Year 10 Flashcards
What is the universal spirit?
This gives all living things their individual souls. This energy is responsible for creating, preserving and destroying matter.
What is brahma?
Creator
What is Vishnu?
The preserver
What is shiva?
The destroyer
Where is god present in Hinduism?
In natural things such as fire and water.
What is the aum?
A sacred sound that is considered the greatest of all mantras. The syllable om is composed of three sounds. The symbols threefold nature is central to it’s meaning.
What do the three syllables represent in aum?
3 worlds- earth, atmosphere and heaven
3 major hindu gods, brahma Vishnu and shiva
3 Vedic scriptures- Rg,yajur and sama
What does the hindu swastika represent?
Means good fortune and luck and well being, often put outside homes for Diwali to bring good things into the home.
What is special about the lotus?
It grows in dirty water but blossoms into a beautiful, pure flower. It’s a metaphor for life and how if you follow god then the struggle of life can be overcome. The believer is like a blossoming flower.
It is also a symbol for rebirth when a person is released from this world.
5 developed facts about Brahma
One of the Trimurti
He’s the creator from which all of us came from
His consort is saraswati
His vehicle is a swan
4 heads represent how he is able to see everything including past , present future.
Holds Spoon ladle- offering to god
Give five facts about Vishnu
One of Trimurti Preserver The ruler The eternal Vehicle - Garuda bird like creature Four arms show that he is the ruler of ll
Give nine facts about Sita
Wide of ram
Princess , daughter of king janak
Ram Won her by lifting and breaking the bow of lord shiva
Depicted as an ideal wife and daughter
Celebrated for her purity
Gave birth to two powerful twin boys- love and kush
Another form as Lakshmi
Always worshipped by side of ram, hanuman and lakshman
Story of ram and Sita is remembered at Diwali
What is Lakshmi also known as?
The active energy of Vishnu
Give ten developed facts about Lakshmi
Goddess of money and luck in Hinduism
Consort of Vishnu
Hindus pray to her on danteras to bring good luck and well being in the new year.
Protects her devotees from all kinds of misery and money related sorrows
Source of strength for Vishnu
Expression is always calm and loving.
Friday is her most auspicious day for her worship
Sometimes seen massaging vishnu feet on the coils of the snake sheesha to show her love and devotion.
Gold and red clothes- gold is prosperity
Cascades of gold are seen flowing from her hands, suggesting that those who worship her will gain her wealth
Four arms represent the four aims of life
What is god in Hinduism?
An abstract concept
Name 2 avatars of Krishna
Ram
Krishna
Who is Krishnas lover?
Radha
What did Krishna want to teach to his devotees by stealing milk and butter?
He wanted to destroy the ignorance of his devotees teaching them not to be attached to matter.
What was Radha said to be?
An incarnation of Lakshmi
Who brahmas consort?
Saraswati
Who is the goddess of knowledge?
Saraswati
Who did saraswati give birth to?
Manu
Why does saraswati wear white?
Symbolises purity.
What instrument does saraswati play?
Veena
What animals is saraswati often seen with?
Swan
Goose
Peacock
Saraswatis appearance is quite plain without jewels what doe this show?
It shows she’s interested in higher more important things with an intellectual matter.
What does saraswati hold?
Books and holy beads - learning and spiritual
What does Saraswatis rosary signify?
Concentration
Meditation
Contemplation
What does her musical instruments symbol convey?
Conveys that the seeker must tune his mind and intellect in order to live in perfect harmony with the world.
What does saraswatis peacock depict?
Unpredictable behaviour as it’s moods can be influenced by changes in the weather.
Saraswati is using a swan as her vehicle and not a peacock. What does this show?
This signifies that one should overcome fear, indecision and fickleness in order to acquire the knowledge.
What are the 4 basic elements used in hindu worship ?
Water
Fire
Air
Earth
What is hindu worship all about?
Doing/ engaging the senses and connecting to god, not following an ordered service.
What do Hindus use to worship?
Their five senses
Give examples of hearing in worship
Chants , mantras, prayers , music , Bhajans
Give examples of sight used during hindu worship
Flowers Pictures Statues Shrine Murti
How do Hindus use taste in hindu worship
Prasad
How is the smell used during hindu worship
IncenseUsed to set atmosphere
Perfume drifts upwards to god
How is touch used in hindu worship
Prayer beads
Over the Arti light
Water
Why do Hindus use idols in worship?
God is everywhere he is present in the idol
It’s a way of directing flow to help concentration
It’s a channel to direct prayers to god who is unseen and distant
Define puja
Worship or paying respects to god or a chosen deity
Briefly describe how a hindu would perform a puja
A hindu would take a shower A bell is rang to wake the deity Incense sticks are lit Prayers and offerings are made The gayatri mantra is said Offerings such as water, milk and food Deity image is washed and dressed A paste is made from sandalwood and water which is placed on the image and the devotees forehead A lamp is lit and Arti is performed by circling it in front of the deity Prayers and mantras are then said
Give objects used in puja
Incense Photo of deity/ guru Bell Arti lamp Prasad Flowers Water
How is Arti performed
A special dish containing five cotton wool wicks dipped in purified butter is lit. The number five represents the five elements of earth, air, wind, water and fire. The lamp is rotated around the deity whilst a small bell is rung. Then the devotees symbolically accept the light and blessing of god by passing their hands over the flame and then placing the palms of their hands over their eyes forehead and head. This action represents the wish to destroy the darkness and ignorance and receive the light of knowledge.
What is the purpose of puja?
All of the items used in puja relate to the five elements of earth, air, fire wind and water and the five senses. These are the basic ingredients of life and show how in the act of puja, the basic elements of life are offered to god and express gratitude for the gift of life. So all the actions of puja are performed for the specific purpose of bringing the presence of the deity into the home and to help the worshipper develop a good state of mind with loving feelings towards god. It also helps to concentrate on the inner self in order to seek wisdom + understanding.
What is a hindu temple called?
A mandir
What does the outer part/ design or the mandir resemble? And why?
Resembles a mountain because mountains are the dwelling places of gods, shiva and parvati lived in the himalayas, Kailash.
What is the basic purpose of the mandir?
To house the deities so the centre and focus of the whole building is the inner sanctum, where the image or murti of the deity is called.
What does the garbha griha mean? And what is it
Womb house
The inner shrine which holds the image of the deity
What does the tower like structure of the mandir represent?
The highest level of liberation (moksha), and the tower leads to the eye upwards towards liberation.