Smriti

Question 1

What does smriti mean

Answer 1

that which is remembered

Question 2

What is in the mahabarata (4)

Answer 2

• encyclopaedic work, completed in 4th century CE
• contains mythological, ritual and philosophical material.
• shows religious and social changes occurring during periods of the composition.
• Believed to be composed by Vyasa, a Brahma Seer, incarnation of the deity Vishnu Narayana.

Question 3

What is the Ramayana (4)

Answer 3

• story about banishment of prince Rama into the forest.
• message about the correct behaviour and duty (dharma). Sita is the ideal wife, Rama and Sita are the ideal couple.
• Demonstrates Hindu ideals for society.
• Social duty and obligation are more important than personal desires.

Question 4

what does Bhagavadgita express, through which story?

Answer 4

• expresses two central concerns in Hinduism,
  the need to perform one’s duty (dharma)
  the need to attain liberation from cycle of samsara through love and devotion (bhakti)
• includes story about Arjuna and Krishna, tries to persuade Arjuna to fight his family because he is a Vashatrya and its his dharma.

Question 5

What does the Bhagavadgita teach

Answer 5

• teachings of detachment and devotion

- brings dharma and moksha together

Question 6

where is the bhagavadgita

Answer 6

• located in the Mahabarata.

- treated as though it was sriti, high authority

Question 7

what are the dharma sustras (3)

Answer 7

• texts which deal with law and dharma
• detailed instructions on how to live the orthodox Hindu life
• Klostermaier –> the texts that detail duties and right of hindus according to their status.

Question 8

What do the dharma sustras teach (4)

Answer 8

• rituals
• rites according to varnas
• Hinduism as a way of living
• rules for varnaasramadharma

Question 9

What is in the many - sriti in the dharma sustras (5)

Answer 9

• Klostermaier –> deals with rules applying to each caste, duties of individuals, and explains bliss to come.
• creation myth
• rules for varna
• civil and criminal law
• vows and pilgrimages

Question 10

how are the tantras and agamas written

Answer 10

• as a dialogue between Siva and Sakti.

Question 11

WHat does the Tantas and Agamas talk about (3)

Answer 11

• rituals
• the divine nature of the body
• the female energy of God

Question 12

What are the four sections of the tantras (4)

Answer 12

• knowledge (jnana)
• yoga
• ritual (kriya)
• behaviour (crya)

Question 13

What are those who follow the tantras called?

Answer 13

the tantrikas

Question 14

How to become and tantrika? (2)

Answer 14

• undergo initiation by a guru, they regard the tantras as a more powerful revelation than the Vedas
• they perform tantrica rights in addition to Vedic rites.

Question 15

what are the vedangas (3)

Answer 15

• additional sciences related to the vedas
• study of the vedas, compulsory for the Brahmins at a time when Sanskrit was harder to understand
• explain the archaic Sanskrit content

Question 16

what are the 6 parts of the vedangas

Answer 16

1- Vedic pronunciation 
2- grammar 
3- metre
4- meaning of terms 
5 - astrology 
6 - explanation of ritual action

Question 17

what de the Upavedas contain

Answer 17

• lesser learning
• medicine
• music and dance
• archery
• architecture

Question 18

what do the Upavedas show

Answer 18

need education, or profession.

Question 19

what does sutra mean

Answer 19

a thread

Question 20

what are the Sustras

Answer 20

• a compressed version of the Vedas, compressed and systemised
• help to have easy access to smriti literature

Question 21

Katha Upanishad: The chariot metaphor (5)

Answer 21

• ascribes parts of chariot to parts of the body
• atman = charioteer
• body = chariot
• horse = the senses
• the road = desires

Question 22

Katha Upanishad: What are the main metaphors (5)

Answer 22

• blind following the blind: ignorant people go round in circles, in the cycle of samsara.
• Chariot metaphor: describes body as a chariot
• manines and oneness: water of river flow into sea and become part of sea. Idea of many and one together.
• Necklace of karma: Image of karma, samsara and dharma, liken to image of ‘lovelies’, things which give pleasure but do not last.
• Gold nugget: idea of maniness and oneness, all things are made of God.

Question 23

Katha Upanishad: The tree of eternity (4)

Answer 23

• idea of upsidown tree
• root represent brahman/ reality
• leaves represent the phsycial world which we can see. Universe/ prakriti/ nature/ cosmos
• brahman is source of everything

Question 24

Why are they athoritiative according to Klostermaeir?

Answer 24

on account of their authorship by revered and important figures.

Question 25

Why does Klostermaier think smritu has more of an impact than sruti?

Answer 25

Because they contain the rules by which to live.

Question 26

What are the Puranas?

Answer 26

• Klostermaier –> bible like scriptures, contain myths and legends, also deal with the right behaviour of the followers of various paths.

Question 27

Who is manu?

Answer 27

• Klostermaier –> the forefather of the entirety of present humanity and the universal law giver.

Question 28

K - reason for Vedangas? (2)

Answer 28

• with the passage of centuries, the rig veda and veda became more archaic and innaccesible.
• Felt a need for explanatory literature to cover the various dimensions of Veda study.

Question 29

what is siska

Answer 29

• Klostermaier –> deals with correct phonetics.

Question 30

Rodriguez arguments that smriti is more important (3)

Answer 30

• brahmanas and Aranyajas’s contents are not understood and hae marginal impact on their religious lives.
• the lesser upanishads have more influence and authority on some Hindu sects than the principle upanishads.
• Tantras and Agamas have been more influential in the fabric of hinduism than the vedas.