India Flashcards
Where was “India” derived from?
From “Hind” which is Persian for Eastern Territory
What were the Puranas?
writings concerned with the complex relationship between humans and gods
What were the geographic zones of India?
- Himalayan & Hindu Kush Mtns
- Nothern Plain – Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra Rivers
- Deserts of the Rajasthan and SE Pakistan
- Deccan Plateau
- Coastal Plains: Malabar and Coromandel
- Tropical Monsoons 2-3 months of the year
What was Harappan Civ (3000-15000) culture like? Religion ?
- 70 sites uncovered, most fame at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa
- conservative and uniform culture, cities all alike
- fertility deities, Mother goddess, animal sacrifices, forerunners to Hindu gods?
What were Harappan land like and what were achievements?
- fertile area, many crops esp. cotton
- sewer, drainage, fired bricks, stone tools (some copper and bronze)
- writings undeciphered
What led to the fall of the Harappans?
- invasion, climate change, environmental disaster
- thought to be Aryans, but area was already abandoned by the time they got there
Who were the Aryans?
- light skinned, semi nomadic herdsmen, Central Asia
- “Arya” noble or free born in Sanskrit
What did the Aryans speak? What did they eventually write? What did they write?
- Sanskrit
- legends, religious chants, rituals
- showed India was world of warring kingdoms and shifting alliances
What were the Aryan achievements?
- bronze weapons, later iron, no writing until 700 BCE
- ate meat, dairy, ghee, cattle used for exchange
- handicrafts, musical instruments, dancing
- dice gambling and Soma drinking
What were Aryan tribal kings called?
- Rajas
- rajas carved small states and attacked one another for loot
- assemblies checked their powers, some elected other autocratic
- priestly caste developed too
What was Aryan religion like?
- women inferior not participating in religious ceremony, sons inherit property
- no ethics for salvation, sacrifice & rites w soma
- later believe if rite performed gods must obey, important priests
- polygamy
What were the 4 Aryan classes (later castes)?
1) Brahmins: priests
2) Kshatriyas: warriors
3) Vaishyas: merchants, artisans, free farmers
4) Sudras: slaves, low class farmers
5) Outcasts: untouchables
Dasas: non-Aryans, barbarians
Ideology behind Aryan religion?
- search for meaning of existence, meditation > materials & actions
- ascetics, hermits, brahmins
- sages: intangible soul in tangible universe
- every thought & act has spirit significance
- OG gods: Dyaus, Indra, Varuna, Agni
What were some important later Hindu concepts?
- Trinity: Brahma Creator, Vishnu Preserver, Shiva Destroyer
- Brahman and the Atman
1) Maya is the illusion, veil of physical life
2) Dharma the duty, law, morality, etc. on how to live in this world to get to next
3) Karma – action, the result of which is the fruit of any action
4) Samsara, rebirth
5) Moksha, release
What are the Upanishads?
108 important teachings that were 4 ends of humans
A) Dharma: righteousness, duty, virtue, maximize good acts, minimize bad
B) Artha: material gain
C) Karma: love and pleasure
D) Moksha: reunification and release
