The Religion of the VedaIndus River Valley Pre-AryansDravidians3000 BCE- 1500 BCEHighly advanced culture (writing system, seal stamps)Planned cityAgricultural society (irrigation, cattle herding)Began to decline 1800-1500 BCEDecline of the DravidiansGradual declineNatural disasters? Flood?Agricultural instabilityMigration of new people?AryansAryansAryan= “noble one” in SanskritMigrated from Mesopotamian basin to India- warriors, pastoralists, poetsPortable religion, oral transmissionPolytheistic, personification of nature; human qualities in animal godsAryan Invasion Theory- not necessarily a planned invasion, they came in wavesVarnas1750-1200 BCE Aryans migrated in waves to IndiaLived in tribal communities with leaders known as rajas or maha rajasSocietal distinctions developedVarnas (classes)= “color”; class distinction often based on skin color (Aryans lighter)Brahmins- priestsKshatriyas- warriors, chieftansVaishyas- commoners, merchantsShudras- slaves & servantsAryan ReligionPolytheisticGods personification of nature/natural forcesAnimistic qualitiesSacrifice on altars (portable, nomadic quality)Sacrifice of animals, milk, butter, soma (hallucinogenic plant)Two Types of RevelationShruti- Hindu sacred writings (Veda), generally more authoritative, based on “revealed” knowledgeSmriti- writings based on “remembered” revelations, less authoritativeVedasOldest sacred text of HinduismBasic source for understanding of universeAll other texts seen as commentaryCreated when Aryans came into India and mixed with nativesOral transmission for generations before written downVedic language- predecessor of early SanskritVeda= “knowledge”Rig Veda- oldest collection, 1000+ hymns containing mythologyMost popular, heaviest Aryan influenceYajur Veda- knowledge of rites, collection of recitations used during sacrificeSama Veda- chants and hymns recited by preistsAtharva Veda- knowledge of sage Atharva, common rituals and prayers to the gods, spells and incantationsFor everyday practicing person, second most popularDivisions in the Vedic BooksMantra- hymn to godsBrahmana- ritual materials on how to perform sacrificesAranyakas- Forest Treatises, for hermits in religious pursuitsBeing a hermit is stage of life after worldly existence (schooling> family> hermit)Upanishads- philosophical materialsGods of the Rig VedaAgni- god of fire, priestsIndra- god of thunderbolt, clouds, rain & heavenVaruna- god over order of universeYama- god of deadMitra- god of faith, loyalty; make promises in the name of MitraSoma- deified hallucinogenic plantUpanishadsFourth section of each of the Vedas; early philosophical statements that became basisBrahman= “ultimate reality”; eternal, infinite, unknowable building blocks of life that make up entire universeAnalogous to everything being made up of atomsMaya- false knowledge humans have about how they exist in terms of Brahman; as separate or different from everything elseAvidya- ignorance of nature of reality; how things truly existMeditation presented as means of worship and quest for true knowledgePhilosophy of BrahmanLiving beings that inhabit our world are expressions of BrahmanThey are souls (atman) in a collective of soulsCollective of souls ultimately make up BrahmanAll phenomenal existence is illusion (maya) arising from ignorance (avidya) of realityA person’s individuality apart from Brahman is an illusionKarma and SamsaraKarma introduced in Upanishads- karma means “action”Virtuous or evil actions can determine a persons constitution in a following lifetimeSamsara means “to wander across”- the round of rebirthSeen as negative phenomenon; one is bound to a life in ignorance and pain living over and over againUltimate goal is moksha- breaking free from lifeConcept of karma used to reinforce the caste systemLaws of ManuPiece of traditional Indian literature composed between 300 BCE- 300 CEReflects ideas present in the culture it was written (ethical and social standards)Roots of many social and religious traditions that characterize HinduismVarna systemEach caste has specific duties (dharma)Mobility only through reincarnationDharma- duties and roles in society based on casteEx: Shudras- unquestioning servants to upper 3 castesStages of Life according to Laws of ManuStages of life an upper caste male (first 3 castes) would go through (women are dominated by the males in their lives)StudentHouseholderHermit- separated from material life (children, house, wife)Wandering ascetic- renounces world completely, beg for food, break down dependence on physical body, intent to ascend to spiritThese stages not all present in modern IndiaConcept of TimeTime moves through cycles, ages of creation “kalpas”Brahma- creatorVishnu- maintainerShiva- destroyerCreation story: Vishnu floating on the ocean sprouts Brahma (arises out of lotus flower). Brahma breaks it into 3 parts and through the will of Vishnu, Brahma creates everything. In times of collapse, Vishnu intercedes to help us. When society and the world breaks down so much into a dark age and it is time for necessary destruction, Shiva comes in and destroys everything. There is a brief period of rest, then the cycle starts again.Bhagavad Gita“Song of the Lord” or referred to as Gita (just “Song”)Part of the MahabharataBattlefield story (epic poem), allegory for human strugglesConversation between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna (reincarnation of Vishnu)Arjuna discovers he has family on the other side of the battle and does not want to kill themReinforces theme of “do your duty”Four Paths to SalvationKarma yoga- The Way of WorksJnana yoga- The Way of KnowledgeRaja yoga- The Way of Physical DisciplineBhakti yoga- The Way of Devotion“Yoga” comes from Sanskrit word for yoke (bringing something together, combining it)Yoga= combining the mind and the body, with an added spiritual essencePost Classical HinduismCompletion of Bhagavad Gita= end of classical eraNew paths to liberation arise3 manifestations of Brahman (Trimurti)Creator- BrahmaMaintainer- VishnuDestroyer- ShivaModern HinduismFour Goals of LifeKama- sensual pleasures (lower order)Kama sutra and other sensesEmbrace and enjoy the worldArtha- wealth (lower order)It is okay to establish financial stabilityDharma- religious dutyCaste system abolished, but societal roles still presentMoksha- liberationGetting outIf one can’t “get out”, at least enjoy the first 3 goals of lifeThese goals can span lifetimes, through the