Lecture 2: The Vedas and Vedic Religion Flashcards
(46 cards)
1
Q
What led to the decline/disappearance of the indus valley civilization?
A
- Civilization declined.
- No concrete answers but possibilities include:
- Climate change – changing rainfall patterns and droughts.
- Flooding
- -Change in river courses.
- -Epidemics
- -Changing crop patterns
- -“Invasion” of Indo-Aryan tribes (no longer popular theory).
- Vedic culture a product of the interaction between diverse peoples.
2
Q
What are the potential similarities/continuities in modern Hinduism from IVC religion?
A
IVC religion:
- Bathing tank in Mohenjodaro
- Potential early worship of male and female generative principles, the liṅga and yoni.
- Figures/scenes on seals accompanied by animals.
- Female figures and plants.
- Proto- Śiva figure on seal.
Modern Hinduism
- Bathing tanks found at many Hindu temple sites.
- Widespread in Hinduism today, Lord Śiva worshipped aniconically as liṅga.
- Hindu deities often accompanied by animals.
- Association between women, goddesses, fertility, and vegetation.
- Worship of Śiva widespread
3
Q
Who were the Aryans (i.e., the noble ones)?
A
- Appeared on Indian subcontinent from about 1500 BCE.
- Self designation.
- Pastoral, cattle-herding people.
4
Q
What is the indo-European (Aryan) migration hypothesis?
A
- Dominant thesis for a period.
- Light-skinned, Indo-European people, migrated into Indian subcontinent in waves
- Oral scriptures known as the Vedas.
- They were warrior-nomads with horse-drawn chariots.
Speakers of Indo-European language (Sanskrit) - Vedas tell of Āryans conquering darker-skinned groups of people - referred to as Dāsas (“enemy,” or “servant”) or Dasyuas
– Conquest of Indus Valley people?
– No archeological evidence, IVC already declined before Āryans arrived. - Encountered and mingled with Dravidian (Southern) culture.
5
Q
What is the support for the Indo-European migration hypothesis?
A
- Languages
- Vedas describe a civilization/culture that is pastoral and not urban (like the IVC was)
6
Q
What is the cultural diffusion hypothesis?
A
- Āryan civilization/culture developed close to Harappan Civilization – no migrations or invasions.
- Vedic/Āryan civilization diffused into neighboring lands.
7
Q
What do proponents of the cultural diffusion hypothesis use as proof?
A
Proponents of this use Vedas as proof
- Contain references to the ocean – doubtful that they were composed in landlocked central Asia
- Reference to astrological phenomena suggests Vedas are earlier than Indo-European Migration Thesis suggests.
- Vedas show an advanced and sophisticated culture that would have developed over a long period of time.
- Little archeological evidence to support the Migration Thesis.
8
Q
What was the social structure used by the Aryans (early vedic age)?
A
- Had class (varṇa) system (social division of labour)
- Brahmins – priests (played an important role in maintaining order)
- Kṣatriyas – rulers/warriors
- Vaiśyas – pastoralists/agriculturalists
- Śūdras – commoners
- Somewhat fluid, functional groups.
9
Q
What was the late vedic period like?
A
- Late Vedic period 8th century BCE
- Became rigid and more Hierarchical (Brahmins at the top of the pyrmaid, then ksatriyas then Vaisyas, then Sudras who were not considered Aryans)
10
Q
What are the two ways in which Aryan and Non-Aryan cultures mingled and influenced each other?
A
- “Universalization”
- Dominant classes (“Great Tradition”) adopt practices of subordinate classes (“Little Tradition”)
- Incorporate them into cultural forms of the upper classes
- “Sanskritization”
- Lower classes adopt values and practices of upper dominant classes
- Enhance social status.
11
Q
What are the 3 main components that formed modern Hinduism?
A
Product of three main components:
1) Āryan religion/Vedic religion/ orthodox tradition
- High regard for Vedas
- Hierarchy of varṇa system
2) “Dravidian” religion
- May include IVC religious traditions
3) Religious beliefs and practices of aboriginal tribal groups
- Associated with animistic beliefs
12
Q
What are the Vedas?
A
- Main source of our knowledge about the early Hindu tradition.
- Earliest sacred texts.
- Traditionally regarded as śruti (”that which was heard”).
- As opposed to smṛti (that which has been remembered)
- Divinely perceived by/revealed to the ṛṣis (seers).
- Generally thought to have been composed approximately 1800-300 BCE.
13
Q
What does Veda mean in Sanskrit?
A
from Sanskrit word for “knowledge”
14
Q
What 4 collections do the Vedas consist of?
A
1) Ṛg Veda
2) Sāma Veda
3) Yajur Veda
4) Atharva Veda
- each collection is comprised of 4 subcollections: Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanisads
15
Q
What are the Vedas concerned with and how was it passed down?
A
- Concerned with spiritual and material goals.
- For many years no written form existed. Passed down orally from generation to generation.
16
Q
What are the Samhitas?
A
- “Put together, joined”, a “collection”
- the most ancient part/collection of the Vedas, consisting of hymns to praise god
- Composed in Vedic Sanskrit
- The earliest part of each Veda.
17
Q
What makes up the early orthodox Aryan scriptures and what do they include?
A
- Ṛg, Sāma, and Yajur Veda Saṃhitās make up the early orthodox Āryan scriptures.
- Increased ritual specialization (for priests) in Sāma, and Yajur Veda Saṃhitās.
- Atharva Veda Saṃhitā viewed as a later addition and is different from the others in that it concerns more practical matters (medicinal practice, warfare, and ritual as well as astrological knowledge and philosophical speculation).
18
Q
What are the Brahmanas?
A
- 1000 BCE
- Composed in Vedic Sanskrit prose
- ritual and prayers to guide the priests in their duties
- The how to – directions for performance of sacred rituals (priestly class).
- Deals with the power within recitation of sacred verses (mantra).
- Extol the virtues of sacrifice (yajña).
- Commentaries on the hymns of the Saṃhitās.
- Interpretations of aspects of rituals and explanations for their origins.
- Also contains early versions of many myths.
19
Q
What are the Aranyakas?
A
- 900 BCE
- “Compositions for the forest”.
- Concern worship and meditation
- Commentaries on the Vedas
- Bridges concerns of the Brāhmaṇas and the Upaniṣads.
- Concerned with sacrificial offerings into sacred fires
- Endorse value of meditative practices.
- Should be studied while living an ascetic lifestyle.
- Emphasize symbolic speculation on the nature of rituals
20
Q
What are the Upanisads
A
- 800 to 400 BCE
- “sitting near the teacher”
- “upa”=near, “ni”=down, “shad”=sit
- consists of the mystical and philosophical teachings of Hinduism
- Philosophical works.
- Final layer (“the end” or “anta”) of Vedas, called Vedanta
- New world-view arise in the Upaniṣads
21
Q
What is the status of the vedas?
A
- Regarded as the most sacred texts.
- Contents not well-known.
- Not often kept in homes.
- Understood as representing eternal sound, eternal words
- A few hymns recited regularly at home as well as in temple services.
- Philosophical sections often translated and commented upon.
- Rest of Vedas known to ritual specialists and Sanskrit scholars who know the early Vedic form of the language
22
Q
Who were the Vedas significant to, historically speaking?
A
- Historically, significant to the brahmins.
- Custodians of the Vedas
- Authority to study and teach the holy texts
- Two other classes were allowed to study the Vedas
23
Q
What differing views did medieval schools of thought have on the nature of the Vedas?
A
- Medieval schools of thought had differing views on nature of the Vedas
- God was the author – God is perfect – texts are infallible
- Vedas are eternal and of non-human origin. Not attributed to a divine composer.
- All consider the texts to be faultless, supreme source of knowledge.
24
Q
What have the Vedas served as for the Hindu tradition?
A
- Served as manuals of ritual for the many strands of the Hindu tradition.
- Recited and acted on without change for at least 2000 years
- Interpretation, however, not static. Specialists have worked to make messages relevant.
- Other works may be more popular, but significance of the Vedas is unquestioned.
25
What is the content of the Vedic Hymns?
- Religion centers on worship of gods by sacrifice, petition and praise.
- Petition the gods for:
- - Protection
- - Help with combatting enemies
- - Crops to grow
- - Cures for ailments
- Offer praise to gods for worldly goods (Children, cattle, food)
- Not preoccupied with the next life, what happens after death (salvation, eternal bliss)
- Afterlife rarely mentioned! Good and happy life in the here and now.
26
What do a number of hymns composed around 1000 BCE speculate about?
- Number of hymns composed around 1000 BCE speculate on the origins of the universe.
- ‘Creation Hymn’
27
What do 'hymns to the supreme being' suggest about creation?
’Hymn to the Supreme Being’ (Purusha Suktam) describes how creation is the result of a cosmic sacrifice of the primeval man (Purusha).
28
What aspect of Hindu society is traced back to the original cosmic sacrifice?
- Origins of the 4 classes (varnas) of Hindu society are traced to the initial cosmic sacrifice.
- First reference to what comes to be called the caste system
- Likely that the stratification of society had taken place long before this was composed.
29
What is the Gayatri Mantra?
- Dedicated to the sun
- Translation : "Let us meditate on Isvara and His Glory who has created the Universe, who is fit to be worshipped, who is the remover of all sins and ignorance. May he enlighten our intellect.” – Swami Śivanada
30
Who were the Vedic Hymns and sacrifices directed towards?
- Vedic dieties
- Early hymns – many deities who in time were superceeded.
- Pantheon consists of mostly male deities – many have warrior natures.
- A few hymns to goddesses - Uṣas (the Dawn), Rātrī (the Night), and Pṛthivī (the Earth)
- May reveal a patriarchal social structure among Āryans.
31
What are the 3 realms that gods reside in?
- Gods reside in three realms (sky, atmosphere, and earth).
32
Who is Agni?
- God of fire but also fire itself.
- 200 hymns dedicated to Agni
- Suggests higher status among the Āryan pantheon.
- Served as a messenger
33
Who is Indra?
- God of atmosphere, storms and lightening/fertility god/rain god
- Warrior god who battles the forces of chaos.
- Addressed in 200 hymns in the Ṛg Veda Saṃhitā
34
Who is Soma?
- God of eloquence and immortality (amrita)
- Identified with the moon.
- Also the name of a plant-based elixir used for ritual purposes.
- “We have drunk the Soma; we have become immortal; we have gone to the light; we have found the gods (Ṛg Veda 8.48.3).
35
Who is Varuna?
- God of the sky.
- Sometimes described as creating the world.
- Enforces the laws of the universe and human morality.
- Later became associated with water (oceans and rivers)
36
Who is Surya?
- Sun god/god of light and day
- Sometimes viewed to be creator of material universe.
- Seven horses pull his chariot.
37
What do we notice about the Vedic Gods?
They are elemental, forces in nature
38
Who is Saraswati?
- In the Vedas she is the embodiment of the Saraswati river.
- As a river goddess she is praised for her ability to cleanse and fertilize.
- Described in the Ṛg Veda as beautiful and fortunate, the inspirer of noble thoughts, giving rise to truthful words.
- By the time the Brāhmaṇas were composed, she had taken over the attributes given to the goddess Vac (‘speech).
- Became speech incarnate, power of word, and mother of the Vedas.
39
What was the dominant feature of Vedic religious life?
- Dominant feature of Vedic religious life was ritual sacrifice (yajña).
- Most important way of serving the gods.
40
What does Yajna mean?
it means ritual sacrifice
41
Who performed sacrifices in the early Aryan system? and to what deities do they perform domestic sacrifices to?
- In the early Āryan system the head of the household would perform domestic sacrifices to Agni and to Surya
- Daily
- Occasionally larger sacrifices were performed in an open field under the supervision of priests.
42
What was the purpose of Vedic sacrifice/rituals?
- Purpose was to promote happiness, health, long life, many offspring, wealth, etc.
43
What is Rta?
- Concept introduced in Vedic literature
- Ṛta - “the right way”, ”cosmic order”.
- Ṛta is an impersonal cosmic principle
- - Truth and justice
- - Rightness of things that makes harmony
- - the peace possible on earth and in the heavens
- Upheld by the Vedic gods like Varuna
- Ritual sacrifice maintained this by providing nourishment to the gods.
44
What part of the Vedic perspective underwent development in the next centuries? What remained the same?
- Vedic perspective on importance of sacrifices underwent development in the next centuries (as evident in the Upaniṣads)
- Human partnership with the divine in continuing the creative process of the world is still a part of Hindu thought and ritual.
- Vedic Hymns and daily offerings are still considered essential to the Hindu community today.
45
What is the oldest Veda?
- Ṛg Veda Saṃhitā being the oldest (1500 -1000 BCE).
- - Comprised of 1028 hymns
- - Very poetic
- - Many references to personified nature
- - Describe a world full of mystery
- - Lots of creation stories
46
What was typically involved in Vedic ritual sacrifice?
- Performed using fire.
- Simple or elaborate.
- Conducted by ritual specialists and priests
- Making of altars, may have included the sacrifice of animals, recitation of hymns.
- Milk, clarified butter (ghee), yoghurt, rice (grains), plants, might be offered.
