Upanishad:

Upanishad ("sitting near"): a type of scripture representing the concluding portion of the revealed literature of Hinduism, hence the designation Vedanta for the teachings of these sacred works; cf. Aranyaka, Brahmana, Veda

(See also: Upanishad, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Brahmana:

Brahmana: a brahmin, a member of the highest social class of traditional Indian society; also an early type of ritual text explicating the rituals and mythology of the four Vedas; cf. Aranyaka, Upanishad, Veda

(See also: Brahmana, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Vedas: 1. The four Vedas of the earliest Sanskrit hymns and verses: Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. 2. Equivalent to shruti, "revelation," comprising the Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads as the eternal and unauthored source of Hinduism.

(See also: Vedas, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Brihadaranyaka (Sanskrit) The name of a Upanishad. One of the sacred and secret books of the Brahmins; an Aranyaka is a treatise appended to the Vedas, and considered a subject of special study by those who have retired to the jungle (forest) for purposes of religious meditation.

(See also: Brihadaranyaka, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Veda: (Sanskrit) "Wisdom." Sagely revelations which

comprise Hinduism's most authoritative scripture. They, along with the Agamas, are shruti, "that which is heard."

The Vedas are a body of dozens of holy texts known

collectively as the Veda, or as the four Vedas: Rig, Yajur,

Sama and Atharva. In all they include over 100,000

verses, as well as additional prose. The knowledge

imparted by the Vedas is highly mystical or

superconscious rather than intellectual. Each Veda has

four sections: Samhitas (hymn collections), Brahmanas

(priestly manuals), Aranyakas (forest treatises) and

Upanishads (enlightened discourses). The Samhitas and

Brahmanas (together known as the karmakanda, "ritual

section") detail a transcendent-immanent Supreme-Being

cosmology and a system of worship through fire ceremony

and chanting to establish communication with the Gods.

The Aranyakas and Upanishads (the jnanakanda,

"knowledge section") outline the soul's evolutionary

journey, providing yogic-philosophic training and

propounding a lofty, nondual realization as the destiny of

all souls. The oldest portions of the Vedas are thought to

date back as far as 6,000 bce, written down in Sanskrit in

the last few millennia, making them the world's most

ancient scriptures.

See: Aranyaka, Brahmana, shruti,

Upanishad, Vedanga.

(See also: Veda, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Vedas: the most ancient sacred literature of the Hindus. Most ancient texts revealed to the sages and saints of India which explain and regulate every aspect of life from supreme reality to worldly affairs. Four in number: Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharava which are further divided into Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishads.

(See also: Vedas, Hinduism, Yoga, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Early Hinduism is a term used to designate the religious development of India before the historical period. Two kinds of evidence are available: literary and archeological. History of Hinduism - Literature. Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā See also:

History of Hinduism, History of Hinduism - Origins, History of Hinduism - Analyzing the History, History of Hinduism - Literature, History of Hinduism - Archaeology, History of Hinduism - Hindu Mythology, History of Hinduism - Early Hinduism, History of Hinduism - Influences of the Indus Valley and Dravidian Peoples, History of Hinduism - Evolution of Hindu Philosophy, History of Hinduism - Socio-Religious Reform Movements, History of Hinduism - Hinduism and Jainism, History of Hinduism - Hinduism and the rise of Buddhism, History of Hinduism - Hinduism during the Golden Age in Bharat, History of Hinduism - Shankaracharya and the revival of Hinduism, History of Hinduism - Cultural expansion in South-East Asia, History of Hinduism - Hinduism in Medieval Ages, History of Hinduism - Islamic Invasion, History of Hinduism - Goa Inquisition, History of Hinduism - Bhakti Movement, History of Hinduism - The Reign of Shivaji, History of Hinduism - Modern Hinduism, History of Hinduism - Reform Movements, History of Hinduism - Converts

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vanaprastha ashrama: the third stage of a Hindu's life. As a forest-dweller, he lives in semi-retirement at the edge of the family estate where he is separate from the family, but available in an advisory capacity as his sons take over his former duties. He passes the day in contemplation and study of the Aranyaka section of the Vedas.

(See also: vanaprastha ashrama, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Gymnosophists (Ancient Greek) The name given by Hellenic writers to a class of naked or "air-clad" mendicants; ascetics in India, extremely learned and endowed with great mystic powers. It is easy to recognise in these gymnosophists the Hindu Aranyaka of old, the learned yogis and ascetic- philosophers who retired to the jungle and forest, there to reach, through great austerities, superhuman knowledge and experience.

(See also: Gymnosophists, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Veda: (Sanskrit) "Wisdom."

Sagely revelations which comprise Hinduism's most authoritative scripture. They, along with the Agamas, are shruti, "that which is heard."

The Vedas are a body of dozens of holy texts known collectively as the Veda, or as the four Vedas:

-       Rig,

-       Yajur,

-       Sama and

-       Atharva.

In all they include over 100,000 verses, as well as additional prose. The knowledge imparted by the Vedas is highly mystical or superconscious rather than intellectual.

Each Veda has four sections:

-       Samhitas (hymn collections),

-       Brahmanas (priestly manuals),

-       Upanishads (enlightened discourses).

The Samhitas and Brahmanas (together known as the karmakanda, "ritual section") detail a transcendent-immanent Supreme-Being cosmology and a system of worship through fire ceremony and chanting to establish communication with the Gods.

The Aranyakas and Upanishads (the jnanakanda, "knowledge section") outline the soul's evolutionary journey, providing yogic-philosophic training and propounding a lofty, nondual realization as the destiny of all souls.

The oldest portions of the Vedas are thought to date back as far as 6,000 bce, written down in Sanskrit in the last few millennia, making them the world's most ancient scriptures.

See: Aranyaka, Brahmana, shruti, Upanishad, Vedanga.

(See also: Veda, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

The Mahabharata is written in eighteen parvas (chapters or books) which are: Adi-parva - Introduction, birth and upbringing of the princes. (Adi = first). Sabha-parva - Life at the court, the game of dice, and the exile of the Pandavas. Maya Danava erects the palace and court (sabha), at Indraprastha. Aranyaka-parva (also Vanaparva, Aranyaparva) - The twelve years in exile in the forest (aranya). Virata-parva - The year in exile spent at the court of Virata. ...

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Mahabharata, Mahabharata - Scope, Mahabharata - Background and history, Mahabharata - The central story, Mahabharata - The books, Mahabharata - Jaimini's version, Mahabharata - In modern times, Mahabharata - Another Viewpoint

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Yoga (Sanskrit).

(1) One of the six Darshanas or schools of India; a school of philosophy founded by Patanjali, though the real Yoga doctrine, the one that is said to have helped to prepare the world for the preaching of Buddha, is attributed with good reasons to the more ancient sage Yajnawalkya, the writer of the Shatapatha Brahmana, of Yajur Veda, the Brihad Aranyaka, and other famous works.

(2) The practice of meditation as a means of leading to spiritual liberation. Psycho-spiritual powers are obtained thereby, and induced ecstatic states lead to the clear and correct perception of the eternal truths, in both the visible and invisible universe.

(See also: Yoga, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Portions of the Vedic literature are almost like textbooks on sound, elucidating the use of sound as a spiritual tool. They assert that the entire cosmic creation began with sound: "By His utterance came the universe." (Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad 1.2.4). The Vedanta-sutras add that ultimate liberation comes from sound as well (anavrittih shabdat). Primal sound is referred to as Shabda Brahman - 'God as word'. Closely related to this is the concept of Nada Brahman - 'God as sound'. 'Nada', a Sanskrit word meaning sound, is related to th ...

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Vedic chant, Vedic chant - Introduction, Vedic chant - Divine Sound, Vedic chant - Unesco, Vedic chant - Popular Vedic Chants

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See Also: Vedas, Shruti Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Asht ...

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History of Early Hinduism, History of Early Hinduism - Analyzing the History, History of Early Hinduism - At the birth of Hinduism, History of Early Hinduism - The Aryans of India and Iran, History of Early Hinduism - The Indus Valley Civilization, History of Early Hinduism - Influences of the Indus Valley and Dravidian People, History of Early Hinduism - The Indigenous Peoples within India, History of Early Hinduism - Composition of the Vedas, History of Early Hinduism - From the Ancient Vedic Religion, History of Early Hinduism - Influences from the Indus Valley, History of Early Hinduism - The Classical Age: Ramayana and Mahabharata

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Mahavakya - principal statements or utterances of the Upanisads. Pranava (om) is the true mahavakya of the Vedas as established in Chapter Twelve. However, Sri Sankaracarya has widely broadcast four aphorisms as mahavakyas. Therefore, the word mahavakya has come to be associated with these expressions: aham brahmasmi, "I am brahma,” (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad, 1.4.10) ; tat tvam asi svetaketo, "O Svetaketo, you are that” (Chandogya Upanisad, 6.8.7) ; prajnanam brahma, "The supreme knowledge is brahma,” (Aitareya Upanisad, 1.5.3) ; and sarvam khalv idam brahma, "All the universe is brahma.” (Chandogya Upanisad, 3.14.1.)

(See also: Mahavakya, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Rig Veda: (Sanskrit) "Veda of verse (rik)."

The first and oldest of the four Veda compendia of revealed scriptures (shruti), including a hymn collection (Samhita), priestly explanatory manuals (Brahmanas), forest treatises (Aranyakas) elaborating on the Vedic rites, and philosophical dialogs (Upanishads). Like the other Vedas, the Rig Veda was brought to earth consciousness not all at once, but gradually, over a period of perhaps several thousand years.

The oldest and core portion is the Samhita, believed to date back, in its oral form, as far as 8,000 years, and to have been written down in archaic Sanskrit some 3,000 years ago. It consists of more than 10,000 verses, averaging three or four lines (riks), forming 1,028 hymns (suktas), organized in ten books called mandalas. It embodies prayerful hymns of praise and invocation to the Divinities of nature and to the One Divine. They are the spiritual reflections of a pastoral people with a profound awe for the powers of nature, each of which they revered as sacred and alive. The rishis who unfolded these outpourings of adoration perceived a wellordered cosmos in which dharma is the way of attunement with celestial worlds, from which all righteousness and prosperity descends.

The main concern is man's relationship with God and the world, and the invocation of the subtle worlds into mundane existence. Prayers beseech the Gods for happy family life, wealth, pleasure, cattle, health, protection from enemies, strength in battle, matrimony, progeny, long life and happiness, wisdom and realization and final liberation from rebirth.

The Rig Veda Samhita, which in length equals Homer's Iliad and Odyssey combined, is the most important hymn collection, for it lends a large number of its hymns to the other three Veda Samhitas (the Sama, Yajur and Atharva). Chronologically, after the Samhitas came the Brahmanas, followed by the Aranyakas, and finally the Upanishads, also called the Vedanta, meaning "Veda's end."

See: Rig Veda, shruti, Vedas.

(See also: Rig Veda, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Hinduism is criticized based on current or past regressive social customs such as Dowry, Sati and casteism. Many also criticize it by linking it with Hindutva (the theory of Hindu nationalism). From the worldview of the three other Abrahamic religions, Hinduism is criticized as being polytheistic and for promoting idolatry - both of which they consider evil. The Hindu counter-argument is that Hinduism is not polytheistic (monism or monistic theism is more apt), though it may present an appearance of polytheism to external obser ...

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Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

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Each of the Hinduism's four major denominations share rituals, beliefs, traditions and personal deities with one another, but each sect has a different philosophy on how to achieve life's ultimate goal (moksha, salvation) and on their concept of God (Īshvara). However, each denomination respects all others, and conflict of any kind is rare. In fact, many Hindus will not claim to belong to any denomination at all. Contemporary Hinduism is now divided into four major divisions, Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smārtism. Just as th ...

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Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

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Hinduism - The Bhakti schools. Main article: Bhakti The Bhakti (Devotional) school takes its name from the Hindu term that signifies a blissful, selfless and overwhelming devotion of God as the beloved Father, Mother, Child, or whatever relationship finds appeal in the devotee's heart. The philosophy of Bhakti seeks to relate to the personal form of God. Seen as a form of Yoga, or union, it seeks to interlink the self with God, since consciousness of the body and limited mind as self is ...

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Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

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The overwhelming majority of Hindu sacred texts are composed in the Sanskrit language. Indeed, much of the morphology and linguistic philosophy inherent in the learning of Sanskrit is sometimes claimed to be inextricably linked to study of the Vedas and relevant Hindu scriptures. Hinduism - Shruti. Main article: Shruti The Vedas (वेद, literally, "Knowledge") are considered as Shruti by the Hindus. They are said to have been revealed by the Brahman to the rishis while the la ...

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Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

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Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism. Main article: History of Hinduism Hinduism is the world's oldest major religion in existence. From a Hindu perspective, the Sanatana Dharma propounds eternal and universal principles with no beginning or end. Hindu puranas and astronomical evidence within place Lord Krishna's birth at a date of 3100 BCE Krishna's incarnation was preceded by Lord Rama's, sometimes dated at over 5,000 BCE, or even millions of years ago according to the Ramayana. It is belie ...

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Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

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The six Āstika or orthodox (accepting the authority of the Vedas) schools of Hindu philosophy are Nyāya, Vaisheshika, Sāmkhya, Yoga, Pūrva Mīmāmsā (also called just 'Mīmāmsā'), and Uttara Mīmāmsā (also called 'Vedanta'). The non-Vedic schools are called Nāstika, or heterodox, and refer to Buddhism, Jainism and Lokayata. The schools that continue to enrich Hinduism today are Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Yoga, and Uttara Mīmāmsā. See Hindu philosophy for a discussion of the historical significance of Sāmkhya, N ...

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Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

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