Hinduism Lecture Notes Flashcards

Flashcards covering the history, sacred texts, social structures, and core philosophical concepts of Hinduism as presented in the lecture notes.

Indus Valley Civilization

Around 2000 BCE, the region near the Indus River where Hinduism began, featuring major cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.

Pashupati Seal

A religious artifact showing a figure seated with crossed legs, believed to be one of the earliest predecessors of Shiva.

Aryans

Nomadic herding people from Central Asia who identified themselves as 'noble ones' and spoke Sanskrit.

Veda

A Sanskrit word meaning 'Knowledge'; the Vedas were written between 2000 BCE and 400 BCE.

Rig Veda

The most important Veda, meaning 'Veda of verses or praise,' containing about a thousand hymns and often compared to the Psalms.

Yajur Veda

A collection of rituals and directions for sacrifices to the gods.

Sama Veda

A collection of verses from the Rig Veda arranged musically.

Atharva Veda

A collection of spells, incantations, and charms for home use.

Upanishads

The philosophical part of the Vedas, literally meaning 'To sit nearby,' referring to students sitting at the feet of spiritual teachers.

Brahman

The ultimate reality; an infinite, eternal, genderless, and supreme force that is both immanent and transcendent.

Atman

The eternal soul present in every living being that is one with Brahman.

Human Ignorance

The condition of overidentifying with the body and desires, which separates Atman from Brahman.

Karma

The law of cause and effect in the cosmos, meaning 'action'; it is not simply punishment or reward.

Trimurti

The trinity of God consisting of Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer/transformer).

Brahma

The creator god whose worship is rare because the act of creation is considered complete; said to originate from a lotus in Vishnu's navel.

Vishnu

The preserver known as a kind overseer of the universe who incarnated as figures like Krishna and Rama.

Shiva

The deity associated with destruction, transformation, and sexual power as creative energy; believed by some to have created Vishnu.

Avatar

A Sanskrit word meaning 'Descent,' referring to a spiritual manifestation or manifestation of a deity.

Varna

Originally meaning 'Color,' it evolved to mean 'class' or social stratification.

Caste System Classes

The four main classes: 1) Brahmins (priests/sages), 2) Kshatriyas (warriors), 3) Vaishyas (producers/merchants), 4) Shudras (servants).

Dalits

Also known as 'Untouchables' or 'Harijan' (Children of God); people outside the four-class system who perform 'polluting' work like sanitation.

Jati

A particular family attached to a specific occupation, serving as the basis for the sub-caste system.

Yoga

From the Sanskrit 'To yoke or to join'; the union of the individual soul (Atman) to the ultimate soul (Brahman).

Karma Yoga

The way of action and duty; following one's dharma and the Laws of Manu while detaching from negativity.

Bhakti Yoga

The way of devotion to a specific deity to connect Atman to Brahman, often associated with the festival of Diwali.

Jnana Yoga

The path of knowledge and wisdom involving meditation and the mantra 'Om' to achieve experiential realization of truth.

Samsara

The endless cycle of rebirth in which Atman transmigrates to another body based on accumulated karma.

Moksha

Liberation from the cycle of rebirth (Samsara) attained through detachment and the prevention of karma accumulation.

Dharma

A person's moral duty and right way to live, often based on their birth group or Jati.

Artha

One of the four aims of life, referring to material prosperity and wealth.

Kama

One of the four aims of life, referring to desire, pleasure, and love.

Ganges River

The most popular pilgrim site for Hindus, believed to be a goddess herself.

Puja

A daily expression of devotion in Hindu practice; worship is not reserved for a specific day.

Kamadeng

The goddess associated with cows, which are venerated as deities in Hinduism.