Name______________________
Hinduism Study Guide
1. How old is Hinduism?
2. Discuss the complexity and breadth of Hinduism? How many gods does it have?
3. What three religions grew out of Hinduism?
4. Who is the founder of Hinduism?
5. Where does the word for Hindu come from and who were the first people to use the term?
6. What happened when the Aryans came into the Indus Valley, making contact with the original
people there?
7. How did Vedic literature portray the original inhabitants of the Indus Valley?
8. How many square miles did the city complexes of Indus Valley civilization cover?
9. List seven major features of the Indus Valley cities and civilization.
10. What great problem keeps us from knowing more about these people?
11. Provide two religious examples likely incorporated or adopted by the Aryans from the Indus
Valley people.
12. What do many students first think of when hearing the term Aryans?
13. What is the literal meaning of the Sanskrit word Aryan?
14. What great achievement are the Aryans likely responsible for?
15. What achievements are attributable to those Aryans that did not come to India, but settled in Iran?
16. What was the state of the Indus Valley civilization when the Aryans entered the region and what
mystery persists about the Aryan’s invasion?
17. Who led Aryan tribal groups?
18. Define varnas:
19. Define Brahmins:
20. Define Kshatriyas:
21. Define Vaishyas:
22. Define Shudras:
23. What happened to these major social groups over time?
24. What basic things about original Aryan religion are clear?
25. What is Agni the god of?
26. What effect did the soma plant supposedly have on Aryans?
27. Who engaged in the horse sacrifice and what was it supposed to accomplish?
28. What is the origin of the Vedas?
29. List each of the first four basic Vedic books.
30. Define Vedic:
31. Which god receives the most hymns in the Rig-Veda and who does he conquer?
32. Over what areas does the god Varuna preside?
33. What major role does Vedic literature serve in Hinduism today?
34. What major disagreement do scholars have relating to the Upanishads as a Vedic text?
35. What do the Upanishads emphasize as a means of worship instead of sacrifice?
36. What makes the Upanishads less popular and accessible than later Hindu texts?
37. Define Brahman:
38. Describe the plight of human beings according to Hinduism and explain the role of religion to
Hindus.
39. Explain the concepts of each of the following:
a. Karma:
b. Samsara:
c. Moksha:
40. What is required to achieve unity with the Brahman?
41. What can we learn about through the Law of Manu outside of religious teaching?
42. How does the Law of Manu generally reinforce class distinctions?
43. What is the only way to achieve mobility through the caste system?
44. List the four stages of life upper-caste men are expected to pass through.
45. What is the role of women according to the Law of Manu?
46. What is strictly prohibited in the Law of Manu with regard to cattle?
47. How does Indian philosophy see time?
48. What three basic things did Jainism and Buddhism reject in Hinduism?
49. What did Jainism teach as the path to find release from rebirth and caste?
50. Why is Jainism a much smaller religion than others in India?
51. How does Buddhism differ from Jainism?
52. What is the Bhagavad Gita about?
53. What is the Mahabharata?
54. The Gita is a conversation between ______________ and _______________.
55. What three major implications does the Bhagavad Gita have on Hinduism according to the text?
56. What era came to a close with the Bhagavad Gita?
57. List three differences between the classic and post-classic eras of Hinduism.
58. Do you agree with the authors of the text when they state that Hinduism had become a negative,
world-denying religion? Explain.
59. What are the three functions of the Trimurti of post-classical Hinduism and which gods represent
each?
60. Of the three leading deities of the Hindu pantheon, Brahma receives the __________ attention.
Why might this be?
61. Why is Shiva the destroyer linked strongly with reproduction and sexuality?
62. Describe the difference between Shiva’s consorts Kali and Paravati.
63. As preserver, what is Vishnu known as the god of?
64. Name three incarnations of Vishnu.
65. Who is Vishnu’s wife and what epic poem depicts their incarnation in the world?
66. Who are the Hare Krishnas, who do they worship and how is that related to Vishnu?
67. List the six philosophical systems of Hinduism and briefly explain the central focus of each.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
68. What Turkish (Islamic) group ruled the majority of India by the thirteenth century?
69. List four areas of difference between Islam and Hinduism.
70. List four areas in which Indian society has been influenced by the Muslim world.
71. What religion attempted (and to a large extent succeeded) in reconciling Islam and Hinduism?
72. How was Christianity treated in India in more ancient times?
73. What eventually forced Hindus to face Christianity as a major force?
74. What two early encounters with European power began three centuries of British rule in India?
75. Who first brought modern printing to India?
76. Describe two practices in India that alarmed Christian missionaries and were banned by Britain.
77. Who is known as the “Father of Modern India” and what society did he form?
78. What was Sri Ramakrishna’s belief about all religions and who was his apostle?
79. What organization was founded in the U.S. by Paramahansa Ananda?
80. What two achievements are Mohandas K. Gandhi best-known for?
81. Who did Gandhi study and who else did Gandhi become a model for later in time?
82. How did Gandhi die?
83. What were the thousands of different castes eventually emerging in India based on?
84. What does one’s caste dictate in India?
85. What word has been used for those in the lowest castes and what work do they do?
86. In what ironic and co-dependent situation does Hindu society find itself?
87. What was officially forbidden in the 1948 Constitution of the Republic of India?
88. Define harijan:
89. Briefly explain each of the following Hindu holy days.
1. Holi
2. Divali
3. Dasehra
90. What major issues must be faced by India’s democratic system?
91. What has heightened the tension between Hindus and Muslims in India?
92. What state is fought over by India and Pakistan?
93. How many people call themselves Hindus?