Historical Epochs
The most ancient/primitive period.
What is the Vedic Period?
The priests, scholars, and teachers.
Who are the Brahmins?
The rebirth of the soul in another life form after death.
What is reincarnation?
The creator god
Who is Brahma?
There are many gods
What is polytheism?
The most popular/pluralistic period
What is the Classical Period?
The laborers
Who are the Shudras?
The impersonal cosmic essence of all things
What is Brahman?
The goddess of wealth and good fortune.
Who is Lakshmi?
All reality is one
What is monism?
The most philosophical/monistic period
What is the Upanishadic Period?
So lowly they are outside of the caste system.
Who are the untouchables/Dalits?
The individual human aspect of Brahman
What is atman?
The preserver god.
Who is Vishnu?
The idea that spirits (deities) can inhabit material objects
What is animism?
They were cattle herders who began to settle the Indus River Valley and the Gangetic Plain.
Who are the Indo-Aryans?
The farmers, merchants, and artisans.
Who are the Vaishyas?
The sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence
What is karma?
The wife of the disgraced Brahma who students and musicians pray to
Who is Sarasvati?
Everything exists within God
What is Panentheism?
This period was characterized by a desire to actually understand the nature of knowledge and the reason for ritual
What is the Upanishadic Period
The kings and warriors
Who are the Kshatriyas?
Liberation from the cycle of reincarnation
What is moksha?
The destroyer god
Who is Shiva?
Many gods exist but the worshipper is devoted to only one
What is Henotheism?