HUMA 1865 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Jnana Yoga, Puranas, Religious Text
13 Sep 2018
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Document Summary
Religious text often referred to as the foundations of hinduism. Ancient sacred hymns, praising the deities, and exploring nature of cosmos. Not a work of a human, they are revealed in stages, (orally from teacher to student) Considered shruti texts (revealed rather that mortally written) Rig veda: 1st and oldest of vedas, praises and implores blessing of the devas (controlling forces in the cosmos, deities who consecrate every part of life) Upanishads: philosophical questions, teachings from highly realized masters reserved for advanced seekers of spiritual truth. 500 bce, knowledge and devotion through myths and legends. Supreme as a person or various human-like deities, contrasting upshands. Ramayana and mahabharata: supreme as vishnu, (intervenes on earth during critical periods in the cosmic cycle) Puranas declares various ways vishnu has incarnated the world when dharma- moral order in the world is decaying to help restore virtue and defeat evil.
