Hinduism Test Flashcards
(21 cards)
moksha
one of the four purposes of life
- attain freedom from reincarnation
kama
one of the four purposes of life
- satisfy desires and drives in adoration
artha
one of the four purposes of life
- attain financial and worldly success
karma
if karma unresolved, soul is born into a new body; if karma resolved, attain moksha
dharma
one of the four purposes of life
- fulfil moral, social, and religious duties
hindu
a follower of Hinduism
prana
the breath of life (Vayu)
Agni
- the aryans worshipped fire in the fire of Agni, the fire god
→ fire was the link between the human world and the divine
Vayu
- the sanskrit word for air, is one of the 5 elements
→ Aryans worshipped the air in the form of Vayu, the god of wind
→ wind was closely associated with the “prana” or breath of life
Atman
the human soul
Brahman
the universal soul
→ all things come from and return to Brahman
→ Brahman is everything and everywhere
→ thus the thousands of Hindu gods are all expressions of the Brahman
→ the atman is eternal and the goal of every Hindu is to reunite with Brahman
Nepal
89% are Hindus; the only nation with Hinduism as the state religion
last 2 stages of life
→ student - grow and learn
→ spouse - marriage, family, and career
→ seeker - attention to spiritual things
→ devotee - abandon world to seek spiritual things
3 debts
→ to God
→ to sages and saints
→ to ancestors
size of the Indus Valley Civilization
spread over 1,260,000 km², the largest known ancient civilization
→ located in the northwestern region of India, now Pakistan
→ flourished around the Indus River basin
→ at its peak, may have had a population of well over five million
advancements of the IVC
developed new techniques in metallurgy; noted for cities built of brick, roadside drainage systems, and multistoried houses
time frame of Aryan migration
→ 1500 BCE: thousands of people migrated into India from central Asia and destroyed the Indus Valley civilization
→ these were the Aryans; they brought religious and philosophical thought into the area
→ by 500 BCE the Vedas were written - Hinduism’s sacred writings
contribution of Aryan civilization
development of Hinduism, the caste system, and the Indo-Aryan languages, as well as introducing new crafts and agricultural practices
Krishna myth
Krishna:
- divine figure from hinduism
- eight avatar of Vishnu
parents:
Vausdeva & Devaki
prediction at birth:
Devaki’s eighth son would kill the tyrant King Kamsa and become the ruler of Mathura
where and why he was born:
Krishna was born in a prison in Mathura, where his parents were imprisoned by King Kamsa to prevent the prophecy from coming true
1st miracle:
calming the raging Jamuna River, allowing Vasudeva to cross it safely with him
switch baby:
The “switch” baby was the cowherd’s daughter, born to Nanda and Jasodha. Vasudeva replaced Krishna with her to protect him from Kamsa
similarities with Jesus:
Both were born to virgin mothers (Mary and Devaki), faced threats from tyrannical rulers at birth (King Herod and Kamsa), and their births were heralded by prophecies or divine announcements
Creation myth
what existed before the world
- nothing but a vast, primordial ocean
where was Vishnu
- floating on the ocean, asleep on the coils of the giant serpent Ananta
what “woke up” creation
- A pulsating sound, represented by the syllable “OM,” filled the emptiness, awakening Vishnu and signaling the time for creation
what was Vishnu’s direction to Brahma (including Vishnu’s role)
- Vishnu instructed Brahma to create the world, emphasizing that Brahma should use the lotus flower as the basis for his creation. Vishnu’s role is that of the initiator of the creation process
why was Brahma dissatisfied with his 1st creation
- his first creation was a being made only of thought, which was too simple and lacked the ability to interact with the world
who were 1st man and woman (names and meanings)
- The first man was Manu (meaning “wise”), and the first woman was Shatarupa (meaning “mysterious”)
significance of snake
- The snake Ananta represents the cosmic ocean and stability, serving as a support for Vishnu and symbolizing the endless cycle of creation and preservation
Ganges myth
what was stolen
- A horse, specifically the best horse for King Sagara’s festival, was stolen by a demon
what happened to Sagara’s sons
- Sagara’s sixty thousand sons were killed by Vishnu after they attacked him, believing he was the thief
what need did Sagara have for water
- Sagara needed water to perform funeral rites for his sons so that their spirits could be released to heaven
who worked with Ganga and how
- Shiva worked with Ganga by agreeing to catch her powerful descent on his head, thus protecting the earth from her force
significance of sacred river Ganges
- The Ganges is considered a sacred river that purifies those who come to her, allowing for spiritual cleansing and release of souls, symbolizing divine grace and redemption
