THE BHAGAVAD-GITATHE RAMAYANA

Indian PhilosophyExam Review

Krishna, avatar of Vishnu, and Arjuna, his devotee

“Arjuna, see my forms in hundreds and thousands, diverse, divine, in many colors and shapes.

See the sun gods, gods of light, howling storm gods, twin gods of dawn, and gods of wind, Arjuna, wondrous forms not seen before.” (Gita 624)

Rama, avatar of Vishnu, and loyal wife, Sita

Manthara, evil hunchback servant of Kaikeyi

“Consumed with rage, the malevlolent Manthara approached Kaikeyi as she lay upon her couch, and said, “Get up, you foolish woman, how can you lie there when danger is threatening you? Do you realize that a flood of human misery is about to overwhelm you?” (Ramayana, 587)

Vishnu, the Divine Preserver

Shiva, the Divine Dissolver

Shiva’s dance represents both the destruction and the creation of the universe and reveals the cycles of death, birth and rebirth.

Shiva stands for letting go of everything in the world of forms.

Brahma, the Divine Creator

Brahma is traditionally depicted with four heads, four faces and four arms. With each head he continually recites one of the four Vedas. He is often depicted with a white beard, indicating the near eternal nature of his existence. He is shown as having four arms, with none holding a weapon, unlike most other Hindu gods.

Brahman, Universal Energy (Aum)

Karma: doctrine of cause and effect

Oh, THAT Karma!

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi w/Beatles

Holi Festival: India, 2011

Dharma: faith, teachings, path of life

The dharma-wheel represents the path of righteousness that a person should follow if he or she is to achieve a balanced life.

If you do all of these things right, then you will be freed from the cycle of rebirth.

Moksha: freedom from the cycle of reincarnation

OM: the divine sound

Ramayana: The Six Virtues and the Levels of Good and Evil

BenevolenceCompassionLearningGood CharacterRestraintEquanimity

“When the lord of the world is hurt so is all the world, as the fruit and flowers of the tree are hurt by an injury to its root.”

Bhagavad-Gita: Moral Dilemmas

The body is temporal, but the soul is immortal. Therefore, we are to go forth and fight against evil in all of its forms—moral, natural, and metaphysical. We are not to be distracted by material illusion.