SOCIAL STUDIES Kailasanathar Temple, Ellora carved into the rock face of Charanandri Hills in the eighth century From Ancient to Modern Times Editors of HINDUISM TODAY Magazine Dr. Shiva Bajpai Mahatma Gandhi Indus Valley 1869-1948 2,500 bce Saint Tiruvalluvar Diwaii, the Festival of Lights 200 bce 2010 HIMALAYAN ACADEMY PUBLICATIONS INDIA/USA Authors Academic THE EDITORS OF HINDUISM TODAY MAGAZINE Reviewers HINDUISM TODAY magazine was founded in 1979 to inform and educate Community Hindus and non-Hindus alike about Hinduism. The material in this Dr. Klaus Klostermaier book was created over a period of four years in collaboration with Profesor of Religious Studies Consultants Dr. Shiva Bajpai. It has been reviewed by a panel of academic experts University of Manitoba and Hindu community consultants. In addition to HINDUISM TODAY, Winnipeg, Manitoba Himalayan Academy publishes numerous books, including What Is Dr. Ved P. Chaudhary Hinduism?, Loving Ganesha, How to Become a Hindu, Weaver’s Wisdom, Dr. Jeff rey D. Long President, Educators’ Society for the and the series Dancing with Siva, Living with Siva and Merging with Chair, Department of Religious Studies Heritage of India (ESHI) Siva. It also publishes educational materials and storybooks for Elizabethtown College Morganville, New Jersey children. Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania Suhag A. Shukla, Esq. Dr. Anantanand Rambachan Co-Founder/Managing Director DR. SHIVA BAJPAI Professor of Religion Hindu American Foundation St. Olaf College Washington, DC Northfi eld, Minnesota Dr. Shiva G. Bajpai served as Professor of History and Director of Asian Studies at California State Dr. T.S. Rukmani (chapters 1 through 4) University, Northridge, Los Angeles, from 1970 Professor and Chair in Hindu Studies to 2003. As Professor Emeritus, he continued to Concordia University teach from 2003 to 2009. He has BA and MA from Montreal, Quebec Banares Hindu University and a Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University Dr. Michael K. Ward of London, UK. He has published numerous articles on Indian history and culture, and he co- Visiting Lecturer in History Educational California State University authored the major reference work A Historical Northridge, California Atlas of South Asia. He served as a content review Reviewer panel expert during the 2005 California adoption process for sixth-grade social studies textbooks. Justin Stein, M.A., Ph.D. student Former New York middle school teacher First Edition University of Toronto, Ontario Copyright © 2011 Himalayan Academy The History of Hindu India is published by Himalayan Academy. All rights are reserved. This book may be reproduced only with the publisher’s prior written consent. Designed, typeset and illustrated by the editorial staff of Himalayan Academy, publishers of HINDUISM TODAY magazine, 107 Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746-9304 USA. Also available in various eBook formats at himalayanacademy.com/history/ Published by PRINTED IN USA Himalayan Academy Library of Congress Control Number: 2011938171 India • USA ISBN 978-1-934145-38-8 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-934145-41-8 (eBook) iv history of ancient india history of ancient india v Contents CHAPTER Hinduism Endures: 3 1100 to 1850 Section 1 The Invasion Centuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Section 2 Surviving a Time of Trial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Hindu Games: Snakes and Ladders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Section 3 Music, Art, Dance and Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 A Visual History 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Standards Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 CHAPTER Hinduism from CHAPTER India as Colony: 1 4 Ancient Times 1850-1947 Section 1 Origins of Hinduism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Section 1 British Rule’s Mixed Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Section 2 Hindu Beliefs and Scriptures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Section 2 The Challenge of Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Sacred Texts: From the Upanishads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Hindu Vegetarianism: Eating Indian Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Section 3 Hinduism in Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Section 3 Rites of Passage and Initiations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 A Visual History 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 A Visual History 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Standards Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Standards Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 CHAPTER Hindu India: CHAPTER 21st Century 2 5 300 to 1100 ce India Section 1 Of Kings and Prosperity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Section 1 The World’s Largest Democracy Is Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Section 2 Society, Science and the Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Section 2 Building a Unifi ed Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Original Source: City Life in South India. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Section 3 The Impact of Hindu Ideas Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Section 3 Learning a Sacred Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Hindu Metaphysics: The Seven Chakras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 A Visual History 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 A Visual History 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Standards Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Standards Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 vi history of ancient india history of ancient india vii CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER Hindu Festivals 6 Ganesha Chaturthi: Honoring the Lord of Beginnings . . . . . . . . . . 102 Navaratri: Dedicating Nine Nights to the Godes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Hinduism Diwali: C elebrating the Triumph of Goodness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Mahasivaratri: Siva’s Great Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Holi: Splashed with Colors of Friendship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 From Ancient Times India Maps: Geographical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 RESOURCES Political. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Glossary: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Index: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 This young priest is conducting a fi re ceremony just as was done in ancient times. What You Will Learn... The largest civilization in the ancient world developed in the Indus Valley of India over 5,000 years ago. In the thousands of years that followed, India produced many great empires under which science, art and philosophy fl ourished. Out of this rich history developed the Hindu religion, today the third largest in the world. viii history of ancient india history of ancient india 1 ??? SECTION A figurine of a married woman shows a red mountains to the ocean. Therefore, the holy HINDU 1 Origins of powder called sindur in the part of her hair. texts had to be composed well before 2000 SYMBOLS Hindu women today follow this same cus- bce—by which time the river had dried up. tom as a sign of their married status. The The Vedas describe a powerful and spiri- Hinduism pipal tree and banyan tree are depicted of- tual people, their clans, kings and emperors. ten. These remain sacred to Hindus to this Their society was complex. The economy day. included agriculture, industry, trade, com- What You Will Learn... If YOU lived then... merce and cattle raising. The Vedas contain The banyan tree is a Main Ideas Your house is built on a wide, waterless riverbed. Your father tells you it The Vedas thousands of hymns in praise of God and symbol of Hindu- ism because it gives 1. Many Hindu religious was once the giant S arasvati River, fi ve kilometers across. There is not The central holy books of Hinduism are the the Gods. They describe a form of fire wor- shelter to all who practices are seen in the enough rain to provide for the family’s crops and cattle. Travelers tell four Vedas. Hindus regard them as spoken ship, y ajna, around a specially-built brick approach Ianrcdhueso-Sloargaicsvaal trei cmivaiilnizsa otifo tnh.e of another great river, the Ganga, hundreds of miles away. Your father by God. They are in S anskrit. The Vedas fire altar. In several Indus-Sarasvati cities 2. The sacred texts of Hinduism and other villagers decide they must move. were not written down but memorized. archeologists have unearthed what look like are in the Sanskrit language Students might spend twelve years learning fire altars. and were originally memo- How would you feel about the long journey? these scriptures. Some would memorize one rized but unwritten. Veda, others all four. Even today there are The A ryan Invasion Theory 3. Ancient Indian art and sci- ence were highly developed. priests who can chant an entire Veda—as Many school books present an “Aryan Inva- THE IMPACT BUILDING BACKGROUND India’s known history begins with the Indus- many as 10,500 verses—from memory. sion” of India. It is the theory that Aryan Today Sarasvati civilization, 5,500 years ago. We know from archeology that The relationship between the people of invaders came from central Asia in 1500 The Big Idea this culture shows many features of later Hindu practice. the Indus-Sarasvati civilization and those bce and conquered the indigenous Indus- T Ahryea dni sInpvuatesido n Hinduism developed over who composed the Vedas is not clearly Sarasvati civilization. It was these foreign- theory is still thousands of years in India. taught as fact in understood. We know that the Rig Veda ers, the theory states, who wrote the Rig most books on Understanding Ancient Indian History describes the S arasvati as the “most mighty Veda in Sanskrit. The theory was proposed India Key Terms The early cities of India developed along the Indus and Sarasvati of rivers” flowing from the Himalayan in the 19th century by scholars in Europe, Indus and Sarasvati rivers, p. 2; rivers starting around 3500 bce. They are called the Indus-Sarasvati Vedas, p. 3; Sanskrit, p. 3 civilization or, sometimes, the Harappan culture. It was the largest and most advanced civilization in the ancient world. But the mighty FROM INDUS-SARASVATI TO MODERN TIMES Sarasvati River dried up, and what was once a fertile area became a Indus-Sarasvati sculptures, HINDUISM TODAY’S desert. The people of the region moved to other parts of India and seals and artifacts TEACHING STANDARDS beyond. By 2000 bce the civilization had entered a period of decline. more than 5,000 years old display features of This column in each section The Religion of the Indus-Sarasvati People modern Hinduism presents our outline for teach- ing Hinduism in 6th grade A great many artifacts have been discovered from the Indus-Saras- Lord Siva in meditation is social studies. vati cities. These include pottery, seals, statues, beads, jewelry, tools, found on the Indus seals 1. Explain the similarities be- games, such as dice, and children’s toys, such as miniature carts. tween Indus-Sarasvati civiliza- The flat, stone seals have pictures and writing on them. Scholars tion and later Hindu culture. have not yet agreed on what the mysterious script on the seals means. 2. Discuss why the Aryan Inva- They show deities, ceremonies, symbols, people, plants and animals. sion theory has been disputed We learn from them that people at that time followed practices iden- by many scholars. tical to those followed by Hindus today. One seal shows a meditating 3. Discuss the social and political system and advancement of figure that scholars link to L ord Siva, while others show the lotus science and culture. posture used by today’s meditators. The swastika, a sacred symbol of 4. Explain the development of good luck used throughout Hindu history, is common. At left is a clay fi gure showing the This clay fi gure of a woman has red sindur religion in India between 1000 There are statues, including a small clay figure with its hands typical Hindu greeting of “namaste” in the hair part—a custom followed by bce and 500 ce. pressed together in the traditional Hindu greeting of “n amaste.” married Hindu women to this day 2 history of ancient india history of ancient india 3 din od i a d i n o di a based on language studies. In part, it tried culture. Because of inadequate archeologi- strong identity and pride in their occupation. From Medicine was so advanced that doctors were per- HINDU to explain why Sanskrit is so closely related cal research, we do not know a lot about SYMBOLS time to time people would move from one caste to forming complex surgery not equaled in Europe to European languages, including English. this period. However, by 600 bce, India had another, or establish new ones. The evolving caste until the 18th century. In ancient times India was Many scholars now dispute this theory be- developed a common culture from north system became unfair to the people at the very one of the most advanced and wealthy nations on cause all the evidence for it is questionable. to south and east to west. By this time the bottom of the social order. Though caste is still an Earth. Since ancient times, a quarter of the world’s Additionally, modern scientists have found social, religious and philosophical ideas important factor in arranging marriages, caste dis- people have lived in India. no biological evidence, such as DNA, that and practices central to Hinduism are fully crimination is illegal in modern India. Section 1 Assessment people came from outside India in signifi- evident. These are in continuity with the The sacred fi re altar W omen have always been held in high regard in of the ancient Vedic cant numbers since at least 6,000 bce. religion of the Indus-Sarasvati culture, the India. Some of India’s foremost religious and politi- rites. To this day REVIEWING IDEAS, TERMS AND PEOPLE Many common explanations about Indian teachings of the Vedas, D ravidian culture cal leaders are women. Hinduism is the only major Hindu weddings 1. a. Explain What happened to the Sarasvati River? history and culture are based on the Aryan and elements of the tribal religions. and other rites are religion in which God is worshiped in female form. b. Analyze What customs from modern Hinduism are conducted around Invasion theory. Those who defend it claim Hindu public worship, described in the Life in ancient times was hard work for both fi re altars. depicted in artifacts of the Indus-Sarasvati civilization? that Sanskrit, the caste system and Hindu Vedas, took place in temporary shelters built men and women. The women were responsible for 2. Elaborate What are the advantages of a hereditary ways of worship came from outside India. If for that purpose. The earliest mention of running the household; the men for their craft or occupation? What are the disadvantages? you are studying India in school, you may permanent temples for the worship of God farm, as well as security. In general, women had 3. a. Summarize How are women regarded in Hindu society? read about this outdated theory. is in the Grihya Sutras, around 600 bce. fewer property rights than men, but received lighter b. Recall What are some of the great scientifi c achieve- punishments for crimes and paid fewer taxes. They ments in ancient India? Hinduism Emerges Indian Society participated equally with their husband in religious 4. a. Explain How were the Vedas preserved? ACADEMIC As the I ndus-Sarasvati culture declined, A distinctive feature of India at this time was ceremonies and festival celebrations. Some women b. List What kind of information is in the Vedas? VOCABULARY many of its people migrated to other places. the v arna or class system. Society was clas- were highly educated, and a few even composed c. Explain Why is it important that the Rig Veda men- continuity They settled mostly in north and central sified into groups with specific occupations. several of the holy Vedic hymns. tions the Sarasvati River as a “mighty river?” unbroken con- India, especially along the G anga River These groups tended to become hereditary. The period from 1000 bce through the Gupta nection or line of system. They interacted with tribes who There were four broad classes—priests, war- period up to the mid-6th century ce was a time FOCUS ON WRITING development had lived in those areas from ancient times. riors, merchants and workers (including of great advancement. Hindus discovered the zero hereditary 5. Analyze What does your school history book say Around 1000 bce, the T amil-speaking D ra- craftsmen). The system provided order and and established the counting method, including passed from par- about the Aryan Invasion? How does this lesson diff er? vidian people in the South had separately stability to society. Later on, the varnas di- ents to children the decimal system, we use today. Their astrono- developed a sophisticated language and vided into hundreds of sub-sections called mers knew that the Earth orbits the Sun and cal- j atis (castes). Individual jatis developed a culated the length of a year with great precision. Timeline: Early Indian History Sushruta 321 BCE 5000 BCE 2600-2000 BCE Angkor Wat 1200 ce Foundation of the pan- Beginning of Indus- Height of Indus-Sara- Indian Maurya Empire. Time 200 CE Sarasvati cities svati civilization. The of great advancement in Hindu infl uence starts to spread into what city of Lothal includes science, statecraft, economy, is now Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and large buildings and architecture, music and art. Gupta Art Indonesia. In 1200 ce, the Hindu temple an enclosed harbor. called A ngkor Wat is built in Cambodia. It is the world’s largest religious structure. 5000 BCE 2500 BCE 1000 BCE 500 BCE 200 BCE 300 CE 2000 BCE 600 BCE 500 BCE 200 BCE 320 CE Sarasvati River India is a unifi ed culture at this time. Magadha Empire in T iruvalluvar com- Gupta Empire reigns over most of dries up. People Large cities fl ourish in the Gangetic the North and Pandyan poses Tirukural, one India, with Tamil kingdoms in far move to North Plains. Indian physician S ushruta Kingdom in the South of India’s greatest south. This is the Golden Age of and Central India. develops complex methods of sur- fl ourish. Buddhism scriptures on ethics India and Hinduism, with respect gery. Tamil language fl ourishes in and Jainism, off shoots and tolerance for all religions. the South. First mention of temple of Hinduism, become Lothal worship appears in the Grihya Sutras. prominent religions. 4 history of ancient india history of ancient india 5 har rapan. com s . r a j a m SECTION the physical universe. As i mmanent, His di- angels and archangels in Western religions. HINDU 2 Hindu Beliefs vine form pervades all nature and humanity. Some Hindus consider the Gods and God- SYMBOLS In Hinduism, the soul is called atman. desses as alternative forms of the Supreme God exists within each s oul. The Chando- God, and not as individual divine beings. and Scriptures gya Upanishad explains it like this: “What Each God and Goddess has particular you see when you look into another person’s powers and areas of responsibility. For ex- eyes, that is a tman, immortal, beyond fear; ample, Ganesha is the Lord of Obstacles. What You Will Learn... If YOU lived then... that is God.” Before beginning a new project, a Hindu A kalasha is a husked Main Ideas The king has passed a new law increasing the taxes on farmers. The H induism has different branches with may pray to G anesha to remove any obsta- coconut set in a brass 1. Hindus believe in a one farmers in your village have not had a good year. The harvest is smaller varying beliefs and practices. The four ma- cles blocking his way. pot with mango S Guopdrse amned GGoodd danesds aelss.o many than usual. The new tax may mean people will go hungry. Some in the jor branches are S aiva, S hakta, V aishnava In the Vaishnava tradition, Lord Vishnu wleoavrsehsi.p It t ios ruesperde sine nt 2. Dharma, karma and rein- village want to attack the tax collectors. Others want to lie about the and Smarta. Saivas and Shaktas call the appears on Earth as a divine personality, or the Supreme God or carnation are central Hindu amount of harvest. Still others say a peaceful protest will cause the Supreme God Siva, though Shaktas worship avatar, from time to time to restore morally Ganoyd odfe tshses G. ods or beliefs. There is a special the female aspect of God. Vaishnavas call right living. Of Vishnu’s ten avatars, Lord emphasis on nonviolence. king to change his mind on the tax increase. Him Vishnu. Smartas may choose one of Rama and Lord Krishna are the most im- ACADEMIC 3. Vedas are the primary Hindu VOCABULARY How would you respond to the tax increase? Why? six Deities to worship as the Supreme. By portant. Rama and Krishna are not separate s imcrpipotrutraenst. Tschreipretu arrees o atsh were ll. whichever name or form, He is the same, Gods. They are two forms of the one Su- subordinate lower in rank, one Supreme God. The Rig Veda says, “The preme God. BUILDING BACKGROUND From its beginnings, Hinduism has been an seers call in many ways that which is One.” In temples and shrines, the Supreme less important open-minded religion. It is a basic Hindu belief that there are many Hindus may also worship Gods and God- God and the Gods and Goddesses are pervade Hindu usl Ttbihmeleiae tBveeliy ge av Icedhryeie asvoeu l will way.s H toin adpups rboealciehv Ge o“dTr. uHtihn disu oisnme, dpoaeths sn aorte d micatantye” oaned wthaayt aesv ethrye poenrl-y Sdaersasesvsa, tcia. lIlned S danevskarsi, ts, udcehv aa sm Geanes s“hsah iannindg wa ocresrheimpeodn yin in a wrihtuicahl cthaell erdin p guinjag. oPfu bjae lilss , teohn rboceou gmphrpeosauestnst God Realization. son eventually fi nds spiritual salvation. one.” In some ways, these divine beings passing of flames, chanting and present- to surround and who live in the heaven worlds are like the ing of flowers, incense and other offerings hold within Key Terms Religion Permeates the Hindu’s Daily Life Sanatana Dharma, p. 6 Brahman, p. 6 Hindus base their way of life upon their religion. The Hindu culture ONE SUPREME GOD AND MANY GODS AND GODDESSES deva, p. 7 comes from H indu beliefs. The key beliefs are in a one Supreme Hindus believe in a one supreme and loving God. At the same puja, p. 8 G od, subordinate Gods and Goddesses, heaven worlds, the divinity time, they believe in Gods and Goddesses, great spiritual beings karma, p. 8 of the soul, dharma, karma, reincarnation, God Realization and lib- who help us. reincarnation, p. 8 eration from rebirth. God Realization means the direct and personal Sarasvati is the Goddess of experience of the Divine within oneself. The original Sanskrit name learning and music. Below, HINDUISM TODAY’S for Hinduism is S anatana Dharma, meaning “eternal religion.” She sits on a lotus fl ower play- TEACHING STANDARDS ing the multi-stringed vina. 5. Explain the basic Hindu beliefs Belief in God and the Gods and Goddesses regarding God, the Gods and Hindus believe in and worship a one Supreme God. In the scrip- Goddesses, dharma, karma tures, the Supreme God is called Brahman or Bhagavan, worshiped and reincarnation. Describe as both male and female. Brahman is all-powerful, all-knowing, basic Hindu practices. all-loving and present in all things. God created everything in the 6. Discuss the Hindu principles of nonviolence and religious universe out of Himself. This creation is not separate from Him. tolerance. He guides the evolution of everything over vast spans of time. Ul- 7. Describe the Vedas and timately, He absorbs the universe back into Himself. This cycle of Ganesha is the God prayed to their Upanishads, Ramayana, creation, preservation and absorption repeats without end. M Bhaahgaabvhaadr aGtiata ()i nacnldu doitnhge rt he The Supreme God is both transcendent and immanent. These are bweofrosrhei pb.e Hgiisn enlienpgh aannyt thaesakd o r IAnr jtuhnea B Hhiasg uanviavde rGsiatla f Loormrd aKsr itshhen Sau sphroewmse important Hindu scriptures. two key philosophical concepts. As transcendent, God exists beyond makes Him easy to recognize. God encompassing all the other Gods 6 history of ancient india history of ancient india 7 a ll art: i n dra sha rma LINKING TO TODAY man, is reborn in a new body, experiencing jali explore yoga and meditation. HINDU many lifetimes. The purpose of rebirth is The R amayana and Mahabharata are SYMBOLS NONVIOLENCE to progressively achieve spiritual maturity two sacred epic histories of India. The The Hindu principle of ahimsa, or nonviolence, is important and God Realization. Eventually each soul Ramayana is the story of Lord Rama, who today. M ahatma Gandhi, a devout Hindu, said, “Nonviolence is learns to live by religious principles and is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. avoid creating negative karma. The process and his divine wife Sita. This 24,000-verse It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of of reincarnation continues through many poem describes Prince Rama’s birth, His destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.” lives until the soul achieves liberation. banishment to a forest for 14 years, the By nonviolent means Gandhi largely won The gopura is the India’s independence, using peaceful protests, abduction of Sita by the demon Ravana huge entrance tower boycotts, strikes and speeches. In the 1950s, Hinduism’s Sacred Scriptures and Rama’s victory over Ravana. The Ra- of South Indian temples M artin Luther King, Jr. studied Gandhi’s meth- The four V edas are the holiest scriptures for mayana remains immensely popular to this ods and went to India to meet his followers. all Hindus. The Upanishads, an important day in India and Southeast Asia. He learned how India’s nonviolent movement part of the Vedas, explain the Hindu philoso- The Mahabharata, “Great India,” is a worked and applied the same methods to phy. The next most important scriptures, also 78,000-verse story of a massive war that fi ght for and win civil rights for America’s black in Sanskrit, are the A gamas. There are spe- took place in ancient times between the minority. Aung San Suu Kyi, a devout Buddhist, has campaigned without violence for years to cific Agamas for each major tradition in Hin- Pandavas and their cousins, the Kauravas, win democracy for the people of her native duism—Saiva, Shakta and Vaishnava. The for the throne of a great kingdom. It also Myanmar (Burma). In 1991 she won the Nobel Agamas explain philosophy, personal conduct, describes the nature of self and the world, Peace Prize for her peaceful struggle against the country’s mili- worship and temple construction. There are karma, important family lineages of India, ACADEMIC tary dictatorship. Another example is Cesar Chavez, who won hundreds of other scriptural texts dealing human loyalties, saints and sages, devotion rights for California farm workers using nonviolent methods. VOCABULARY with religious and secular law, government, to God and the ideals of dharma. Lord ANALYSIS secular ANALYZING INFORMATION social order, economics, ecology, health, ar- Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord SKILL activities or things chitecture, science, music, astronomy and Vishnu, is a key figure in the epic. A central not related to What are the advantages of nonviolence over many other subjects. The P uranas are ency- episode called the Bhagavad Gita narrates religion violence in bringing about social change? clopedic accounts of the forms and avatars of Krishna’s dialogue with the Pandava archer, ACADEMIC God, the many subordinate Gods and divine Arjuna, on the day of the battle. It is one invoke the Divine beings, who then come Dharma, Karma and Reincarnation VOCABULARY beings, creation, spiritual teachings, histori- of the most popular and revered among to bless and help the devotees. During the D harma means righteousness, divine law, eth- consecrated cal traditions, geography and culture. The Vaishnava and Smarta scriptures. Hindu puja, through holy chants, gestures and sa- ics, religion, duty, justice and truth. Dharma made sacred Tirukural is a Tamil masterpiece on ethics sacred music, dance, drama and the arts cred ritual, highly trained priests guide the means the proper way one should live one’s through ceremony and moral living. The Yoga Sutras of Patan- draw heavily on the Ramayana, the Ma- worship. The priests treat the Deity with life. To follow dharma, one should be religious, invoke habharata and the many Puranas. utmost care, attending to Him as the King truthful, kind, honest and generous. Dharma summon a Deity; Section 2 Assessment of kings. The purpose of the puja is to cre- includes the practice of nonviolence, called appeal to ate a high religious vibration and communi- ahimsa in Sanskrit. It is the ideal of not injur- REVIEWING IDEAS, TERMS AND PEOPLE 5. Summarize Make a list of Hindu scriptures, starting with the Vedas. HINDU cate with God or a deva through the murti, ing others in thought, word or action. 1. a. Defi ne What is Sanatana Dharma? SYMBOLS or consecrated statue, that is the focus of K arma, a central Hindu belief, is the law b. Explain What is a deva? CRITICAL THINKING c. E laborate What are the two key terms used by Hindus to worship. D eity is the proper English word of cause and effect. It means that anything 6. Evaluate Why do Hindus believe that there are many describe the Supreme God? for m urti. The word idol is often used, but you do will eventually return to you in this ways to approach the Supreme God? 2. Categorize What are the four main branches of Hinduism? it is incorrect. or future lives. If we do something selfish 3. a. Recall Why do Hindus pray fi rst to Lord Ganesha? Hindus also practice internal worship of or hateful, we will in time experience the b. Identify What are the two most popular incarnations of FOCUS ON WRITING God. Sitting quietly, they may repeat the same pain and suffering we caused to oth- Lord Vishnu? The orange or red name of God while counting on beads. Oth- ers. If our acts are good and kind, we will c. Explain What is the purpose of the Hindu puja? 7. Understanding nonviolence banner is the fl ag 4. a. Explain What is karma? Write a paragraph explaining your way to deal with the ers may chant, sing or meditate upon God. receive goodness and kindness. of Hinduism, which b. Illustrate What are some examples of following dharma? tax increase example given on page six. Do you think a fl ies above temples, In Hinduism, there are many ways to wor- R eincarnation means literally to “re-enter c. Explain What is the purpose of reincarnation? nonviolent approach would succeed? at festivals and in ship the Divine. the flesh.” It is the belief that the soul, at- parades 8 history of ancient india history of ancient india 9 b lacksta r p h otos / fli p schulke d inodi a re ut ers /a p i c h art w eer awo ng