Notes

Question 1

ways of promoting Hinduism

Answer 1

invoking Ganesha or Sarasvati

Question 2

invoking Ganesha

Answer 2

reciting mantras and scripture to begin in auspicious way

Question 3

Asthavinyaka

Answer 3

eight temples to Ganesha in Maharashtra

Question 4

approaches to Hinduism

Answer 4

Sanatana dharma, Varnasrama dharma, Vedic orthodoxy, way of life approach

Question 5

sanatana dharma

Answer 5

eternal religion, associated with proper action

Question 6

Vedic orthodoxy

Answer 6

structured with Vedics as defining feature

Question 7

when wa sIndia colonized?

Answer 7

1612-1947

Question 8

hinduism and legalities

Answer 8

used to exclude as an umbrella term, involves marriage acts outlining who can marry whom

Question 9

post-colonial approaches to Hinduism

Answer 9

census (boxing), use as response to reference to other religions, Hindutva

Question 10

Hindutva

Answer 10

regards land of Bharat Varsha as his Father-Land and Holy Land, cradle of his religion, defined by V.D. Savarkar - belief of larger ethnic identity

Question 11

monotheistic class

Answer 11

characteristics are both necessary and sufficient

Question 12

polytheistic class

Answer 12

broad set of criteria that are neither necessary or sufficient, family resemblances but not the exact same

Question 13

Hinduism Banyan tree metaphor

Answer 13

roots all over without one single trunk, constantly being debated and reinterpreted

Question 14

discovery of Pre-Vedic evidence

Answer 14

archeological sites in Pakistan 1920s

Question 15

aryan

Answer 15

noble, use Sanskrit, travel, rooted in many languages

Question 16

Rg Veda

Answer 16

composed orally 1500-1200 BCE, compiled into collection 1200-1000 BCE, hundreds of short texts with many hymns about deities

Question 17

Yajurveda

Answer 17

ritual texts

Question 18

samaveda

Answer 18

collection of sung hymns

Question 19

atharvaveda

Answer 19

magic, medicine, ritual, most recent Veda

Question 20

Aranyakas

Answer 20

wilderness texts as genre of Vedic literature

Question 21

Brahmanas

Answer 21

theological and ritual commentaries in Vedic literature

Question 22

samhitas

Answer 22

collection of mantras and hymns in Vedic literature

Question 23

Yajna

Answer 23

fire sacrifice

Question 24

agni

Answer 24

ritual fire

Question 25

soma

Answer 25

sacred drink in specific occasions

Question 26

reciprocal exchange principle

Answer 26

give and receive

Question 27

Vedic patronage

Answer 27

elite men involved, addition of women was controversial

Question 28

Vedic deities

Answer 28

Indra, Agni, Soma, Vac, Vishnu, Rudra

Question 29

Indra

Answer 29

leader of Vedic gods, associated with rain, battle and sky

Question 30

vac

Answer 30

speech embodied as a goddess, precursor to Sarasvati

Question 31

Rudra

Answer 31

minor deity later identified as Siva

Question 32

goals of Vedic ritual

Answer 32

prosperity, order preventing chaos, life after death

Question 33

themes of Upanishads

Answer 33

relation of sacrifice and cosmos, tat team asi- understanding underlying reality

Question 34

influence of Vedic tradition on Hinduism

Answer 34

rituals are adopted, foundation of upper-caste, schools of Vedanta, atman, brahman, samsara, supporting knowledge systems, Veda as symbol

Question 35

Ayurveda

Answer 35

practice of medicine coming out of Vedic tradition

Question 36

Ithaca

Answer 36

the epics, 400 BCE-400 CE, includes ahabharta, Bhagavadgita, Ramayana

Question 37

Mahabharata

Answer 37

great story of Bharata's descendants, 100,000 verses, discuses Pandava Brothers and Kaurava cousins

Question 38

Arjuna

Answer 38

great warrior, son of Indra, protagonist in Bhagavadgita

Question 39

Duryodhana

Answer 39

leader of Kauravas

Question 40

Mahabharata

Answer 40

Krishna's discussion with Arjuna for action when going to war, one's body is killed not soul

Question 41

svadharma

Answer 41

one's own duty

Question 42

visvarupa

Answer 42

universal form, revealed to Arjuna by Krishna as Vishnu

Question 43

Asrama

Answer 43

discipline and religious profession, four stages of life: student, householder, forest dweller, renouncer

Question 44

sacrifice and pursu sukta

Answer 44

created universe by his sacrifice, division of body divides society and establishes Brahman class

Question 45

Kabir

Answer 45

15th century bhakti poet, weaver caste, likely Muslim at birth, critical of organized and elite religion

Question 46

Ravidas

Answer 46

16th century bhakti poet, Camar caste, shoemaker/Dalit, Bhakti and social protest, caste reform, Emphasizes Ram-nama as god, Devotion to repetition of name

Question 47

Reservations

Answer 47

type of affirmative action program where minorities and marginalized people are given access to certain number of seats in legislature, government jobs, higher education institutions

Question 48

Round Table Conference of 1932

Answer 48

question of separate electorates granted for religious minorities and scheduled castes (Dalits) - should there be seats in government reserved for Hindus and Dalits, Ambedkar wants to end caste but Gandhi disagrees

Question 49

Poona Pact

Answer 49

single electorate for Hindus, with scheduled castes having seats reserved within it

Question 50

class mobilization modes

Answer 50

education, financial, professional, urban space, marriage

Question 51

sanskritization

Answer 51

groups deliberately cultivate symbols/associations derived from upper castes/privileged castes as a form of upper mobility e.g. group looked down on for eating meat becomes vegetarian

Question 52

theism

Answer 52

idea there is supreme God/Goddess who generates cosmos, maintains it, finally destroys it, has power to save beings though grace

Question 53

Puranas

Answer 53

300 CE onward, Stories of ancient past, narrative/prescriptive texts, Political empire of Guptas in north India (c.320-550 CE), Instructions for rise of permanent places and focus on interaction with supreme deity in Hindu temples - emphasis on visual elements

Question 54

uttar predesh

Answer 54

early 6th century Hindu temple

Question 55

hindu trinity

Answer 55

vishnu, shiva, shakti