Hinduism Final

Samsara

the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in Hinduism, driven by karma and the soul's journey towards liberation (moksha).

Karma

the moral law of cause and effect that determines the circumstances of one's rebirth.

Moksha

the ultimate goal of liberation from the cycle of samsara, achieved through self-realization and understanding one's true nature.

Varna (4 Varnas)

the four social classes in Hindu society, including Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, which determine one's duties and responsibilities.

Ashrama (4 Ashramas)

the four stages of life in Hinduism, including Brahmacharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (hermit), and Sannyasa (renunciant).

Jati

a sub-caste within the Hindu social hierarchy that determines specific social roles and professions.

Dalits

a social group in India traditionally considered outside the Varna system, often facing discrimination and marginalization.

Dharma

the moral and ethical duties and responsibilities that govern individual conduct in accordance with Hindu law and societal order. It can also mean universal order, not just societal order.

Purity/Pollution

purity is the absence of pollution; pollution differentiates castes, and is an innate part of life; purity is necessary for contact with the divine

Auspiciousness

degree to which events, times, and relationships are conducive to the well-being, prosperity, good fortune of society or the individual

Yuga (4 Yugas)

the cycle of time; represented by the cow standing on decreasing quantities of legs; as time passes, evil becomes more and more powerful

Indus Valley Civilization

one of the first major civilizations; flourished from 2600-1900; we have been unable to decipher their seals

The Aryans

loose migration of horse-riding peoples who spoke sanskrit; not a racial group, but a linguistic one

the Veda

the totality of Hindu revelation, contains the Vedas and the Upanisads

Rig Veda

the earliest Hindu religious text, considered Shruti

Indra

King of the gods; god of weather, storms, and war

Agni

purifying, transformative heat; intermediary between heaven and Earth

Soma

psychedelic beverage associated with the milky ambrosia of immortality and the moon

Yajña

ritual of fire sacrifice

Tapas

creative heat; the action of asceticism; transformative, both creates and destroys

Upanisads

Shruti; the part of the Veda that contains the idea of liberation from Samsara through Moksha

Tat Tvam Asi

translates to “you are that”; a saying that means that you are both one with and intrinsically connected to the divine

Brahman

the absolute; ultimate reality; the universal force holding everything together

Atman

the self- intrinsically connected with Brahman

Jñana

mystical knowledge/wisdom

Shruti

“that which was heard”; the highest form of revelation

Smriti

“that which was remembered”; below Shruti

three aims of life

Dharma (duty), Artha (prosperity), Kama (pleasure)

Tirtha

“crossing place”; a sacred pilgrimage site

Puranas

Smriti; a vast group of texts, usually containing myths of the Hindu pantheon

Tantras

texts describing rituals, mantras, visualizations, and yoga to expand consciousness and achieve liberation; claimed to be another revelation, even higher than the vedas

Brahminization

adopting the practices of brahmins to raise one’s status

Sanskritization

adopting the practices of higher castes to raise one’s status

Brahma

god of creation, knowledge, and the vedas

Saraswati

consort of Brahma, Goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and learning

Shiva

God of change and destruction; can be depicted as an ascetic yogi, a family man, or a destroyer

Parvati

wife of Shiva, incarnation of Shakti; goddess of fertility, love, devotion, and power

Sati

the practice in which a woman immolates herself on her husband’s funeral pyre

Shakti

the Goddess; divine feminine creative force

Ganesh

Elephant-headed son of Shiva, God of beginnings, widely revered as remover of obstacles

Durga

the divine mother and warrior, represents Shakti

Kali

aspect of Durga; goddess of destruction, death and time

Bali

blood sacrifice, often practiced in worship of the Goddess

Logic of Blood Sacrifice

this is the return of the Goddess’s life-energy back to her, empowers her and those who offer it

Vishnu

benevolent protector and sustainer; descends into avatars, such as Ram, Krishna, and Buddha

Lakshmi

wife of Vishnu, goddess of wealth and prosperity

Avatara

means “descent”; the material appearance or incarnation of a Hindu deity, often Vishnu

Krishna

the eighth incarnation of Vishnu; “the dark lord” because he has dark skin; represents Lila, divine play

Radha

lover of Krishna; their love is between two separated lovers, so is the strongest

Kama

god of love, desire, and sensual pleasure

Ahimsa

nonviolence, including vegetarianism

Darshan

the inner sanctum of a Hindu temple, meaning “sight” or “view”

Puja

ritual of worship, includes devotional acts, prayers, ceremonies, etc.

Arati

a devotional ritual involving light, typically waving lamps in reverence of a deity

Prasad

pure/blessed food, eaten during rituals; the idea is that eating this pure food purifies the eater

Murti

a visual depiction of a deity, NOT AN IDOL

Pranam

the act of expressing reverence for an elder/sage

Tilak

a mark on the forehead representing the third eye

Bindi

a decorative dot worn between the eyes, either as a fashion statement or to represent spiritual insight

Ramayana

the ancient Hindu epic describing Ram’s life, exile, and battle with Ravana

Valmiki

poet-sage accredited with writing the Ramayana

Rama

the ideal man; an exemplar of Dharma; seventh avatar of Vishnu

Sita

Ram’s wife; exemplar of Stri-Dharma, or woman’s Dharma

Lakshman

Ram’s loyal brother

Hanuman

Monkey servant of Ram; gains incredible power through Dharma

Ravana

Demon who kidnaps Sita; is eventually slain by Rama

Tulsīdās

Author of the epic poem Rāmcaritmānas; inspired by Valmiki

Ram Lila

traditional folk reenactment of the Ramayana, with different parts of the local area representing the many areas of India that Ram travels to

Nirguna v Saguna

Nirguna means no qualities/abstract; Saguna means with qualities. Typically used to categorize differet Gods.

Mahabharata

Ancient Hindu epic describing the war between the Pandavas and the Kauranas and the start of the Kali Yuga

Pandavas and Kauravas

two sets of cousins, at war over rule of the Kuru kingdom

Bhagavad Gita

a late section of the Mahabharata, in which Arjuna, a Pandava, discusses with Vishnu the conflict between Dharma and Moksha

Arjuna

main character of the Bhagavad Gita

Three Yogas (of the Gita)

Jnana (knowledge), Bhakti (devotion), Karma (action)

Delhi Sultanate

a powerful Islamic empire ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent from Delhi between 1206 and 1526

Sufism

the mystical, spiritual dimension of Islam

Ulama

a body of Muslim scholars recognized as having specialist knowledge of Islamic sacred law and theology

Shayekh/Pir

a Muslim elder/spiritual leader

Dargah

a shrine or tomb built to revere a Muslim saint

Khanqah

Islamic spiritual center

People of the Book

the groups of people who believe in the Abrahamic God; Muslims, Jews, and Christians

dhimmi tax (jizya tax)

a tax levied on non-Muslim males

Akbar the great

third Mughal emperor; showed great tolerance for Islam, such as removing the Jizya tax

Rasa

essence; taste

Lila

divine play, both in the childish and theatrical sense

Bhakti

“devotion”; an intense emotional love towards God

Bhajan

Hindu devotional song or poem

satsang

a spiritual gathering, often involving chanting Bhajans

dance in Hindu tradition

used as a way of revering and reaching out toward the design

the Bhakti movement

emphasized equality and direct connection to the Divine, using practices like chanting, prayer, and worship

hagiography

the writing of the lives of saints

Mirabai

only female Bhakti saint; devoted to Krishna, takes on the role of a Gopi

Ravidas

a Bhakti saint; emphasized that true purity can only come from loving God; known as an unmatched leather worker

Kabir

a Bhakti saint; socially critical, spoke mainly to the poor and illiterate

Orientalism

a Western mode of dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient (the East)

Census of 1872

First British census of India; boundaries of religious and caste identity established provided a new framework

Swami Vivekananda

Key figure in formulating the West’s understanding of Hinduism; first presented Hinduism as a “world religion” to the rest of the globe

Partition of India

split between Pakistan and India during Indian independence, 15 million displaced and over 1 million killed

communalism

allegiance to one's own ethnic group rather than to the wider society

V.D. Sarvarkar

author of Hindutva, major figure in Hindu Nationalism