Hinduism

What Is Hinduism?

• The oldest religion in the world with the oldest sacred texts in the world.• A combination of traditions.• No easy definition because it varies so much throughout the subcontinent of India.• We will examine by looking at the indigenous civilization of ancient India and then of the Aryan invaders.

Indus Valley Civilization

Ascetic

ism

Dyeus Pater

Dyēus is the reconstructed chief god of the Proto-Indo-European pantheon. He was the god of the daylight sky, and his position may have mirrored the position of patriarch or king in society. He was the original sky-god and his consort was the earth-goddess.

Later gods who are etymologically connected with Dyeus include:

Dyēus group:Greek Zeus Roman Iuppiter Irish The Dagda Vedic Dyauṣ Pitār – God the Father (Deus Patra)

The attributes of Dyeus Pater were eventually transferred to other gods.

The Aryans brought their gods with them and are still marginally present in Hinduism today. However, these gods were soon eclipsed by the gods that would come to dominate the Hindu religion.

Indra – storm god whose weapon is a thunderbolt. His other Indo-European counterparts would be Zeus, Jupiter and Thor.

Agni – god of fire. Agni same as the Latin word Igni – where we get our word ‘ignite’.

The Beginnings of Hinduism

Indra, Agni and the other early Aryan gods were soon eclipsed by new gods that would take center stage in what we know today as Hinduism. One Dravidian god made a big comeback and dominates much of Hinduism today – Shiva.

Unlike the Hebrews who got rid of their goddesses and focused on a single male god, the people of India kept their goddesses and are usually portrayed as consorts of the gods.

Parvati is the consort to Shiva and is thought to be the female aspect of his divine nature.

Kali is also associated with Shiva. Like Shiva, she too haunts the cremation grounds and is sometimes portrayed wearing his leopard skin kilt. However, she is viewed as Shiva’s opposite. Shiva represents passive energy, whereas Kali represents active energy.

Kali’s counterpart in the West would be the god Kronos. For her name can mean ‘time’ as well.

Vishnu – reclines on a bed made by a coiled snake which floats on the sea of being (sat). When he sleeps the god Brahma (not to be confused with Brahman nor Brahmin) is born and sits on a lotus flower that comes from Vishnu’s navel.

When Vishnu awakes the universe ends and then he falls back asleep and the cycle continues.