SudrasSudras(servants, laborers) (servants, laborers)

VaishyasVaishyas(herders, farmers, (herders, farmers,

merchants, craftspeople)merchants, craftspeople)

KshatriyasKshatriyas

(warriors)(warriors)

UntouchablesUntouchables

BrahminsBrahmins(priests)(priests)

Non-Aryans

Hinduism

HinduismHinduism

• One of the world’s oldest religions–Over 3,000 years old

• No single founder – Formed from the beliefs of the

diverse groups who settled in India• Original people of the Indus valley• Aryans

OriginsOrigins

• Developed from the Vedas– 3500 – 2500 years ago– Polytheism

• rituals and many gods

– Sacred texts – The Caste System

BrahmanBrahman

• One universal spirit• Appears as many different gods – This gave people a concrete way to

worship and understand an impersonal god

AtmanAtman

• The individual soul of human beings

MokshaMoksha

• Ultimate goal of Hinduism

• Union with the universal spiritual force (Brahman) – Release from

worldly cares and difficulties

• Atman + Brahman = Moksha

ReincarnationReincarnation

• Sometimes called Samsara

• Atman is reborn into the world after death

• Continues until union with the Brahman

DharmaDharma

• Spiritual and moral duties that must be followed

KarmaKarma

• All of the deeds of a person’s life

• Allows people to continue towards Brahman

• Goods deeds– Reincarnated into a

higher castes• Bad deeds– Reincarnated into a

lower caste or stuck in the same level

Sacred TextsSacred Texts

• Vedas • Upanishads–Nature of the

world and meaning of life

• Ramayana and Mahabharata – Epic poems –Discuss

importance of following dharma

Hindu GodsHindu Gods

• Brahma– The god of

creation

Hindu GodsHindu Gods• Vishnu– The preserver

god• Appears as ten

different avatars

Krishna with his consort Radha ; appears in the Mahabharata

ShivaShiva

• God of destruction• Constructive

destruction

Shiva with his wife, Parvati, and his son Ganesha

How Ganesha got his Elephant Head

• Parvati (Ganesha’s mom) told him to stay outside her bath and allow no one to enter

• Shiva arrived, and because he had been away for a long time, Ganesha didn’t recognize his dad

• When Ganesha refused to allow Shiva to enter, Shiva cut off his head

• Parvati refused to allow Shiva into her bedroom unless Ganesha was returned to life

• Shiva took the head from the next animal to appear, and restored Ganesha to life with an elephant’s head

All of the many Hindu deities are manifestations of the spirit Brahman

• What is the ultimate goal of Hinduism?

• What is the connection between reincarnation and the caste system?

• Identify one sacred Hindu text.