Religion
plays an very important role in the lives of Indians. The Indo-Aryans came
in massive sweeps
through
the lofty passes in the northwest, bringing with them the rudiments of
the Hindu faith,
later
to be developed on Indian soil into one of the most philosophically subtle
and complex of all religions.
While
it is only in recent years that Hinduism is again having a major influence
outside the Indian subcontinent, Buddhism,which grew out of Hinduism,is
a major world religion.But India has also received the gifts of Islam,
Christianity,Zoroastrianism and on a very small scale but very significantly,Judaism.
India
has been the proverbial sponge in matters religious.
There
are very few towns in India that are without a church,mosque or Hindu temple
.
There
are Sikh Gurdwaras in major towns AND few Synagogues in Mumbai,Calcutta,
New Delhi & Pune.
MYTH
& MYTHOLOGY
An
insight to Indian Gods & Goddess.
"India
has two million gods, and worships them all.
In
religion, all other countries are paupers;
India
is the only millionaire." —
Mark Twain,
BRAHMA
The
creative aspect of `Brahman', Brahma `creates'. He is assisted by his spouse
Saraswati -
the
Goddess of Learning and Knowledge. Brahma is depicted as having four heads
representing
`Manas',
`Buddhi', `Chitta' and `Ahamkara', all of which are essential for the work
of creation.
He
is sitting on a lotus, the lotus standing for purity or the saatwic element
present in man
VISHNU
The
concept of Vishnu stands for that aspect of 'Brahman', which is engaged
in the work of preservation
of
what has been created and is called `Purushottama' - the ideal in masculinity
(not mere brawn
but
masculine qualities). Vishnu is shown holding a fully blossomed lotus,
a discus, a conch, and a mace,
all
in four different hands symbolizing different virtues. The concept of Vishnu
is widely worshipped as
Narayana
- the power behind and beyond man.
SHIVA
Shiva
is known as the fearsome God. The third member of the Hindu Trinity, he
represents
Godhead
in its aspect of 'Annihilator' (the constructive destructor). He has a
third eye in the center
of
the forehead, the eye of wisdom as well as annihilation. When the eye opens,
the universe of names,
forms
and duality must stand annihilated. Supreme knowledge cannot but be followed
by austerity.
The
deer skin, holy ash, matted hair that Shiva sports are all symbols of supreme
renunciation
SARASWATI
Literally
means `the one who gives the essence (sara) of our own self (swa).
The
goddess of knowledge and learning, she is mostly shown sitting on a lotus,
holding the sacred
scriptures
in one hand, the lotus in the second. With the other two hands she plays
the Indian lute (veena). Saraswati is wedded to the creator, Brahma; for
all creative endeavors can spring forth from and
sustain
themselves only by the knowledge of what and who to create.
LAKSHMI
When
`Brahman' was reduced in concept to the "ideal man" or "Purushottama",
the necessity
automatically
arose to provide a conceptual counterpart in an "ideal woman"
and
Lakshmi was the result. She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity
(no
wonder she is one of the most widely worshipped deities in India!)
and
is supposed to provide these in abundance to sustain the creation,
which
is the portfolio of Vishnu, her divine consort.
UMA
Also
known as `Parvati', she is symbolic of Power, Strength and Energy and is
`Shiva's consort.
She
represents the female energy of Shiva and is said to have nine forms of
which four
are
fierce and others are mild ones. Uma or Parvati is worshipped in different
parts of India
in
different forms and called by different names like - Durga, Bhawani, Kali
and
Adiparashakti (the first and supreme power).
GANESHA
Called
the god with the `mostest', Ganesha is endearingly rotund and the remover
of all obstacles.
Like
the elephant whose head he wears, he has an infallible memory. The god
of wisdom and learning,
food
rates high on his priority list! Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati
and no festival or
auspicious
occasion begins without an invocation to the lovable elephant God.
HANUMAN
One
of the most dearly loved deities in India, the 'Monkey God' was known for
his total and
single-minded
devotion and loyalty to Rama and Sita, the heroes of the great epic-Ramayana.
According
to it, Hanuman (son of Vayu or Marut, the wind) was the leader of the invading
armies of Rama.
He
was also the one who set fire to the mighty Lanka and flew to the Himalayas
to bring the life-giving "Sanjeevani" to save the life of Rama's brother.
He is portrayed as a bachelor and is worshipped
as
the god of strength, health and agility.
THE
GREAT EPICS
Mahabharat
& Ramayana
RADHA-KRISHNA
In
sanskrit the word Krishna means `dark', not as opposed to light, but in
the sense
that
it is unseen or unknown to one as long as one remains rooted in earthly
experiences.
Radha
on the other hand was the most beautiful and beloved of all `gopis' (milkmaids).
The
love of Radha and Krishna is symbolic of the eternal love affair between
the devoted mortal and the Divine. Radha's yearning for union with her
beloved Krishna is the soul's longing for spiritual awakening to be united
with
the one source of peace and bliss from which it has become separated..
RAMA-SITA
The
hero and heroine of the evergreen epic Ramayana present humanity with an
ideal man and
woman
whom they would understand, adore and emulate. They represent the culture
of India, and
are
considered the incarnations of Vishnu and Lakshmi. If Rama was the ideal
man, son, brother and king,
Sita
was the ideal daughter, wife, mother and queen; the embodiment of all that
is great
and
noble in Indian womanhood
For
Pilgrimage tours of your religion, please click below as per symbol
