RLG100Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Mahabharata, Ramanuja, Smriti
Document Summary
[[know rough dates of time periods (vedic, classical, etc. ) Samsara circle/wheel of life, karma: concept of freedom from wheel: moksha. Maya is the illusionary world we live in. Classical hinduism (shruti - heard) & smriti what is written or what is remembered (post-vedic) Epics and puranas: personify the abstract concepts of the. Epics: ramayana & mahabarata (200bce: epic tales about reincarnations of vishnu, ramayana (prince rama) Exiled from kingdom, wife kidnapped by demon. He enlists help of monkey headed god. Kills demon, reclaims wife, saves kingdom: mahabarata bhagavad-gita section (krishna & arjuna) King barata has 5 sons trying to repel attack from cousins family feud to gain throne. Arjuna doesn"t want to fight, his charioteer says its his duty dharma . Charioteer revealed as krisha arjuna can achieve moksha with dharma. Following dharma can help lead to liberation/moksha. Other major classical texts: puranas (4000ce) heroic legends, tantras actually buddhist tradition, dharma-sastras legalistic documents. Laws of manu (sets social order different.
