Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Hinduism > The Gods > Flashcards

The Gods Flashcards

1
Q

How many arms does Vishnu have?

A

4 arms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What things does Vishnu carry?

A

1) Disc of light
2) Conch shell
3) A mace
4) A lotus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is Vishnu’s main vahana?

A

A cobra

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What colour is Vishnu and what does is represent?

A

Vishnu is blue, which represents his eternity and that he is out of time and space.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is Vishnu’s main role?

A

Preserver and protector of the universe, he restores the world in troubled times

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How many times has Vishnu incarnated

A

9 times

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are Vishnu’s worshippers called

A

Vaishnavas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is Vishnu’s second vahana?

A

Garuda ~ king of birds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Why does Vishnu incarnate as a human?

A

To set balance of good and eveil in the world

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What do Vishnu’s 4 hands symoblise?

A

Domination over the four direcrions of space, the four asrams and varnas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Who is Vishnu’s shakti?

A

Lakshmi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How many arms does Lakshmi have?

A

4 arms (like Vishnu)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is Lakshmi the Goddess of?

A

Good future and prosperity, the goddess of the buisness people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Name the two important murtis assosicated with Vishnu

A

Narayana and Ananta

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Describe Narayana (Vishnu)

A

Reclining image of Vishnu, on his vahana a cobra. He is floating on the ocean, with Lakshmi masaging his feet. Brahman is sitting on a lotus flower which is coming out of Vishnu’s navel.
Represents - state of completely absorption before creation begun. According to holm & bowker.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the non-anthropomorphic object assosiated with Vishnu

A

Salagram stone, from the river Ganges

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Why do avatars come to earth?

A

To restore Dharma and to conquer evil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Quote from the Bhagavad Gita about the reason avatars come to earth

A

‘I come down in the ages that pass to restore dharma and destroy evil.’

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Who is Rama & what does he represent?

A
  • Vishnu’s seventh incarnation

- represents the monarchial aspect of the supreme.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Who is Hanuman?

A

Rama’s helper in the Ramayan story

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Hey, can you explain the Ramayan story?!

A

Rama was forced into exile with Sita and his brother Lakshmana. They live in a forest, but Ravana’s sister wants to steal Rama from Sita, so she persuades Ravana that Sita should be his wife. Ravana kidnaps Sita and takes her to Lanka. Rama goes in search of Sita, with the help of Hanuman. Rama gives him a ring to give to Sita to let her know he is coming to find her. Hanuman finds Sita but cannot rescue her. Later, Rama and his army of bears and monkeys, make a bridge over the sea and invade Lanka. They all have a bfg fight and eventually Rama is defeated and Sita is recused. But Rama and Lakshmana are wounded by Rvavna’s poisonous arrows, Hanuman saves them with herbs from the Himalayas. Rama says he cannot take her back unless she proves her loyalty to him by walking through a ring of fire. Which she did safely, thus proving her innocence. They live happily ever after :—)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Who is Krishna?

A

One of Vishnu’s avatars

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Hey, can you tell me a bit about Krishna’s birth?

A

His parents were prince and Queen of Devaki, his wicked uncle King Kamsa, wanted to kill him because he believed that their son would kill him. He was born in a prison and was smuggled out and was brought up in a village called Gokol. His new family were cow herders. He was am extraordinary child.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Who is Shiva’s Shakti?

A

Parvati

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What does Hanuman embody?

A

Courage, physical strength, humility and devotion to duty

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is Hanuman’s symbol?

A

The mace

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What festival is in honour of Hanuman?

A

His birthday, Hanuman Jayanti, celebrated in april

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Who is Nandi?

A

Shiva’s vahana, white bull

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Who holds together all opposites?

A

Shiva

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What is Shiva’s primary role?

A

The destroyer of evil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Nataraja - what does it mean, and who does it apply to?

A

The lord of the dance, it is one of Shiva’s names

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Describe Shiva as Nataraja (5)

A

Dancing in a ring of fire, with

  • loose hair, symbol of power strength and energy. Releases energy and all tensions are held in unison.
  • drum, symbolises rhythm and sound associated with creation.
  • fire balls, destruction of the world. He is the symbol of life and death.
  • abhaya mudra, grace and protection, liberation is available for all those who seek refuge in him.
  • one foot on demon, triumph over evil.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Describe Shiva as a great yogi

A

Represented in a yogic posture, on a tiger skin, with prayer beads and a mendicant’s bowl.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What does Shiva as yogi and grahastha represent?

A

Renunciation and affirmation of life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

What does Shiva hold in his murti as a yogi and grahastha?

A

A trident

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

What does Shiva have on his forehead?

A

Three horizontal lines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

What do the three horizontal lines on Shiva’s head represent?

A

They indicate the three functions of Shiva

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What is on Shiva’s top knot?

A

A crescent moon which is a symbol of creation, and a small figure of the goddess Ganga, to show his association with the river Ganges

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

What is Shiva as Daksinamurti?

A

Shiva as guru or spiritual teacher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

What is Shiva as Ardhanari?

A

Shiva as half female and half male

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

How is Shiva worshiped in temples?

A

In the form of linga

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

What does the linga represent?

A

The union of male and female principles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Who is Brahma?

A

Creator of the universe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Who is the second member of the Trimurti?

A

Vishnu

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Why does Vishnu hold a conch shell?

A

It represents the primeval sound of creation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Why does Vishnu hold a mace?

A

It represents his royal power and authority

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Why does Vishnu hold a lotus flower?

A

It symbolises purity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Why does Vishnu hold a disc of light?

A

It shows him as sustainer of the world and represents samsara

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

What does Vishnu have on his forehead?

A

Three vertical lines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

How many arms does Krishna have?

A

Two arms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

What festival is associated with Krishna?

A

His birthday, Janmashtami

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Who is Krishna’s consort?

A

Radha

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

What is Rama meant to represent

A

The perfect man

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

What age did Rama appear at?

A

Treta Yuga, the second age

55
Q

Who is Sarasvati?

A

The consort of Brahma

56
Q

Who is the Goddess of wisdom and fine arts?

A

Sarasvati

57
Q

What is Sarasvati’s vahana?

A

A swan, represents spiritual perfection and transcendence

58
Q

What does Ganesh look like?

A

a human figure with an elephant head

59
Q

What does Ganesh hold?

A

Sweets and mala beads a goad and an axe/noose

60
Q

What is Ganesh’s vehicle?

A

a rat/mouse

61
Q

Why is Ganesh FAT

A

His tummy contains the created world/universe

62
Q

Why does Ganesh have a broken tusk?

A

To represented to manifested material world and Brahman saguna

63
Q

Why does Ganesh have an elephant head?

A

Durga made him out of her own body, when Ganesh was guarding the door whilst she bathed, Siva came back and cut Ganesh’s head off when he wouldnt let him in. Durga made him replace his head, and he replaced it with an elephant head.

64
Q

What is a famous myth about Ganesh and the Ganges?

A

Durga made a state of a boy and threw it in the Ganges, which gave it life.

65
Q

What are Ganesh’s powers?

A

Lord of obstacles.

66
Q

What is Ganesh associated with

A

the arts, dance, learning

67
Q

What colour does Parvati wear?

A

Pink

68
Q

Who are Parvati’s sons?

A

Ganesh and Skanda/Kartikkeya (Lakshmi and Parvati)

69
Q

What is Parvati’s character?

A

classic ideal indian wife, gentle, womanly

70
Q

What colour does Durga wear?

A

Red

71
Q

What is Durga’s vehicle?

A

a lion/tiger

72
Q

How many arms does Durga have?

A

8/10

73
Q

What is Durga’s character?

A

assertive, independent, powerful, protective mother to devotees

74
Q

When is Durga worshipped?

A

Durga puja, as a wife returning home to her parents for 10 days

75
Q

What does Kali hold?

A

a trident, a sword, a severed head and showing the mudra of protection for devotees.

76
Q

What does Kali look like?

A

She is black, wears a skirt made of severed arms, and a necklace made of skulls

77
Q

Describe Kali’s murti

A

she can be depicted dancing on shiva

78
Q

What is Kali associated with

A

battle and cremation grounds

79
Q

how is Kali full of opposites?

A

shes attractive and repulsive

80
Q

What colour does Lakshmi wear?

A

Red and gold

not pink that’s parvti you dim wit

81
Q

What is Gaja-Lakshmi

A

A murti where Lakshmi is with white elephants to symbolise her royalty. She carries a pot of amrit (nectar of life) and a conch shell to represent Vishnu.

82
Q

What festival is Lakshmi associated with?

A

Divali, she visits houses which are clean

83
Q

Why do women worship Lakshmi?

A

for prosperity and a long life

84
Q

When worshipped by herself, what is she referred to as?

A

Lokamata, the mother of the world.

85
Q

What is another word for Durga

A

Amba-ma

86
Q

How is Druga-puja celebrated?

A

Shrines are built, clay images are built and used in puja, and then immersed in the river at the end of the celebrations.

87
Q

How is Durga seen in south india?

A

independent worrier with powerful sexuality.

88
Q

How is Druga seen in North india ?

A

wife and mother figure

89
Q

What does Sarasvati hold?

A

The four Vedas, pen, inki, musical instrument vina

90
Q

Why do people worship Sarasvati?

A

To acquire knowledge

91
Q

What is the great goddess called

A

Mahadevi

92
Q

What does Sati mean

A

Virtuous wife

93
Q

What does Mahadevi do as Sati

A

She attracts Siva into marriage

94
Q

What does Sati in the form of yoni do

A

attracts the aesthetic shiva, who becomes accessible to the world in the form of linga

95
Q

why do you love me

A

ur nan

96
Q

How are Parvati and Siva shown in the Puranas?

A

Seated on Kailasa

97
Q

When Durga is mother, what is she called?

A

Amba or Durga ma

98
Q

What role does Durga take at Durga-puja

A

The role of a daughter

99
Q

What is Kali the goddess of?

A

Destruction of evil

100
Q

What is the famous myth associated with Kali

A

Kali kills the demon Raktavija, Kali drinks his blood to conquer evil, but then she becomes blood thirsty. and kills loads of demons. Shiva realised that this cosmic dance of destruction would threaten the universal balance. he throws himself at her feet to calm her down, she dances on him.

101
Q

What is Daksinkali

A

When Kali is standing on Shiva with her mouth wide open and her tongue out

102
Q

What is Kali’s role?

A

To drag Shiva into vigorous activity.

103
Q

In Bengal, what is Kali worshipped as?

A

as divine mother

104
Q

Who was the 2nd Avatar?

A

A tortoise put a mountain on his back to stop it from sinking into the ocean for the nectar of immorality!

105
Q

Who was the 1st Avatar?

A

A fish who saved Manu

106
Q

Who was the 3rd Avatar?

A

A boar who lifted the earth away from the ocean

107
Q

Who was the 7th Avatar?

A

Rama the perfect man

108
Q

Who was the 8th Avatar?

A

Krishna

109
Q

Who is kalki

A

The last avatar, who has not happened yet,

110
Q

When will kalki come?

A

At the end of the kali yoga, which is the last age, which we are currently in

111
Q

What does Radha symbolise?

A

She is the lover of Krishna, so we should all be the lovers of Krishna and not the dutiful wife

112
Q

Who can be considered to be an avatar as well?

A

Gurus are sometimes considered to be avatars, so God in human form. For example, Sai Baba

113
Q

What is Brahman Ninguna?

A

Where God cannot be known personally, he has no attributes. It is not a thing or an object. We cannot describe it.

114
Q

What is Brahman Saguna?

A

God in personal form, like in murtis.

115
Q

How is Brahman Ninguna possibly knowable?

A

Through yoga and meditation, the way that Samnyasins connect with God.
He is known to the individual

116
Q

Tell me about Sati’s story

A

She was Shiva’s first wife, she attracted ascetic Shiva into marriage through extreme devotion. But Sati’s father wasnt happy with the marriage, and when Shiva was not invited to the fire ceremony she threw herelf in to honour her husband. Siva went into a state of yogic meditation in the mountains looking for Sati, he found her in the form of a yoni, and he turned himself into a linga so they could be together forever.

117
Q

Who is Sati

A

Shiva’s first wife

118
Q

What is Kali the goddess of?

A

Destruction

119
Q

What does Kali hold?

A

A trident, a severed head, a sword and abhaya mudra

120
Q

What is Shiva’s symbol?

A

The linga

121
Q

What is the special hand of protection called

A

Abhaya mudra

122
Q

Name some of Shiva’s opposites. (400)

A

Creator —- Destroyer
Male ——– Female
Asetic —— Householder
Serene —- Energy

123
Q

Describe Shiva as grahastha

A

He is married to Parvati (who are equals) and has two children, Ganesh and Karttikeya, they are represented as a classic Indian family

124
Q

Describe Shiva as ascetic

A

In a yoga stance, has 3 horizontal lines on his forehead, crescent moon in his hair + Ganga

125
Q

What is Shiva’s link with the river Ganges

A

In order to reduce the forceful impact of the flow of the river Ganges on earth, He allows the river to flow through his hair

126
Q

Explain the ‘PRACTICAL’ model of Brahman nirguna and sirguna

A

P-ersonal: like our-selves
R-elate: easier to relate to and bring into everyday life
A-atma-yatra: Personal forms of God provide a journey of the soul back to Brahman
C-ompanionship and solace
T-eachings

I-mpersonal: No personal qualities
C-ompromises: Personal qualities compromise the greatness of Brahman who is beyond thought
A-bstract: Formless, personality-less spirit.
L-eft behind: Personal forms need to be left behind in order to reach enlightenment.

127
Q

What is Brahman nirguna?

A

the impersonal form of God without attributes

128
Q

How might Brahman nirguna be refferred to?

5 things

A

‘tat’ - that
it
‘The Eternal’
‘Sat chit ananda’ - knowledge, conciousness, bliss
AUM - the word/sound = a mantra that stands for Brahman

129
Q

How is Brahman nirguna reffered to in the Upanishads?

A

‘This in truth is That’

130
Q

What is Brahman saguna?

A

Brahman with personal attributes.

A form that can be defined

131
Q

What does Brahman saguna have that Brahman nirguna does not?

A

nama - name
rupa - form
character and story e.g. the Ramayana

132
Q

Festival dedicated to sarasvati

A

Navarati

133
Q

What’s the origin of sarasvati

A

Brahma divided himself into two halves, male and female, fell in love with other half

134
Q

Great things about Rama

A
  • renowned for devotion to dharma even in the face of great adversity
  • considered perfect son/ husband / brother / king

Hinduism (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions