How Does The Hindu Creation Story Concepts Relate To Modern Day Concepts?
I have to do a paper on the Hindu creation stories concepts that relate to modern day. Also I need to use some symbols from the story like the Caste System and the Egg and how relate to today. Do you how they relate?
Answer:There are several creation stories in Hinduism. Hinduism believes there are times when the universe takes form and and as many times when it dissolves back into nothing. The in-between times are known as the days and nights of Brahma. Here are three Hindu creation stories, enjoy.
OM:
Before time began there was no heaven, no earth and no space between. A vast dark ocean washed upon the shores of nothingness and licked the edges of night. A giant cobra floated on the waters. Asleep within its endless coils lay the Lord Vishnu. He was watched over by the mighty serpent. Everything was so peaceful and silent that Vishnu slept undisturbed by dreams or motion.
VISHNU:
From the depths a humming sound began to tremble, Om. It grew and spread, filling the emptiness and throbbing with energy. The night had ended. Vishnu awoke. As the dawn began to break, from Vishnu's navel grew a magnificent lotus flower. In the middle of the blossom sat Vishnu's servant, Brahma. He awaited the Lord's command.
Vishnu spoke to his servant: 'It is time to begin.' Brahma bowed. Vishnu commanded: 'Create the world.'
BRAHMA, THE GOD OF CREATION:
A wind swept up the waters. Vishnu and the serpent vanished. Brahma remained in the lotus flower, floating and tossing on the sea. He lifted up his arms and calmed the wind and the ocean. Then Brahma split the lotus flower into three. He stretched one part into the heavens. He made another part into the earth. With the third part of the flower he created the skies.
The earth was bare. Brahma set to work. He created grass, flowers, trees and plants of all kinds. To these he gave feeling. Next he created the animals and the insects to live on the land. He made birds to fly in the air and many fish to swim in the sea. To all these creatures, he gave the senses of touch and smell. He gave them power to see, hear and move.
The world was soon bristling with life and the air was filled with the sounds of Brahma's creation.
Godspeed.
What Challenges Did Jainism And Buddhism Pose To Classical Hindu Society?
At their time or origin, how did these heterodox traditions challenge the existing Hindu society?
Answer:Jainism and Buddhism cannot be called heterodox religions. Classical Hinduism did not exist at the time of Mahavira and Buddha. What existed were two ancient streams of thought – Vedism (precursor of classical Hinduism) and Sramanism (Precurser of Jainism and Buddhism). Sramananism was much more ancient that vedism; It is s pre-vedic and pre-aryan philiosophy. Vedic was more a ritually oriented philosophy with emphasis on deities like – Indra and varuna and sacrifices to them. Sramanan was a soteriological philosophy with a view that this samsara (worldly life) was full of suffering and propounded concepts of karma, jnana, samsara, moksa and Ahimsa. Utlimately classical Hinduism from Upanisads onwards discarded the vedic philosophy and embraced the sramana philosophical concepts like – Karma, Ahimsa and Moksa. This was the biggest challenge to the Brahmanism which had to mould towards the non-brahmanical ideas. It discarded the vedic deities like Indra and varuna and introduced non-vedic gods like Shiva and Krishna.
See what scholars say:
The Hindu scholar, Lokmanya Tilak credited Jainism with influencing Hinduism and thus leading to the cessation of animal sacrifice in Vedic rituals. Bal Gangadhar Tilak has described Jainism as the originator of Ahimsa and wrote in a letter printed in Bombay Samachar, Mumbai:10 Dec, 1904: "In ancient times, innumerable animals were butchered in sacrifices. Evidence in support of this is found in various poetic compositions such as the Meghaduta.
Swami Vivekananda also credited Jainism as influencing force behind the Indian culture. "What could have saved Indian society from the ponderous burden of omnifarious ritualistic ceremonialism, with its animal and other sacrifices, which all but crushed the very life of it, except the Jain revolution which took its strong stand exclusively on chaste morals and philosophical truths? Jains were the first great ascetics. "Don't injure any, do good to all that you can and that is all the morality and ethics, and that is all the work there is, and the rest is all nonsense... Throw it away." And then they went to work and elaborated this one principle, and it is a most wonderful ideal: how all that we call ethics they simply bring out from one great principle of non-injury and doing good."
What other scholars have top say of Jainism and Hinduism:
A. Dr. Vilas Sangave (2001) In : Facets of Jainology: Selected Research Papers on Jain Society, Religion, and Culture . Popular Prakashan: Mumbai ISBN 8171548393
“The jain communities is one of the very ancient communities of India. The existence of the Jain religion can not only be traced to the vedic period but even to the Indus valley period of the Indian History. The names of Jain Tirthankars are mentioned in the Vedas and there is evidence to show that the Indus valley people must be worshipping Rishabhdeva the first Tirthankar of the Jains along with the other deities. Thus Hoary antiquity is a special feature of the Jain community and it is pertinent to note that this feature is not present in other religious minorities in India.”
B. Mary Pat Fisher (1997) In : Living Religions: An Encyclopedia of the World's Faiths I.B.Tauris : London ISBN 1860641482
“The extreme antiquity of Jainism as a non-vedic, indigenous Indian religion is well documented. Ancient Hindu and Buddhist scriptures refer to Jainism as an existing tradition which began long before Mahavira.” Page 115
C. Joel Diederik Beversluis (2000) In: Sourcebook of the World's Religions: An Interfaith Guide to Religion and Spirituality, New World Library : Novato, CA ISBN 1577311213
Originating on the Indian sub-continent, Jainism is one of the oldest religion of its homeland and indeed the world having pre-historic origins before 3000 BCE, and before the propagation of Indo-Aryan culture….Page 81
D. Dr. P.S. Jaini, (1979), The Jaina Path to Purification, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, p. 169
Jainas themselves have no memory of a time when they fell within the Vedic fold. Any theory that attempts to link the two traditions, moreover fails to appreciate rather unique and very non-vedic character of Jaina cosmology, soul theory, karmic doctrine and atheism.
E. Y. Masih (2000) In : A Comparative Study of Religions, Motilal Banarsidass Publ : Delhi, ISBN 8120808150
. “There is no evidence to show that Jainsim and Buddhism ever subscribed to vedic sacrifices, vedic deities or caste. They are parallel or native religions of India and have contributed to much to the growth of even classical Hinduism of the present times.” Page 18
“We know only this much that the doctrine of karma-samsara-jnana-mukti is first seen in the clearest form in the shramanic tradition. It is now even accepted by orthodox bhramins. This doctrine is not clearly spelled out in Rgvedas and not even in the oldest parts of Upanishads called chandogya and Brhadaranyaka.” Page 149
F. Dr. A. N. Upadhye , A Cultural History of India, Clarendo
Your Comment On The Nature Of Muslim-hindu Confrontation During The 11th And 12th Centuries?
Your comment on the nature and extent of muslim-hindu confrontation during the 11th and 12th centuries?
And why was it important to the history of India.
Or any source where I can found more info on that?
Answer:The two cultures don't coexist well together and haven't for a long time (just look at the way India and Pakistan act to each other).
The confrontations back then have contributed to the strain that is still felt today.
Its impact on India was that it helped lead to the split off of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
What Is The Difference Between Christian Gravity And Hindu Gravity?
Just wondering, if there is a difference between Christian god and other gods, perhaps there should be a difference between Christian and Hindu gravities too. Don't you think so?
Answer:Well, I must say, in general it seems that Christians approach everything with much greater gravity than do the Hindus -- let's say 20% more. Now, there are around 2-1/3 times more Christians than Hindus (2.1 bil vs. 900 mil.). So, apparently Christian gravity en toto is around 2.8 times that of Hindu gravity.
Answer: Yes!
Is It Acceptable To Have A Tattoo Of Hindu Deity?
A friend of mine wants to get a tattoo of the goddess Durga on her inner arm. She is not Indian and is not a devout Hindu but has found the goddess Durga to be very relatable-to and helpful to her in dark times. Is it acceptable for her to get a tattoo of the goddess? She is very interested in Indian culture and religion, planning to learn the language and eventually travel there. She does not want to offend anyone in any way.
Answer:That should be perfectly fine. Many non Indians (Hare Krishna's) actively use Indian Hindu philosophy and religion in their lives.
The basic guidelines are to know the background and purpose of the deity. Also, depending on the sect, it can be disrespectful to have the tattoo under the waist. So an arm tattoo should be great.
Good luck to her!
The Hindus: An Alternative History Average Rating: 3.0 Price: $23.10 Author: Wendy Doniger Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The ISBN13: 9781594202056 Condition: NEW Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices From one of the world’s foremost scholars on Hinduism, a vivid reinterpretation of its history
An engrossing and definitive narrative account of history and myth that offers a new way of understanding one of the world’s oldest major religions, The Hindus elucidates the relationship between recorded history and imaginary worlds.
Hinduism does not lend itself easily to a strictly chronological account: many of its central texts cannot be reliably dated even within a century; its central tenets—karma, dharma, to name just two—arise at particular moments in Indian history and differ in each era, between genders, and caste to caste; and what is shared among Hindus is overwhelmingly outnumbered by the things that are unique to one group or another. Yet the greatness of Hinduism—its vitality, its earthiness, its vividness—lies precisely in many of those idiosyncratic qualities that continue to inspire debate today.
Wendy Doniger is one of the foremost scholars of Hinduism in the world. With her inimitable insight and expertise Doniger illuminates those moments within the tradition that resist forces that would standardize or establish a canon. Without reversing or misrepresenting the historical hierarchies, she reveals how Sanskrit and vernacular sources are rich in knowledge of and compassion toward women and lower castes; how they debate tensions surrounding religion, violence, and tolerance; and how animals are the key to important shifts in attitudes toward different social classes.
The Hindus brings a fascinating multiplicity of actors and stories to the stage to show how brilliant and creative thinkers—many of them far removed from Brahmin authors of Sanskrit texts—have kept Hinduism alive in ways that other scholars have not fully explored. In this unique and authoritative account, debates about Hindu traditions become platforms from which to consider the ironies, and overlooked epiphanies, of history.
The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow Average Rating: 5.0 Price: $10.78 Author: Sanjay Patel Manufacturer: Plume ISBN13: 9780452287754 Condition: NEW Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices In The Little Book of Hindu Deities, Pixar animator Sanjay Patel brings to life Hinduism’s most important gods and goddesses in fun, full-color illustrations, each accompanied by a short, lively profile. The stories of Hindu mythology cover everything from love and jealousy to petty grievances and epic battles, with characters ranging from monsters and demons to noble warriors and divine divas. Find out why Ganesha has an elephant’s head (his father cut it off!) and why Kali, the Goddess of Time, is known as "The Black One" (she’s a bit goth).
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush (Travel Literature) Average Rating: 4.5 Price: $10.19 Author: Eric Newby Manufacturer: Lonely Planet ISBN13: 9781741795288 Condition: NEW Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices The view was colossal. Below us on every side mountain surged away it seemed forever; we looked down on glaciers and snow-covered peaks that perhaps no one has ever seen before, except from the air.'
Feeling restless in the world of London's high-fashion industry, Eric Newby asked a friend to accompany him on a mountain-climbing expedition in the wild and remote Hindu Kush, in north-eastern Afghanistan. And so they went - although they did stop first for four days of climbing lessons in Wales - becoming the first Englishmen to visit this spectacular region for more than half a century. Newby's frank and funny account of their expedition to what is still amongst the world's most isolated areas is one of the classics of travel writing.
Hindu Myths: A Sourcebook Translated from the Sanskrit (Penguin Classics) Average Rating: 2.5 Price: $10.88 Author: Anonymous Manufacturer: Penguin Classics ISBN13: 9780140449907 Condition: NEW Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices Recorded in sacred Sanskrit texts, including the Rig Veda and the Mahabharata, "Hindu Myths" are thought to date back as far as the tenth century BCE. Here in these seventy-five seminal myths are the many incarnations of Vishnu, who saves mankind from destruction, and the mischievous child Krishna, alongside stories of the minor gods, demons, rivers and animals including boars, buffalo, serpents and monkeys. Immensely varied and bursting with colour and life, they demonstrate the Hindu belief in the limitless possibilities of the world - from the teeming miracles of creation to the origins of the incarnation of Death who eventually touches them all.
A Letter to a Hindu (Webster's Spanish Thesaurus Edition) Price: $16.95 Author: Leo Tolstoy Manufacturer: ICON Group International, Inc. Webster's edition of this classic is organized to expose the reader to a maximum number of synonyms and antonyms for difficult and often ambiguous English words that are encountered in other works of literature, conversation, or academic examinations. Extremely rare or idiosyncratic words and expressions are given lower priority in the notes compared to words which are ¿difficult, and often encountered¿ in examinations. Rather than supply a single synonym, many are provided for a variety of meanings, allowing readers to better grasp the ambiguity of the English language, and avoid using the notes as a pure crutch. Having the reader decipher a word's meaning within context serves to improve vocabulary retention and understanding. Each page covers words not already highlighted on previous pages. If a difficult word is not noted on a page, chances are that it has been highlighted on a previous page. A more complete thesaurus is supplied at the end of the book; synonyms and antonyms are extracted from Webster's Online Dictionary.
PSAT¿ is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT¿ is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE¿, AP¿ and Advanced Placement¿ are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT¿ is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT¿ is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved.
Jzizzle07: http://twitpic.com/8yjxa - Front door of the Hindu Temple. Wow! Drove round the entire temple! Big!
seemonkea: "fresh beats" - i love this depiction of the hindu god shiva as a b-boy http://bit.ly/F5Q00 (expand)
infitt: Good press coverage in English dailies on TIC.The Hindu covered it at http://tinyurl.com/m3r97a (expand) ,Times of India at http://tinyurl.com/kuw8mu (expand)
phamitus: Here is The Hindu link for UTN-not-needed news - http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/07/01/stories/2009070150961500.htm
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The Hindus: An Alternative History
The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush (Travel Literature)
Hindu Myths: A Sourcebook Translated from the Sanskrit (Penguin Classics)
A Letter to a Hindu (Webster's Spanish Thesaurus Edition)
