Queens University of Charlotte - RELG 349A - Topics: Hinduism (glossary)

College of Arts and Sciences

TOPICS IN RELIGION: HINDUISM

RELG349A

Fall 2005
Dr. Usha Sanyal

GLOSSARY

ashram a hermitage; also a system of dividing a person's lifespan into four different stages of life

atman the self, as opposed to brahman

Bhagavad Gita lit., "Song of the Lord," part of the Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata

bhakti
devotion to a personal God (bhagavan) or Goddess (bhagavati); the path of religious devotion

Brahma the creator God

brahmacharya a celibate (unmarried) student, the first of the four ashrams

brahman the supreme being, God, as opposed to atman

Brahmans the highest Hindu caste, consisting of scholars and priests

deva
a god, who can have many forms (Devata is similar in meaning.)

devi a goddess, who can have many forms

dharma religious duty; this duty differs for different individuals, depending on their social class, gender, etc.

Epics, the the Mahabharata and the Ramayana

jati a social group defined by birth; it is made up of people of the same profession and the same social position; this group is smaller than a varna

karma action in the world

Kshatriyas
rulers and aristocrats, the second caste after the Brahmans

mantra sacred chant

moksha (also nirvana) spiritual salvation or liberation from the bonds of action and rebirth

om (or aum) a sacred syllable recited in Hindu prayer and meditation ("the sound of the universe identified with brahman," Gavin Flood, Intro. to Hinduism, p. 101)

orthopraxy (as opposed to "orthodoxy") an emphasis on correct practice rather than correct belief

Pandavas the five brothers who are the heroes of the Mahabharata epic. They are: Yudhishthir, Bhim, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadev.

Puranas "stories about the ancient past," texts about early kings and their genealogies; not as old as the Vedas

sadhu a renouncer of the world, an ascetic or hermit

samsara reincarnation

sanyas (or samnyas) renunciation

Shramans ascetics, world renouncers who practiced yoga and various austerities to detach themselves from worldly ties and who rejected the authority of the Vedas

shruti revelation; revealed texts (which are "heard"), the most important of which are the Vedas. Only "twice-born" castes can listen to them. (Shrauta is an adjective from shruti.)

Shudra the fourth caste in the social hierarchy; serfs who served the other three castes; unlike the first three castes, they were not "twice-born"

smriti secondary religious texts (which are "remembered"), composed by a human author (e.g., the Epics). All castes, even those who are not "twice-born," can listen to and study these texts.

soma an intoxicating drink used in Vedic ritual; also a Vedic god

theism the idea that there is a supreme God (or Goddess) who generates or creates the cosmos, and who maintains it and finally destroys it. This God has the power to save beings through his grace. Two major theistic gods in Hinduism are: Vishnu and Shiva.

twice-born members of the first three castes. Boys undergo an initiation ceremony (upanayana) marking their transition into adulthood. This ceremony is their symbolic "second" birth.

upanayana the sacred-thread ceremony that marks the "second" birth of upper-caste boys. After this, they begin to study the Vedas under the guidance of a teacher and may marry and become householders.

Upanishads late Vedic texts which emphasize the importance of knowledge over ritual

varna lit., "color"; the hierarchical system of social classes, in which the Brahmans are at the top and the Shudras at the bottom.

Vedas ancient Sanskrit texts, of which the most important is the Rig Veda

Vishnu one form of the Supreme God; he has ten incarnations, including Krishna and Ram, among others. The Goddess Lakhshmi is his wife.

yoga methods of mental training associated with renunciation (see Shramans). Flood, Intro. to Hinduism (p. 96) defines it as "the cessation of mental fluctuations."

Dr. Usha Sanyal
220 Watkins

sanyalu@queens.edu
704 337-2541

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GLOSSARY
ashram	a hermitage; also a system of dividing a person's lifespan into four different stages of life
atman	the self, as opposed to brahman
Bhagavad Gita	lit., "Song of the Lord," part of the Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata
bhakti	devotion to a personal God (bhagavan) or Goddess (bhagavati); the path of religious devotion
Brahma	the creator God
brahmacharya	a celibate (unmarried) student, the first of the four ashrams
brahman	the supreme being, God, as opposed to atman
Brahmans	the highest Hindu caste, consisting of scholars and priests
deva	a god, who can have many forms (Devata is similar in meaning.)
devi	a goddess, who can have many forms
dharma	religious duty; this duty differs for different individuals, depending on their social class, gender, etc.
Epics, the	the Mahabharata and the Ramayana
jati	a social group defined by birth; it is made up of people of the same profession and the same social position; this group is smaller than a varna
karma	action in the world
Kshatriyas	rulers and aristocrats, the second caste after the Brahmans
mantra	sacred chant
moksha (also nirvana)	spiritual salvation or liberation from the bonds of action and rebirth
om (or aum)	a sacred syllable recited in Hindu prayer and meditation ("the sound of the universe identified with brahman," Gavin Flood, Intro. to Hinduism, p. 101)
orthopraxy	(as opposed to "orthodoxy") an emphasis on correct practice rather than correct belief
Pandavas	the five brothers who are the heroes of the Mahabharata epic. They are: Yudhishthir, Bhim, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadev.
Puranas	"stories about the ancient past," texts about early kings and their genealogies; not as old as the Vedas
sadhu	a renouncer of the world, an ascetic or hermit
samsara	reincarnation
sanyas (or samnyas)	renunciation
Shramans	ascetics, world renouncers who practiced yoga and various austerities to detach themselves from worldly ties and who rejected the authority of the Vedas
shruti	revelation; revealed texts (which are "heard"), the most important of which are the Vedas. Only "twice-born" castes can listen to them. (Shrauta is an adjective from shruti.)
Shudra	the fourth caste in the social hierarchy; serfs who served the other three castes; unlike the first three castes, they were not "twice-born"
smriti	secondary religious texts (which are "remembered"), composed by a human author (e.g., the Epics). All castes, even those who are not "twice-born," can listen to and study these texts.
soma	an intoxicating drink used in Vedic ritual; also a Vedic god
theism	the idea that there is a supreme God (or Goddess) who generates or creates the cosmos, and who maintains it and finally destroys it. This God has the power to save beings through his grace. Two major theistic gods in Hinduism are: Vishnu and Shiva.
twice-born	members of the first three castes. Boys undergo an initiation ceremony (upanayana) marking their transition into adulthood. This ceremony is their symbolic "second" birth.
upanayana	the sacred-thread ceremony that marks the "second" birth of upper-caste boys. After this, they begin to study the Vedas under the guidance of a teacher and may marry and become householders.
Upanishads	late Vedic texts which emphasize the importance of knowledge over ritual
varna	lit., "color"; the hierarchical system of social classes, in which the Brahmans are at the top and the Shudras at the bottom.
Vedas	ancient Sanskrit texts, of which the most important is the Rig Veda
Vishnu	one form of the Supreme God; he has ten incarnations, including Krishna and Ram, among others. The Goddess Lakhshmi is his wife.
yoga	methods of mental training associated with renunciation (see Shramans). Flood, Intro. to Hinduism (p. 96) defines it as "the cessation of mental fluctuations."