Lesson video

Hi, I'm Mrs. Charalambous, and welcome to today's learning with me.

We're going to learn some interesting things today and I can't wait to teach them.

I hope you have fun learning with me.

Our lesson today is "Brahman, the story of Svetaketu" from the Unit, "Hindus: how do Hindus See Brahman?" By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to explain how many Hindus understand Brahman as the ultimate reality or God.

I hope we can achieve this learning outcome together.

Let's start with key words.

My turn, your turn.

There are some tricky words in here today, but we can say them together.

Brahman.

Brahman.

Svetaketu.

Svetaketu.

Svetaketu.

Omnipresent.

Omnipresent.

Aum.

Aum.

Brahman is the ultimate reality in Hindu Dharma.

Svetaketu is a character in a story of Hindu Dharma, omnipresent is a belief that Brahman or God is present throughout the universe.

Aum, the symbol used to represent Brahman and the sound of creation.

Let's look at our lesson outline.

Brahman, the story of Svetaketu, cycle one.

What might Svetaketu teach about Brahman? Hindu Dharma asks big questions about life and reality.

Two questions it asks is, what is ultimate reality? Is there a God? Hindu texts such as the Upanishads have given answers to these questions? This is Kavita.

She's a British Hindu.

Her family believes there is an ultimate reality in the universe.

Ultimate reality is called Brahman.

Many Hindus, like Kavita believe Brahman is the one supreme spirit or energy that exists everywhere.

Brahman is present everywhere.

Let's check our understanding at this point with this question.

Which two statements describes the idea of Brahman? A, ultimate reality in the universe? B, supreme spirit or energy? C, present only in heaven? Have a little moment to think about which two.

That's right.

It was A, ultimate reality in the universe and B, supreme spirit or energy.

Kavita is learning more about Brahman with her family and here she is with all of her family, her mom, her dad, and her brother.

Kavita's Dad tells her that there is a Hindu story he remembers from when he was a child.

This story helped him understand important lessons about Brahman as the ultimate reality.

We can better understand Hindu worldview by hearing stories and thinking about how Hindus interpret them.

The story is found in Hindu text called the Upanishads and is based on the character Svetaketu.

It uses two metaphors to explore the idea of Brahman, to help Hindus understand more about this complex idea.

This is a story of Svetaketu.

A very long time ago, a man named Uddalaka had a son who he named Svetaketu.

Svetaketu spent a lot of his time playing with his friends.

Uddalaka wanted his son to know all about Brahman, so he sent him to a guru teacher to get educated.

After several years, Svetaketu returned home.

He was so proud of the knowledge he had gained that he wanted to share it with his dad.

However, Uddalaka was saddened to see how proud his son was.

He felt Svetaketu knew very little about the truth of life.

He decided to teach him something deeper, something that went beyond the knowledge he had learned.

One day, Uddalaka asked his son to look at a piece of clay.

He explained that even when a potter shapes it into a pot, the clay's form and appearance changes.

But the truth is it's still the same clay.

He went on to tell his son, in the same way that all things in the world are various forms, colours, and shapes of the same God.

He wanted Svetaketu to understand that Brahman was at the core of everything and that he was everywhere even in them.

Let's take a moment to do a true and false before we carry on with the next part of the story.

You did really good listening.

I'm impressed.

Uddalaka told Svetaketu that once the clay is shaped into a pot, it stops being the same clay.

True or false.

It's false.

Why? Uddalaka explained that even though the clay is shaped into a pot, it's still the same clay.

This was to help his son understand that all things are forms of the same Braman.

Let's continue with the next part of the story.

Svetaketu was confused.

If Brahman was everywhere and in everything, why couldn't they see Brahman? Uddalaka decided to explain this concept to his son with some salt and a glass of water.

Uddalaka pointed to the water and asked his son if he could see the salt.

Svetaketu looked into the water but he could not see anything.

It had disappeared.

Uddalaka then asked his son to take a sip of water.

To his son's amazement, the water tasted salty.

His dad asked him to pour some water out and take a sip from the middle of the glass, Svetaketu noticed that the water was still salty.

He asked him to pour some more out again and drink from the bottom of the glass.

Again, the water was still salty Uddalaka told Svetaketu, that even though he could not see the salt, it was everywhere from the top to the middle to the bottom, just like the salt was everywhere.

Svetaketu learned that Brahman is everywhere.

Even though you cannot see Brahman, he is all around and in everything.

Let's do a quick story summary together.

Svetaketu was confused.

Why couldn't he see Brahman? Firstly, his father asked him to stir some salt into the water.

After that, he returned to find the salts had dissolved.

When he tasted the water, it was salty.

Finally, Svetaketu realised that Brahman was everywhere and in everything only we do not see it.

Let's do this next question together to see if we've understood the second part of the story.

The example of the salt and water taught Svetaketu that Brahman is, A, visible to everyone but only at certain times, B, only present for a short time before disappearing, C, present everywhere even if you can't see it? That's right.

It was C.

Present everywhere even if you can't see it.

Let's do our first task.

Task A.

Part one, give a reason why the story of Svetaketu might help Hindus understand Brahman as being everywhere even if we cannot see him.

Two, can you think of something in your own life that you cannot see but know is there? How can you use this to help others understand the idea of Brahman being everywhere? Take your time to answer these questions and unpause me when you are ready for some feedback.

Let's do feedback time for Task A Part One.

Give a reason why the story of Svetaketu might help Hindus understand Brahman as being everywhere, even if we cannot see him.

You may have included in your answer, the story of Svetaketu helps some Hindus understand that Brahman is everywhere, just like the salt in water.

You can't see it, but Brahman's present in everything around us.

He teaches Hindus that Brahman is always there even though it may not be visible.

I can't wait to hear what you've had to say as well.

If you'd like to tell me now, pause me so I can hear.

Part Two of Task A.

Can you think of something in your own life that you cannot see but know is there? How might you use this to help others understand the idea of Brahman being everywhere? You may have included one example of something I can't see, but I know is the air.

I can't see air, but I can feel it when the wind blows or when I breathe.

This can help others understand that Brahman being everywhere because like air Brahman is always present in life, even if we can't see Brahman, just as we know air surrounds us, we can understand that Brahman is all around us even though we can't physically see Brahman.

Well done for Task A.

Let's look at our second part of the lesson.

What do many Hindus believe about Brahman? This is a symbol of Aum.

Kavita has a symbol on her home shrine.

Aum is a sacred sound and symbol used in Hindu Dharma to represent Brahman.

It symbolises the essence of the universe connecting all living things.

This is Aum sound form.

(Aum sound resonating) (Aum sound resonating) What do you notice about the sound? Take a moment to really think.

Many Hindus consider Aum to be the first sound of the universe.

It symbolises Brahman as the energy at the beginning of creation and the core of all existence.

True or false? The Aum symbol is a sacred sound that symbolises Brahman, true or false? That's right.

It's true.

Why? The sound of Aum symbolises Brahman as the energy and reality in the universe.

Aum is often chanted by Hindu's during worship.

For many Hindus, Brahman is seen as God and Aum is a way to connect with God.

Kavita shares with us.

Chanting Aum helps me focus my mind during worship, it connects me to Brahman.

I see Brahman as God.

Like many Hindus, Kavita believes Brahman is omnipresent in nature, living beings, the entire universe.

This belief helps Kavita feel connected to the world around her at all times.

Kavita also wants to share, "I believe that Brahman is everywhere, in the universe and in everything.

I believe that God is in all living beings.

I feel connected to the earth and creatures.

It is all part of God.

We must care for it all." Let's check our understanding with a multiple choice question.

What might it mean when Hindu say that Brahman is omnipresent? A, Brahman is present only in physical things you can see, B, Brahman is everywhere in nature and all living things, C, Brahman is only present through the Aum symbol and sound? Have a moment to think about it.

That's right.

It was B.

Brahman is everywhere in nature and all living things and the universe.

Let's carry on.

Some Hindus believe that Brahman, the ultimate reality is formless and beyond anything humans can fully understand.

Laura says, "Think of Brahman like the air.

It's everywhere, all around us, but we can't see it.

Even though it has no shape or image, it's always present." Lucas says, "This idea is called Nirguna Brahman.

Brahman without form." Let's check our understanding.

What does the term Nirguna Brahman refer to? A, the belief that God is present in all aspects of life and nature, B, the idea that Brahman is formless and beyond human understanding, or C, that Brahman has many forms deities to connect with people? That's right.

It's B, the idea that Brahman is formless and beyond human understanding.

Many Hindus believe that Brahman, while formless can also take on different forms to help them feel closer to God.

Laura says, "These forms are represented by deities.

A deity is a god or goddess." Lucas says, "This idea is called Saguna Brahman.

Brahman with form." Task B.

Let's have take a look together.

Laura is reflecting on what many Hindus believe about Brahman, "I think the Aum symbol helps many Hindus connect with Brahman as it is a sacred sound." Write two more beliefs that might help explain how Hindus undestand Brahman.

Pause the video here so you can write them down before sharing them with me.

Press play when you are ready for feedback.

Write two more beliefs that might help explain how Hindus understand Brahman.

You might have mentioned, "Many Hindus believe Brahman is omnipresent in everything.

This helps some Hindus for a sense of connection and responsibility to care for animals and plants.

Many Hindus believe that Brahman can take forms in deities.

This helps them feel closer to God." Let's go through our summary together for Brahman, the story of Svetaketu.

In Hindu Dharma, there is one ultimate reality who is in everything.

This ultimate reality is called Brahman, the story of Svetaketu helps Hindus to understand Brahman.

Many Hindus believe Brahman is omnipresent or everywhere.

Many Hindus describe Brahman as God, Hindus use the Aum symbol to describe Brahman.

I've really, really enjoyed teaching you today and I hope you've enjoyed learning with me too.

Hopefully I'll see you all soon.

Bye for now.