The Aryans Flashcards
What was the Aryans’ way of life like? (2)
Semi nomadic
Patriarchal
What does the word Veda mean?
Knowledge
What is the single most authoritative source of Hinduism
The Vedas
What does Sruti mean
that which is heard
Who put the entire Vedas together?
Max Miller 19th century
What is Smrti
that which is remembered
Said to detail and amplify the cryptic implications of the sruti.
What does ‘deva’ mean?
shining
What are the Gods in the Vedas associated with
natural and cultural forces
How are the Gods in the Vedas organized
according to the three levels of the cosmos:
the celestial realm (sky)
the atmospheric realm (heavens)
and earthy realm
Who is Indra (4)
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)
Who is Soma
God of plant, produces hallucinogenic juice used in worship. Believed to give strength and immortality.
Who is Varuna (4)
Celebrated in 10 hymns
Controller of rta, cosmic law and moral code
He is a judge
Punishes and forgives
Who is Agni (3)
God of fire and sacrifice
Addressed in nearly 1/3 of hymns in Rig Veda
Inhabits all three spheres
Describe what happens with Agni and sacrifices
When sacrifice is made Agni consumes it, brings it up to the Gods.
Bridges gap between humanity and the Gods.
What does Purusha mean
Cosmic man (person)
What is the hymn to the cosmic person about (4)
Its a creation hymn
Describes sacrifice rituals
Explains where the universe comes from
First listings of social classes
What is shrauta (5)
- 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.
What is purohit / grihya (5)
- 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.
What was the point of sacrifice?
- 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)
Explain animal sacrifice
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.
What is migration theory
Aryans came from Iran
They destroyed the IVC people
Why accept the migration theory? (3)
- 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.
Why reject migration theory? (3)
- Little reference to invasion in the Vedas
- No signs of warfare
- More likely that Aryans integrated into IVC.
What is the Indocentric discourse
India is the primary source of civilization and Hinduism
What is the Eurocentric discourse
Europe is the source of civilization and sophisticated structure
Why accept the indocentric discourse (3)
- India is the centre of civilization
- India is source of European language
- Given sophisticated culture and philosophy
Why accept the Eurocentric discourse (2)
- Indians could not have come up with complex ideas in the Vedas.
- Ideas from Vedas came from Europeans - monotheism.
when were the yajnas done?
- at crucial junctures, new moon and full moon, solstice and beginning of new solar year, eclipses.
astronolmical knowledge? (2)
- 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.
animals and sacrifice
- 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.
which texts deals with public rituals
Strautasutras
what did the efficacy of the ritual depend on
- correct pronounciation of the mantra, the exact execution of each prescribed ceremony.
who encouraged reintroduction of yajna
- the arya samaj
- only form of sacrifice they do
similarities between aryans and modern hinduism (9)
- 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
importance of reciting hymns correctly (2)
- 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.
what is The purusha sukta
- 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
what are the two types of yajna
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
what are the three fires
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.
Purusha sukta, what came from where?(4)
- 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
Jameson, what is medha?
‘spiritual component offered in yanja.’
What are the two types of sacrifices?
- voluntary –> purpose was to ask for a special favour
- obligatory –> ought to be performed in order to maintain cosmic balance and order.
Klostermaier point about aryans and astrology
- 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.
what does the philosphical school vedanta think (2)
- base all their philosophy on the Vedas
- think the vedas should be central to all hindu worship and activity.
what does the philosphical school Mimamsa think? (2)
- focus on the concept of dharma in the Vedas
- show the validity of Vedic texts
who has Varuna become?
modern day Vishnu
who has Rudra become?
modern day Shiva
Differences between Aryans and Hindus
- Aryans didnt have temples or murtis, they only worshipped through yajna
who to worship in morning
Prajapati
who to worship in the evening
Surya
