| Question | Answer |
| Aryans | ancient, indigenous people from Indus Valley Civilization. Cow herders. "Noble Ones" |
| Vedas | Aryan scriptures Hindus trace history from.
Timeless, eternal
"Knowledge" first told orally
Rig Veda - Oldest veda |
| Deva | meaning "god"
powers that create life and growth |
| Agni | God of spiritual sacrifice (fire)
accepts offerings and transports them to realm of the Gods |
| Atman | Breath, soul |
| Sacrifice of Purusha | sustaining the world and universe w/ this hymn |
| Upanishads | inner, mystic teaching
Passed from teacher to disciple
"to sit at the feet of teacher" |
| Samsara | endless round of birth and death, and rebirth |
| Karma | "action"
Law that every action has effect |
| Bhrahman | The ONE
ultimate reality or power |
| Shruti | that which is "heard" by the sages
eternal revelation of truth
ex. Upanishads, Vedas, Bhrahmanas |
| maya | divine creative magic |
| Smirti | that which is "remembered"
new writings during classical period
Ex. Yoga Sutras, Dharmasutras, Dharmashastras, Bhagavad Gita |
| yoga | "yoke" or discipline, withdrawing from the world
technique for liberation from bodily existence |
| Epic/Classical Period | 400BCE - 400CE
unification and consolidation of Hinduism |
| Dharma | eternal order of everything |
| Bhagavad Gita | convo between Krishna and Arjuna
concise guide to Hindu philosophy |
| Krisna | incarnation of Vishnu |
| Shiva | Half male/half female
destroyer |
| lingam | male part |
| yoni | femal part |
| bhakti | devotion to one's God
focus of the Gita |
| Avatara | incarnation |
| Puja | worship of divine images |
| Purana | ancient stories
describing various Gods and devotion to them |
| 3 paths (in Hindu) | jnana marga
karma marga
bhakti marga |
| jnana marga | path of knowledge |
| karma marga | path of duties |
| bhakti marga | path of devotion to God |
| gopis | group of cow herd girls known for devotion to Krishna |
| Kali | Goddess of time and change |
| darshana | ritual "seeing" of the God
produces intense feelings of being united with divine |
| Holi | spring festival |
| Durja Puja | fall festival, good over evil |
| samnyasin | renouncing the world in search of moksha alone |
| samadhi | meditative trance
culmination, highest level |
| lila | activities of God and his devotees |
| Ramakrishna | Hindu who revitalized Hinduism
Incorporating western ideas
Ultimate reality can be found through any worship tradition |
| jati | birth CASTE divisions
thousands - occupational |
| varna | color CLASS divisions
4 - brahmans (priests), kshatriyas (noble, soldiers), viashyas(farmers), shudas (servants) |
| ashramas | stages of life |
