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Hindu Terms
Terms related to hinduism
32
Religious Studies
Undergraduate 3
10/20/2010

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Term
Books-Bhagavad Gita
Definition
A section of the Mahabharata epic recounting a conversation between Krishna [avatar of the god Vishnu] and the warrior Arjuna, in which Krishna explains the nature of God and the human soul, H.
Term
Books-Bhagavad Purana
Definition
A popular epic about the exploits of Krishna as child wonder worker, lover, and king, H.
Term
Books-Ramayana
Definition
An epic recounting the life of Lord Rama, an incarnation of the god Vishnu and the rescue of his wife Sita from the demon Ravana, H
Term
Books-Shruti
Definition
Literature like the Vedas including the philosophical Upanishads or the guide to rituals found in the Brahmanas that are viewed to be heard or revealed to the authors.
Term
Books-Smriti
Definition
Literature like the Gita or the Ramayana viewed as remembered, revealed but humanly composed.
Term
Books-Tantra
Definition
A sacred esoteric text or school with spiritual practices honoring the divine in female form and focusing on controversial ritual practices, some of them sexual.
Term
Books-Upanishads
Definition
Philosophical texts in the form of reported conversations on the theory of the Vedic ritual and the nature of knowledge, H.
Term
Books-Vedas
Definition
The four collections of hymns and ritual texts that constitute the oldest and most highly respected Hindu sacred literature, H.
Term
Ideas-Avidya
Definition
Ignorance. The problem for humans is not sin but ignorance of the true reality of existence.
Term
Ideas-Atman
Definition
Individual soul or self, held by Upanishadic and Vedantic thought to be identical with Brahman, the world soul, H.
Term
Ideas-Avatar
Definition
Iincarnation of a deity, H.
Term
Ideas-Henotheism
Definition
Belief that there is one godness but different paths or expression of the one God.
Term
Ideas-Karma
Definition
the law of cause and effect that keeps the wheel or reincarnation turning.
Term
Ideas-Moksha
Definition
Liberation from samsara, H
Term
Ideas-Samasara
Definition
Condition of all persons in a cycle of birth and rebirth or reincarnation.
Term
Practices-Bhakti
Definition
. Loving and intense devotion to a deity seen as a gracious being who enters the world for the benefit of humans and one of the works to liberation explained in the Bhagavad Gita, H.
Term
Practices-Jnana
Definition
Knowledge [particularly through meditation], one of the three avenues [paths, works, marga] to liberation explained in the Bhagavad Gita.
Term
Practices-Karma
Definition
One of the three paths to liberation explained in the Bhagavad Gita, the path of works, duty or obligation. Also, the law of cause and effect that keeps the wheel or reincarnation turning. H
Term
Practices-Mantras
Definition
Short, specific verses to be recited by priests in the context of their duties at sacrifices or the chanting of powerful words in Buddhism.
Term
Practices-Prasada
Definition
Gift from the deity, especially food that has been presented to the god’s temple image, blessed and returned to the devotee, H.
Term
Practices-Puja
Definition
Ritual worship
Term
Practices-Yoga
Definition
A practice and discipline that may involve a philosophical system and mental concentration as well as physical postures and exercises, H.
Term
Sacred time or space-Varanasi or Benares or Kasi
Definition
Located in Uttar Pradesh. Hindu Holy City. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganga River remits sins and that dying in the city ensures release of a person’s soul from the cycle of transmigrations. Ashes brought to the Ganga for ritual submersion.
Term
Sacred Time or space-Daarhan
Definition
The ritual act of being granted the seeing of a sacred image, person or place.
Term
Sacred Time or Space-Deepavali or Divali
Definition
Festival of light in October-November, when lamps are lit. The main religious event if the worship of Laksmi, the Goddess of wealth in Hindu mythology, H.
Term
Sacred Time or Space-Holi
Definition
Festival of light in October-November, when lamps are lit. The main religious event if the worship of Laksmi, the Goddess of wealth in Hindu mythology, H.
Term
Sacred Time or Space-Navaratri.
Definition
nights, an autumn festival of worship and dance honoring the Goddess Shakti/Devi, H.
Term
Synmbols-Ganesha
Definition
The elephant headed god of wisdom and good fortune. Represented as a pot-bellied king with the head of a one-tusked elephant, H.
Term
Symobls-Lotus
Definition
In Hinduism the lotus represents beauty, and also non-attachment.
Term
Symbols-Nataraja
Definition
Portrayal of Shiva as a cosmic dancer. Shiva has four hands. One of the right hands holds an hourglass-shaped drum, symbolizing sound—both speech and the divine truth heard through revelation. The other right hand is making a gesture that grants fearlessness to the devotee. One of the left hands holds a flame, symbolizing the destruction of the world at the end time. The feet grant salvation and are worshipped to obtain union with Shiva. The left foot, representing the refuge of the devotee, is raised, signifying liberation. The other left hand points to this foot. [Oxford—World Religions].
Term
Symbols-Om
Definition
Syllable chanted in meditation, interpreted as representing ultimate reality, or the universe, or the relationship of the devotee to the deity, H.
Term
Symbols-Tilaka
Definition
a dot or mark on the forehead made with colored powder, H.
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