Hinduism Study Guide

For ss

who made this set

sam and jack

Puja

Home worship ritual

Bhagvad Vita

That one story good winning over evil and romance

Ahimsa

ancient Indian principle of nonviolence

Yoga

Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India

Vedas

a vast collection of ancient religious texts from India, considered the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, composed in Vedic Sanskrit

Dharma

A Hindus duties in life

Holi

the Hindu "Festival of Colors" celebrating the arrival of spring, new beginnings, and the triumph of good over evil through traditions like throwing colored powders and water, dancing, and ***

Reincarnation

Coming back to life after death, the Western samsara concept.

Varanasi

Holy city in India by the Ganges

Murti

Statue of god

Madir

Hindu Temple

Ganges

Spiritual and polluted river in India

Ganesha

Elephant god of wisdom

Moksha

Liberation and freedom from the cycle of samsara

Brahma

One part of the holy trinity, the creator

Indus River Valley

he geographic area around the Indus Rive

Atman

the spiritual life principle of the universe

Vishnu

Part of the holy trinity, preserver god

Brahman

the ultimate, all-pervading, supreme, and impersonal spiritual reality of the universe, the essence of all existence, and the fundamental principle that sustains everything

Samsara

Cycle of life, death, and rebirth

Karma

Good actions give you good luck, bad actions give you bad luck

Diwali

The Hindu festival of lights

Caste System

A social hierarchy in place in ancient India

Shiva

Part of the holy trinity, destruction god

Brahma

The creator god who is part of the Hindu trio of gods and has four faces to speak each of the four Vedas

Path of Bhakti

A spiritual path in Hinduism that focuses on devotion to and love of a personal god

The Four Ashramas

The four traditional stages of a man's life: student, householder, forest-dweller, and renouncer

Ganges

The most famous holy river in India, where pilgrims bathe to cleanse their bodies and spirits of sins

Relationship between Atman and Brahman

The realization that the individual soul (atman) is identical to the universal world-soul (brahman), which leads to moksha

The Hindu Trinity

The trio of gods: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer)

Aum

The most sacred sound in Hinduism, representing God and the past, present, and future

Holi

The spring festival that remembers the pranks of the god Krishna, celebrated with parades, tricks, and throwing colored powder

Prashad

Offerings such as fruit and candy that are blessed by a priest and then shared

Diya

A small oil lamp lit during worship to symbolize enlightenment or used for decoration during Divali

Durga

A powerful goddess who destroys evil demons and is worshipped for nine nights during the Navaratri festival

Caste System

A traditional social class system in India determined by birth, which has been officially outlawed

Divali

The five-day festival of lights celebrating the new year, the victory of good over evil, and the return of King Rama

Lakshmi

The goddess of wealth, money, and beauty, who is honored during the Divali festival

Sarasvati

The goddess of truth and wisdom

Ganesh

The god of success, who has the head of an elephant

Shiva

The destroyer and re-creator god who makes room for new life

Tilak

A red mark made on the forehead after worship to help focus on goals for the day

Ahimsa

The principle of non-violence and respect for all living things

Samsara

The cycle of life, death, and rebirth

Vishnu

The preserver god who protects the cosmic order and keeps things alive

Murti

An image or statue of a Hindu god or goddess

Vedas

The four oldest and most sacred Hindu texts, containing prayers and hymns believed to be revelations from the gods

Varanasi

A sacred city on the banks of the Ganges River, known as a popular pilgrimage site

Krishna

The god of love and divine joy, who is often depicted with deep blue skin

Rama

A god celebrated for defeating the evil Ravana

The Four Goals of Life

Kama (enjoying life), Artha (being successful), Dharma (doing your duty), and Moksha (release from rebirth)

Sanatana Dharma

The "eternal truth" or "ancient religion," which is the name Hindus use for their religion

Connection between Dharma and Karma

The belief that fulfilling one's religious duties (dharma) leads to good karma

Moksha

The ultimate goal of escaping the cycle of death and rebirth to live with God

Puja

Hindu worship, which can be performed daily at a shrine at home or in a temple

Sacredness of Cows

The belief that all life is sacred and cows are especially holy, so they are treated with great respect

Brahman

The universal world-soul or spirit in Hinduism that sustains the universe and is present in all things

Sadhu

A holy man who devotes his life to Hinduism and prepares for the next life by renouncing possessions

Atman

The individual soul, or the fundamental, unchanging essence of a living being

Karma

The law that all actions produce effects in the future, determining one's status and condition in the next life

Reincarnation

The belief in being reborn into a new body after death

Yoga

A spiritual discipline of physical and mental exercises to help Hindus come closer to God

Parvati

The goddess of love and wife of Shiva

Dharma

A person's religious and moral duties to God, family, and others

Moksha

Escaping the cycle of death and rebirth

Reincarnation

Being reborn in a new body after death

Caste System

Social class system that was banned by the Indian constitution. Class was determined by birth and controlled lots of things like what jobs you could get, who you could marry.

Ganges

Holiest river in hinduism

Vedas

The four sacred texts of hinduism

Holi

Spring festival of colors

Yoga

A spiritual disipline to become closer to brahman

Diwali

Festival of lights that celebrates the new year and the victory of good over evil

Samsara

The cycle of life, death, and rebirth

Dharma

Someone’s religious and moral duties

Karma

The belief that your actions affect who you get reborn as.

Puja

Ritual performed daily either at home or a temple

Indus River Valley (Saraswati Valley)

Where hinduism started

Brahma

Creator god

Ahimsa

Non-violence

Varanasi

A city next to the Ganges river, a very popular pilgrimage site.

Shiva

Destroyer god

Atman

Someone’s soul

Brahman

Hinduism’s one god that is in everything

Vishnu

Preserver god