Final

Religion 1 with Howley at Columbia University

About this deck

By: Reuben Nduati
Created: 2011-04-22
Size: 44 flashcards
Views: 60

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Indian people's party - 1 0f 2 major political parties in India -
Context: Party closely related to the Ayodha dispute of the Babri Mosque that was destroyed in 1992. Dispute: Hindus believed the mosque was built over a Hindu temple for the God Rama.

Brindavan/Vrindaban/Vrindavana

is the site of an ancient forest which is the region where Lord Krishna spent his childhood days located in the region of Braj.
Town hosts hundreds of temples dedicated to the worship of Radha and Krishna and is considered sacred to Hinduism.

Kali/Bhadrakali

is the Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy - Kali threatens stability and order. Black, time, death, lord of death - She is the other dimension of the soothing mother earth that the other Hindu goddesses are related to.

Ras Lila

Play of the great circle dance. In which Krishna dances with Radha and gopis.
It is a symbol that teaches Hindus the true meaning of spiritual love. Spiritual love directed to their gods - a love (prem) that is eternal.

Radha

consort/lover/mistress of Krishna. Worshiped together with Krishna by Vaisnava devotees. Incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi

Ram lila

is a dramatic play of the life of Lord Ram, ending up in ten day battle between Lord Ram and Ravana, in the Ramayana.It depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like: ideal father/servant/brother/wife and king.

Hindutva

"Hinduness", a word coined by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar - a term used to describe movements advocating Hindu nationalism.

Lila

Play - lila more simply refers to the activities of God and his devotees
Lilas represent an important idea in the traditional worship of Krishna and Shiva.

Ravidas

Ravidas, from the untouchables caste, shoemaker of Benares - controversial poet - considered more a nirgun (w/o form) poet. His critiques of Hinduism shed light on the contradiction in Hinduism like castes.

Kabir

'the great one' also one of the names of Alah. Weaver, controversial poet claimed by Muslims, Hindus & Sikh's alike. Criticizes all religions - mistrusts religious authority - very nirgun poet - believed it was all within.

Sita

Wife of Rama - in the ramayana - esteemed as the standard setter for wifely and womanly virtues for all Hindu women

Lakshmana

was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana.

Ravana

primary antagonist in the Ramayana. Shows that evil is defeated by the perfect man rama (god).

Ayodhya

Birthplace of the god Ram.

Babri Masjid

was a controversial mosque in Ayodhya destroyed by Hindus in 1992. Hindus claimed it was built on top of a Rama temple.
Important because it explains some of the tensions between the Muslims and Hindus

Devi Mahatmya

is a Hindu text describing the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. Importance: considered the testament of Shakta philosophy it is the base and root of Shakta doctrine. It appears as the centre of the great Shakti cult.

Santoshi Ma/ Mata

is a relatively new goddess in the Hindu pantheon. Affiliated with Devi. She is venerated as "the Mother of Satisfaction"- particularly worshipped by women of North India

Tantra

the practice often involves esoteric sexual rituals and the worship of the goddess.

Sakti/Shakti

meaning sacred force energy power, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe Important because: Shakti is considered to be one of five equal bonafide personal forms of God

Dasaratha Jataka

Emperor of the Kosala country with Ayodha as its capital. Rama's Father. Importance: is part of the Ramayana and is part of the teachings of the Ramayana of keeping his word to Kaikeyi.

Tirtha

a holy place - a holy river, mountain, or other place made sacred through association with a deity or saint. Eg the Ganges river - goddess ganga.

Bhajan and kirtan

Bhajan - the singing of devotional songs and hymns.
Kirtan - (sanskrit; to repeat) - responsory chanting

Kali Yuga / Kali Yug

is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yuga. Hindus believe that human civilization degenerates spiritually during the Kali Yuga. Lasts 432,000 years.

Valmiki

Author of the Ramayana.

Kama

physical love, sexual fulfillment, pleasure of the senses, or the aesthetic enjoyment of life. It is a legitimate purpose in a Hindus life.

Mantra

is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Kundalini and the Cakras

Kundalini is described as a sleeping, dormant potential force in the human organism. Chakras / Cakras they are considered the focal points for the reception and transmission of energies.

Pancamakara / Five Ms

a Tantric term referring to the five substances used in a Tantric worship or spiritual practice: madya (wine) māṃsa (meat) matsya (fish) mudrā (parched grain) maithuna (sexual intercourse)

Nataraja

Lord Shiva as the Cosmic Dancer representing the rhythmic movement of the entire cosmos thought to evoke the oneness of God and creation (That pic of Shiva dancing)

Ganga

The Ganges river that Hindus worship as the goddess ganga. Hindus believe that the water from the Ganges can cleanse a person's soul of all past sins, and that it can also cure the ill.

Durga

"one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" An embodiment of creative feminine force (Shakti), Durga exists in a state of independence from the universe and anything/anybody else, i.e., self-sufficiency and fierce compassion.

Bharata Mata

Mother India, is the national personification of India as a mother goddess. She is usually depicted as a woman clad in an orange or saffron sari holding a flag, and sometimes accompanied by a lion.

Parvati /Gauri

mother goddess, fair gracious spouse of shiva, Devi affiliate. "the one born of the mountain (Himalaya)". Shiva's consort.

Mansukha

male jester/buffoon character in the lila 'theft of the flute'. Krishna's friend.

Kalighat

is a locality of Kolkata, India. A famous temple Kalighat Kali Temple dedicated to the goddess Kali is situated there.

Sri a.k.a Lakshmi

is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity (both material and spiritual), light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity. Grants worldly prosperity as well as liberation from the cycle of life & death (moksha). Consort of Vishnu

AIDS-amma

Southern India - new goddess of AIDS mother (amma). Such deities are thought to both cause and cure the disease over which they preside. Shows how goddesses would be by diseases/plagues/

Interlogue

Used as a term for 'samvadas' which means colloquy or dialogue. Discussions between pple/communities/countries/religions etc causes transformation (change outwards) thro conversation.

Nyasa

Mantras in worship that empower. Unclear.

Guru Nanak

Founder of the Sikh religion

Guru Granth

is the religious text of Sikhism. Sikhs consider the Granth as a spiritual guide for all mankind for all generations to come, and it plays a central role in "guiding" the Sikhs' way of life.

Sufism

Mystical movement within Islam that seeks to find divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God. Arose after the death of Muhammad among different groups who found orthodox Islam to be spiritually stifling.

Nirguna / Saguna

oncept of primary importance in the orthodox Hindu philosophy of Vedānta, raising the question of whether the supreme being, Brahman, is to be characterized as without qualities (nirguṇa) or as possessing qualities

Mirabai

the female poet of Rajasthan, dedicated devotee of Krishna. Saguna (with qualities) type of poet. Goes to Ravidas as her Guru - caste problem he is a dalit.

About this deck

By: Reuben Nduati
Created: 2011-04-22
Size: 44 flashcards
Views: 60

About StudyBlue

“I have used this website for three exams, and I see a huge difference in my test results.”
Naj