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India and its Culture Slide 2 Indus Valley Civilization Urban; highly sophisticated System of writing Excellent engineers Ended in 1500 B.C. Shortly after Aryans from north and west migrated into India Slide 3 The Vedas Rig Veda The earliest of the sacred texts of Hinduism Compiled around 1400 B.C. Include ancient hymns Invokes nature gods to find favor with gods and ward off natural disasters Slide 4 Upanishads Final book in the Vedas; philosophical and mystical Dated between 1000 600 B.C. Focus on Brahman, single principle underlying all existence Identification of atman (soul) with Brahman Slide 5 The Bhagavad-Gita Sanskrit Classic Part of Indias greatest epic, The Mahabharata Epic poem relating the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna on the eve of a great battle. Krishna imparts spiritual wisdom to Arjuna that teaches union with God through love, selflessness, and total devotion. Slide 6 Hinduism 1.5 practicing Hindus in the world today Emphasizes freedom from material existence and ones personal identity Forms of worship are to help practitioner experience oneness with Brahman Slide 7 Hindu Beliefs - Terms Karma impartial principle of cause and effect under which actions of a past life may influence ones present situation as well as later incarnations. Reincarnation repeated rebirth of ones soul into the world. Dharma ones duty in life (that it is essential to fulfill); also a fundamental moral code Atman the individual soul that is a part of Brahman Moksha liberation; release from reincarnation Slide 8 Key Hindu Dieties Brahma The Creator Vishnu The Preserver Shiva The Destroyer Slide 9 Do Hindus actually worship many gods? Slide 10 Religious concerns pervade all aspect of Hindu thought. No word in Indian language for English word religion Dharma reflects universal concern with religious values Language the sounds of words was sacred Repetition of OM during meditation aligns inner self with the universe. If you are a teacher it is your duty to teach. If you are a police officer, it is your duty to see that law and order are maintained. If you are a parent, it is your sacred duty to regard your children as divine an raise them with discipline and love. So whatever field you are in, your duty lies in that field. There are many different dharmas and forms of duty. But the most important dharmais to become one with the Self, with the Being from whom we have all emerged Swami Muktananda