Key terms Trimurti three images these are three

Key terms: Trimurti– three images, these are three main gods in Hinduism – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva Moksha – being free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth and becoming one with God. Omnipotent – all-powerful Omnipresent – everywhere at once Omniscient – all-knowing Omnibenevolent – all-loving Eternal – lasts forever Puja – a form of worship Mandir – Hindu temple Reincarnation – being born as something or someone else when you die. Karma – a sum of a person’s actions that will decide their future. What goes around comes around. Murti – images of the god/goddess Hindu trimurti Brahman • • Hindus believe in one God called Brahman is neither male nor female Isn’t human, but a great power. Brahman can appear in many different forms either as a god or goddess. Hinduism Brahma - creator Vishnu - preserver Shiva - destroyer • • • • First god of the trimurti Created the world and all creatures Is the least worshipped god in Hinduism today – only 2 temples in the whole of India devoted to him. Has four heads and is believed these heads came from the Vedas (religious texts) Often shown holding some of the Vedas script in his hand. Has four arms Usually shown with a beard – shows he has great wisdom because of his age. Also has a water pot which is needed to create new life. Always concentrating on the creation of new things. Sometimes rides a swan. • • • Second god of the trimurti Role is to return to earth in troubled times and restore balance of good and evil His worshippers consider him the greatest god. Associated with light – like the sun. Represented with a human body, blue skin and four arms. Hands always carry four objects representing the things he is responsible for: conch shell – the sound this produces ‘Om’, represents the sound of creation, discus – symbolises the mind, lotus flower – example of existence of freedom, mace – represents mental and physical strength. Vishnu rides on an eagle. • • Third god of the trimurti Believed he has powers of destruction and recreation. Seen as the source of both good and evil. Known to have untamed passion, which leads him to extreme behaviour. Shown as a man with a blue face and throat but white body. Has a third eye – showing his wisdom and the source of his untamed energy. Has a cobra necklace – shows his power over the most dangerous of creatures. Has the vibhuti – 3 lines drawn horizontally across his forehead in ash to show his superhuman power and wealth and to cover his third eye. Has a trident – represents the three functions of the trimurti. Puja • Hindus often choose an aspect of Brahman to worship • Most commonly worshipped aspect of Brahman is the god Ganesh (elephant-headed god)– he is the god of success, destroyer of evil and they pray to Ganesh for wealth and happiness. • Hindus say ‘aum ’ while they are praying – they believe this is the sound god makes. A Hindu shrine • A statue or picture of their chosen god/goddess • A puja bell – to get the attention of the god/goddess they are praying to. • The Arti lamp – symbolises the offering of love to a god/goddess. Light is very important as you need it to see Brahman’s creation. • Incense sticks – used to create an atmosphere of calm and concentration. • Tilak powder – a sign of belonging and also a sign of blessing from a god/goddess. They dip their fingers in the powder and create a talik on the forehead. • Fresh fruit, flowers and water – these are o fferings to the god/goddess.

Mandir • The word ‘mandir’ comes from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘house’. What is in a mandir? • Gopuram – first thing you see. A gateway or tower that marks the entrance to the grounds. Often beautifully decorated with images of Hindu gods or goddesses. Sometimes tells the stories from the life of the god/goddess the mandir is dedicated to. • The Guardian – between the gopuram and mandir there is a statue of an animal which spiritually protects the shrines inside. Common ones are Nandi the bull (associated with Shiva) and Garuda who is half man, half eagle (associated with Vishnu). • Ardhamandapa – porch or entrance. Where they remove shoes (keep the mandir clean and pure) and sometimes ring a bell. Usually reached by climbing great steps. • Bell – sometimes people ring a bell to announce their arrival to the gods/goddesses. • Mandapa – main prayer hall. Represents the body. • Garbha Griha – main shrine. Means ‘womb house’ as it symbolises the womb or heart that gives life to the whole temple. There is a corridor or a space left all around the garbha griha called a pradakshina. This is so that people can walk all the way round the shrine in a clockwise direction, keeping the shrine on their right hand side. It shows that, just as the shrine is at the centre of the circle they make as they walk, God is at the centre of their lives. • Shikara – spire on the roof that represents the head of the body, and the flags represent hair. Point upward to symbolise the journey of the soul up to God. Also represent the Himalayas – mountains the gods are traditionally believed to live. • Murti – image of a god/goddess. • Puja tray – a tray with various objects needed for worship. • Prasad – food offered to the murtis and then shared out to worshippers after puja. Vegetarian food only as this is the purest. • Symbols - Mandirs are decorated with many different symbols including: the Om (or Aum - left) which represents the one unseen God; the lotus flower which symbolises purity and beauty in a polluted world; and the swastika , which represents the sun and God’s blessings, although this symbol is often misunderstood because it was used by the Nazis, turning it into a symbol of fear for many people. • Haveli – originally a building with rooms built around a courtyard. • Brahmin – Hindu priest. • • Reincarnation People believe after death, people are born again. This is based on their actions and consequences in life. Hindus believe whenever anyone’s actions cause negative consequences they collect bad karma. When actions cause positive consequences, people collect good karma. The more good karma you have, the better your afterlife will be. The chain of rebirth • The lowest in the chain of rebirth is plant life, followed by insect life, animal life, human life and then finally life as a Brahmin (Hindu priest). • When someone achieves the status of a Brahmin, they achieve ‘moksha’ when they die. Hinduism Diwali • • The festival of light Celebrated to remember Rama and Sita’s return from banishment and after defeating the evil demon king Ravana. Lakshmi • For many Indians the festival of Diwali also honours Lakshmi , the goddess of wealth. • People start the new business year at Diwali, and some Hindus will say prayers to the goddess for a successful year. • Lamps are lit to help Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, find her way into people's homes. How it is celebrated • spring-cleaning the home • wearing new clothes • exchanging gifts (often sweets and dried fruits) and preparing festive meals • worshipping at the temple • Making Rangoli patterns • lights and huge firework displays often celebrate Diwali