Epic Civ: Chapter 3 Flashcards
वेद
The knowledge that forms the creation and by which it is known. Manifesting as hyms, it was compiled into three or four sections. The वेद is eternal and of non-human origin.
शास्त्र
Scripture ( lit. what is taught.)
व्यास
The sage who compiled the Veda into sections and who also composed the महाभारत, the पुरणs and the ब्रह्मसूत्र etc.
धातु
Seed of a word.
श्रुति
What has been heard. The Veda, which is the highest authority, the world of the lord as it were. This includes the उपनिषद्s etc.
ब्राह्मणs
The more explanatory part of the Vedas giving rules for recitation, legends etc.
आरण्यकs
‘forest discussions’ of the Vedas inner meaning.
उपनिषद्s
Explanations of the ultimate truth of the आत्मन् and ब्रह्मन्.
वेदान्त
The teaching of the उपनिषद्s [lit. The end of the Veda ]
वेदाङ्ग
The support of the Veda. Six sciences which preserve the proper understanding and recitation of the Veda. The their subjects are: pronunciation, metre, grammar, meaning of words, astronomy and performance of sacrifices.
व्याकरण
Science of grammar. One of the Vedāńgas.
पाणिनि
Author of the 4000 or so sūtrani compromising the व्याकरण. In this science all words are shown to derive from a few simple धातुs and an even similar system of प्रत्ययs.
स्मृति
What has been remembered. The teachings of the great sages only secondary to the authority of श्रुति.
सूत्र
A very terse statement which is part of a complete system explaining a science.
ब्रह्मसूत्राणि
The system of sutras explaining the harmony of the upanishads in teachings that oneself is Brahman. Composed by व्यास.
भगवद्गीता
The song of the lord,nfound in the महाभारत recording of the spiritual discourse between श्री कृष्ण and the great warrior अर्जुन.
मनुस्मृति
The laws of Manu, setting out the laws of human life according to the universal system of धर्म.
पुरणs
The ancient teaching. Eighteen works by व्यास
श्रीमद् भागवतम्
The most famous purāna, dealing especially with the life and exploits of krsna.
रामायण
The story of Rāma and his battles with राक्षसs by the sage वाल्मीकि.
महाभारत
The worlds longest epic, by व्यास telling the story of the battle between the पण्दव and the कौरव and the events leading to it.
भाष्य
A commentary to a major work.
शङ्कर
The great philosopher, also known as आदि शङ्कराचार्य, who reestablished the Vedic tradition through philosophic debate and commentaries on the principle Upanishads, the गीता, the ब्रह्मसूत्राणि and other works.
