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Hinduism A2 > The Aryans > Flashcards

The Aryans Flashcards

1
Q

What was the Aryans’ way of life like? (2)

A

Semi nomadic

Patriarchal

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2
Q

What does the word Veda mean?

A

Knowledge

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3
Q

What is the single most authoritative source of Hinduism

A

The Vedas

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4
Q

What does Sruti mean

A

that which is heard

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5
Q

Who put the entire Vedas together?

A

Max Miller 19th century

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6
Q

What is Smrti

A

that which is remembered

Said to detail and amplify the cryptic implications of the sruti.

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7
Q

What does ‘deva’ mean?

A

shining

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8
Q

What are the Gods in the Vedas associated with

A

natural and cultural forces

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9
Q

How are the Gods in the Vedas organized

A

according to the three levels of the cosmos:
the celestial realm (sky)
the atmospheric realm (heavens)
and earthy realm

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10
Q

Who is Indra (4)

A

Greatest of the Gods, most prominent deity of Rig Veda
God of storm
1/4 of hymns in Rif Vedas dedicated to him
King of Asuras (king of Gods)

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11
Q

Who is Soma

A

God of plant, produces hallucinogenic juice used in worship. Believed to give strength and immortality.

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12
Q

Who is Varuna (4)

A

Celebrated in 10 hymns
Controller of rta, cosmic law and moral code
He is a judge
Punishes and forgives

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13
Q

Who is Agni (3)

A

God of fire and sacrifice
Addressed in nearly 1/3 of hymns in Rig Veda
Inhabits all three spheres

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14
Q

Describe what happens with Agni and sacrifices

A

When sacrifice is made Agni consumes it, brings it up to the Gods.
Bridges gap between humanity and the Gods.

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15
Q

What does Purusha mean

A

Cosmic man (person)

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16
Q

What is the hymn to the cosmic person about (4)

A

Its a creation hymn
Describes sacrifice rituals
Explains where the universe comes from
First listings of social classes

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17
Q

What is shrauta (5)

A
  • official sacrifice
  • attended by many priests, three special fires, devoted to Agni and Soma, offerings of milk/butter/animals.
  • became more and more elaborated over time.
  • required three fires orientated using a compass and were built in specific shapes.
  • aim was to maintain cosmic order.
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18
Q

What is purohit / grihya (5)

A
  • Domestic sacrifice
  • attended by one priest, or conducted by householders.
  • offer food cooked in house/ fire to Agni.
    Prajapati in morning
  • Surya and Prajapati in evening
  • aim was pragmatic and for personal needs (health), also for maintaining order in the universe.
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19
Q

What was the point of sacrifice?

A
  • To propitiate the Gods so that they would gratify needs of worshippers.
  • to please the beneficent deities in order to ensure success in obtaining abundant crops and good fortune.
  • to appease the malevolent deities from doing harm (west hill resource)
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20
Q

Explain animal sacrifice

A

Animals sacrificed to gain medha. Different objects had different amounts of medha. The more medha offered the more likely Gods were to grant wish.
Horses had the most medha.

21
Q

What is migration theory

A

Aryans came from Iran

They destroyed the IVC people

22
Q

Why accept the migration theory? (3)

A
  • Fits in with Vedas - Dasus
  • Aryans spoke Sanskrit which is similar to European languages, could they be from Europe?
  • Absence of weapons in IVC, makes them easy to attack.
23
Q

Why reject migration theory? (3)

A
  • Little reference to invasion in the Vedas
  • No signs of warfare
  • More likely that Aryans integrated into IVC.
24
Q

What is the Indocentric discourse

A

India is the primary source of civilization and Hinduism

25
Q

What is the Eurocentric discourse

A

Europe is the source of civilization and sophisticated structure

26
Q

Why accept the indocentric discourse (3)

A
  • India is the centre of civilization
  • India is source of European language
  • Given sophisticated culture and philosophy
27
Q

Why accept the Eurocentric discourse (2)

A
  • Indians could not have come up with complex ideas in the Vedas.
  • Ideas from Vedas came from Europeans - monotheism.
28
Q

when were the yajnas done?

A
  • at crucial junctures, new moon and full moon, solstice and beginning of new solar year, eclipses.
29
Q

astronolmical knowledge? (2)

A
  • numerical propertions between number of bricks in a layer, number of layers and number of officiants indicates detailed and advanced astronomical knowledge.
  • year month day and time all set according to strict astronomical parameters.
30
Q

animals and sacrifice

A
  • noblest sacrifice was a human victim, next was a horse
  • most common sacrifice was a goat
  • some animals like camels were excluded because they posses no medha.
31
Q

which texts deals with public rituals

A

Strautasutras

32
Q

what did the efficacy of the ritual depend on

A
  • correct pronounciation of the mantra, the exact execution of each prescribed ceremony.
33
Q

who encouraged reintroduction of yajna

A
  • the arya samaj

- only form of sacrifice they do

34
Q

similarities between aryans and modern hinduism (9)

A
  • Aryans - rta, cosmic balance. H- dharma morality and ethics
  • Aryans - devas and divine powers of natural forces. H - ganga - ma.
  • aryans - madha, intrinsic power inside animals. H- sacred animals &varnas.
  • aryans - oneness and manyness at the same time in purusha sukta. H - brahma saguna
  • aryans - vedas have divine origin. H - same in hinduism, Vedanta and Mimamsa
  • Aryans - priests are powerful and pure. H -varna system, purity depending on caste
  • Aryans - yajnas. H - havan and homas
  • Aryans importance of chanting. H - still important even though chants not understand because in sanskrit
  • Aryans, soma. H - canabis for sadhus
35
Q

importance of reciting hymns correctly (2)

A
  • mnemonic devices were developed, Veda students had to study and memorise the vedas and a combination of syllables learnt both forwards and backwards
  • hymns must be at the correct pitch, accompanied by prescribed hand and arm movements, a single mistake can nullify the effects of the expensive sacrifices.
36
Q

what is The purusha sukta

A
  • the hymn of the cosmic man which described the primordial world creation yajna
  • everything that exists is part of the cosmic man, 1/4 of him is the manifested world and 3/4 form the immortal upper regions.
  • gives a correlation between parts of his body and features of the universe.
    eye = sun
    earth = feet
    brahmin = mouth
37
Q

what are the two types of yajna

A

shrauta – official sacrifice attended by many priests, often devoted to soma or agni, offerings of butter, milk etc.
purohit – domestic sacrifice, attended by one priest or conducted by householder, simple offerings cooked at home. To agni or prajapati in morning and surya and prajapati in the evening

38
Q

what are the three fires

A

1) the garhapatya fire - round, belonged to lord of the home, used to prepare food
2) ahavaniya fire - sqaure, to prepare food for offering.
3) daksina - semicurcle, warding off evil spiritis, special offerings for departed ancestors.

39
Q

Purusha sukta, what came from where?(4)

A
  • sun and sky came from his head
  • the air came from his navel
  • the earth came from his feet
  • social system also from cosmic man
40
Q

Jameson, what is medha?

A

‘spiritual component offered in yanja.’

41
Q

What are the two types of sacrifices?

A
  • voluntary –> purpose was to ask for a special favour

- obligatory –> ought to be performed in order to maintain cosmic balance and order.

42
Q

Klostermaier point about aryans and astrology

A
  • there are numerical proportions between the number of bricks required in each layer, the number of layers and the number of officiants which suggests a link with astrology.
43
Q

what does the philosphical school vedanta think (2)

A
  • base all their philosophy on the Vedas

- think the vedas should be central to all hindu worship and activity.

44
Q

what does the philosphical school Mimamsa think? (2)

A
  • focus on the concept of dharma in the Vedas

- show the validity of Vedic texts

45
Q

who has Varuna become?

A

modern day Vishnu

46
Q

who has Rudra become?

A

modern day Shiva

47
Q

Differences between Aryans and Hindus

A
  • Aryans didnt have temples or murtis, they only worshipped through yajna
48
Q

who to worship in morning

A

Prajapati

49
Q

who to worship in the evening

A

Surya

Hinduism A2 (7 decks)

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