GCSE Epic Civilization Terms Flashcards
1
Q
आश्रम
A
A stage of life. There are four main divisions: brahmacārin (ब्रह्मचारिन्), gṛhastha (गृहस्थ), vānaprastha (वानप्रस्थ), sannyāsin (सन्न्यासिन्)
2
Q
श्रीमद् भागवतम्
A
The most famous Purāṇa, dealing especially with the life and exploits of Kṛṣṇa.
3
Q
अक्रोध
A
Absence of anger
4
Q
अग्नि
A
God of fire.
5
Q
अग्नि or तेजस्
A
Fire, the third great element with its property form or beauty rūpa (रूप)
6
Q
अन्तःकरण
A
Inner organ of mind
7
Q
अप्सरस्
A
A beautiful heavenly nymph
8
Q
अभयम्
A
Fearlessness
9
Q
अर्थ
A
Wealth, prosperity
10
Q
अवतार
A
Incarnation of Viṣṇu when dharma is transgressed
11
Q
अविद्या
A
Ignorance. The belief that māyā is the true reality.
12
Q
अव्यक्त
A
Unmanifest nature.
13
Q
अस्तेयम्
A
Abstention from theft
14
Q
अहङ्कार
A
The organ that identifies the ātman with something in creation.
15
Q
अहिंसा
A
Harmlessness of thought, speech and action
16
Q
आकाश
A
Space, or ether, the first great element with its property sound śabda (शब्द)
17
Q
आत्मन्
A
The Self. The one Self in all.
18
Q
आरण्यक
A
‘Forest discussions’ of the veda’s inner meaning.
19
Q
इन्द्र
A
Lord of the minor gods. Universal mind, lord of the elements
20
Q
इन्द्रियाणि
A
Senses
21
Q
उपनिषद्
A
Philosophical discussions of the identity of the ātman with the brahman.
22
Q
ऋषि
A
Sage
23
Q
कर्मन्
A
The principle that actions create an effect in the future.
24
Q
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि
A
Senses of action – speaking, grasping etc.
25
कलियुग
The Iron Age: 432, 000 years
26
कल्प
14 *manvantaras*, a day of Brahmā
27
काम
Desire and sensual enjoyment
28
कृतयुग / सत्ययुग
The Golden Age: 1, 728, 000 years
29
क्षत्रिय
The class of warriors, kings and statesmen
30
गन्धर्व
A celestial musician
31
गुणाः
The three consituents of the universe: *sattva*, *rajas* and *tamas*.
32
गृहस्थ
The householder stage
33
चित्त
The part of the causal body called the heart where the deposits of actions are stored.
34
जल
Water, the fourth great element with its property taste, *rasa* (रस)
35
ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि
Senses of knowledge -- seeing, hearing etc
36
ज्ञान
True knowledge. The knowledge that *brahman* is reality.
37
तपस्
Disciplined action that purifies and enhances energy
38
तमस्
The quality of dullness and inertia.
39
त्रेतायुग
The Silver Age: 1,296,000 years.
40
दम
Control of mind, speech, senses and body
41
दया
Compassion
42
दानम्
Generosity
43
देव
'Shining one.' A universal power or deity
44
देवी
A female deity or goddess.
45
द्वापरयुग
The Bronze Age: 864, 000 years
46
धर्म
Virtue. 'That which upholds,' the system of duties, rewards, punishments etc., which is the will of the Absolute. Universal justice which ensures happiness for all who follow the law of their own nature.
47
धातु
Seed of a word.
48
ध्यान
Meditation
49
नाग
Serpent being
50
पाणिनि
Author of the 4000 or so *sūtras* comprising the *vyākaraṇa.* In this science all words are shown to derive from a few simple *dhātus* and an even simpler system of *pratyayas* (endings.)
51
पाप
Sin, the essence of bad deeds.
52
पार्वती
Consort of Śiva, the power of law
53
पितृ
Ancestors or forefathers
54
पुण्य
Merit, the essence of a good deeds
55
पुराण
'The ancient teachings'. Eighteen works by Vyāsa that deal with creation and dissolution, kings, sages, incarnations, etc.
56
पुरुषार्थ
The aspiration and purpose of human life. This has four aspects: kāma (काम), sensual enjoyment; artha (अर्थ), wealth; dharma (धर्म), virtue; and mokṣa (मोक्ष), liberation
57
पुरुष
Spirit, whose reflection is *prakṛti*.
58
पृथिवी
Goddess of the Earth
59
पृथिवी or भूमि
Earth, the fifth great element with its property smell *gandha* (गन्ध)
60
प्रकृति
Primal nature, where everything is stored in seed or causal form, which can be thought of as the reflection of the *puruṣa*. Also known as *avyakta*.
61
प्रत्यय
The endings of word. A Sanskrit grammatical term.
62
प्रलय
Dissolution. Presided over *tamas*.
63
प्राण
Vital breath that divides into various functions: *prāṇa*, the breath in the mouth and the nose, *apāna*, the breath that excretes, *vyāna*, the breath that permeates the whole body, *udāna*, the breath that leaves the body at death, and *samāna*, the breath that digests.
64
बुद्धि
Reason, the organ of discrimination, reflecting the light of the ātman.
65
ब्रह्मचारिन्
The student stage of chastity, study and obedience
66
ब्रह्मन्
The ultimate reality underlying all phenomena.
67
ब्रह्मा
The god responsible for creating the creation. Represents *rajas*.
68
ब्राह्मण
The class of priests and teachers
69
भगवद्गीता
The 'Song of the Lord,' found in the Mahābhārata, records the spiritual discourse between Krishna and the great warrior Arjuna.
70
मनस्
Mind, the lower level that thinks and deliberates
71
मनुस्मृति
Also called *dharmaśāstra* . The Laws of Manu sets out the laws of human life according to the universal system of dharma.
72
मन्त्र
A special magic word.
73
मन्वन्तर
71 Mahāyugas supervised by one Manu (Lawgiver)
74
महाभारत
The world's longest epic, by Vyāsa , telling the story of the battle between the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas and the events leading to it.
75
महाभूतानि
The five great subtle elements
76
महायुग
One cycle of the four yugas - 4, 320, 000 years
77
माया
Illusion. The magic that makes the universe seem to be here.
78
मोक्ष
Liberation from bondage in *saṃsāra* (संसार). One of the four *puruṣārthas*.
79
यक्ष
Guardian spirit
80
यज्ञ
Sacrifice. This can be a complicated ritual or dedicated action. Five sacrifices are enumerated in Manu: *devayajña*, (to the gods), *ṛṣiyajña* (to the sages), *pitṛyajña* (to the ancestors), *manuṣyayajña* (to human beings) and *bhūtayajña* (to the lower creatures).
81
यम
Death, controller and ender of all.
82
युग
An age
83
योगसूत्राणि
A text outlining the principles of yoga. Attributed to Patañjali.
84
रजस्
The quality of activity and passion
85
राक्षस
Night wandering ogre or demon
86
रामायण
The story of Rāma and his battles with the demons, by the sage Vālmīki.
87
लक्ष्मी
Consort of Viṣṇu, the power of increase and property
88
वर्ण
Class or caste of men. There are four main divisions: brāhmaṇa (ब्राह्मण), kṣatriya (क्षत्रिय), vaiśya (वैश्य), and śūdra (शूद्र)
89
वानप्रस्थ
The forest-dweller stage
90
वायु
Air, the second great element with its property touch *sparśa* (स्पर्श)
91
वायु
God of wind
92
विकल्प
Doubt, conflicting idea
93
विष्णु
The god responsible for maintaining the creation. Maintains order by incarnating himself with *avatāras*. Represents *sattva*.
94
वेदाङ्ग
'The support of the *veda*.' Six sciences which preserve the proper understanding and recitation of the *veda*. Their subjects are *śikṣā* (pronunciation), *chandas* (metre), *vyākaraṇa* (grammar), *nirukta* (meaning of words), *jyotiṣa* (astronomy), and *kalpa* (ritual).
95
वेदान्त
The teaching of the Upaniṣads (literally the 'final part' or 'goal' of the *veda.*)
96
वेद
Thought to be the oldest Sanskrit literature, the *veda* is a collection of hymns compiled into four sections. These are: *Ṛk, Sāman, Yajus,* and *Atharva*. Traditionally, the *veda* is considered to be the eternal, non-human knowledge that shapes the creation.
97
वैश्य
The class of merchants, producers and farmers
98
व्यष्टि
The individual acting as a single unit
99
व्याकरण
Science of grammar. One of the vedāṅgas.
100
व्यास
Vyāsa means 'compiler.' Traditionally, he is considered to be the sage who compiled the *veda* into four sections and who also composed the Mahābhārata, Purāṇas and the Brahmasūtra.
101
शक्ति
The power or force of a deva, considered as his consort.
102
शान्ति
peace
103
शास्त्र
Scripture, methodology, teaching.
104
शिव
The god responsible for destroying creation. Represents *tamas*.
105
शूद्र
The class of servants and labourers
106
शौचम्
Cleanliness
107
श्रुति
'What has been heard,' i.e. Vedic literature. This is considered to be of the highest authority.
108
संकल्प
Mental construction, resolve, belief
109
संसार
Transmigration. The process of continual rebirth.
110
संस्कार
Traces or deposits from past actions that create conditions for rebirth.
111
सत्त्व
The quality of purity, intelligence, brightness.
112
सत्यम्
Unfailing truthfulness in speech
113
सन्न्यासिन्
The stage of complete renunciation as a wandering mendicant.
114
समष्टि
The universe as a single person or whole
115
सरस्वती
Consort of Brahmā, the power of wisdom
116
सूत्र
A very terse statement which is part of a complete system explaining a science.
117
सूर्य
God of the sun
118
सृष्टि
Creation. Presided over by *rajas*.
119
स्थिति
Sustenance. Presided over by *sattva*.
120
स्मृति
'What has been remembered.' The teachings of the great sages. Second in authority to the *śruti* (श्रुति).
121
स्वाध्याय
Regular study of the scriptures
