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72 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Sir John Marshall
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English archaeologist. 1926 excavations revealed the existence of the Indus Valley civilization - discovery of large towns on the banks of the Indus River: Mohenjo Daro and Harappa.
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Harappa
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ancient town / culture in the Indus Valley
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Sanskrit
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ancient Indo-European language. The language of the Vedas.
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Aryan
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"Noble." An ancient Indo-European people and their language.
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Brahmins
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an hereditary group of priests
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Brahman
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the Supreme Being / Reality / God
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shruti / sruti writings
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"heard, perceived." The record of ancient seers who were able to perceive the divinely revealed truths of the universe
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smriti / smrti writings
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"remembered." Post-Vedic literature
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Vedas
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"knowledge." Ancient shruti literature. Composed between 1500-600 BC
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Rig Veda / Rg Veda
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"Knowledge of Praise." The first division of Vedic literature.
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Vedanta
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literature that came at the end of the Vedas - the Upanishads and the Aranyakas.
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Upanishads
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Vedanta containing philosophical teaching
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karma
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"action." Good and bad moral actions.
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samsara
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the cycle of birth and rebirth
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moksha / moksa
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liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth
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atman
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self / soul / spirit
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maya
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illusion, non-reality
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avidya
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ignorance, especially about the true reality
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Puranas
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devotional smriti literature dedicated to the main deities - Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
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Epics
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historical narratives: the Mahabharata and the Ramayana
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Mahabharata / Mahabharat
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the longest poem ever written. It is an epic about the Bharata dynasty.
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Bharata / Bharat
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ancient king and founder of India.
An official name for India. |
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Bhagavad-Gita
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"Song of God." A part of the Mahabharata.
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avatar
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incarnation of a god
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dharma
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righteous duty
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Ramayana
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an epic about the adventures of Rama, the 7th avatar of Vishnu
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Rama
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the 7th avatar of Vishnu, and hero of the Ramayana
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Mohandas K. Gandhi
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lawyer who gave up his practice of law to live a simple life and lead Indians in their successful struggle for freedom from British rule and social reform (especially discrimination against the "outcasts.")
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Books of Law
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a major section of smiriti literature. They deal with right living in every aspect of life.
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Laws of Manu
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laws originating from Manu, the progenitor of the human race.
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yugas
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the eras in a cycle of time. (four to a cycle)
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maha yuga
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each cycle containing four yugas
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Manu
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the primeval man created by Brahma
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Kalpa
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1000 maha yugas
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margas
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ways of salvation
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yoga
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"yoke" or union with God. Discipline as a means to such a union.
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Samadhi
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final stage of Raja Yoga. It is a state of trance in which oneness with Brahman is experienced.
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bhakti
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devotion to god
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Ishvara / Isvara
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"Lord." - Brahman in manifest form as Brahma, or Vishnu, or Shiva.
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deva
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male god
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devi
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female god
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Trimurti
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"three forms."
The three manifestations of Brahman: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. |
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Brahma
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the creator god
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Sarasvati
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the goddess of knowledge and wisdom.
Consort of Brahma. |
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Vishnu
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the "preserver." The god who holds all things together and therefore makes life possible.
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Lakshmi
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godess of fertility and wealth. Consort of Vishnu.
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Vaishnavites
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devotees of Vishnu
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Shiva
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the "destroyer" of life.
brings death, and because of samsara, he may also be thought of as the bringer of life. |
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Kali
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wild shakti (femal force / power) of Shiva.
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Uma / Devi / Sati
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consort of Shiva
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Parvati
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the gracious consort of Shiva
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sati / suttee
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the self immolation of a widow.
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Shaivites
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devotees of Shiva
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Ganesha / Ganesh
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Elephant god.
Son of Shiva. The remover of obstacles and therefore the bringer of good things. |
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Hanuman
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The monkey god.
He is courageous and gives himself to selfless service. Therefore, he is looked to for protection. |
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Shakti / Sakti
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"Energies."
The active energy of power of the feminine aspect of the divine. It is often associated with the Mother Goddess (Mahadevi / Devi) or the variety of forms (goddesses) that she takes. |
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Shaktas / Saktas
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devotees of the Mother Goddess (Mahadevi / Devi)
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tilaka / tilak
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forehead marking
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Aum / Om
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ancient mystical syllable, and the basic sound of the cosmos.
It represents Brahman. |
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swastika / svastika
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symbol of Brahman
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lotus
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symbol of creation and of the human soul
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900 million
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How many Hindus are there in the world?
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Aryan Migration Hypothesis
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Theory that the Aryans migrated from Western and Northern Europe, settled in the region of Northwest India, and drove out the indigenous population, who then migrated to the south.
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Cultural Transformation Hypothesis
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Theory that the original culture of the Indus Valley went through a process of cultural transformation, and evolved into a distinctively different culture, the Aryan culture.
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Rig Veda - knowledge of praise
Sama Veda - knowledge of rites Yager Veda - knowledge of chance Atharva Veda - knowledge of Atharva, who was a sage |
What are the four Vedas?
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Samhitas - hymns to the gods
Brahmanas - instruction for the performance of rituals Aranyakas - "composition of the forest" - material for hermits and ascetics Upanishads - "sitting beneath" - philisophical instruction |
What are the four classes of material found in the Vedas?
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The Epics - historical narratives
Books of the Law - laws that define our duties Puranas - ancient narratives - devotional works to the main deities Tantras - mystical practices and teachings |
Four divisions of smriti literature
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the Mahabharata
the Ramayana |
Two great epics
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The Brahmin - the priestly class
The Kshatriya - the ruling class The Vaishya - the mercantile class The Shudra - the servant class The Dalits - untouchables, classless |
List the castes of Hindu society
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Brahmacarya - stage of educational study
Grhastha - stage of working and raising a family Vanaprastha - stage of leaving one's family and living in the forest as a hermit Samnyasa - stage of reliquishing one's former life |
Four stages of life
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1. Dharma - moral duty
2. Aritha - art of gaining wealth and power 3. Kama - pursuit of love and pleasure 4. Moksha - liberation from samsara |
Four goals of life
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1. Jnana Marga - way of knowledge
2. Karma Marga - way of action or works 3. Bhakt Marga - way of devotion 4. Raja Marga - way of mental and bodily discipline |
Four ways to salvation
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