| Question |
Answer |
| Vedas | "KNowledge", the main scriptures of Hindu beliefs. Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Athura |
| Vedanta | The system philosophy that further develops the knowledge and truth |
| Rig Veda | The most ancient collection of hindu sacred texts |
| The creation hymn | Brahman came before gods. Most of life is uncertain but the universe is ultimately a mystery |
| "Night" | a story about the night appearing and creatures sleeping |
| Aryan | the people who came to India with their beliefs and conquered |
| Dravidians | original inhabitants of India |
| Sanskrit | Ancient indian language |
| Upanishads | last section of the four vedas, "to sit" |
| Taitttirya Upanishad | one of the upanishads |
| neti, neti | not this, not this |
| tapas | endurance of pain, suffering, through the performance of extreme penance, religious austerity and mortification. |
| Brahaman | the universe and everything |
| Atman | the self and soul |
| avidya | inability to "see" through maya |
| maya | the illusion of what you see versus what is in this world often symbolized by a veil |
| dharma | doing one's duty, the principle that orders the universe |
| Samsara | reincarnation cycle |
| kama | desire or more specifically, sexual desire |
| moksha | instant of enlightenment |
| advaita | All is one and there is no difference between the seer and seen |
| avatar | the reincarnation of a deity, especially vishnu |
| Krishna | the 8th and primary avatar of vishnu: young man that plays flute and rides chariot |
| Mahabharata | "Great Epic of India." |
| "Sibi" | tested by the demigods Indra and Agni, disguised as a hawk and dove |
| gita | song/hymn |
| Bahgavad-gita | "song of god" sacred text |
| slokas | hindu prayer |
| Yoga of knowledge | knowledge of how to be mentally and physically at peace |
| jnana | learns the true nature of the cosmos |
| bhakti | a person worships a god or goddess |
| karma (yoga) | achieve moksha through the elimination of one's karma through work |
| raja | meditation to achieve moksha |
| non-attached work | purity of motives, doing yout best and your duty |
| Panchatantra | (Sanskrit) The collection of animal stories used by sage Vishnu Sharma to teach the king's sons the "art of practical life." |
| Jain | combonation of hinduism and buddhism |
| sikh | combonation of hinduism and islam |
| Advaita Vedanta | Hinduism |
| tat tvam asi | realize atman and brahman are the same |
| guru | teacher |
| trimurti | triad |
| vishnu | perserver and protector |
| brahma | creater |
| shiva | destroyer and restorer |
| Sadhana | following the right path |
| Sadhu | follower of holy path |
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