Hinduism Vocab

• Ahimsa


  Non-harming, a personal virtue
• Arati


  Important worship ceremony where light offering is made to deity
• Artha


  Earning a lawful living - one of 4 aims of life
• Atman


  The Individual inner self , immortal soul
• Avatar


  Different incarnations of the divine
• Bhajan/Kirtan


  Devotional songs and hymns to God; part of worship
• Brahma 


  The creator
• Brahman


  Ultimate reality, supreme being, source of all life
• Cosmology 


  Understanding of the universe and how it began
• Cycle of 4 ages

  Yugas
• Darshan


  Touching or greeting murti to show respect and receive a belssing
• Deities 


  Presentation of Divine, form of God
• Dharma 


  Divine law/duties. One of 4 aims of life
• Diwali


  Festival of lights
• 4 aims of life

  Dharma (ethical living); Artha (material prosperity); Kama (seeking pleasure); Moksha (seeking liberation)
• Ganesha


  Elephant-headed deity symbolising wisdom and success
• Guru


  Teacher of Hinduism - usually have followers
• Hanuman


  Monkey deity - messenger of Rama
• Havan 


  The fire ceremony; form of worship
• Holi


  Festival of colours - celebrates victory of good over evil
• Maya (illusion)


  Concept that what humans perceive to be real is an illusion, preventing people from realising their true self
• Japa/Mantra


  Japa = mantra chanting using beads to focus mind Mantra = prayers or holy sounds/words that are repeated
• Kama


  Enjoying pleasures of life
• Karma


  Moral action and reaction. accumulation of positive/negative karma leads to rebirth
• Krishna


  Avatar of Vishnu; appeared to restore the Dharma
• Kumbh Mela


  Hindu pilgrimage: 12-yearly gathering at meeting point of Ganges and Yamuna rivers
• Lakshmi


  Deity of wealth, fortune and prosperity; consort of Vishnu
• Prakriti (matter)


  Physical material - belief that all matter is made of 3 qualities (tri-guna)
• Moksha


  Liberation from samsara
• Murti


  Statue of deity used in worship
• Personal Virtues

  Ahimsa, respect, empathy, self-control, humility, love... qualities a Hindu should have
• Pilgrimage


  Religious journey to a holy site as an act of worship or devotion
• Puja


  Act of worship
• Rama


  Avatar of Vishnu
• Samsara


  Cycle of birth and death
• Sanatana Dharma 


  Eternal dharma, truth
• Saraswati 


  Deity of music, arts, knowledge, wisdom and learning; consort of Brahma
• Shaivism


  Branch of Hinduism centred around Shiva
• Shiva


  The destroyer
• Shrine


  Sacred space which is home to a murti - found in home or work space