Download Brahmin Priests

Brahmin P riests
This scroll contains information about your role as Brahmin Priests. You should work together
to share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide what your
group symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name from your character
card and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
The Brahmin class is at the top of the Hindu social pyramid in Ancient India. They are the religious leaders, priests, and scholars. Brahmins’ first duty is to study the Vedas, which are sacred
texts. Brahmin priests are responsible for performing religious rituals.
There are many deities, or gods, in the Hindu religion. The three supreme gods are Shiva, Vishnu, and the Great Goddess. Each of these gods descends to Earth in different forms, called
avatars. Shiva is the destroyer, the lord of dance, and the patron god of yoga. He practices
meditation on top of a high mountain in the Himalayas and sits still for a very long time. At
the same time, he dances constantly. Vishnu preserves the order of the universe. His avatars
include a tortoise, a dwarf, a half-man-half-lion, and a half-man-half-boar. Hindus are still
waiting for his last avatar, who will bring the cycle of this world to an end.
Buddhism and Jainism are other prevalent religions in the region. They are not part of the Hindu social pyramid. However, all three live peacefully side by side.
Priests in the Brahmin class would know a lot about the god Vishnu. Vishnu is a supreme god
and is considered to be the preserver. He preserves the order of the universe. Vishnu descends
from the sky in many different forms, called avatars. For example, it is believed that the hero
Rama in the epic poem, “Ramayana,” is actually an avatar of the god Vishnu. He also appears
in the much longer epic, “Mahabharata” as King Krishna. As Krishna, he teaches a prince the
secrets of life and death. After the “Marabharata,” he became so popular that Hindus wrote
myths about Krishna himself !
Other priests in the Brahmin class would know a lot about the god Shiva. Shiva is one of the
main gods in the Hindu religion. He is the destroyer and the patron god of yoga. He is depicted in Hindu art in many forms: dancing, begging, meditating, or relaxing with his wife and
sons. He usually carries a trident that he uses to rule the world. When he is shown dancing,
he carries a drum and has a snake wrapped around him. It is said that the sacred Ganges River
flows out of his hair. His tangled hair slows down the flow of the water and spreads it into
many different streams.
Brahmin class priests would know a lot about the Great Goddess. She is an all-encompassing
female goddess and takes many forms, such as Parvati (the wife of Shiva), Devi, Durga, and
Kali. She is both a fierce destroyer and a mother of the universe. There are many hymns and
myths about the Goddess. One myth concerns the great buffalo demon, Mahisha. All of the
gods together cannot slay him, but their powers combine to bring about the Goddess, in the
form of Durga. She successfully kills the shape-shifting demon.
A priest in the Brahmin class might study religion at the University of Nalanda, where they
learn both Hinduism and Buddhism religion. Buddhists follow the teachings of Siddhartha
Gautama, a Kshatriya prince who gave up his crown to find enlightenment. Buddhists believe
that a person can reach enlightenment by following eight principles: understand how the world
works, have good intentions, speak kindly, don’t harm others, don’t harm others in your job, resist evil, be aware of your thoughts, and meditate. Hindus are open to people of other religions
and do not discriminate against Buddhists.
Brahmin priests know a lot about religion. They may be Hindu, but there are several people in
their community who practice Jainism. Jainism teaches equality and non-violence between all
living things. Jainism teaches that everyone sees the world from a different perspective. Each
person’s perspective is worthy, and no single human can know the absolute truth. Followers of
the Jaina religion are vegetarian, do not use bad language, and vow to always speak the truth.
Hindus are open to people of other religions and do not discriminate against Jainas.
Some priests in the Brahmin class specialize in the funeral rites of Hindus. Together with the
relatives of the deceased, they purify the body by washing it in clean water. Then they dress it
in new clothes. Male and female widows wear white clothes, while married women or young
girls wear yellow or red. They sanctify the body with ash on the forehead, water from the sacred
river Ganges, and basil leaves. Many bodies are then cremated on a pyre over the river. The
ideal place for cremation is on the Ganges River, but if someone lives far away, their ashes can
be saved and scattered into the Ganges later by a relative.
Vocabulary
1
Supreme - Highest; greatest
2
Patron - A supporter through money or power
3
Yoga - A philosophy of physical exercise so as to liberate
the mind
4
Meditating - Devout religious contemplation
5
Trident (picture)
6
Sacred - Religious respect
7
Hymn - A religious song to honor a deity
8
Myth - A story of legend; usually heroic
9
Buffalo (picture)
10
11
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13
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15
Demon - Evil spirit
Kshatriya - A royal Hindu class below the Brahman;
warriors
Enlightenment - Pure knowledge; uncorrupted wisdom
Discriminate - To make a distinction between two
things
Perspective - A point of view
Rite - A formal/ceremonial act
15
Widow - A woman who has lost her husband
15
Sanctify - To make something holy; to give respect
15
Basil leaves (Picture)
15
Cremated - To burn a body as a ritual
15
Pyre - A burning pile of wood where a body
burns on top of it
Brahmin
Scholars
This scroll contains information about your role as Brahmin Scholars. You should work
together to share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group,
decide what your group symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your
name from your character card and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
The Brahmin class is at the top of the Hindu social pyramid in Ancient India. They are
the religious leaders, priests, and scholars. Brahmins’ first duty is to study the Vedas,
which are sacred texts. Brahmin priests are responsible for performing religious rituals.
The Brahmin class had the most time to study, even subjects that have nothing to do
with religion. In addition to studying the Vedas, Brahmin scholars learned mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, Sanskrit, painting, music, logic, dancing, grammar, philosophy, and medicine. Brahmin painters and sculptors made images of the many Hindu
deities to place in their temples. Sculptures were made out of bronze, wood, stone, and
terra cotta. Some were carved into the walls of cave temples.
The Gupta Empire established many colleges and universities. Only males or the
daughters of the teachers were allowed to attend.
Buddhism and Jainism are other prevalent religions in the region. They are not part of
the Hindu social pyramid. All three religions live peacefully, side by side.
Scholars in the Brahmin class might study mathematics at the Nalanda University in
the city of Bihar. You use math to build altars, calculate profit and loss in business, and
determine the quality of gold. Ancient Indian mathematicians are among the first to
use negative numbers, calculate square roots, and understand (pi) as one of the measurements in a circle.
A scholar in the Brahmin class might study literature, specifically, the epic poem,
“Ramayana.” Every Hindu child knows this story of the prince Rama and how he was
banished from the palace for fourteen years. Even though he was denied his rightful
place on the throne, Rama acted with dignity and still tried to fulfill his dharma, or his
responsibility to the world. He and his wife Sita left the palace to live a simple life in
the forest. But Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, a demon king with ten heads. Rama
assembled an army of divine monkeys and bears to defeat Ravana and rescue Sita.
“Ramayana” is an incredible tale, and teaches the values of dharma and karma.
Some scholars in the Brahmin class study medicine. The ancient Indians have a large
collection of medical knowledge, called Ayurveda, or “life knowledge.” Gupta doctors
can treat leprosy, stop bleeding, and even perform eye surgery. They make medicines
out of herbs like ginger and turmeric. Ayurvedic medicine teaches that you need to
eat healthy foods, get regular sleep, clean your body, and take care of your teeth in order
to remain healthy. Chewing on twigs from the Neem tree keep teeth clean and gums
healthy.
Other Brahmin scholars study astronomy at Nalanda University. The Gupta emperors
have made it possible for scholars to join together and learn. They study the stars to
find out more about the world. These astronomers are using mathematics to determine
the exact size and shape of the planets and the Earth.
Scholars in the Brahmin class study the ancient Vedas at Nalanda University. The Vedas are sacred Hindu texts written in Sanskrit. They consist of songs and chants about
the gods of the earth, fire, and sky. Veda means, “knowledge,” and Hindus believe that
they were revealed to ancient priests by the gods. For generations, they were passed
down to Brahmins orally, but since the spread of Buddhism, they have been written on
palm leaves and bound into books. One of the Vedas begins, “In the beginning there
arose a Golden Child. When he was born, he was the lord of all that is.” This is called
poetic imagery.
Some scholars in the Brahmin class study religion in an ashram in central India. The
ashram is inside a cave. It consists of several open rooms for prayer and learning,
surrounded by smaller sleeping rooms. Together the scholars decorate the walls of the
cave with religious pictures. Some carve the figure of the god Shiva into the front wall,
sitting and meditating. He might be sitting on a tiger skin, representing that he has
overcome lust and desire.
Vocabulary
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Altar - An elevated structure where religious ceremonies are performed
Epic - A long heroic story; similar to myth
3
Dignity - Worthy of self-respect
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Divine- Godlike; like God
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Karma - Fate or destiny determined by actions in this life
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Leprosy - Skin disease
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Ginger (picture)
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Turmeric (picture)
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Neem tree (picture)
10
Astronomy - Study of outer space
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Sacred - Religious respect
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Sanskrit- Ancient religious language of India
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Poetic Imagery - To storytell with images in the mind
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Ashram - An isolated house for study and meditation
Lust - Sexual desire
Kshatriyas
This scroll contains information about your role as Kshatriyas. You should work together to share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide
what your group symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name
from your character card and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
The Kshatriyas are the second highest class on the Hindu social pyramid. They consist
of warriors and kings. While a single Gupta king presided over the entire empire, regional and local governments actually had a lot of power. The Kshatriyas were responsible for protecting the Hindu people from robbers and invaders.
The ancient Indian military had a reputation for its strong steel weapons and four unit
organization: infantry, archery, cavalry, and elephantry. They were the most powerful
empire at the time.
Soldiers in the infantry are members of the Kshatriya class. They fight on foot, using
weapons held in their hand. The infantry’s job is to protect archers. They carry javelins
and swords, and hold rectangular shields for protection. The Gupta infantry does not
wear matching uniforms. In fact, they rarely wear pants, preferring to march with bare
legs. They wore cloth turbans on their head for protection. There are about 500,000
soldiers in the Gupta infantry.
Archers are also members of the Kshatriya class. They shoot bamboo arrows from
bamboo bows. These bows are sometimes as tall as a human and fling arrows very far.
The bamboo bow and arrows do not warp in the humid Indian climate. If the opposing soldiers are wearing heavy armor, they might put iron tips on the arrows. Other
weapons the Gupta archers have been known to use include flaming arrows and arrow
tips dipped in viper venom. Their primary targets are usually mounted soldiers in the
enemy’s cavalry. They are protected by the Gupta infantry.
A Kshatriya would also be a soldier in the cavalry. They ride a horse and carry a lance
or a sword. The Gupta cavalry does not shoot bows and arrows. They wear heavy armor that covers the legs, arms, chest, and head. There are around 50,000 cavalry in the
Gupta army.
Some members of the Kshatriya class are soldiers in the elephantry. That means that
they ride an elephant into battle. Up to three soldiers can ride a single elephant. The
animals wear bronze armor for protection. Some foreign armies are quite scared of the
elephants. The elephantry in the army is represented in the board game Chatarunga.
A few Kshatriya men become elite soldiers. They are allowed to use advanced weapons
made of steel. They can also wear chainmail armor that covers their body, although
it can be very hot and uncomfortable in the humid Indian climate. Their most lethal
weapon is called a khanda, a flat, wide sword. The khanda is a prestigious weapon and
is depicted in many scenes of battle.
Retired soldiers are also in the Kshatriya class. The Buddha himself came from the
Kshatriya class. He was born into a Hindu royal family, and was destined to be a king.
But he left his life of luxury to experience the outside world and search for the path
to enlightenment. The prince found enlightenment by meditating underneath the
Bodhi tree, which is how he got his nickname, the Buddha. There are thousands of
Buddhists living in India who follow his teachings.
Vocabulary
1
Javelins (picture)
2
Turbans (picture)
3
Warp - Bend something out of shape
4
Humid - Air that is heavy with water
4
Viper (picture)
6
Elite - Choosing the best one out of a group
7
Chainmail - Metal chain armor
7
Khanda (picture)
7
Enlightenment - Pure knowledge; uncorrupted wisdom
7
Meditate - Devout religious contemplation
7
Bodhi Tree - A tree native to India and sacred to Buddhists
Agriculture
Vaishyas
This scroll contains information about your role as Agriculture Vaishyas. You should work
together to share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide what
your group symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name from your character card and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
The Vaishya class is the third-highest class on the Hindu social pyramid, below priests and warriors. Vaishyas represent the agricultural and business side of life in India. The weather patterns
in India dictated what crops were grown. In the northern regions, the Ganges and Bramaputra
Rivers offered easy irrigation. In the central and southern parts of the subcontinent, farmers
depended on the twice-yearly monsoon rains to water their crops. Between the months of June
and September, winds bring almost daily heavy rains across the land. The northwest region
experiences a second monsoon between December and March.
Weavers would be members of the Vaishya class. They get wool and cotton from farmers and
spin it into thread. Some wool comes from goat hair and is very fine and soft. Wool from
the hair of sheep produces a thicker thread that is very warm. They weave some fabrics from
plant material, such as cotton and flax. A dyer helps make the threads bright colors, which are
popular among women and young girls. Some rich people wear clothing made of silk, but most
wear cotton. Both men and women’s clothing were made from a long piece of cloth wound
around the body.
A rice farmer might also be a member of the Vaishya class. Some of their land is located in the
central plains of India, near a tributary of the Ganges River. There they get hot days and cool
nights, and a lot of rain. It is the perfect climate to grow rice, which needs to be buried in water
while it is growing. Rice is commonly eaten in ancient India. It is also used in some Hindu
rituals. The farmer might hire several laborers from the Shudra class to dig irrigation ditches
and levees before planting season.
Fisherman are in the Vaishya class. The Gupta Empire contains many rivers that flow down
from the mighty Himalayan Mountains to the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges River is very holy
to the Hindus, and at any time of day, there are people bathing, washing clothes, or performing
religious rituals in the water, like cremating the dead. The Ganges is also used as a drinking
source, of course. A lot of the rivers flood as they near the ocean. One can make a good living
by selling fish at the market.
Some members of the Vaishya class raise cattle. Cattle are considered very sacred in the Hindu
religion. They symbolize selfless giving and strength. The god Vishnu (in the form of Krishna) is always associated with cows. Cattle give milk that you drink and make into butter and
cheese. They also provide labor in the fields. Their dung is used as fertilizer and a source of fuel.
Hindus do not eat beef or wear leather from cows.
Shepherds in the Vaishya class take care of sheep and cattle. Some live in central India, in a
hilly region covered with trees and grasses. Every summer, they shear the wool off of the sheep
and sell it to weavers, who spin it into thread and eventually weave it into fabric. The cows are
milked to make butter, cheese, and yogurt. A special butter called ghee is used in Hindu rituals
like weddings and funerals. Some of these shepherds might live near the Ajunta Caves, the
location of a Buddhist monastery. Monks have actually carved rooms into the side of a mountain there.
Some members of the Vaishya class make sugar. Sugar comes from a grass called sugarcane.
It grows tall, thick stalks that are as big as the walking canes that elderly people use. Sugarcane
needs a lot of sunshine and water, which is why it grows so well in India. Traditionally, Indian
people chewed on the stalks or fed it to their animals as a sweet treat. A few generations ago,
farmers figured out how to make crystalized sugar out of the cane. The juice was squeezed out
of the stalks and then boiled or dried in the sun. What remained after that was a sandy, sweet
substance called sugar.
Vocabulary
1
Spin - To turn rapidly to make yarn
2
Flax - A plant made into fabric
3
Silk - Fiber used to make clothing
4
Tributary - A river that supplies a larger river further on
5
Shudra - Hindu caste; worker class
6
Levees- A large wall that holds water in
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Cremate - To burn a body as a ritual
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Sacred - Religious respect
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Dung - Animal poo
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Fertilizer - Manure used to make plants grow
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Wool - Cloth made from the fleece of sheep
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Ghee (picture)
13
Sugarcane (picture)
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Stalks - long stem of a plant
15
Crystalize - To turn from a liquid to a solid
Business
Vaishyas
This scroll contains information about your role as Business Vaishyas. You should work
together to share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group,
decide what your group symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your
name from your character card and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
The Vaishya class is the third-highest class on the Hindu social pyramid, below priests
and warriors. Vaishyas represent the agriculture and business side of life in India.
During the Gupta Empire, merchants traded with other civilizations along the Royal
Persian Roads and the Silk Road. In fact, the religion of Buddhism spread eastward
towards China by merchants trading on the Silk Road!
Carpenters are members of the Vaishya class. They make objects for everyday use out
sandalwood, teak, and coconut palms. They make bowls for eating, handles to attach
to blades, and wooden beads. Occasionally they are hired to make bamboo frames for
shields or to make bamboo arrows for the Kshatriyas. Even if they are Hindu and
believe in many gods, they can’t carve statues of these gods out of wood, for that honor
is reserved for the Brahmin class.
Some members of the Vaishya class are metal workers. The Gupta kings control mines
that produce gold, copper, and iron. They employ laborers from the Shudra class to
dig deep in the mines and extract the precious metals. These workers melt the metals and make coins. Gupta coins have images of the kings and queens, some wearing
armor and holding weapons. Some of the coins have images of the gods, like Lakshmi,
the goddess of wealth. Others have religious scenes, like the sacrifice of a horse or the
capture of a lion.
A blacksmith would be a member of the Vaishya class. Blacksmiths work with iron, a
metal that comes from the earth. It is used to make tools, statues, weapons, and can be
processed to make strong steel. The most common products blacksmiths make are the
pointy tips for the Kshatriya archers to put on their bamboo arrows. Indian blacksmiths are so technologically advanced that they made the world’s first iron pillar. It
stands 25 feet tall and weighs 13,000 pounds. Indian metallurgy is so sophisticated
that this pillar doesn’t rust. These Vaishya would work alongside Buddhist blacksmiths
who make iron statues of Buddha to place in their temples.
Moneylenders are members of the Vaishya class. They let people borrow money from
them and charge a small fee for this service, so when they get paid back, they earn
money! They lend money to people in their class and to Shudras, who are in the class
below. Some of their clients are farmers, landowners, and merchants.
Merchants are in the Vaishya class. Some travel between the Persian Empire and the
Mediterranean Sea on roads that were built by Indian laborers. These roads stretch
for long distances between cities, where they trade with other merchants. The Indian
government paid for the construction of these roads. They are made of packed dirt and
are raised up above the ground, so that rainwater can drain off of the sides. While traveling, merchants experience severe weather patterns as they progress. India experiences
heavy rain for two months during the summer. The land west of India experiences
The Wind of 120 Days during the summer. These winds are so strong that it becomes
difficult to see!
Other Vaishya merchants travel along the Silk Road trading with merchants from China, Tibet, Persia, and the Roman Empire. India produces many herbs and spices that
are easy to carry along the desert routes. Black pepper, cardamom, and turmeric all
come from India. Sugar is made from the sugarcane plant, which grows wild in India.
They trade these spices to get Chinese silk, porcelain, and paper. From the Mediterranean region, you import glass, incense, and jewels.
Vocabulary
1
Sandalwood (picture)
2
Teak (picture)
3
Coconut palms (picture)
4
Kshatriyas - Hindu caste; warrior class
5
Brahmin - Priest among the Hindus
6
Shudra - Hindu caste; worker class
7
Extract - To pull out of its natural place or origin
8
Metallurgy - To work metal to give them shapes
9
Rust - A reddish-brown coating that happens to metal when it ages
10
Cardamom (picture)
11
Turmeric (picture)
12
Silk - Fiber used to make clothing
13
Porcelain - Material used to make pots; like clay
Shudras
This scroll contains information about your role as Shudras. You should
work together to share this information with one another so you all know
it. As a group, decide what your group symbol is, and draw it on your
badge. Next to that, write your name from your character card and choose
a symbol to represent yourself.
The Shudras are the lowest class on the Hindu social pyramid. Their
dharma, or duty, is to serve the classes above them. They consist of the
laborers and servants of society.
Someone from the Shudra class would be hired to build roads. They are
paid by the Gupta government to make roads for traveling merchants.
The roads are made of packed dirt and are built up above the ground.
This was so that rain could run off onto the sides during the monsoon
season. (The monsoons lasts for several months every summer and winter and bring heavy rainstorms.) Indian roads were the first to have road
signs.
A maid would be in the Shudra class. She might work in the house of
a Kshatriya family. They are not allowed to prepare food for those in a
social class above Shudra, so they stay out of the kitchen. Indian homes
consisted of one room made of wood. Wealthier families might have
several rooms in their homes. The maid would sweep the floor and deliver dirty linens to the launderers. They might be sent outside to buy
items from stalls on the side of the street. If the family they work for has
a parrot as a pet, they would be responsible for feeding it and cleaning its
enclosure.
Members of the Shudra class are laborers would would be employed
by farmers to work the land. Wheat is the most farmed crop in India.
Wheat grains are ground into flour and are used to make bread. However, since Shudras are in a low class, they are not allowed to bake the bread
for those that are above their class. They are paid to prepare the seeds
to be planted, turning soil, plowing rows, and digging irrigation canals.
They harvest the wheat when it is ripe, and return to the fields to repeat
the planting process.
Household servants are members of the Shudra class. Although they are
in the lowest class of the Indian social pyramid, many know that there
is dignity in their work. If they do not do their job correctly, the village
people will be dirty and unhappy. They will not be able to concentrate on
their work, and the whole balance of society will be broken. Hinduism
teaches that each person has a specific dharma, or responsibility, in their
life. If a person fulfills his or her dharma, they may be rewarded in their
next life by being reborn into a higher class. Eventually, a person might
fulfill their dharma so well that they are released from the reincarnation
cycle entirely. This is called moksha, or freedom.
Some members of the Shudra class are clothes washers. During the
Gupta Empire, clothing consisted of a long bolt of cloth that wrapped
around the body. Men and women wore similar styles, but in different
colors. Most people wore cotton, while the wealthy may have worn silk.
They would wash clothes in the river. After they are soaked in water, they
hit them against large stones to get out the dirt. They they lay the clothes
over trees and rocks to dry in the sun.
Some members of the Shudra class are cobblers, which means they make
shoes. Because they work with leather, an animal byproduct, they are
considered low class. Being in the Shudra class and working on shoes is
their personal dharma, or responsibility to the world. They know that if
they continue to work in a positive manner, when they die, they can be
reborn into a higher class. This cycle of life is called samsara and is one of
the principles of Hindu society.
Vocabulary
1
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3
4
5
6
7
Monsoon - A seasonal hurricane
Linens - cloth woven from flax
Enclosure - To put a fence around
Wheat (picture)
Plow - To turn over soil
Canal - Ditch where water flows
Reincarnation - Rebirth of the soul into a new
body