The Roots of Hinduism

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The Roots of Hinduism

• Ancient Texts, Sacred Words

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Indus Valley
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Pre-Vedic Period

• Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civ.)
• 3100-1700 BCE
• Advanced cities Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro
• Systematic agriculture, trade, plumbing and
  sanitation, engineering, urban planning and
  street design, arts
• Mysterious collapse
• Earthquake? Flood?
• Civilization without a voice

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Aryan Migrations

• 1500 BCE into India
• Nomadic warriors
• Noble, superior
• Through the Hindu Kush Mts.
• Uncivilized, non-agricultural
• Initial settlement in the Punjab
• Intermixing with natives
• Subjugation of the Dasa tribes

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Aryan Caste System

• The Four Varnas
• White Purity, love, faith seeking true wisdom
  through spirituality
• Red Action, will, aggression, power seeking
  status through politics or law
• Yellow Same qualities as Red seeking status
  through business and trade
• BlackIgnorance, dullness, lazy seeking
  dependence on others servile and lowly

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Vedic Culture

• The Vedas
• Ancient texts, sacred to Hindus
• Present the Aryans as warriors, priests
• Written in sanskrit
• Upanishads
• Major spiritual component of the Vedas
• Writings explore god and reality

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Upanishads Gods

• Monotheism
• One cosmic universal god Brahman
• The Triumurti
• Brahma the Creator
• Vishnu the Preserver
• Shiva the Destroyer
• Avatars Incarnations of the gods
• Krishna Vishnu in human form

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Upanishads Creation

• The Sacrifice of Purusha
• Purusha the Cosmic Man (Brahman)
• Hindu castes are created from his body
• Head Brahmins (priests)
• Arms Kshatriyas (warriors)
• Legs Vaisyas (farmers, merchants, craftsmen)
• Feet Sudras (peasant laborers)
• Untouchables Dalits (lowest-of-the-low)
• Justifies the caste system social division

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More Sacred Texts Ramayana

• Prince Rama is to become king
• Step-mother wants her own son Bharata as king
• Rama is exiled with wife Sita and brother
  Lakshmana
• Bharata asks Rama to return, says eldest should
  rule
• Rama remains in exile, obedient to fathers
  command
• A demoness seduces Rama, who refuses the
  seduction
• Brother of demoness, Ravana, captures Sita
• A monkey-army aids Rama in rescuing Sita
• Sita proves her purity before returning with Rama

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More Sacred Texts Mahabharata

• Rival sets of brothers - the Kauravas and
  Pandavas - claim right to the throne of
  Hastinapura huge war
• Kauravas 100 sons of the king eldest son is
  Duryodhana
• Pandavas Five royal brothers, sons of kings
  brother
• Central to the story Arjuna and the
  Bhagavad-Gita
• Arjuna (a Pandavas) is concerned about killing
  his cousins
• Krishna appears Follow selflessness fulfill
  your caste duties.
• Arjuna fights Pandavas win
• Krishna dies 36 years later Pandavas to heaven

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Lessons of the sacred epics

• The Ramayana and the Mahabharata
• Follow a righteous path, and conduct your actions
  with virtue and goodness.
• Righteous living requires the fulfillment of your
  sacred caste duties, or dharma, against all
  temptations to do otherwise.
• Resist seduction and selfish desires.