Notes Flashcards
ways of promoting Hinduism
invoking Ganesha or Sarasvati
invoking Ganesha
reciting mantras and scripture to begin in auspicious way
Asthavinyaka
eight temples to Ganesha in Maharashtra
approaches to Hinduism
Sanatana dharma, Varnasrama dharma, Vedic orthodoxy, way of life approach
sanatana dharma
eternal religion, associated with proper action
Vedic orthodoxy
structured with Vedics as defining feature
when wa sIndia colonized?
1612-1947
hinduism and legalities
used to exclude as an umbrella term, involves marriage acts outlining who can marry whom
post-colonial approaches to Hinduism
census (boxing), use as response to reference to other religions, Hindutva
Hindutva
regards land of Bharat Varsha as his Father-Land and Holy Land, cradle of his religion, defined by V.D. Savarkar - belief of larger ethnic identity
monotheistic class
characteristics are both necessary and sufficient
polytheistic class
broad set of criteria that are neither necessary or sufficient, family resemblances but not the exact same
Hinduism Banyan tree metaphor
roots all over without one single trunk, constantly being debated and reinterpreted
discovery of Pre-Vedic evidence
archeological sites in Pakistan 1920s
aryan
noble, use Sanskrit, travel, rooted in many languages
Rg Veda
composed orally 1500-1200 BCE, compiled into collection 1200-1000 BCE, hundreds of short texts with many hymns about deities
Yajurveda
ritual texts
samaveda
collection of sung hymns
atharvaveda
magic, medicine, ritual, most recent Veda
Aranyakas
wilderness texts as genre of Vedic literature
Brahmanas
theological and ritual commentaries in Vedic literature
samhitas
collection of mantras and hymns in Vedic literature
Yajna
fire sacrifice
agni
ritual fire
soma
sacred drink in specific occasions
reciprocal exchange principle
give and receive
Vedic patronage
elite men involved, addition of women was controversial
Vedic deities
Indra, Agni, Soma, Vac, Vishnu, Rudra
Indra
leader of Vedic gods, associated with rain, battle and sky
vac
speech embodied as a goddess, precursor to Sarasvati
Rudra
minor deity later identified as Siva
goals of Vedic ritual
prosperity, order preventing chaos, life after death
themes of Upanishads
relation of sacrifice and cosmos, tat team asi- understanding underlying reality
influence of Vedic tradition on Hinduism
rituals are adopted, foundation of upper-caste, schools of Vedanta, atman, brahman, samsara, supporting knowledge systems, Veda as symbol
Ayurveda
practice of medicine coming out of Vedic tradition
Ithaca
the epics, 400 BCE-400 CE, includes ahabharta, Bhagavadgita, Ramayana
Mahabharata
great story of Bharata’s descendants, 100,000 verses, discuses Pandava Brothers and Kaurava cousins
Arjuna
great warrior, son of Indra, protagonist in Bhagavadgita
Duryodhana
leader of Kauravas
Mahabharata
Krishna’s discussion with Arjuna for action when going to war, one’s body is killed not soul
svadharma
one’s own duty
visvarupa
universal form, revealed to Arjuna by Krishna as Vishnu
Asrama
discipline and religious profession, four stages of life: student, householder, forest dweller, renouncer
sacrifice and pursu sukta
created universe by his sacrifice, division of body divides society and establishes Brahman class
Kabir
15th century bhakti poet, weaver caste, likely Muslim at birth, critical of organized and elite religion
Ravidas
16th century bhakti poet, Camar caste, shoemaker/Dalit, Bhakti and social protest, caste reform, Emphasizes Ram-nama as god, Devotion to repetition of name
Reservations
type of affirmative action program where minorities and marginalized people are given access to certain number of seats in legislature, government jobs, higher education institutions
Round Table Conference of 1932
question of separate electorates granted for religious minorities and scheduled castes (Dalits) - should there be seats in government reserved for Hindus and Dalits, Ambedkar wants to end caste but Gandhi disagrees
Poona Pact
single electorate for Hindus, with scheduled castes having seats reserved within it
class mobilization modes
education, financial, professional, urban space, marriage
sanskritization
groups deliberately cultivate symbols/associations derived from upper castes/privileged castes as a form of upper mobility e.g. group looked down on for eating meat becomes vegetarian
theism
idea there is supreme God/Goddess who generates cosmos, maintains it, finally destroys it, has power to save beings though grace
Puranas
300 CE onward, Stories of ancient past, narrative/prescriptive texts, Political empire of Guptas in north India (c.320-550 CE), Instructions for rise of permanent places and focus on interaction with supreme deity in Hindu temples - emphasis on visual elements
uttar predesh
early 6th century Hindu temple
hindu trinity
vishnu, shiva, shakti
