Hinduism

Brahman

The all-encompassing reality, God-head.

Darsan

To see or be seen by a deity.

Brahma

Not actively worshipped; God of creation, depicted with multiple heads and arms. Created a world and then separated himself from it.

Vishnu

God of preservation, depicted with mace, conch shell, peacock feather, and a disc of light, has avatars.

Avatars of Vishnu

different incarnations that come to save the day when the world is off kilter.

Shiva

God of destruction to bring about new life, depicted with a trident, 3rd eye, and long hair; also depicted with son Ganesh and wife Parvati. Tilak represents worshippers.

aniconic image of shiva

raised hemisphere, shiva linga

Ganesh

Protector of all gods, remover of obstacles, new beginnings, depicted with an elephant head. Son of Shiva and Parvati. Used broken tusk to write mahabarata. Rides mouse that was a demon that Ganesh conquered and took as his steed now he is loyal to ganesh.

Parvati

Wife of Shiva, goddess of the Himalayas, love, and fertility, depicted with a lion. The birth was a cosmic event to bring Shiva out of withdrawal and into household life.

Shiva Linga

Represents/form of Shiva (in temples).

Avatar

Reincarnation of Vishnu.

Krishna

8th avatar of Vishnu, god of compassion, tenderness, and love, depicted in dark blue, with a flute, peacock feather, and cows. Influence other religions as well. avatar of vishnu

Rama

7th avatar of Vishnu represents chivalry, morality, and righteousness; it is depicted as blue, with a bow and arrow. The main protagonist in Ramayana and an avatar of Vishnu.

Kali

Goddess of death, decay, and time; depicted with blue skin and a severed head. born from Durga, Tongue out because she drank demon Raktabeeja’s blood so it wouldn’t clone itself.

Hanuman

The monkey god represents bravery, service, and devotion; he tried to reach for the sun and was struck by a thunderbolt. remover of worries, no powers unless reminded. loyal to Rama

Bhagavad Gita

Scripture - Book 6 of Mahabharata; Arjuna's crisis during the Pandavas vs Kauravas battle. Krishna gives him advice, and since he is good at fighting, he fights for the sake of fighting, not for the outcome. then cosmic vision handle it.

Dharma

your duty/calling/what you were meant to do.

Karma

Cause and effect; positive actions lead to positive effects in reincarnation.

Puja

Daily ritual involving offerings like lamp, ash, fruit, water, incense, flower, and bell.

Saraswati

Goddess of education, culture, knowledge, and poetry; connected to the dried-up Saraswati river. supposedly created Sanskrit. Holds special instrument

Kurma

Symbolizes cosmic support, stability, and balance; associated with the myth of churning the ocean of milk. holds mountain on back, avatar of Vishnu, to stabilize it while it churns. the ocean churns.

Ganges

Sacred river; people spread cremations; highly polluted. supposed to get you a better reincarnation or moksha

Monism

The belief that everything is one kind of substance, basically brahman

Polytheism

The belief in multiple gods.

Prasad

Sacred offerings to a deity, distributed after blessing.

Tilaka

Mark on forehead representing the god or goddess worshipped. On shiva as well

Trimurti

The three forms: Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma.

Consort

spouse of reighing moarch the reign

Shakti

Power, energy, force. form of parvati

Shaivas

Major Hindu tradition that worships Shiva as the supreme leader.

Vaishnavas

Dominion that considers Vishnu as the supreme being leader.

Moksha

Liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth.

Samsara

Cycle of reincarnation (birth, death, rebirth).

Dharma

Cosmic law underlying right behavior.

Murti

A statue of a god/goddess that is washed, decorated, and given gifts.

Sanskrit

Hinduism religious script