Key Terms Flashcards

1
Q

Sanātana Dharma

A

Eternal duty, going back home

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2
Q

Paramātman and Jīvātman

A

Supersoul and soul in living beings (allowing self awareness)

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3
Q

Saṃsāra and it’s root

A

Saṃsār., to wander through life itself - repeated cycles of broth, death, and rebirth

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4
Q

4 Yogas

A

Karma, Jnana, Ashtanga, Bhakti

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5
Q

Preyas vs Sreyas

A

Preyas = pleasure for senses
Sreyas = the good for the Atman

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6
Q

Yamas noose

A

Samsara. The noose (rope) which tightened around us as soon as we are born into material existence.

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7
Q

Tattva, Hita, Purushartha

A

Tattva - NATURE of the soul, material works, and Brahman
Hita - MEANS to liberation
Purushartha - NATURE of the liberated state

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8
Q

SK rope terms:
Dark forest
Alcohol
State of drunk (ignorance)
Illusions
Waking up

A

Dark forest - Samsara
Alcohol - Maya
State of drunk - Avidya
Illusions - Adhyasa
Waking up - Jivan mukhti

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9
Q

4 Varnas

A

Brahmanas (priests/scholars)
Ksatriyas (warriors/admins)
Vaisyas (artists/entrepreneurs)
Sudras (labourers)

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10
Q

4 Ashramas

A

Brahmacari (Student)
Grihastha (Married)
Vanaprastha (Retired)
Sannyasa (Renounced)

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11
Q

Rasa - Blown away by Krsna’s greatness

A

Shanta

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12
Q

Rasa - servant or master

A

Dhasabhava

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13
Q

Rasa - seeing Krsna as equal and friend

A

Sakyabhava

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14
Q

Rasa - Parental love

A

Vatsalya

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15
Q

Rasa - Romantic love

A

Shringara

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16
Q

Who wants to enjoy Rama, when Sita wants Rama to enjoy her?

A

Shupanika. Obsessed but not Krsna conscious. No service.

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17
Q

Samkhya school of thought

A

Duality : purusa (consciousness) and prakriti (body/mind)

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18
Q

Isvara

A

God whom created the world

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19
Q

Vyāvahārika encompassing Vaiśvānara, Taijasa, Suṣupti

A

(Lower tier) Adhyāsa: waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states.

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20
Q

Pāramārthika and Turiya

A

(Higher tier) Absolute reality (Nirguna Brahman) and enlightened state.

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21
Q

4 Vedas

A

Rig Veda
Samah Veda
Yajur Veda
Atharva Veda

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22
Q

Purva-mimamsa vs Uttara-Mimamsa

A

Lower material stage, karma kand
Higher spiritual stage, Jnana kand

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23
Q

Aspects of Rig Veda

A

Samhita- Hyms
Brahmanas- Offerings & chants
Aranyaka- Philosophical speculation behind sacrifices
Upanishads - Knowlegge of Brahman

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24
Q

Samsara

A

Wandering aimlessly through life, trapped in cycles of birth, death, rebirth

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25
Q

Karma, vikarma, akarma

A

Karma - performing prescribed duties
Vikarma - sinful acts
Akarma - inaction

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26
Q

Sākam karma and niśkāma karma

A

Selfish vs selfless service

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27
Q

Name of Ramanujacharya’s schooling guru, the head of all scholars

A

Yadavprakash - an advaitin

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28
Q

Name of Ramanujacharya’s chosen guru, one of lower caste

A

Kanchipurna Swami. Father a shudra and mother a shabri (untouchable)

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29
Q

Name of the head priest of Vaishnava community, the one who called for RA to be his successor through the 3 folded fingers

A

Yamunacharya

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30
Q

Who did RA get the secret mantra from and how many times was he rejected?

A

Goshthipurna, one of Yamunacharya’s prominent disciples.
Rejected 18, granted on 19th

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31
Q

Name of Muslim princess enshrined in Vaishnava temples

A

Bibi Nachiyar

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32
Q

Interpretations of Kapasyam Pundarikam

A

Yadavprakash- anus of a monkey
RJ - Sun shining on a blooming lotus 🪷

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33
Q

Apauruṣeyā

A

No author. The Vedic srutis

34
Q

4 sources of authority

A

Sruti
Smriti
Sadacara/Sistacara (exemplary conduct)
Atma Tutsi

35
Q

Ṛta

A

Essential nature of the natural world.

36
Q

Itihāsa

A

Thus-certainly-it happened
History (Smriti)

37
Q

Levels of interpretation (Madvacharya)

A

Āstikādi
Manvādi
Auparicara

38
Q

Ṛg-Veda’s foundation for advaita?

A

Nāsadīya-sūkta

39
Q

Apotropaic

A

OVER the forces of darkness, not IN darkness

40
Q

Visnu’s universal form

A

Virāt-Puruṣa

41
Q

Suffering and Happiness

A

Duhkha and Suhkha

42
Q

Root of Dharma

A

Dhṛ
That which upholds, supports, or sustains something.

43
Q

Root of Karma

A

Kṛ
To act or to do

44
Q

Good and bad deeds

A

Puṇya and pāpa

45
Q

What is Vedānta

A

Uttara mīmāṃsā
Later portions of vedās.

46
Q

Root of mokṣa

A

Muc
To set free, to escape/disentangle from

47
Q

Kaṭha upaniṣad metaphor for Nāciketā

A

Self = Lord of chariot
Intellect = Charioteer
Mind = Reins
Senses = Horses
Sense Objects = The path which the chariot ranges over
Body = Chariot

48
Q

Patañjali’s Aṣṭāṅga yoga

A

Samadhi (continual absorption)
Dhyāna (extended trance)
Dhāraṇa (insight)
Pratyāhāra (withdrawal)
Prāṇāyāma (noticing one’s drives)
Āsana (postures)
Yama (Abstinences)
Niyama (Observances)

49
Q

2 dimensions of dharma

A

Ontological/Descriptive
Normative/Prescriptive (specific to humans - free will)

50
Q

Sādhāraṇa-dharma, Sva-dharma, and Sanātana-dharma

A

Sādhāraṇa = rules and regulations incumbent upon ALL regardless of varṇa, āśrama, or gender.
Sva = responsibility uniquely to oneself in context of time, place, and circumstances.
Sanātana = essential nature of the soul

51
Q

The four pillars of Dharma

A

Austerity
Cleanliness
Kindness
Truthfulness

52
Q

Sravanam and kirtanam

A

Hearing and chanting

53
Q

Root of Yoga

A

Yuj- to join together, unite or yolk.
Both a spiritual force and process

54
Q

Two aspects of yoga-māyā

A

Yolk seekers w Brahman, reveal Himself in different forms.

Yolk non-seekers w prakriti, conceals Himself for those who seek no interference in independence.

55
Q

Root of Bhakti

A

Bhaj - one who has ordered their love (specifically, to God)
One who is bhaj-ing = bhakta

Bhakti = Complete reciprocity bw bhakta and Lord.

56
Q

Root of Bhaga-vān

A

Bhaga - portion or part.
Vān - possessor of all such portions.

57
Q

Ātmā nivedana

A

Offering the ātmā to Brahman in a spirit of love/worship (puja).

58
Q

Arca-Avatāra

A

Divine descent fixed as icons and deities becoming objects of worship (puja).

59
Q

Pūjãri

A

Priest who performs rituals.

60
Q

The man-lion

A

Narasimha

61
Q

Kumbha Mela

A

Hinduisms innumerable religious identities expressed in a festival.

62
Q

Āśrama breakdown

A

Ā (without)
śrama (strain or distress)

Physical and mental space of ease and peace.

63
Q

Gandhi’s 20th century āśrama and purpose

A

Tolstoy-āśrama
Equality, truth, self sufficiency, chastity, ahimsa

64
Q

Unnarvu

A

Empathy, true śakti

65
Q

Durga’s composition (Anger) to kill which āsura?

A

Śiva’s face
Viṣṇu’s arms
Brahmā’s feet

Mahiṣāsura.

66
Q

Dakṣinācāra

A

‘Right hand’ school of Śaktism.
Embodiment of unconditional love.

67
Q

Vāmācāra

A

‘Left hand’ school of Śaktism.
Fearsome darker sides of Durga. Taboos as a means to rise above dualities.

68
Q

What are the two major invasions?

A

Moghuls (800-1837)
The Britishers and Modernity (1837-1947)

69
Q

Root of Manushi

A

‘Manusya’ = (humankind) which embraces both genders.

70
Q

Brahmacārya meaning

A

‘to wander through the Absolute’, holding the keys to the Universe.

71
Q

Gandharva marriage

A

Marriage without ritual, witness, or family. Just the consent of the two people concerned.

72
Q

The living sacred symbol of Hinduism?

A

Cow, who represents Bhudevi (Mother Earth). More revered than the bull of Dharma.

73
Q

Ardhanārīśvara

A

Shiva’s half-male, half-female form

74
Q

Śikhaṇḍī

A

Ambā reincarnating as a man (Śikhaṇḍī) to kill Bhīṣma. Both Bhīṣma and Śikhaṇḍī refer to herself as Ambā.

75
Q

Hijra

A

Males who have been castrated, offering their manhood to Buhuchara-mātā, now carrying her śakti.
A distinct ‘third gender’.

76
Q

Pratyakṣa

A

Direct sense perception.

77
Q

Anumāna

A

Inference and logical steps.

78
Q

Śabda or Śruti

A

Testimony of divine beings and direct revelations from Brahman.

79
Q

sādhāraṇa dharma

A

Sā = all
dhāraṇa = that which is binding or befitting.

Rules and regulations for all, regardless of varna, asrama, or gender. The bridge bw Varṇasrama and sanātana.

80
Q

Arsa and an-arsa

A

Arsa = Direct revalations (Vedā-Saṃhitā)
An-Arsa = Imagination (everything else; Upaniṣads, smritis)

81
Q

Śruti (encompasses?)
Smṛti (encompasses?)

A

Vedas and Upaniṣad
Puranas and Itihasas

82
Q

Mantra-dṛṣṭá

A