This class session was structured as a team-based quiz game designed to review key concepts, texts, and figures within Hinduism, particularly focusing on topics covered recently such as the Mahāvākyas, stories of Krishna, Bhakti paths, and foundational Sanskrit terminology. Brad facilitated the game, explaining the rules and posing questions across various categories. The session also included logistical instructions for an upcoming podcast assignment on the concept of Līlā and concluded with a Q&A addressing student queries about the assignment.
Brad: Better. Let's see. But yeah. So, we'll stop at what's 11:15? Right? You finish at 11:45? So we'll stop at 11:15, maybe a few minutes before then. Just make sure that you have, you know, full half hour for finding a place and recording a podcast. Any questions about the podcast? You do not have to record it at that time, right? If y'all, if you have reasons or if somebody's absent or you want to if you have something else planned, that's fine. All I really just need it before the Tuesday after the break. So, you got plenty of time. But, go ahead and knock it out today if you're ready. The pretty clear about everything that should be covered in that? Went over that the other day, right? Okay, cool.
Brad: By the way, I do have these. I'm not going to give them to you right now, because there's some questions that come from this. But I do have some more of these. I didn't find them the other day. But if you missed the handout from last Thursday, I have them.
Brad: Let's so what I'd like you to do is get with your teams just so I can kind of visually see everybody kind of clump together. So as long as you're just kind of like clumped a little bit, then that's cool. And we'll do team-based team-based. I didn't come up with a prize. I suggested the winning team can choose a TikTok dance for me to do. That would require starting stopping a little bit earlier. Anybody want Play-Doh while we're playing?
Student 1: Yeah.
Brad: I'll just... (distributes Play-Doh) These questions... These you do not have to form You do not have to form your answer in the form of a question. Just, just give your answer.
Student 2: I don't know, do I have to get the words direct entirely correct?
Brad: You have to get the words correct. Yes.
Student 2: Because I forgot Poetics last time and I got told the guilty rocks.
Brad: I had a I had a student a couple of years ago said after their exam that they didn't do very well on. They were like yeah, I know that I got the words wrong, but I got the gist of what I was saying. It's like, yeah, try that in math class. I know I got the numbers wrong, but I got the I got the gist. So yes, you have to get the words right. Huh?
Student 3: But those are like the best math teachers.
Brad: I'm not a math teacher, so yeah. But like In my math class, you'd have to get the numbers right, I guess. So, so yeah, you got to get the words right. There are definitely some of these questions that we have not really tackled yet. Some of them, some of them are intended to be educational, but we will see these questions again. So, so yeah, this won't be the, this will not be the only time that we play. Another thing is, they are not in any particular order. So, they're all of them are just worth one point. Everything's worth one point. So, when it's your turn, we could have dice roll. Should we have dice roll? Cuz it's so stressful like picking who was the first to raise their hand. Yeah, let's do or let's or we could just go in order and then dice roll. How about that? So, we'll go in team order. So we'll start we'll start with team one. We'll go from one to eight, and then we'll go from eight to one. And if your team doesn't get the question right. So your team will pick a question. And then if you don't get it right, we'll go to a dice roll and then and then regardless of who gets the answer right, we'll go to the next team on the list. Does that make sense? So, cool. Okay, so then Patrick, Quincy, Amber, and Sailor. So you've got any of these categories: Descending into Vaishnavism, Greek to Me, Sacred Text Sanskrit Edition, Sanskrit Smorgasbord.
Student 4: Do they like scale in difficulty though?
Brad: Some may be a little bit...
Student 4: Okay. So like... So no?
Brad: Some may be a little bit. That's not no. That's some maybe a little bit. Those words matter. The Path's Traveled, Krishna Chronicles, Shad Darshana, Mahavakyas, Bhakti Margas. That's about it.
Student 5: Can we do Mahavakyas one?
Brad: Okay, we got Mahavakyas one. We'll go How much time? Like 30 seconds? 30 seconds should be plenty of time, right? 30 seconds after I finish reading the question. Mahavakyas one. This great saying is from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Go for it.
Student 5: Aham Brahmasmi.
Brad: Aham Brahmasmi is correct. Words. Nice, Sailor.
Student 1: We already did better than we thought we would.
Brad: Okay. Okay, team two. Team two. Mary, Sophia, Jack, Brett.
Student 6: Can we see all the...
Brad: Yes.
Student 7: Can we do the Mahavakyas two?
Brad: Uh-huh. This great saying is from the Chandogya Upanishad.
Student 7: Thou art That?
Brad: Correct. Okay. Team three. You know who you are? Rick, Becca, Tushar, Colin.
Student 8: Mahavakyas three.
Brad: Okay. This great saying is from the Mandukya Upanishad. Can't use notes.
Student 8: Um, what is This Self is Brahman?
Brad: Yes. Words. Um, Team four. Claire, Bridget, Sean, Henry.
Student 9: We'll round that one off.
Brad: This is the great saying from the Aitareya Upanishad.
Student 9: What is Brahman is Consciousness?
Brad: Yeah, sure. Okay, yeah. You don't have to put it in the form of a question, but yeah, that that's correct. Okay, team five. You got to pick a new category.
Student 10: Let's do the Krishna Chronicles one.
Brad: Krishna Chronicles for one? We'll just go in order, yeah. This is the name of Krishna's mother who loved to watch Krishna play.
Student 10: Yashoda?
Brad: Yashoda is correct. Good. That one should probably be worth more than one, but it's only worth one, so sorry.
Student: Is it worth six if it's like six?
Brad: Nah, they're all worth one. Uh, so team next? Six?
Student 11: Can we do the Krishna Chronicles two?
Brad: Krishna Chronicles two. This is the name of the dance Krishna performed with the Gopis.
Student 11: I know he played with the flute.
Brad: He did play the flute. You want to tell the Yeah. Well, we'll toss it up if any if you guys don't know.
Student 11: No.
Brad: Okay, I only see one hand. Is that the Okay.
Student 7: Was it the Rasa Lila?
Brad: It is the Rasa Lila. Very good. Very good.
Student: How'd you know that?
Student 7: It was in the reading.
Brad: It was in the reading. All right, words. So we have our first We have our first steal there. Team seven. Ellie, Lawyer, Liam, and Alec.
Student 12: Um, can we do Greek to Me one?
Brad: Yeah. Greek to Me for one. Approaching God through negation or the removal of human attributes. This Greek word corresponds to the Latin phrase *via negativa* and the Sanskrit term *nirguna Brahman*. Some of them are harder than others. The people who took my class last semester should all get this one. If you want to steal it, you can raise your hand. Let's see y'all. Good time? Yeah. All right, go for Jack, Brett.
Student 7: Apophatic?
Brad: Apophatic is correct. Very good. Um, team eight. Maggie, Catherine, Hannah.
Student 13: Shad Darshana for one.
Brad: This orthodox Hindu perspective is known for its meticulous focus on logic and reason. No notes though.
Student 13: The Mimamsa?
Brad: Nope. Anybody want to steal?
Student 12: Yeah, Lawyer. Vedanta?
Brad: Nope.
Student 14: I can spell it. Does that work?
Brad: Uh yeah. Oh. Becca?
Student 15: Is it Vaisheshika or something like that?
Brad: It is not Vaisheshika. Yeah, Jack.
Student 7: Nyaya?
Brad: Nyaya is correct. Okay, team eight, you get to choose again.
Student 13: We can do the Krishna Chronicles three.
Brad: Krishna Chronicles. Bala Krishna is often called Makhan Chor because he loves this particular food so much that he often steals it and sometimes shares it with the monkey.
Student 13: Butter.
Brad: Butter. Correct. Okay, team seven. Lawyer, Liam, Alec.
Student 12: Krishna four.
Brad: What's the name of the sacred text that tells stories about Krishna's life and details Vishnu's various avatars? It has two names. I'll accept either one.
Student 12: Bhagavad Gita?
Brad: No, sorry. Uh yeah, Lizzy?
Student 16: Srimad Bhagavatam?
Brad: What? Uh, yeah, Hannah.
Student 13: Is it the Purana? Is that how you say it?
Brad: Needs, I need more. I need more. Huh?
Student 13: Bhagavata Purana?
Brad: Bhagavata Purana is correct. Yes. Good. Team uh team six. Reagan, Jackie, Lizzy, and Matthew Olinsky. We're missing Matthew's baby.
Student 11: Greek to Me for two.
Brad: Greek to Me for two. Approaching God through positive attributes and descriptions. This Greek word corresponds to the Latin phrase *via positiva* and the Sanskrit term *saguna Brahman*. Good. Team five?
Student 10: Cataphatic.
Brad: Cataphatic is correct. Um, next four.
Student 9: Sanskrit Smorgasbord one.
Brad: This word signifies the ultimate and absolute reality. Can either be impersonal, nirguna, or personal, saguna. We'll pass it. We'll pass it.
Brad: All right, go for it.
Student 8: Brahman.
Brad: Brahman. Okay. Um, where are we? Team three? Yeah? Team three.
Student 8: Paths Traveled one.
Brad: Okay. Paths Traveled. This Sanskrit word means path. Usually in reference to the three paths of liberation. Interestingly, it's often used interchangeably with the word yoga, particularly in the Bhagavad Gita. Yeah, no notes.
Student 8: Marga?
Brad: It is Marga. I was about to call time. You got you got there right there. Good. That's all right. That's all right. Okay. Um, next, team two.
Student 7: Uh, Paths Traveled two.
Brad: Paths Traveled two. One of the three paths of salvation. This path of devotion involves love and devotion to a specific deity. So it's looking for the deity? Um, the it's it's looking for the word devotion in Sanskrit, really. So the path of devotion. Is it Jnana?
Brad: No, sorry. I see multiple hands, so we're going to go to a dice roll. Seven? No. Uh, six?
Student 11: Bhakti Marga.
Brad: Bhakti Marga, there you go. Um, team one.
Student 5: Sanskrit Smorgasbord two.
Brad: The most important category of sacred texts in Hindu traditions, also known as Shruti, or that which is heard.
Student 5: The Vedas?
Brad: Veda, yeah, good. I was really worried it was going to be something really complex that I didn't know about.
Brad: Um, so we could go dice roll or we could just reverse it and go one through through seven again. Just reverse it. Let's do that. Yeah, so team one again.
Student 5: Sanskrit Smorgasbord three.
Brad: The formless, impersonal supreme reality without qualities or attributes.
Student 5: Didn't we already have a question similar to this? Is it Brahman?
Brad: I need more information, any more than That is correct.
Brad: Pass? Yeah. Okay. All right. I only see one hand. Uh, all right, yeah, it's here Hannah.
Student 13: Nirguna? Nirguna Brahman?
Brad: Nirguna Brahman. Nirguna means Guna means quality. Nir means without. And Brahman is ultimate reality. So ultimate reality without qualities. Um Good. Um, team two, yeah?
Student 7: Uh, Sacred Text Sanskrit Edition one.
Brad: Sanskrit Edition? Okay, listen. These philosophical dialogues are also referred to as Vedanta because they are at the end of the Veda.
Student 7: Upanishads?
Brad: Nice. Uh, team three.
Student 8: Bhakti Margas one.
Brad: Bhakti Marga? With at least 450 million followers around the world today, this is the largest sect of Bhakti and includes devotion to God in the form of Krishna and Rama.
Student 8: Don't they follow Vishnu? I'm trying to remember their name. Okay, you two raise your hands.
Brad: Pass? Okay. All right. I see multiple hands. Um four.
Student 9: Vaishnavism.
Brad: Vaishnavism is correct. Um Okay, where uh whatever whoever's next? Four, I think, right?
Student 9: Uh, we'll do Greek to Me three.
Brad: Okay. Literally meaning manifestation of God. This academic word with Greek etymology can refer to the story of Yashoda looking into Krishna's mouth. These will, we will play this again and we will use these questions again. So part of it's for next time too. But, yeah. Five seconds. We'll pass.
Brad: Okay. All right. I see multiple hands. Um, three.
Student 8: Theophany?
Brad: Theophany is correct. Okay, team five.
Student 10: Bhakti Margas two.
Brad: With at least 300 million followers around the world today. This is the second largest sect of Bhakti and includes devotion to God in the form of the goddess. No? Anybody? Uh, yeah, you're in the same team, right? No? Um Okay. All right. Uh, yeah, Hannah.
Student 13: Shaktism.
Brad: Shaktism is correct. Good. Very good. Exactly right. Where am I? What what is Oh, team What team are you in? Eight. Eight. No, no, you're not eight. Oh, no, I'm. Oh, eight's next though, right? Yeah, okay. Eight's next, but okay, there you are. Team Team three. Okay. Yeah, team eight.
Student 13: Sacred Texts two.
Brad: One of two great Indian epics. This one's about an avatar of Vishnu who rescues his wife Sita from the ten-headed drag demon named Ravana. It looks like Brett knows. You gonna pass? You sure? Okay, yeah. Brett?
Student 7: Is it the Mahabharata?
Brad: No, but you're very clo- no. I want to give you half a point for that though, because that's at least one of the epics. Yeah, Becca?
Student 15: Ramayana something. I can't remember the... You're like low key got all of the right letters, but not the right word. Huh?
Student 13: Ramayana.
Brad: Who said that? Yeah, yeah, okay, yeah. That's right. All right. Where were you? Why didn't you know I thought it was what it was?
Brad: Okay. Um, okay, so what okay, so we've made it all the way. Everybody's had an equal number of turns now. Um, and we're pretty much at stopping point. We could do a few more or we could stop there. What do you think? You want another points, don't you? Uh, okay, so, um, so it does come down to a half point, which I feel weird about. Um Team eight has five points. And team two has five and a half points. A half. I know, right? We could, we could have a toss up of tie breaker, but team two might object to that because they have half a point more. But team eight has three people, so. Um All right, I guess we'll I guess that's I guess that's I guess that's it then. So, congratulations to Congratulations to team two. Um Do you have a TikTok dance for me to perform? Super nervous. We could just skip that if you want.
Student 7: They want, they want team eight to pick that.
Brad: Do you want to pick a TikTok? Yeah. It doesn't have to be TikTok. It could be a Fortnite dance. (Class chatter) Okay. Am I getting out of this without any dancing? How about I, how about, how about I, how about I, uh, how about I, uh, how about I Hold on. Hold on. What about just a video of me dancing? You have a video? Yeah. (Class chatter and laughter)
Brad: So you are, you are liberated and free to go. You can go do your podcast. Uh Does anyone know open spot right now? I do have more dances if you want more dances.
Student 17: Oh Brad, by the way, are you happy you can finally use that old textbook you needed again?
Brad: Yeah. Did you see my name in the course catalog or something?
Student 17: No, you posted it on your Insta story. I was like, oh.
Brad: Yeah.
Student 17: I talked to him about it in my meeting when we talked together.
Brad: Yeah, yeah. I'm definitely definitely stoked about that.
Student 18: This podcast it's on Lila, the reading from yesterday and what we did yesterday in class.
Brad: Say it again.
Student 18: It's on the Lila reading from yesterday and what we did yesterday and that's it?
Brad: Yeah. I mean, you could slide a little Rick and Morty in there if you want or something like that. Like the last part, like to make sure that everybody really understands Advaita Vedanta, but based on your last podcast, I feel like y'all solid there, so.
Student 19: Um, so are we, I know you kind of said in class that we won't have like a leader, but can someone still like lead the discussion a little bit for each of these and then everyone can still Is that fine?
Brad: Okay.
Student 19: Okay. And then for number four, Yeah. what I'm just like a little bit just because we talked about it so much.
Brad: Yeah, you did. You did. Yeah.
Student 19: Um what in class on Tuesday. Do you want us to like talk about like the story?
Brad: You should mostly focus on the Lila reading. Yeah.
Student 19: Okay. Okay. Okay, great. Thank you.
Brad: Sure. Absolutely, take it easy. Play-Doh? I can leave right there. It's okay. Thank you. Have a good break.
Brad: Thanks, you too. Are you going to uh DR?
Student: No, I'm going home.
Brad: My my daughter, Lila was in uh Wait, Queen's, right? Yeah. My daughter was in Queen's um over her spring break last week. Really? Where in Queen's? I don't know. Definitely the area that I know. Yeah.