1. Keys to Understanding Hinduism Part 1 Scriptures and Deities

2. Vedic religious practice
Modern Hinduism may have parts of religions practiced by native peoples- male and female deities- procreation a focus
Vedas- Body of Knowledge- Originated by 1500 to 1000 BCE- Passed down orally
Vedas are a liturgy manual (concerned with rituals, hymns, incantations) not a narrative (storyline) like the Bible
Rig Veda- oldest
Praises and implores the blessings of the devas (earth gods and deities of the sky and celestial realm.)

3. Vedas- Way of Wisdom Samhitas: earliest Praise and worship of deities
Brahmanas
Directions for sacrifices
Affirm God is immanent and transcendent, and prescribe ritual worship, mantra and devotional hymns to establish communication with the spiritual world.
Aranyatas
Writings of people meditating in forest
Upanishads
Spiritual masters explain personal transformation in ritual process
Outline the souls evolutionary journey, provide yogic philosophical training and propounds the realization of man’s oneness with god as the destiny of all souls.

4. Priestly rituals example How Vedic religious practice affects modern day Hinduism.
Vedic worship centered around the fire sacrifice- Offerings
Priests use: verbal formulas, sacred chants, sacred actions
Concerned with ritual purity- (example- eating salad in a restaurant)
Caste system

5. Brahman and Atman Brahman-breath behind all existence “one” god
Atman-subtle self within themselves
We are all atman and are a part of Brahman
Brahman
Atman

6. Bhakti- Way of Devotion
Difficult to pray to the abstract depictions of an impersonal deity from the Upanishads so many Hindus worship changes to bhakti worship.
Bhakti- Intense devotion to a personal manifestation of Brahman.
The epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, and the Puranas represent god as a person or human-like deities, and aid in this form of worship.
Evaluate why Hindus would desire personal experiences with their deities.
Assess why Hindu worship of Brahman is broken into many aspects/deities and how this impacts their worship.

7. Review Questions
Identify and describe the key developments of Vedic religious practice.
Analyze how Vedic religious practice affects modern day Hinduism? Sacrifices, rituals, etc..