Hindu Practices

Question 1

What is a quote that represents moksha

Answer 1

‘When a man knows; God he is free’

Question 2

What is a quote that shows how Gods aspect is chosen by the devotee

Answer 2

‘It is the love of the devotee that freezes…’

Question 3

What is the appearance of the temple designed to represent

Answer 3

create a type of heaven where worshippers can be still and find the truth inside of themselves; antaryami

Question 4

What does diva symbolise

Answer 4

darkness to light, ignorance to darkness

Question 5

What might a worshipper do in a Mandir

Answer 5

• Offer gifts
• Circumambulation around the deity
• Puja

Question 6

Meaning of Puja and examples

Answer 6

giving respect, offerings of flowers or money

Question 7

Meaning of Arati and examples

Answer 7

an offering of light, ghee flame handed on the tray so worshippers can pass a hand over the flame and touch their eyes

Question 8

Meaning of Darshan and examples

Answer 8

viewing with respect, greet deity with honour in return for blessings

Question 9

Meaning of Havan and examples

Answer 9

a fire sacrifice to the fire God Agni, symbolic of sacrifice

Question 10

What 2 important prayers are repeated during puja

Answer 10

Gayatri Mantra and Arti Prayer

Question 11

Why is the Gayatri Mantra

Answer 11

oldest of divine hymns and believed to dispel all negative tendencies and awaken the atman

Question 12

why and what do Hindus do for Lakshmi

Answer 12

-Rangoli pattern left outside door so she brings prosperity to the new year

goddess of wealth

Question 13

What do lights symbolize in Diwali

Answer 13

• Victory of light over darkness

- Rama and Sita coming home

Question 14

What happens during Holi

Answer 14

• Bonfires

- throw colour at each other like Lord Krishna

Question 15

Why is there a bonfire for Holi

Answer 15

to celebrate the good devoted Prahlada over the evil sister Holika`

Question 16

Why are cows a focus of worship in Hinduism

Answer 16

• cows are a symbol of the ever providing earth

- Krishna was a cow herder and one of his names Govinda means ‘one who brings satisfaction to Cows’

Question 17

Why is the Banyan Tree a focus of worship in Hinduism

Answer 17

• Represents the Trimurti
• Resting place for Lord Krishna

‘of all trees, I am the Banyan Trees’ Bhagavad Gita

Question 18

Why is the Himalayas a focus of worship for Hindus

Answer 18

’ of all the immovable things I am the mighty Himalayas’- Bhagavad Gita
The Himalayas referred to as devatama
The divine source of the sacred rivers like Ganga and Hindus

Question 19

How doe a murti help Hindu worship, God

Answer 19

• Show devotion by feeding, washing and dressing it

- See beyond material and see the divine spirit in it

Question 20

What is a quote to show why murtis are preferred?

from Bhagavad Gita

Answer 20

’ worship of the unmanifested is exceedingly difficult for embodied being’

Bhagavad Gita

Question 21

What must a guru be

Answer 21

• well versed
• overcome all human desires
• be sincere and honest

Question 22

What is a quote to show how Gurus help people reach moksha

Answer 22

’ the pearl is found in the oyster and the oyster is in the sea. The diver brings it up. No one else has the power to do this.’

Question 23

What are the 4 paths of Yoga

Answer 23

Bhakti yoga - path of love
Karma yoga- path of selfless action
Jnana yoga- path of knowledge
Astanga yoga- path of meditation

Question 24

What does Karma Yoga consist of

Answer 24

to do good things and free the soul from selfish desires

e.g. giving to charity, cleaning up for environment

Question 25

What does Jnana Yoga consist of

Answer 25

give up on worldly pleasures to focus on the mind and the nonpersonal nature of God e.g. believing human divisions are Maya and make no differenced

Question 26

What does Astanga Yoga consist of

Answer 26

Focus on finding God within the heart through intense meditation

Question 27

What does Bhakti Yoga consist of

Answer 27

focuses on loving service and worship of a personal God | e.g. meditating before an image of rama and Krishna each day

Question 28

Why do People go to Varanasi

Answer 28

In order to purify themselves by bathing in the River Ganges | To perform a funeral procession and scatter ashes in the Ganges

Question 29

Why is the River Ganges special

Answer 29

It is purifying water and flows from heaven | Dying here breaks the cycle of moksha

Question 30

What is Kumbh Mela

Answer 30

Largest pilgrimage in the world as sadhus lead everyone into a mass bathing every 12 years at Paruaga mythical river Saraswati thought to join Ganges and Yamuna rivers

Question 31

Why is Kumbh Mela special

Answer 31

- Mass bathing on the day of the new moon said to release people from moksha

Question 32

What do Hindus see the environment as

Answer 32

they see it as a natural sequence with everything in a cyclical pattern (represents tri-murti)

Question 33

What Hindu principle is applied to the environment

Answer 33

the teaching of ahimsa; treat earths resources with respect

Question 34

What is an example of Hindu conservation

Answer 34

Neasden temple, 2300 young trees planted in Devon | Hindu pilgrimage sites become sustainable through Green Pilgrim

Question 35

What is a quote that shows Brahman in nature

Answer 35

' In the unfolding of his own nature he makes all things blossom into flower and fruit'

Question 36

What story shows what Hindus should do when something is damaging the environment

Answer 36

Story of Krishna defeating poisonous serpent is a metaphor for damage done to the enviroment and dharma to fix it

Question 37

Why are cows sacred in Hinduism

Answer 37

- Krishna was a cowherd - Cows provide for us completely and are docile - Vedas forbid killing cows

Question 38

What is a goshalla and name on in the UK

Answer 38

Goshallas are cow retirement homes | Bhaktivedanta Manor

Question 39

How did the tree-hugging movement start

Answer 39

1730, 300 women hugged tree but were killed

Question 40

What is the Chipko Movement

Answer 40

group of peasant women hugging trees in 1974 | spread throughout India and forced regional government to care more

Question 41

What is the Vrindavan Forest Project

Answer 41

Lord Krishna lived there so conservation from industrial damage

Question 42

What is dana

Answer 42

giving anything, could be anna dana (giving food)

Question 43

What is sewa

Answer 43

selfless service

Question 44

Quote to show sewa

Answer 44

'Gift derived from Good seeks no returning grace but gives because ‘it must be done’ to worthy ones and time and place’.

Question 45

Quote to show how much hindus should give back

Answer 45

‘one may amass wealth with hundreds of hands, but one should also distribute it with thousands of hands’ Atharva Veda 3.24-5

Question 46

What is Sewa International

Answer 46

an organisation to empower women workers to full time employment

Question 47

What is Smile Foundation

Answer 47

helps the poor in India through healthcare.skills training and livelihood and education for youth