Lesson Objectives

• Orient ourselves historically to understand the evolution of Indian thought

• Appreciate the literary foundations of Hindu wisdom and identity

• Understand the Hindu conception of God and Hindu cosmology

• Appreciate the profound influence colonialism had on Hindu thought

• Understand the 3 major yogas and 3 major margas of Hindu tradition

• Appreciate the variety of Hindu practice in modern India

Key Terms

Brahman & the Avatars

Maya & Samsara

Karma & Moksha

The Three Yogas

The Three Margas

Maps

Aryan India (cf. the Kurgan Model)

Mughal India

Modern India (GM)

Hindu History

1.8k - 1.5k BCE | Proto-Indo European Culture

• Aryan warriors from the north bring the wheel, horses, and writing

• The Aryans develop the Sanskrit language in India

1500 - 600 BCE | The Vedic Age

• The Vedas are recorded in written form

• Brahmanism begins to take shape in India

600 - 300 BCE | The Aestic Age

• Concept of Samsara. Decline of Brahmanism.

• Upanishads written. Rise of the Buddha & Jainism.

300 BCE - 700 CE | Buddhist India

• Buddhism takes hold of India and travels into the East

• Bhagavad Gita written. Mahabarata & Ramanyana written.

700 - 1500s | Medieval India

• As Islam rises, Bhakti Yoga begins to replace Indian Buddhism

• The six major systems of Hindu Philosophy are codified

1500s-1700s | Islamic India

• Islamic culture (eg. Taj Mahal) thrives in India under Muslim kings

• Muslim leaders call non–Muslim Indians by the exonym "Hindus"

1700s-1947 | British India

• Hindu Nationalism. "Hinduism" conceptualized as a religion.

• 1947: India wins their independence (cf. Gandhi) from Britain