SPOKEN LANGUAGE OF THE ARYANS - MAJOR LANGUAGE OF INDIA

SANSKRIT

CHIEF OF ARYAN TRIBES

RAJAH

TRIBES OF PEOPLE FROM EUROPE WHO INVADED

INDIA - NAME MEANS “NOBLE ONES”

ARYAN

MAJOR PASSAGE WAY THROUGH THE HINDU KUSH

MOUNTAINS

KHYBER PASS

PERIOD THAT RAN FROM 1200 TO 500 B.C. - LIFE

EVOLVED AROUND THE VEDAS (RELIGIOUS BOOKS)

VEDIC AGE

LOCATED NORTHWEST OF INDIA - IT FORMED A NATURAL BARRIER

HINDU KUSH MOUNTAINS

LOCATED ALONG THE GANGES RIVER ALONG

NORTHERN INDIA

GANGES PLAIN

FOUR RELIGIOUS BOOKS “BOOKS OF KNOWLEDGE” WRITTEN BY PRIESTS FOR

THE ARYANS

VEDAS

LONG NARRATIVE

POEM

EPIC

NATIONAL RELIGION OF INDIA - BASED IN ARYAN

RELIGION

HINDUISM

FOUR MAJOR SOCIAL CLASSES OF ARYAN

SOCEITY

VARNAS

FIRST CLASS OF PEOPLE IN THE VARNAS WARRIORS

RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT AND THE

MILITARY

KSHATRIYAS

SECOND CLASS OF PEOPLE IN THE VARNAS CLASS SYSTEM

PRIESTSRESPONSIBILITY FOR

TEACHING THE VEDAS (HOLY BOOK)

BRAHMANS

THIRD CLASS OF PEOPLE IN THE VARNAS

MERCHANTS, FARMERS, CRAFTSMEN

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FARMING

PRODUCING AND TRADING GOODS

VAISYAS

FOURTH CLASS OF PEOPLE IN THE VARNAS CLASS SYSTEM UNSKILLED LABORERS AND

SERVANTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR

SERVING OTHER CLASSES

SUDRAS

THIS CLASS OF PEOPLE WERE CONSIDERED SO LOW THEY

WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE CASTE SYSTEM

THEY SLAUGHTERED THE ANIMALS

OTHER CLASSES OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE UNCLEAN THEY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE

SOCIAL OUTCASTS

PARIAHS

THIS SYSTEM WAS VERY RIGID

ONE COULD NOT MOVE FROM ONE CLASS TO THE

NEXT BASED ON BIRTH

CASTE SYSTEM

SUBDIVISION OF INDIVIDUAL CLASSES

BASED ON OCCUPATION

JATI

PARIAHS WERE CALLED THIS BECAUSE THEY WERE

CONSIDERED TO BE SOCIAL OUTCASTS

UNTOUCHABLES

EPIC POEMS THAT OUTLINED THE DUTIES OF INDIVIDUALS

MAHABHARATA

DUTIES OF THE MALES THAT BELONGED TO EACH CLASS

IN THE VARNAS CLASS SYSTEM

DHARMA

MAN CHOSEN BY GOD AS THE FIRST KING

VIRAJAS

THIS WAS PART OF THE MAHABHARATA

IT ILLUSTRATED THE IMPORTANCE OF DUTY IN

LIFE MEANS “SONG OF THE

LORD”

BHAGAVAD GITA

TALE OF KING RAMA AND HIS WIFE

DESCRIBES THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN

GOOD AND EVIL

RAMAYANA

RELIGIOUS WRITINGS

ALL LIVING THINGS HAVE SOULS

UPANISHADS

RELIEF FROM GOING FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER

MOKSHA

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXERCISE

A STATE OF PEACE

YOGA

THE ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT

BRAHMAN NERGUNA

THE PRACTICE THAT REQUIRES HINDUS TO PROTECT ALL LIVING

THINGS

AHIMSA

REBIRTH OF SOULS

REINCARNATION

THE IDEA OF WHAT YOU DO IN THIS LIFE DETERMINES

WHAT YOU ARE IN THE NEXT LIFE

KARMA