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Hinduism (Year 12) > Theme 4 (Religious Practices that Shape Religious Identity) > Flashcards

Theme 4 (Religious Practices that Shape Religious Identity) Flashcards

1
Q

How is Puja performed within the home?

A
  • conducted by most senior woman
  • shrine in cleanest room of house
  • murtis treated with great respect (washed, clothed & offerings made)
  • arati lamps key part (passed around to receive blessings)
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2
Q

Examples of devotional acts during puja

A

+ bell is rung to awaken deity
+ feet of murti washed
+ eyes & heart of the murti are touched with a blade of grass dipped in ghee​
+ hymns and mantras said

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3
Q

Why is puja performed in the home important?

A
  • passes on traditions of the family
  • promotes peace & harmony in house
  • allows for blessings
  • allows focus outside of materialism
  • helps them feel spiritually elevated
  • shows loving devotion to Brahman
  • enables personal relationship w God
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4
Q

How is puja performed in the Mandir?

+ examples of features of puja in the Mandir

A
  • daily services led by Brahmin priests
  • recite Vedas to worshippers
  • Temples appeal to the senses-colours, sounds and smells
  • Temples have a murti, a canopy over the deity to honour it & a priest to care for it and give each worshipper prasad
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5
Q

Examples of features of puja in the Mandir

A

+ men and women sometimes separated
+ sacred fire lit & pieces of ghee, wood & camphor burnt
+ walk around shrine singing, dancing & chanting
+ Havan & Arati ceremonies
+ offerings made e.g fruit & milk

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6
Q

How is puja performed in the Mandir important?

A
  • can focus on God without distraction
  • safeguard Hindu tradition & culture
  • hub for Hindu community
  • way to feel closer to the deity (seen as visiting deity’s home)
  • visited as part of pilgrimage & festivals
  • further offerings can be made
  • best place to receive Darshan
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7
Q

Why is puja important for developing a relationship between the devotee and the deities?

A

+ relationship is very intimate & personal
+ can be expressed in a variety of ways
+ individual choice (scripture guides)
+ some branches of Hinduism are hugely focused on devotional worship e.g Vaishnaivas
+ allows Hindus to perform seva (service)

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8
Q

What is Darshan?

+ why do Hindus perform it during puja?

A

Darsana=sight/vision
- involves staring into eyes of the deity to receive blessings

+ opens the heart and gives peace, blessings and shakti
+ entire focus is on deity
+ allows Hindus to be seen by deity
+ provides spiritual fulfillment & unconditional love
+ teaches to look up to what is above us

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9
Q

What is circumambulation?

+ why do Hindus perform it during puja?

A

Devotees walk around the central chamber of the shrine (garbha griha) keeping it on their right at all times (clockwise direction) as the deity is always righteous

+ reminds Hindus to lead a good life on the right path
+ shows Brahman is the centre of all & all thoughts and actions should be centred on him
+ removes sin
+ complete focus on deity

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10
Q

What is Prasad? (examples?)

+ why do Hindus accept it during puja?

A

offerings of food & water which Hindus give to the deity they are worshipping (e.g sweet rice, fruits, milk & coconut)

+ shows devotee offering heart to God
+ believes deity returns some (consecrated)
+ seen as a way to purify body, mind & spirit

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11
Q

Merits & Failings of Personal Worship

A

+ more intimate & personal
+ allows for worship of personal deity
+ allows for closer connection to God
+ may suit Hindu best

  • no structure
  • may lack motivation
  • may lack support
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12
Q

Merits & Failings of Congregational Worship

A

+ led by priest
+ brings community together
+ away from everyday stresses
+ can be more enjoyable
+ can feel closer to deity

  • not personal
  • distractions
  • time constraints
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13
Q

Puja Key Quotes

A

“may the divine foundation of eternal grace and joy enter your soul”

“Hindu temples are… designed for meetings between individual devotees and the deities” (Jamison​)

“matter of experiencing the Deity and entering a personal reciprocal exchange with the Supreme Personality” (V.A Ponmelil)

“a leaf, a flower a fruit or even water with devotion”

“The Mandir generates devout faith in God (…) and guides the individual towards spirituality” (Hinduismtoday.com)

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14
Q

What do Hindu festivals often focus on celebrating?

A

-birth, life and achievements of a Hindu saint​
-a key event in the life of a deity​
- seasonal celebrations of life & nature​
-family relationships and the cycle of human life​

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15
Q

Why do Hindu festivals perform an important part in Hinduism?

A

+ create a sense of community
+ remind Hindus of duties & aims
+ confirm & strengthen faith
+ allow for spiritual focus
+ joyful & happy occasions
+ way of celebrating key events/times

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16
Q

What are the 2 origin stories of the festival of Holi?

+ meanings & how each story linked to part of the festival

A

1) Legend of Prahlad & Holika
2) Legend of Krishna & Radha

+ 1) represents power of good over evil &
-bonfire is lit to signify burning of Holika

+ 2) mischievous nature of Holi & loving relationship between husband & wife
- throwing of paint

17
Q

What is the spiritual significance of:
1) the blessing of babies by Agni?
2) the God of Fire (Agni)?

A

1) + bonfire known as Holika honours Agni
+ mothers will then carry their babies clockwise around the fire to mark their respect to Agni
+ this is often done five times so the child can receive his protection and blessings

2) - fire sacrifices happen via him
- deity of one of the 5 elements
- messenger between humans & deities
- first golden wheat offered to him during Holi to show gratitude for good harvest

18
Q

How is the virtue of love spiritually significant during Holi?

A

+ throwing of coloured powder & water symbolises love & friendship
+ promotes equality and the abandonment of the traditional caste system
+ honours Krishna’s loving nature
+ reminds Hindus to apply God-given virtues to others (peace & love)
+ lots of singing & dancing as a community

19
Q

How does Holi confirm & strengthen the Hindu faith in good over evil?

A
  • fire celebrates downfall of Holika and goodness of Prahlad
  • confirms God has the ultimate power to defeat evil
  • strengthens belief that truth & honesty can fight against evil
  • revitalises bonds & promotes social cohesion
20
Q

How does Holi confirm & strengthen the Hindu faith in the benevolence of the gods?

A

+ celebrates Krishna’s love for Radha
+ Vishnu showed benevolence to Prahlad so he would be saved from the fire
+ reminds Hindus that by showing Bhakti to their deities they will be saved & those who harm God’s devotees will suffer

21
Q

How does Holi remind Hindus of their duties & aims in life?

+ quote

A
  • means sacrifice & allows people to get rid of impurities & focus on virtues
  • encourages love towards others
  • reminder to help needy as part of SD
  • reminder to keep God in heart & mind

+ “be friendly and compassionate…hate not any being”

22
Q

What are the 3 pillars of Hinduism?

+ what do believers adhering to these lead to?

A

Worship
Scripture
Guru-disciple tradition

+ the traditions associated with various festivals are maintained

23
Q

How do Hindus ensure traditions of festivals are maintained?

  • what is upholding traditions of festivals seen as?
A

+ visit temple regularly & celebrate each festival here in accordance w tradition
+ teach children stories behind festivals & include them in the practices (part of VSD)
+ gurus looks after spiritual practices & progression of devotees in community
+ teach respect of scripture’s traditions

  • seva (selfless action) & a way for Hindus to get closer to God
24
Q

Holi Key Quotes

A

” God became Krishna and Radha -​ Love flows in thousands of coils” (Vivekananda​)

“Holi … reminds of the divine and the eternal love of Krishna and Radha” (Anonymous​)

“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of life” (Gustav Mahler)

“Festivals, pilgrimage and temple worship are the faith armour of Hindus” (Prof Shiva Bajpai​​)

25
Q

What is Durga Puja (Navaratri)?

+ examples of practices during this time

A

Hindu festivals of nights
Celebrates deity Durga’s brief 9 day annual visit to see her mother as this was all her husband Shiva would permit

+ build a shrine to Durga
+ fasting
+ prayers
+ Thanksgiving ceremonies
+ procession

26
Q

What are the 2 background stories to Durga Puja?

+ what happened in the Mahishasura Story?

A

1) Ramayana Story
2) Mahishasura Story

+ Mahishura (demon king) went on a reign of terror after being granted the power of only being able to be killed by a woman.
+ The Tri-murti created Durga. She was given powers & weapons from them and other deities and defeated M on the 10th day.

27
Q

What is the spiritual significance of____ during Durga Puja?

1) Thanksgiving?

2) Helping others?

A

1) Hindus show gratitude to Durga for her blessing of protection. She in honoured through shrines, prayers & offerings.

2) Encouraged via the backstory. Durga was helped was given powers & weapons by other deities to help her. Durga also helped all of the deities and all Hindus by slaying the demon.

28
Q

What is the importance of Durga as divine mother?

A
  • represents the divine mother & Shakti
  • has supernatural power and will use this to show love and care for her children and protect them
  • embodiment of virtues including love, wealth and beauty
  • worshipping her provides Hindus with spiritual freedom and material prosperity
29
Q

What is the importance of Durga’s avatars & how is this celebrated?

A

+ Days 1-3 celebrate Durga’s power to destroy vices, impurities and defects​
+ Days 4-6 celebrate her as Lakshmi (goddess of wealth)​
+ Days 7-9 celebrate her as Saraswati (goddess of wisdom)​
The blessings of all of these combined allows for a successful life for Hindus

+ at festival end 9 young girls are worshipped as they symbolise 9 forms of Durga

30
Q

How does Durga Puja confirm & strengthen Hindu faith in good overcoming evil?

+ quote

A

-Both origin stories highlight the power of good over evil.
-Some Hindus refer to Durga as Durgotinashini (destroyer of evil and protector of devotees)

+ “I am the Mother of this universe (…) ​I am the highest to be known”

31
Q

How does Durga Puja remind Hindus of the importance of worship & prayer?

+ quote

A
  • seen as extremely significant as Durga is worshipped as the mother goddess because she represents Shakti
  • Hindus pray for protection & honour her through shrines

+ “To bestow upon man all wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, knowledge(…) and all other potent powers” (Swami Sivananda​)

32
Q

How does Durga Puja remind Hindus of their duties & aims in life?

+ which image shows this?

A
  • image of Durga reminds that in order to become divine, desires for material possessions must be kept under control
  • worship can help to rid of desires
  • reminds Hindus that they must lead a life free from impurity, sin and weakness

+ popular image of Durga standing on the demon

33
Q

Durga Puja Key Quotes

A

“Embodying their collective energy (Shakti), she is both derivative from the male divinities and the true source of their inner power” (Encyclopedia Britannica​)

“Durga Puja is the greatest Hindu festival in which God is adored as Mother” (Madhuri Guin​)

“Everyone is blessed with her loving mercy and is protected by her” (Swami Sivananda​)

Hinduism (Year 12) (4 decks)

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