Hinduism

Hinduism

a polytheistic religion that involves the worship of gods, particularly Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva

Hinduism

considered as the world’s oldest religion, which dates back to ~1,500 BCE and has about 1.2 billion followers

Hinduism

Third largest religion

Indus Valley

where Hinduism originated

Indo-Aryans

migrated to the Indus Valley and blended their language and culture with those of living in the valley

Vedas

contain the academic record of the Indo-Aryan civilization and the teachings of all aspects of life

“wisdom and knowledge of vision”

Meaning of Vedas

1. Samhitas

2. Brahmanas

3. Aranyakas

4. Upanishads

4 parts of Vedas

Samhitas

consisted of hymns of praise to God and are the most ancient part of the Vedas

Brahmanas

rituals and prayers that guide priests in their duties

Upanishads

comprised of the mystical and philosophical teachings of Hinduism

Aranyakas

centered on worship and meditation

1. Rig Veda

2. Sama Veda

3. Yajur Veda

4. Atharva Veda

4 classification of Samhitas

Rig Veda

collection of inspired songs or hymns and is the primary source of information on the Rig Vedic civilization

Sama veda

purely a liturgical collection of melodies or saman

Yajur veda

liturgical collection and made to meet the demands of a ceremonial religion

Atharva Veda

contains hymns of a more diverse character than the Rig Veda and are also more straightforward in language

Nasadiya Sukta (Hymn of Creation)

is one of the most well-received portions of the Rig Veda, it talks about how the universe was created in a contemplative tone.

Upanishads

speculate on the ontological connection between humanity and the cosmos

Vedenta

Also referred to as Upanishads

“connection” “equivalence”

literal meaning of Upanishads

Bhagavad Gita

the most popular religious poem of Sanskrit literature, probably the most influential work in Indian thought; draws its inspiration from the Upanishads

Khrishna

explained the different Yogic and Vedatic philosophies and the more significant idea of dharma or universal harmony and duty.

Bhagavad Gita

takes the form of a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Krishna

Krishna and Prince Arjuna

avatars of Vishnu

Bhagavad Gita

contained in the Brishna-Parva of the Mahabharata

Three

There are only ____ central gods in the Hindu religion and others are merely avatars or manifestations of these central gods.

Brahma

the creator of the universe; the embodiment of intellect and present as one in all human being

Vishnu

the preserver of the universe; considered a supreme god and form part of the Trimurti with Brahma and Shiva

Shiva

the destroyer of the universe; considered a supreme god and forms part of the Trimurti with Brahma and Vishnu

The Trimutri

means “three forms”; the triad of Hinduism’s major deities

Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva

Three major deities

Lakshmi

popular in Indian households and is worshiped everywhere

Lakshmi

the eternal consort of Vishnu and is looked upon as the goddess of wealth

Parvati

the wife of Shiva and is considered the primordial force that keeps the universe from falling apart

Parvati

looked upon by Hindus as a loving mother

Moksha

experiential element of Hinduism; liberation from samsara

Samsara

the endless cycle of reincarnation and rebirth

Monism

a Hindu doctrine stating that all the things in the universe are made up only of one essence: the Brahman; the central teaching of Hinduism and is the basis of the goal of the faith

Dharma

an essential term in Indian religions; means duty, virtue, morality, even religion; refers to the power which sustains the universe and society

Puja

the ritual performed by Hindus when worshiping a deity; Worship is directed at a small shrine to the deities.

Puja

involves lighting incense, making offerings of things such as fruits and flowers, and other rituals