| Review Item | My Thoughts |
|---|---|
| Epics - mythology - Ramayana, Mahabharat |
Ramayana The shorter of the 2 great epics. The original is attributed to the poet Valmiki. The events portrayed probably occurred later in time than those of the Mahabharata. The Ramayana is set in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Rama, heir to the thrown, marries Sita. His stepmother, who wants her own son to be king, has Rama banished to the woods for 14 years. Sita goes with Rama. Sita is kidnapped by Ravana the demon king. With the help of an army of monkeys Rama defeats Ravana and frees Sita. Rama is hesitant to take Sita back however, since she had lived under another man's roof. Rama returns and becomes king. His reign is known for prosperity and justice. Rama and Sita are examples of people following their dahrma. The story shows how good things eventually come to those who follow their dahrma. Mahabharata The longer of the 2 great epics, in fact, the longest poem in the world. The main action involves the conflict between the Pandavas and the Kanavas. The poem is set north of Delhi. The Pandavas and Kanavas were cousins. The Pandavas lost their half of the kingdom in a gambling match. They are supposed to be able to reclaim it in 13 years. When the time comes the Kanavas will not give their kingdom back, and so a war between the two groups begins. There is a great battle at kurukshetra that lasts 18 days. The Pandavas are victorious. The Mahabharata is traditionally attributed to the poet Vyasa, but is actually the work of many people. The Bhagavad Gita is a later addition to the Mahabharata. |
| Kauravas, Pandavas | See above |
| Krishna, Arjuna | The word krishna means dark, or the dark one. Krishna can be traced back to an area south of Delhi. Krishna is an incarnation (the eighth I think) of Vishnu. In the Bhagavad Gita he Arjuna's charioteer. When Arjuna thinks that he can't fight against his relatives, Krishna convinces him that it is his duty, his dharma, to fight. Because of this, it is not a sin for him to kill. In Krishna's conversation with Arjuna he speaks of karma-yoga, which is the path of action without attachment to the results of the action. |
| Bhagvad Gita - importance of duty/dharma, action/karma, devotion/bhakti | |
| 6 systems of philosophy |
Common elements: They are all orthodox because they postulate the absolute truth of the Vedas. Their chief concern is with moksha, salvation from the human condition. Sankhya: The word means reasoning. A dualistic system in that there is an absolute difference between spirit and matter, or purusha and prakriti. Traces of this school of thought can be found in the Upanishads, the Gita and even Buddhist texts. Vedanta: Vendanta means end of the vedas. This is the best know school. This school is concerned with the relationship between atman, the individual self and brahman the greater or absolute reality. Much of the teachings are based on the Vedanta Sutras. Three sub-schools of thought belong under the heading of Vedanta. One is the monistic school of Shankara (around 850), a famous philosopher. A second sub-school is that of Ramanuja.(around 1137) This school believes that the sentient (souls) and non-sentient (matter) universe form the body of the supreme being. They identify with Vishnu. This school could be called qualified non-dualistic. This school stresses devotion over knowledge. The third sub-school is that of Madva(1199 - 1278) Madva taught that this world is real. The supreme god was believed to be Vishnu. This school influenced future theistic movements especially the worship of Krishna. Yoga: Similar in philosophy to Sankhya. Importance is placed on controlling the body and mind as a way to greater knowledge and salvation. Purva Mimasa: Purva Mimasa means inquiry. This school is not interested in the Upanishads, but rather, the Samhita part of the Veda. Vaisheshika: Concerned with logic and reasoning. Developed an atomic theory to explain and analyze the physical world. Worshipped Shiva. Nyaya: Also concerned with logic and reasoning. Devised a logical proof of god's existence. Worshipped Shiva. |
| Guptas (320 - 540 A.D>) | |
| Chandragupta | |
| Samudragupta | |
| Chandragupta II | |
| Golden/Classical Age |
Definition: Literature, architecture, and the fine arts reach a high level that becomes a standard for later times. In northern India the time from approximately 200 to 600 AD is considered the Golden Age. During this time the Guptan empire ruled much of northern India. Religion: Hinduism takes shape during this time. The concept of bhakti or devotion becomes important and both Vishnu and Shiva were worshipped. During this time there was a great effort to classify things. The abhorrence of a vacuum was a hallmark of Hindu thought. Buddhism was also widely supported during this time. Jainism also retained a following during this period. Scholarship: There was great interest in studying the Sruti, or revealed texts. These included the Vedas, Brahmanas, and the Upanishads There was also study and writing of Smriti, or remembered texts. These include the Sutras which were sayings, the Shastras, which where instructional, the Kamasutra for example. as well as Panini's Sanskrit grammar Itihasa, or history related texts, including the great epics the Mahabharat and the Ramayana Kavya is poetry, which includes works of drama such as the little clay cart. Math and Astronomy: There was great work going on in mathematics. Good estimates for Pi and the length of the earth year had been calculated. The decimal system was in regular use by astronomers by the end of this period. Architecture: The beginnings of the Hindu temple as well as the continued building of Buddhist cave temples are examples of both great architecture as well as great art because the included many sculptures and paintings. Craftsmanship: Sculpture, carving, and work with a variety of materials including: bronze, iron, gold, silver, ivory, and others was popular during this time. Also the cutting and polishing of various precious and semi-precious stones was practiced, especially for purposes of foreign trade |
| Sruti literature and Smritis (sutras, shastras itihasa, kavya) literature | |
| Manusmriti, Kamasutra | |
| Panini, Manu, Kalidasa | |
| Huns/Hunas | |
| Harsha | |
| South India - Dravidian languages | |
| Sangam Tamil literature | |
| age of Conflict - dynasties: Chalukyas, Pallavas, Pandyas, Cholas | |
| Vijayanagara empire | |
| Nayanars and Alvars - devotion | |
| Sankara, Madhava and Ramanuja - south Indian philosophers | |
| Vendanta philosophy | |
| caste system - varna and jati | |
| jajmani system | |
| scheduled castes/reservation | |
| Sanskritization | |
| Brahma | |
| Shiva, Parvati (Kali, Durga) | |
| linga | |
| tantrism | |
| Vishnu/Lakshmi | There have been 9 incarnations of Vishnu, with a tenth still to come. The incarnations are: Matsya the fish, Kurma the tortoise, Varaha the boar, Narasimba the man-lion, Vamana the dwarf, Par(?) the ram, Rama, Krishna, and Buddha. The tenth and final incarnation will be Kalkin riding a white horse. |
| dashaavatar (ten incarnations) | |
| Rama, Sita | |
| Krishna, Radha | Krishna was in love with a milkmaid named Radha. The love that Radha had for Krishna is sometimes interpreted as the longing of the human soul for the eternal soul. |
| Holi, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi - festivals | |
| the Hindu temple | |
| the four ends of man - dharma, artha, kama, moksha | |
| Islam | |
| Muhammad - prophet (570 - 632 A.D.) | |
| Allah | |
| Hijra | |
| Quran | |
| jihad | |
| Shia and Sunni - factions of Islam | |
| Turks | |
| Mongols | |
| Slave dynasty | |
| Delhi Sultanate | |
| Urdu | |
| Kabir (1398) | |
| Lodi dynasty | |
| Babur | |
| Mughal empire (1526 - 1707) | |
| Akbar (1556 - 1605) | |
| Fatehpur Sikri | |
| Shah Jahan (1627 - 1658) | |
| Taj Mahal | |
| Aurangzeb (1658 - 1539) | |
| miniature paintings | |
| Guru Nanak (1469 - 1539) | |
| sikhs | |
| Adi Granth |