Our Hindu Neighbors

Living World Religions

Approximately how many Hindus are in the world?

one billion

Where do 97% of all Hindus live?

India, Nepal, and Mauritius

What book houses the hymns and mantras of Hinduism?

Vedas

Which group of native Indus was foundational to the formation of Hinduism?

Harappan

Which people of European descent were foundational to the formation of Hinduism?

Aryans

What kind of tradition did the teachings of Hinduism begin as?

oral

What are the writings of the reformers, written as early as 600 BC?

Upanishads

What is the famous epic of Hinduism?

Mahabharata

what is the famous portion of the famous epic?

Bhagavad Gita

What do Hindus call the one ultimate reality?

Brahman

Who are two of the most popular ancient gods of Hinduism, the gods of weather and fire?

Indra and Agni

Who are two of the most popular modern gods of Hinduism?

Vishnu and Shiva

Who is the creator of the world in Hinduism?

Brahma

Who are the leading figures of Hinduism, that many Hindus can name whose they embrace?

Gurus

Who was the famous reformer who tried to reconcile Hindu and Christian faith under British rule and who challenged old practices?

Ram Roy

Who was India’s famous reformer, inspired by Hindu and Jain ideals and the Sermon on the Mount

Mohandas Gandhi

As opposed to a personal being, what is Brahman depicted as?

Impersonal force

What is referred to as the “divine spark” within the soul?

Atman

What is the cycle of birth and rebirth and ascending and descending?

Samsara

What is the link between deeds and consequences?

karma

What is considered to be a great evil and condemn the soul for thousands of years?

suicide

The goal of a Hindu is to be __________ into Brahman

absorbed

What is the term for the ultimate experience of Hinduism, often translated as “salvation”

moksha

Hindus believe that the body is temporary and that everything physical around us is all _____________, or an illusion

maya

What is the term for a Hindu who, usually as a retired person, conducts their own funeral and flees into isolation?

renouncer

What is the Hindu term for one’s duty to play along with the cycle of life

dharma

What is the Hindu term for acts of worship?

Puja

What is used as justification for the Caste System?

Laws of Manu

What acronym can be used to remember layers of the Caste System?

BKVS

What is the term of sub-categories for different occupations?

jati

Who is Vishnu’s consort? At the front of Hindu temples with Shiva as well

Lakshmi

This festival celebrates the triumph of light over darkness and ignorance

Diwali

This festival inspired color runs and celebrates the defeat of a demoness

Holi

This is a famous pilgrimage to Allahabad that takes place every 12 years

Kumbh Mela

Who was the teenage yogi?

Nilkanth Varni