Gods are placed into three realms o Celestial o Atmospheric o Terrestrial God s are constructed in the image of human beings but way more powerful Deva the power Gods Varuna Keeps everything in order Rudra and Marut Winds and storms god Indra God of Gods Agni most generous Most worshipped Hindu Scriptures Vedas 1500 BCE 800BCE Vedas means knowledge Rig praise o Rig Veda o Yajur Veda o Sama Veda o Atharva Veda Instructions for carrying out rituals and sacrifices Ahinsa respect for life Music For the different times Morning soothing Contains spells against demons protection from sickness snakes etc Emphasizes house worship how priest should visit home help carry out religious ceremonies Mandir place of worship Upanishads 500BCE Puja Worship o Emphasize meditations fasting silence avoidance of sex avoidance of intoxication Epic literature Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana 100CE Rishis the wise men who wrote the books 1028 Gods 3 033 000 Gods in total Hinduism Brahmins Chaitryas Vaishyas o Priestly class Religious Authority o Rulers and Kings Defend country o Tradesmen and farmers Serve people Shudras o Manual Laborers o Parayas untouchables o Chandlas illegitimate children The Upanishads was written in reaction to Vedas rejected priestly class Not much importance to too many Gods rituals and sacrifices Hinduism had became too ritualistic Main Concepts to remember about Hinduism o Brahman Infinite eternal unchanging pure consciousness Tat tvam asi Thou art that NETI NETI it is neither this nor that o Translated as self soul or consciousness o Also eternal unchanging unborn and undying o Highest goal of life o Atman becoming one with Brahman o Release from cycle of birth and death Reincarnation Avatra o Being born again and again till one achieves moksha Atman Moksha Maya Dharma Karma o Illusion referring to this empirical world of sense perception and thought o Physical and moral order created by Brahman o Doing good deeds according to Dharma Yoga union with God o Karma Yoga doing good deeds without expecting rewards o Jnana Yoga knowing brahman as different from maya o Bhakti Yoga Concentration only on Brahman becoming indifferent to anything Four stages of life o Student life o Household life 14 40 After religious initiation one leaves the house in order to learn the scriptures 8 13 Social responsibilities marrying having a family and making a living o Forest life o Samyasin The Bhagavad Gita Complete devotion to brahman Freed from any worldly possessions properties Freed from other social obligations o Most sacred book of Hindus o songs of Gods o Mahabhrata largest epic o The main theme is that all Gods are simply incarnations of Brahman o Main characters Arjuna and Krishna an incarnation of Vishnu Arjuna prince Pandavas family Lessons meant to teach follow your caste and the duties about that caste Arjuna must fight for his throne because he must fight for what is just Brahman as God o Is the only God o Trimurti 1 Brahman understood as the creator is Brahma 2 Brahman understood as the Preserver is Vishnu 3 Brahman understood as the Destroyer one who changes things from one form to another is Shiva Brahman God Brahma Creator Brahmin priestly caste Hindu Daily Life o Hindu Worship puja Mandir o Offerings o Japa tapa Sects of Hinduism o Vishnuites those who worship vishnu o Shivaites worship in shiva