Hindu Beliefs

Question 1

River Ganges

Answer 1

Sacred river, where Heaven and Earth meet

Question 2

Shruti texts

Answer 2

“Those which have been heard”

Question 3

Smriti texts

Answer 3

“Those which have been remembered”

Question 4

Brahman

Answer 4

God

Question 5

Aum Symbol

Answer 5

God

Question 6

Monotheism

Answer 6

Belief that there is only one God

Question 7

Nirguna-Brahman

Answer 7

God with no form or shape

Question 8

Saguna-Brahman

Answer 8

God with a form or shape

Question 9

Deities

Answer 9

A manifestation of Brahman

Question 10

Bhagavan

Answer 10

God existing in the world of spirits

Question 11

Antaryami

Answer 11

When referring to God within each human being

Question 12

Ganesha

Answer 12

Elephant headed God, son of Shiva and Parvati

Question 13

Hanuman

Answer 13

Monkey warrior, remembered for devotion to Rama and Sita

Question 14

Parvati

Answer 14

Deitie sat on tiger, example of perfect motherhood

Question 15

Saraswiti

Answer 15

Consort of Brahma, goddess of learning

Question 16

Lakshmi

Answer 16

Goddess of virtue, celebrated at Diwali

Question 17

The tri murti

Answer 17

The 3 main deities

Question 18

Brahma

Answer 18

The creator, ‘from him comes all life’

Question 19

Shiva

Answer 19

God of destruction

Question 20

Maya

Answer 20

Illusion that the world is full of distraction

Question 21

Ascetic

Answer 21

A Hindu who devotes themself to a very simple life fully focussed on Brahman

Question 22

Shiaivism

Answer 22

A Hindu who worships Shiva

Question 23

Vishnu

Answer 23

The preseverver

Question 24

Vaishavism

Answer 24

A Hindu who worships Vishnu

Question 25

Avatar

Answer 25

10 different ways that Vishnu can appear

Question 26

Dharma

Answer 26

Virtue

Question 27

Adharma

Answer 27

Evil

Question 28

Rama

Answer 28

Partner of Sita

Question 29

Ravana

Answer 29

Evil demon who took Sita

Question 30

Sita

Answer 30

Partner of Rama

Question 31

The Kurukshetra War

Answer 31

When Krishna brought peace to 2 warring nations

Question 32

The 4 aims of life

Answer 32

4 things that Hindus should work towards

Question 33

Artha

Answer 33

Earning a lawful living through honest means

Question 34

Kama

Answer 34

Enjoying life responsibly

Question 35

Moksha

Answer 35

The ultimate aim of life, when the atman is released from the samsara cycle and joins with Brahman

Question 36

Sanatana dharma

Answer 36

Eternal truth that all Hindus must live bye

Question 37

Varnashrama dharma

Answer 37

Responsibilities that apply differently to different people

Question 38

Varna

Answer 38

Classes

Question 39

The 6 personal virtues

Answer 39

How dharma can be reached

Question 40

Ahimsa

Answer 40

Non-violence towards humans and animals

Question 41

Atman

Answer 41

Soul

Question 42

Transmigration

Answer 42

The movement of the atman from one body to another

Question 43

Samsara cycle

Answer 43

The continuous cycle of birth, death, rebirth that the atman goes through

Question 44

The law of karma

Answer 44

Belief that good actions will lead to a good rebirth

Question 45

Reincarnation

Answer 45

The atman taking on a new physical body

Question 46

Papa

Answer 46

Too many bad actions

Question 47

Prakriti

Answer 47

Matter - the material substance that all physical things are made of

Question 48

Purusa

Answer 48

Spirit - the non-physical elements to life and the universe

Question 49

The cycle of 4 ages

Answer 49

Belief that time + universe move through 4 stages before being destroyed and starting again

Question 50

Yuga

Answer 50

A Period of time

Question 51

Golden yuga

Answer 51

Time of perfection, no evil, humans are happy, 1.7 million years long

Question 52

Silver yuga

Answer 52

Virtue starts to decline, war begins as people fight for power, 1.2 million years long

Question 53

Copper yuga

Answer 53

Humans become selfish, war is frequent, famine and drought are common, 800,000 years

Question 54

Iron yuga

Answer 54

Age of ignorance, war is frequent and brutal, natural world is at breaking point, 400,000 years long

Question 55

Kalki

Answer 55

Avatar of Vishnu who appears at the end of the 4 stages to destroy and recreate the universe

Question 56

Tri-guna

Answer 56

The 3 stages all matter go through: creation, maintenance and destruction