Hinduism The Rise of Modern Religion in the Indus River Valley

India Before HinduismIndia Before Hinduism Indus River Valley Civilization

2500 and 1500 B.C 2 cities: Harappa and Mohenjo- daro

Orderly plans of the cities Prototypical symbols and figurines

Decline of the Indus Decline of the Indus River Valley River Valley CivilizationCivilization

Decline b/w 1750 B.C and 1500 B.C Causes: floods, internal disputes and invasion

by Aryans (where have you seen this before?) Aryans conquered the cities of the IRV

civilization Assimilation between Aryans and people of

IRV Dasu and distaste for IRV practices

Creation of the Indian Creation of the Indian Caste SystemCaste System

Caste system called varna meaning “color”

Aryan’s caste system before invasion priest, warrior and

merchant

After invasion, Indian society was separated into 4 basic castes:

Brahmin: priest Ksatriya: warrior Vaisya: merchant Sudra: servant Dalit: “Untouchables” Thousands of jati

The Indian Caste The Indian Caste SystemSystem

Religious Texts of Religious Texts of HinduismHinduism

The Vedas written b/w 1200 and 800 B.C.E (oldest literature) Collection of chanted hymns and ceremonial formulae Includes Brahmans and Upanishads texts as part of the Sruti

(hearing”) tradition 4 Vedas: Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva.

Rig outlines ceremonies most crucial in restoring rta or “Vedic cosmic order” & ensuring the existance of the world for another year

Gods of HinduismGods of Hinduism Hinduism is monotheistic

Multiple gods are considered avatars or “forms” of Ultimate Reality/ Truth

Forms of Ultimate Reality: Brahma: creator of the world Vishnu/ Krishnu:"All-Pervading," protector of

world and restorer of moral order (dharma) Shiva: the destroyer Devi: Divine Female, known as the Mother

Goddess. What role do local gods play in the community?

KarmaKarma Karma means “actions” or “deeds”

Refers to intentional (moral) actions that affect one's fortunes in this life and the next- a system of cause and effect Good versus bad karma (bad karma is what

we typically think of) Good Karma from good actions Bad Karma from bad actions

Bad Karma binds a person’s soul to the cycle of rebirth determines class, disposition and character

BrahmanBrahman Goal: To reach Ultimate Reality

Ultimate Reality called Brahman Brahman is “the eternal, conscious,

irreducible, infinite, omnipresent, spiritual source of the universe of finiteness and change.”- Upanishads

Job of good karma

Literature of India and Literature of India and HinduismHinduism

Bhagavad- Gita: Chapter 3

The Bhagavad- Gita (Mahabharata) is the longest written epic that has been found 90,000 verses Believed to be finished 7th and 6th centuries

B.C.E. Considered to be a song that outlines the

importance of ceremonies in the form of stories Chapter 3 is about the importance of karma

yoga or karma in order to bind or release self from world