Hinduism Mini-lesson & Chapter 2 – 4

Questions?

Timeline Present time: (Story starts; in Mangla; 3 rd p. omniscient POV) 1.Gets out of prison/gets shave 2.2 days later: meets Velan & mistaken for guru 3.Makes temple his home 4.Tells stories to the villagers, like Velan Flashbacks: ( 1 st person POV; in Malgudi) 1.Childhood 2.Railway guide 3.Rosie 4.Prison

Dharma  That which upholds, supports, or maintains the order of the universe  Behaviours necessary to maintain natural order  Encompasses ideas such as duty, vocation, religion and all behaviour considered appropriate, correct or morally upright.  Downside: keeps the lower classes in their place  Examples

Moksha  Liberation from Samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth  Attained by dis-identification with the body and the mind, which are temporary and subject to change, and realizing one’s true identity  Includes renunciation of worldly goods, ideals, etc.

Maya  Illusion  the world as humans perceive it; an imperfect perception of reality  We need to see through Maya, like having an epiphany, to achieve moksha  The five vices: anger, greed, lust, ego, and attachment – help create maya, this imperfect perception of truth

Karma Yoga  Based on teachings of Baghavad Gita  Process of achieving perfection through action  Selfless, altruistic service

“Ideal” life cycle for men  Early Life: student’s life, study, respect your teachers!  Mid-life: marry, have a family, raise kids, provide for a protect them  Retirement: Go off with wife away from town and into forest, apart but not completely cut off; begin religious work  End of life: go off by yourself (leave your wife), end world attachment and become an ascetic; give old, wise advice, then die.

To Consider…  Closely read pages and look for evidence of the theme “old vs. new” or “tradition vs. modernity”  What does N. imply about the old vs. the new?  Compare his playground by the railway with the tamarind tree on pages 6-7  Consider the influence of the railroad on Raju and his family

Mangala vs. Malgudi  Compare the two settings. What characterizes each so far? (Mangala is the village across the riverbank from Raju’s temple. Malgudi is the nearby town that Raju grew up in containing the railway station, the jail, the school, etc.)

Progress of Swami Raju  What propels Raju from being a reluctant saint to being a committed saint? Find specific examples of evidence.  How does Narayan use a metaphor of performance / acting to illustrate Raju’s taking on the position of saint?

Raju’s Family  Comment on Raju’s father and mother.  How would you characterize them?  What creates conflict between them?  Discuss the incident of the cart driver and jutka. Significance?

Foreshadowing  The Law (12) (19)  Food

 Comparisons between The Guide and TTL and/or P&P!