Hinduism

Kartikeya/Murugan

God of War. Son of Shiva and Parvati. Popular in Southern India. Kartikeya is known by many names. One common alternative is Shadanana, which means 'one with six heads' corresponds to the five senses and the mind. The six heads also stand for his virtues, which enables him to see in all the directions - an important attribute that ensures that he counters all kinds blows that can hit him. The war imagery and the six heads of Kartikeya indicate that if humans wish to lead themselves efficiently through the battle of life, they must always be alert lest they are shown the wrong path by crafty people with the six demonic vices

Moksha

Liberation from samsara, becoming one with Brahman.

Arjuna's dilemma

Arjuna, the young warrior prince of the Pandavas, is leading his army in a great civil war against those who have unjustly usurped his kingdom. As the forces gather on the eve of the ultimate battle, he rides out with his charioteer, the god Krishna, to survey the enemy. There in the middle of the battlefield he sees that the Kauravas army arrayed against him includes his own relatives, teachers, friends, and loved ones. Suddenly overcome with self-doubt and confusion, he calls out to Krishna to stop his chariot, saying he is unable to fight. Emotionally paralyzed, Arjuna sings that he does not want to go on. "My limbs fail and my mouth becomes dry... the bow slips from my hand." He then turns to Krishna for guidance as the chorus voices his thoughts. "O Krishna, this is a great sin to kill our own people."

Syncretism in religion

Combination of two or more religious value systems. Hinduism is perhaps the best example, taking some of its traditions from the ancient Indus Valley civilization, as well as the Indo-Aryan and Davidian.

Parvati/Kali/Durga

Divine Mother and Wife of Shiva. Goddess of love and devotion. One of the many forms of Shakti, the unknowable.

Ganesh/Ganesha

Elephant headed deity of wisdom, son of Parvati, though NOT Shiva. Parvati wanted children and Shiva did not. He threw an old rag at her and told her to make a doll to cuddle instead. As she meditated her tears fell on the cloth and it became her son Ganesh. Parvati made Ganesh guardian of her cave. In this role he challenged Shiva when he tried to enter--not knowing who he was. Shiva was angered and beheaded Ganesh. Parvati's grief was so great, Shiva promised to find Ganesh' head and set matters right, but unable to find Ganesh' head, an elephant head was substituted and Ganesh became Keeper of the Threshold and God of Good Fortune, Remover of Obstacles, and God of New Beginnings. He is worshipped extensively in Western India.

Durga

A demon-fighting form of Parvati, and therefore yet another incarnation of Shakti, and some texts suggest Parvati took this form of to kill the demon Durgamasur. Appearance is that of ten-handed goddess. Often depicted astride a Lion or Tiger. Goddess of justice and punishment. Popular in Eastern India, especially Bengal.

Vaisnavas

Focus worship on Vishnu and are found mainly in Northern India.

Krishna

One of the most popular gods, the eighth and most important incarnation/avatar of Vishnu. Plays the role of Charioteer for the hero Arjuna in the Mahabharata

Shiva and Vishnu

Overwhelming majority of Hindus worship which gods, though not exclusively?

Arjuna

Protagonist whose story is told in the Mahabharata, particularly the portion known as the Bhagavad Gita. A warrior prince to whom Krishna explains the nature of being and of God and how humans can come to know God. His primary weapon with which he is very skilled is the bow and arrow.

Karma

Sanskrit word whose literal meaning is 'action'. It refers to the law that every action has an equal reaction either immediately or at some point in the future. Good or virtuous actions, actions in harmony with dharma, will have good reactions or responses and bad actions, actions against dharma, will have the opposite effect. Karma operates not only in this lifetime but across lifetimes: the results of an action might only be experienced after the present life in a new life. Simply, what a person does.

Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma

The "holy trinity" of Hinduism, the three chief gods, who once again can be seen as mere aspects of the fundamental reality, Brahman

The Story of Parvati. How the Goddess Shakti is reborn as Parvati. How Parvati is divided to become Kali.

The Story of Parvati The times were dark. Demons from the netherworld had driven the gods out of their heavenly homes. Unfortunately, Shiva, the God of War, was no longer there to defend them. Grieving the death of the woman he loved, Shiva had turned his back on the world and all its pleasures. He now lived in a dark cave and spent his days in meditation and learning. His spiritual powers had become immense, but Shiva was no longer concerned with the problems of the gods and would not come to their aid. Desperate for a solution, the gods consulted the mother goddess, Shakti, who suggested that only a son of Shiva could wage a successful war against the demons. Then she agreed to take another form and draw Shiva out of his cave and get him to father a warrior who would banish the demons. Shakti was reborn as the daughter of the Lord of the Mountains, and she was given the name Parvati. Goddess Parvati Even as a young girl Parvati was in love with Shiva. Determined to win his affection, she would visit his cave each day to bring him fruit and to sweep the floor of the cave and decorate his cave with flowers. But Shiva spurned her efforts. (Some versions say he rejected her because of her dark skin.) But Parvati was determined. She decided to go into the mountains and become an ascetic herself, thinking perhaps this would win his love. But she did not leave until she had obtained a pledge from Shiva's manservant that he would guard Shiva's bedroom and keep him chaste. A demon disguised itself as Parvati. It seduced Shiva and attempted to kill him by lining its illusory vagina with nails. Shiva was not fooled and put a sword on his penis and vanquished the demon. Informants told Parvati that a woman had visited Shiva, and she flew into a jealous rage, her anger erupting as a lion. Furious with the guard who had agreed to protect Shiva, she turned him into a stone. But, for the most part, Parvati just continued following her plan. Living in the forest with nothing to eat and with no clothes to protect her tender body from the fierce weather, she completely mastered her physical needs. Soon she was able to match Shiva's awesome powers by creating incredible energy in her yoga meditations—enough energy to attract the attention of the supreme deity, Brahma. Brahma took pity on Parvati and asked what she wanted. Ashamed of her dark skin, she told him she wanted golden skin and he granted her wish. He split Parvati in two parts. In some versions of the myths the horrific, black side became Kali, "Black Mother Time", while Parvati's new skin glowed golden like the sun. When Shiva saw her and realized how beautiful and powerful she had become, he was unable to resist her. The two were married in a sacred ritual performed by the gods and spent their honeymoon on the mountain top that was the center of the universe. Parvati's consistent affection soon softened Shiva's heart toward her. Parvati kept her promise to the gods. She sent them part of Shiva's aura which was in turn given to the river goddess Ganga who cooled it in her icy waters until it formed a seed. The seed was planted in the fertile forest floor where it grew into the war god Skanda. He soon took command, defeated the demons, and restored the heavens to the gods. But Parvati longed for a child of her own. Shiva didn't want to be bothered with offspring so he spitefully gave her a scrap of cloth and told her to make a doll and cuddle it instead. Hurt by his remark she withdrew to a cave to meditate and get control of her emotions. Clutching the cloth to her breast, Parvati's tears dropped on it and the cloth grew into the form of Ganesha, her son. She assigned her newly created son to guard over her cave and to keep out all strangers. In the meantime Shiva began to regret his impulsive act and came to find Parvati and apologize. Ganesha didn't recognize him and blocked his way. Shiva flew into a rage and beheaded Ganesha. Parvati's grief was so intense that Shiva promised to find Ganesha another head. Shiva could only find an elephant's head, which probably seemed a bit suspicious to Parvati, but there was nothing she could do. Thus Ganesha was reborn as half human, half elephant. He became the Keeper of the Threshold and the God of Good Fortune, an obstacle to all that is undesirable. His union with Parvati eventually inspired Shiva to accept pleasure into his life and he soon became the patron of the arts. The great warrior, much to the delight of all the gods, had become the Lord of Dance. Parvati also awakened his concern for the world by honoring him by asking his opinion about important issues. As he spoke, Shiva revealed the learning that he had gathered in his meditations, ensuring that the energy created by his asceticism was channeled for the good of all mankind. Parvati represents the part of ourselves that creatively brings forth nourishment even in the midst of what seems to be rejection and disapproval. She is a wonderful affirmation that there are no limits to what a woman can do when she uses her spiritual energy in the pursuit of any goal she chooses. When we embrace love, Parvati is there to bless us.

Ramayana

A Hindu epic written in Sanskrit that describes the adventures of the king Rama and his queen.

Saraswati

Goddess of Knowledge/Wisdom. She is the Hindu goddess of learning, wisdom, music, and aesthetics. She is also known as Bharati (eloquence), Shatarupa (existence), Vedamata ('mother of the Vedas'), Brahmi, Sarada, Vagisvari, and Putkari. As Vac, she is the goddess of speech. She first appears in the Rigveda and, in later religious texts, she is identified as the inventor of Sanskrit and, appropriately, gives Ganesha the gifts of pen and inks. She is also a patron of the arts and sciences, and the wife of Brahma, even if the Bengal Vaisnavas considered her first the wife of Vishnu. She is also worshipped as the goddess of learning in Jainism and by some Buddhist sects.

Lakshmi

Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity-- in all forms, both material and spiritual . Wife of Vishnu. For most Hindu families, she is the household goddess, and she is a particular favorite of women. Although she is worshiped daily, the festive month of October is her special month. Her Puja is celebrated on the full moon night of Kojagari Purnima, the harvest festival that marks the end of the monsoon season.

Brahma

Hindu god considered the creator of the world. Of the three gods that make up the so-called Hindu Trinity, he has the fewest followers and temples dedicated to his worship. Brahma has four heads and it is believed that from these heads came the four Vedas (the most ancient religious texts for Hindus).

Shiva

Hindu god considered the destroyer of the world.

Vishnu

Hindu god considered the preserver of the world. He has multiple incarnations the most significant of which are his seventh, Rama, and his eighth incarnation, Krishna.

Guru

Hindu religious leader and spiritual teacher

Dharma

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties. The Hindu worldview asserts that by following one's dharma, a person can eventually achieve liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth (samsara). In the traditional Hindu view, a person's duties are dependent upon his or her age, gender, occupation, and caste; dharma is construed at least in part in terms of prescribed rituals and caste obligations. Simply, what a person must or should do.

Rama

Incarnation of Hindu god Vishnu made famous in the Ramayana. Main protagonist in the Ramayanan

The basic Vedic texts are the Samhita "Collections" of the four Vedas: •Rig-Veda "Knowledge of the Hymns of Praise", for recitation. (Largest and most Important) •Sama-Veda "Knowledge of the Melodies", for chanting. •Yajur-Veda "Knowledge of the Sacrificial formulas", for liturgy. •Atharva-Veda "Knowledge of the Magic formulas", named after a kind of group of priests. In general, the Vedas have a strong priestly bias, as the priestly class had the monopoly in the edition and transmission of these texts.

The Vedas?

Brahman

The eternal essence of reality and the source of the universe, beyond the reach of human perception and thought. The universal being from which everything else flows. All of the other gods can be seen as mere aspects of this entity, and thus Hinduism can be argued to be monotheistic.

kaama (sex), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (passion), mada (ego) and matsarya (jealousy).

The six demonic vices: ?

Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita is contained within

This is an ancient Indian epic where the main story revolves around two branches of a family - the Pandavas and Kauravas - who, in the Kurukshetra War, battle for the throne of Hastinapura. Interwoven into this narrative are several smaller stories about people dead or living, and philosophical discourses. Krishna-Dwaipayan Vyasa, himself a character in the epic, composed it; as, according to tradition, he dictated the verses and Ganesha wrote them down. At 100,000 verses, it is the longest epic poem ever written, generally thought to have been composed in the 4th century BCE or earlier. The events in the epic play out in the Indian subcontinent and surrounding areas. It was first narrated by a student of Vyasa at a snake-sacrifice of the great-grandson of one of the major characters of the story. Including within it the Bhagavad Gita, this text is one of the most important texts of ancient Indian, indeed world, literature.

Bhagavad Gita

This is an ancient Indian text that became an important work of Hindu tradition in terms of both literature and philosophy. The earliest translations of this work from Sanskrit into English were made around 1795 CE by Sir Charles Wilkins. Its name means "the song of the Lord". It is composed as a poem and it contains many key topics related to the Indian intellectual and spiritual tradition. Although it is normally edited as an independent text, this portion became a section of a massive Indian epic named "The Mahabharata", the longest Indian epic. There is a part in the middle of this long text, consisting of 18 brief chapters and about 700 verses: this is the section known as this name.

Swastika

This is the second most important Hindu symbol. This term is believed to be a fusion of the two Sanskrit words 'Su' (good) and 'Asati' (to exist), which when combined means 'May Good Prevail'. It is an ancient Hindu symbol that denotes well-being and auspiciousness. It means "Everything is Good." This auspicious symbol is very commonly used in Hindu art, architecture and decoration. It can be seen on temples, houses, doorways, clothing, and cars etc. It is usually a major part of the decoration for festivals and special ceremonies like weddings.

Samsara

This process of reincarnation, a continuous cycle in which the soul is reborn over and over again according to the law of action and reaction. At death many Hindus believe the soul is carried by a subtle body into a new physical body which can be a human or non-human form (an animal or divine being). The goal of liberation (moksha) is to make us free from this cycle of action and reaction, and from rebirth.

Om--pronounced Aum

This symbol is the most sacred of all sounds. It is made up of three Sanskrit letters, aa, au and ma. The most important symbol in Hinduism, it occurs in every prayer and invocation to most deities begins with it and is frequently used in Buddhist and Jain rituals as well. This symbol represents Brahman, the Almighty. It is said that it was the sound heard during the time of the creation of the universe. As the Cross is to Christans, this symbol is to Hindus. It is often found worn as pendants, rings, and enshrined in every Hindu temple.

Trishul

This tri headed spear, or trident, is one of the most popular symbols associated with Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga. It symbolizes the balance of the three forces of preservation, creation and destruction. It also represents the three aspects of consciousness - cognition, conation and affection. The weapon Shiva used to behead Ganesh.

Arjuna's dilemma resolved

To convince Arjuna of his duty, Krishna first enters into a long dialogue with Arjuna, explains the ways of the gods and the universe, and Arjuna's place in it. Not fully convinced, Krishna then provides a vision and a look at his true self. THE VISION Arjuna is almost satisfied, but he is a man of action who needs to see as well as be told. He begs to be shown everything—the true nature of reality—and hopes that he is prepared for such a revelation. "Oh Lord, you are as you have said, yet I wish to see your divine cosmic form. If you think it is possible for me to see this then show me your immutable Self." Krishna at last consents and turns himself into a vision of magnificence and power beyond imagining. Arjuna stands transfixed, relating all that he sees. The vision first reveals the indescribable and sublime beauty of the universe, but gradually transforms, laying bare its unfathomable horrors. As Arjuna trembles in terror, Krishna displays his most fearsome powers, declaring, "I am death the destroyer, the mighty destroyer of the world... All these warriors have already been destroyed by Me. You are only an instrument." Arjuna sees that his duty is not only the literal battle in front of him but, more importantly, the battle for ultimate wisdom. With new resolve, Arjuna picks up his bow and heads off to fight.

Shaivas, Shivaism

Worshippers of Shiva, religion of Shiva