Aryan immigrants replaced native culture in north India. Vedic people relate to Achaeans. They had beliefs and gods similar to those in Homer.
Vedas are in Sanskrit, describe Vaidika or Vedic religion, and emphasize nature and joy of living. Veda means knowledge. Vedas are the revealed texts {sruti, text}. Vedic philosophy demonstrates connections {bandhu} among astronomical, physiological, and spiritual. Universe is infinite. Knowledge can be about objects and paradoxical or about perceiving subjects with no paradoxes.
Hymn {sama, hymn} {saman} or hymns {samagana} is the basic format. Fire priests {Atharvan} sang incantations. Vedas have mantra sections. Vedas have older hymns and ritual texts {Samhita}. Brahmanas and Upanishads are later.
In the Manu Samhita, Manu was father of humans and founded Vedic culture between the Sarasvati and Drishadvati rivers. Gheranda Samhita is about yoga. Dakshinamurti Samhita is about the mantra {shri vidya} of the Goddess Tripurasundari or Lakshmi. Charaka Samhita [-400 to -200], Sushruta Samhita [-400], Ashtanga Sangraha [-400 to -300 by Vagbhata] and Ashtanga Hridayam [-400 to -300 by Vagbhata] are about Ayurveda.
Traditional Indian epics {Mahakavyas} including Mahabharata and Ramayana, fables or stories {Puranas}, laws {Dharma Sastras}, aphorisms {Sutras}, philosophies {Agamas} including Mantras, Tantras, and Yantras, philosophies {Dyasanas} including Vedanta, science texts, and grammar texts are "what is remembered" {smriti} {human writings}, which includes everything not in Vedas {divine writings}. The eighteen main Smritis are Manu Smriti {Laws of Manu} written by Manu, Yajnavalkya Smriti written by Yajnavalkya of Mithila, Parasara Smriti, Vishnu Smriti, Daksha Smriti, Samvarta Smriti, Vyasa Smriti, Harita Smriti, Satatapa Smriti, Vasishtha Smriti, Yama Smriti, Apastamba Smriti, Gautama Smriti, Devala Smriti, Sankha-Likhita Smriti, Usana Smriti, Atri Smriti, Saunaka Smriti.
Arthaveda, Nitishastras, or science of statecraft is Upaveda in Rig Veda. Most important is Kautiliya's Arthashastra [-300], stating kshatriya rule and society doctrine.
In Indian tradition, Paila collected the Rig-Vedic hymns as directed by Vyasa. Vyasa wrote the Rig-Veda Samhita.
Sarasvati River is a river in many hymns. Dravidians or Dasa were enemies of Vedic Aryans.
In Vedas, he was Vyasa's father, was Kapila's student, received Vishnu Purana from Pulastya, taught Maitreya, and wrote Dharmasastra about law.
He was Scholiast. Vedas are spiritual knowledge, mythology, and Yajna Mantras (Ritual Mantras). Deva means donor, luminous, and heaven resident {Dyusthan}. Devas are Agni in earth, Vayu or Indra in sky, and Surya (Sun) in heaven.
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Before the Bhagavadgita begins, Arjuna, the Pandavasi leader, goes to survey the field of battle and his enemies, the Kauravas. His charioteer is Lord Krishna, Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of the World, who then sings Song of the Blessed Lord.
He wrote most Upanishads. His disciples were Gargi Vacaknavi and Vidagdha Shakalya.
Hindu texts can be about guru's teaching to disciple {upanishad, guru}. Upanishads are part of the Hindu Shruti (Revealed) scriptures and are about meditation and philosophy. Veda Brahmana or Aranyaka added older Upanishads. Recent Upanishads were separate.
Manu, Brihaspati, Ayasya and Narada are Vedic sages in Upanishads. Yajnavalkya is in most Upanishads. He taught negating thoughts {neti-neti} to reach truth. Uddalaka Aruni, Shwetaketu, Shandilya, Aitareya, Pippalada, and Sanat Kumara are other sages in Upanishads.
The oldest and longest conversation is Brihad Aranyaka Upanishad or Great and Secret Teachings of the Forest, about world and humans. Manukya Upanishad is about "silence" {manukya} and the syllable OM. The Upanishads include Questions, Lord, and By Whom?
Upanishads use metaphors, such as metaphor of the chariot and metaphor of two birds on one tree. 95-year cycles synchronize Sun and Moon cycles. Yajna means sacrifice.
He lived -800 to -740 and wrote book about altar construction {Sulbasutra}, which required pi and square root of two and constructed circles from rectangles and squares from circles.
He founded Vaisesika and set rules for Hindu living under caste system. Castes were saint or sage {mahatma, caste}, priest {brahmin, caste}, noble {ksatriya, caste} {khathruja, caste}, merchant {vaisya, caste}, worker {sudra, caste}, and person with no caste {harajan, caste} {pariah, caste} {outcast, caste}, whom no one should touch {untouchable, caste}.
He lived -600 to -540 and solved general linear equation.
He founded Samkhya.
He started Nyaya and was logician.
Vishnu is supreme god. Ikshvau is ancestor of Solar Dynasty.
In Vedas, he was born at end of Dvapara Yuga, was a legendary sage, incarnated Lord Krishna, wrote the Mahabharata for understanding, wrote the eighteen Puranas, established teaching through Upanishads or Upakhyanas, and arranged Vedas. He wrote the Bhagavata for Devarshi Narada. He established the three paths of Karma, Upasana, and Jnana. Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura are his sons. There have been twenty-nine Vyasas. Gurupurnima or Vyasa Purnima or Full Moon of Vyasa is Vyasa's birthday.
Brahmanic-period [-900 to -500] Brahmanas or Brahmin Books, such as Shatapatha Brahmana, are in Hindu revealed texts {Sruti} {Shruti} and describe and interpret Rig-vedic rituals. Rig-veda has Aitareya-Brahmana (Shakala shaka) or Kaushitaki-Brahmana (Bashakala shaka). Samaveda has P Brahmana and Sadv Brahmana (Kauthuma) or Jayminiya Brahmana. Yajurveda has the Brahmanas in the samhitas about Krishna: Maitrayani samhita, Carakakatha samhita, Kapisthalakatha samhita, and Taittiriya samhita. Yajurveda has Taittiriya-Brahmana, Shatapatha-Brahmana (Shukla, Vajasaneyi Madhyandina), and Shatapatha-Brahmana (Shukla, Kanva). Atharvaveda has GopB (Paippalada). The prose myths and legends are about Brahman {highest reality}, explain theology, and state sacrifice meanings. Brahma Sutras have four chapters, each with four sections. Brahma Sutras are for understanding Sruti.
By tradition, Vyasa wrote them.
In Vedas, he was Vyasa's student. He wrote Purvamimamsa, Upadesa, Rudramsa, Shasthamsa, and Saptamsa sutras; Varnada Lagna and other lagnas; and Shakti Yoga and Raja Yogas. He founded Mimamsa. Sanskrit is the true language and leads to truth. Language is not conventional or veil. Sanskrit sounds have meaning, so hymns and mantras are themselves magic.
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He wrote about Hinduism.
He lived -350 to -275.
He wrote animal fables.
Natyasastras tell how to play heroes and other characters and how to interpret emotions in all situation types. Experiencing art equals tasting object essence {rasa theory, Bharata}. Abhinaya (toward Drama) is about dramaturgy. Bharata Natyam, Khathakali, and Kudiattam Yaksagana are India dance forms that follow Bharata's technique and his concept of Abhinaya. Rasananda is ultimate bliss. The older Shilpa Shastras describe how to perform the Agama or liturgical texts and include Vishnudharmotara Purana, Samaranganasutradhara, Sukranitisara, and Shilpa Ratna.
He wrote about Upanishads.
He wrote about Upanishads.
He wrote about Upanishads.
He wrote about Upanishads.
Shaivism Hinduism is an old Hindu school and is mystical, devotional, and pantheistic. Shiva is highest god. Ganesa, Ganesha, Lord of Hosts, Ganapati, or Lord of the Ganas was Shiva's and Parvati's (Sakti's) son. Ganas are followers of Shiva.
Devotees are Saivas or Saivites. They can worship Siva as lingam (light) universe symbol. They can worship Siva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance. Tamils of south India and Sri Lanka are often Saivas. Benares is holy city. The twelve Jyotirling or Golden Lingam (Golden Lights) shrines are famous. A Saivite temple is at Chidambaram in south India. In Middle Ages, Nayanars or Nayanmars saints from south India developed Saivism. By tradition, the legendary sage Agastya spread Saivism and Tamil language.
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By tradition, Vyasa wrote them. They are about history {purana, history}, such as gods, devotions, Ayurveda, Jyotish, cosmology, dharma, karma, and reincarnation. Ayurveda is about medicine. Jyotish is about light or astrology. The eighteen Puranas have three groups of six. Rajasika Puranas or Brahma Puranas include Brahma, Brahmanda, Brahma Vaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavishya, and Vamana. Markandeya includes Devi Mahatmyam, important for Shaktas. Sattvika Puranas or Vaishnavite Puranas or Vishnu and the Goddess Parvati Puranas include Vishnu, Bhagavata or Srimad Bhagavata, Naradeya, Garuda, Padma, and Varaha. Padma defines Sutra. Tamasika Puranas or Shiva and Shakti Puranas include Vayu, Linga, Skanda, Agni, Matsya, and Kurma. All Puranas speak of the goddess Lakshmi.
There are different existences {loka}, such as heaven {Svarga} and hell {Naraka}. Svarga is for demigods {devas}, and King Indra rules it. The King of Justice, Dharmaraj or Yama, rules Naraka. Satyaloka is for Brahma, the highest existence. Vaikuntha is for Vishnu, for those who have left material worlds.
Mahapuranas and Upapuranas are about kings, heroes, and gods. Sthala Puranas are about temple creation and history. Kula Puranas are about castes.
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Traditionally, Vyasa wrote one of the 18 puranas.
He lived 570 to 651 and studied semantics.
She was Tantric Buddhist. In Nepalese Buddhism, one can gain transcendence through erotic behavior {mahasukha}.
He wrote about Upanishads.
He first expounded Advaita Vedanta and was Govinda's teacher. Govinda taught Sankara.
He was Gaudapada's pupil and studied Vedanta.
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He founded the later Prabhakara School of Mimamsa and taught Salikanatha, who wrote Prakaranapancika. The first Mimansa school was the Kumarila School.
He lived 686 to 745, studied Mimamsa, and wrote about realism.
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He lived 788 to 820, was Govinda's pupil, and founded Advaita Vedanta or Non-dualist School. He founded the Dashanamis, who renounce world to meditate.
A phrase {That art Thou} is in Vedas and means that individuals are part of consciousness. Selves and the Self are one, with no God.
World, language, and sense qualities that people experience are real but are illusory and produce ignorance. People must suppress desires to gain real knowledge. Only the Brahman is ultimate reality.
He lived ? to 841, wrote commentaries on the six Hindu systems, and established Nyasa.
He combined the six Hindu systems.
He wrote about Hinduism and invented proofs of gods. All things have cause and must have been made, requiring maker. To make things, atoms must bond, requiring conscious agent {argument from atomic combinations, Udayana}. Earth is stationary and not falling, as Earthly things fall, requiring holder. People have skills, requiring first teacher. People can understand writing and can write, requiring absolute knowledge.
From Dvaitadvaita School, he derived a Difference and Non-Difference philosophy {Bhedabheda}. He began a Vaisnavism sect {Sanaka-sampradaya}. All things differ but unify in God.
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He lived 1017 to 1137 and started Visistadvaita Vedanta or Qualified Non-Dualism or Vishishta Advaita or Non-dualism of the Differentiated. He led south-India Shri Vaishnavism. Vaishnavas worship Vishnu as embodiment of Brahman.
People are separate from God and want to experience and love God. People can feel god-like in dependence on God. People should live actively in the world without trying to control anything or get something. People perform acts to please gods, which are Brahman manifestations.
God, matter, and souls all exist in unity. Matter comes from creative powers of God.
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He lived 1238 to 1317, was dualist during the Bhakti movement, tried to refute Carvaka philosophy, and started Vedanta Tattvavada, True Philosophy, Advaita, Dvaita, or Dualist School.
He said that Vedanta, including Upanishads, Bhagavadgita, and Brahmasutras, revealed that individual self {atman} and ultimate reality {brahman} differ, rather than being the same {non-dualist}. Independent reality {svatantra} is Brahman, and dependent reality {paratantra} is souls {jivas} and objects {jada}. He said this was realistic based on people's perceptions {tattvavada}. God is not the world and is not self. The self is the same as other selves and is not the same as object. All objects differ and are not God or the Self.
He lived 1268 to 1380, headed [1331] Smarta Order, and was minister for King Bukka of Vijayanagara Empire. Sankaracharya founded the Smarta Order. The sixteen philosophy systems are in order of knowledge: Carvaka, Buddha, Arhata or Jaina, purna-prajna, Nakulisa-Pasupata, Saiva, Pratyabhijna, Rasesvara, Vaiseshika or Aulukya, Akshapada or Nyaya, Jaiminiya, Paniniya, Sankhya, Patanjala or Yoga, Vedanta or System of Sankaracharya, and Advaita Vedanta or System of Sankara.
He lived 1315 to 1387 and was court minister.
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He lived 1479 to 1531 and founded a Vaishnavite cult in Rajasthan and Gujarat. He believed Shuddhadvaita-School monism, in which Krishna or Bala Krishna or Vatsalya Bhava or Purushottama is Brahman. He emphasized grace {pushti} and devotion {bhakti, Vallabha}. The highest grace {Maha Pushti} {Anugraha} can attain release. The body of Krishna {Akshara} {Satchidananda} emits sparks to make things.
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He lived 1836 to 1886, followed Vedanta, and was a mystic. All religions are about uniting with God. People can be divine by serving others and God, expressing one spirit. His student was Swami Vivekananda.
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Date Modified: 2022.0225