsi changed the ending and added curses to Mahmud.
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Eklavya
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Eklavya is a low-caste princely figure discovered by Drona and his students. Eklavya asks Drona to admit him into tutilage, but Drona rejects him due to his background. Eklavya then retreats back into the forest and studies under a statue of Drona. He coems back to Drona asking to be admitted, and drona tells him the tuition he needs to cut off his stringing thumb. From a brahmin persepctive, shows devotion to a teacher of the highest degree, but from an adivasi perspective, it represents Bhramins taking advantage of lower varnas through punishment.
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Palm Leaf Manuscript
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The Mahabharata was written on manuscripts of dried palm leaves. Because the palm leaves were strung together on a string, the Mahabharata more than other stories was able to be modified by inserting various other stories in the line of palm leaves, or removing certain leaves containing stories one did not want. The leaves can account for some of the out of place narratives about certain gods who became popular after the Mahabharata was written.
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Hypogamy
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Hypogamy is the act (typically of women) marrying into a lower varna or caste. Hypogamy plays a critical role in setting the stage for the Mahabharata, as the Ganges river goddess marries down with King Shamtanu. The epic preaches the danger of this arrangement, as Shamtanu questions the actions of the Ganges, disrupting the pre-nuptial agreement of their marriage, hilighting the complications of hypogamy.
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House of Lac
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Lac is secreted by certain beetles to form a hard shell to protect them. I the Mahabharata, the House of Lac is a house made entirely out of Lac, and the Pandavas are ushered there by the Kurus as a vacation. Becase Lac is so flammable, the Pandavas surmise that it is the plan of the Kurus to set the house on fire. The Pandavas set the house on fire themselves as a set up, and leave behind people to burn as their bodies. Depending on the reading of the story, this can be seen as either horrible (forcing people to die in their place), or an accident.
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Draupadi
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Draupadi was the shared wife of the Pandavas. She was married in a "self-choice" marriage to Arjuna where the winner of a contest would be "chosen" by the girl to be wed. Because Arjuna's mother told them to share her, Draupadi must be shared between the Pandavas. However, her boon to get back her virginty makes this morally okay.
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Krishna
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Krishna is a deity, who appears in the Mahabharata, despite eticly rising to popularity after it was written. From an etic perspective, As krishna rose in popularity, in order to establish his greatness, he needed to be inserted into the Mahabharata to tell his story and provide evidence for his existence in the past.
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Pandavas
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The pandavas were one of the two battling groups of brothers, along with the Kurus, in the Mahabharata. Depending on the reading of the story, the Pandavas can be seen as either good or ruthless. For example, in certain readings, the Pandavas capture of Draupada after the work of the Kurus can be seen as either cowardly and weak, or as cunning and skillful. Although the Pandavas win the battle against the Kurus, arguments can be made against them, due to events such as Arjuna using Amba as a shield or Yudhistira and the elephant "ashvattham".
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Swadharma
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Swadharma or "ones own dharma" describes the practice of following the dharma that exists inside you. Many characters in the Mahabharata follow swadharma, one example is Arjunas delemma between fighting the war against his cousins, and his varna as a kshatriya. Krishna preaches him to follow his swadharma as a warrior, and to have bhakti.
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Bhakti
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Bhakti or "love of/by God" represents the notion that if one acts and does out of love for the divine gods, nothign else matters and everything will turn out okay, the gods will love you back. Bhakti means devotion to religion and promises good outcomes to one who devotes themself to it. We see the effects of Bhakti when Arjuna is shot at by the Unfailing bow of Karna, Krishna ducks Arjuna, as his complete devotion assures his saftey.
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