Worksheet: Exploring Hinduism
Directions: On a piece of lined paper, list 1 to 32. Read the article Dharma, Karma and Moksha: This Life and
the Next. The list below are notes taken from this article. On your lined paper, identify which paragraph each
fact comes from (some paragraphs have several facts, some paragraphs have one fact ­ no facts belong in
two paragraphs).
1.
2.
3.
4.
N. most people ­ cycle of rebirth continues endlessly
G. formed the largest class, considered second­class citizens
A. Hinduism = main religion and social system in India ­ equally strong
N. Moksha achieved only when a person fully understands and becomes one with Brahma (Universal
Spirit)
5. G. Purusha's feet = Shudras = laborers, servants = duty to serve masters
6. C. hymn called "Purusha Sukta" ("Hymn of Man") gods sacrificed Purusha, a Primeval Person ­ divided
his body and four parts became the Hindu castes
7. I. Portuguese traders in the sixteenth century saw communities divided into thousands of sub­groups
8. N. total happiness takes many lives
9. B. Happiness next life = how person acts in present life
10. L. great god Brahma, creator of the universe, appointed Manu as first king
11. E. Purusha's arms = kings, warriors = Kshatriyas
12. D. Purusha's mouth = priests, teachers = Brahmans = highest, most powerful and respected
13. H. goal = to keep the castes unmixed, and pure
14. J. Children belong to parents' caste
15. M. karma = good act brings happiness, bad one brings sorrow
16. I. Hindus called sub­groups ‘varnas’ (color) ­ Portuguese called groups castas, ( "tribal clans" or
"families")
17. F. Purusha's thighs = merchants, farmers, businessmen = Vaishyas = tending the sacred cattle = could
gain respect by accumulating wealth
18. G. permanently separated from the three higher Hindu castes
19. C. four social castes created by gods at beginning of time
20. H. early times = strict rules about relations between castes
21. I. over two thousand years, Hindu society has had four main castes
22. K. people must act in a manner appropriate for position in society
23. J. thousands subdivisions most likely result of invasions and geographic separation of the early natives
24. C. ancient religious text = Rig Veda
25. L. Manu's duty = guide people towards peacefulness and tranquility
26. N. desire for release from cycle becomes very strong, so seek salvation (moksha)
27. K. guiding principle = individual's sense of duty called dharma
28. B.most Hindus = important to fulfill of one's duties and obligations
29. J. Belonging to caste provides security, pride, respect ­ expelled from one's caste = living death.
30. M. believe in reincarnation (life after death) ­ thoughts, actions affect the type of next life
31. C. Hindu society = highly structured ­everyone has their place
32. L. Manu set up codes of duty in Sacred Law (Manu Smriti)
Hindu Gods and Goddesses
Directions: List 1 to 11 on the same paper you used for the notes. Look carefully at the pictures of the gods
and goddesses. Match the correct letter with the description of the god or goddess.
1. J. Agni ­ The eldest son of Brahma, he is the god of2. K. Ganesha ­This son of Shiva and Parvati has the
fire and is colored red. His fire links heaven and Earthhead and body of an elephant. He is the patron of
by carrying people’s sacrifices to the gods. His
schools and letters. He is the god of learning and is
favorite pet is a ram.
worshipped at the start of any enterprise. He is also
the god who wards off evil. He rode on a mouse that
could gnaw through any obstacle.
3. I. Brahma ­ He is called the Indestructible, the
4. G. Krishna ­ This god is one of the incarnations of
Creator of the World, the Supreme Ruler, and the
Vishnu on Earth. He is the god featured in the
Source of all Knowledge. He has four heads and is Bhagavad­Gita and guides the faithful from evil,
colored red. He rides on a swan or goose which
reminding them of their duties. He is colored blue and
symbolizes knowledge. In his four hands he holds a his name means ‘the dark one.’ He is playing a flute.
scepter, a ladle, beads, a bow, and a jug. He is part of
the Hindu Trinity.
5. F. Shiva ­ Known as the Destroyer, this god with 6. H Indra ­ This god of sky, rain, thunder, and war
twisted locks of hair danced to destroy the universe sorides a white elephant named Airavata. he is one of
it could be reborn. He often rides a bull, the symbol of the original Aryan gods central to the Rig­Veda.
victory. He has four arms and his symbols are the ax
and drum. He is part of the Hindu Trinity.
7. D Ganga ­ This river goddess personifies the
Ganges River. She is beloved by Shiva. Legend
claims she came to Earth through the twisted strands
of Shiva’s hair so she would not flood the Earth. She
is a lovely goddess draped in white.
8. A. Vishnu ­ Known as the Preserver and the King
of the Serpents, this god rides on Ananta, the cosmic
snake. His four arms represent pleasure, success,
righteousness, and liberation, and in his four hands he
folds a conch shell, a wheel, a mace, and a lotus. He
has come to Earth in many animal and human forms.
He is colored black or dark blue with a yellow veil at
the hips. He is part of the Hindu Trinity.
9. C Durga ­ Created by Vishnu and Shiva, this
10. E Surya ­ This sun god rides his chariot, which
goddess rode out of the mountains on a red lion and has only one wheel and is drawn by seven golden
defeated the king anti­god who was a buffalo, the
horses, on a lotus.
symbol of death. She resorted heaven to the gods
and is considered the goddess of war, birth, and
death.
11. B. Parvati ­ This goddess is the daughter of the
mountain and the wife of Lord Shiva. She is the
mother of many gods and chief of all the elves and
spirits who wander about the earth. She has four
arms.