Demigods & goddesses in other religions

[Guest guest]

Are the demigods spoke about in other religious pantheons the same gods as in the Vedic pantheon, just under different names?

 

For example is Isis, just another form of Durga/Kali/etc? Are Osiris/Ra/Set/etc. known in the Vedas under different names?

 

I believe the Vedas state that there are over 300 million demigods in our cosmic system? So did some minor demigods only make themselves known to certain traditions? We know the Vedas are the most comprehensive knowledge-base on such matters, so they cover all the major demigods. But other traditions also speak about powerful, major demigods responsible for this material creation. So would these be the same major demigods talked about as those in the Vedas, just under different names?

[Guest guest]

I would presume so. For instance, Zeus may be Indra. Indra's known as the king of the demigods, so is Zeus, and both are associated with rain.

[Sephiroth 0]

Zeus throws thunderbolts ... same as Indra also.

 

Many ancient beliefs do not call "them" gods but with other names. Red Indians in American plains calls them "Spirits" of Elements and God as "Great Spirit" (like Chief of all Spirits), Ancient Europeans in Europe also follow the same thing and many worship Nature. Same goes for Japanese and even Chinese.

[Guest guest]

YES..................

_______________

 

because all the gods are the same, only different in name because of different cultures. our "father" and "mother" is the same. So when one says Indra is the storm god and another says Zeus is the storm god or any other from any other place on the planet, they are referring to the same being, the same god or demigod.

 

In the same sense as when Muslims speak of the One God Allah, Christians the Holy Father, American Indians speak of the great spirit Wankantanka, or Hindus speak of the all pervading Vishnu. We all speak of the same being. Only different words because of different cultures and languages.

 

NO...................

_______________

 

Because it doesnt automatically mean that any similarities between two demigods or gods makes them the same. Just because Isis is a female goddess and so is Durga or Kali doesnt make the two the same.

 

In fact, Isis is a archtypal represenation of the ideal feminine power of a mother or a wife. In that sense, she is much more likely an Egyptian equivilant of Devi, the feminine aspect of life.

[Guest guest]

In general, early religion focussed on worshipping different aspects of nature that had an impact on life. It was in most cases combined with animal sacrifice as the universal belief was that the Gods became angry from time to time causing imablances in nature like floods, drought, disease, etc., and the Gods when angry could be calmed down by offering blood.

 

Even today, there are section of Hindus who sacrifice chicken and goats to the Gods. And of course, they eat them up after the offering as is the case with all offerings to God. The number of offerings to the Lord would drastically reduce if people were not allowed to eat them later.

 

Cheers

[Guest guest]

 

Are the demigods spoke about in other religious pantheons the same gods as in the Vedic pantheon, just under different names?

 

For example is Isis, just another form of Durga/Kali/etc? Are Osiris/Ra/Set/etc. known in the Vedas under different names?

 

I believe the Vedas state that there are over 300 million demigods in our cosmic system? So did some minor demigods only make themselves known to certain traditions? We know the Vedas are the most comprehensive knowledge-base on such matters, so they cover all the major demigods. But other traditions also speak about powerful, major demigods responsible for this material creation. So would these be the same major demigods talked about as those in the Vedas, just under different names?

 

Hari OM

 

There was only one way knowledge (about universe, its controlling forces and about self) was transmitted from God to mankind and that is through Vedas and by Manu.

 

Over a period of time and because of the spreading of tribes from Bharat (India) and other factors this vedic knowledge changed (some portions lost, some portions changed and a few additions).

 

Now by the research of our wonderful scientists it does appear that different parts of the world "do" possess different kinds of knowledge (veda means knowledge) contradicting with each other

[Shaktidevi 0]

The universe is, and always has been, multidimensional, with inhabitants at every level who have always interacted with us humans at this level. So, some of these beings may have gone from country to country, and are known under different names, but for sure, they are there and still interacting with us. Or else what is religion all about? A history club?

 

Peace, Shakti

[Guest guest]

 

Are the demigods spoke about in other religious pantheons the same gods as in the Vedic pantheon, just under different names?

 

For example is Isis, just another form of Durga/Kali/etc? Are Osiris/Ra/Set/etc. known in the Vedas under different names?

 

I believe the Vedas state that there are over 300 million demigods in our cosmic system? So did some minor demigods only make themselves known to certain traditions? We know the Vedas are the most comprehensive knowledge-base on such matters, so they cover all the major demigods. But other traditions also speak about powerful, major demigods responsible for this material creation. So would these be the same major demigods talked about as those in the Vedas, just under different names?

 

Interesting that you say that, I was thinking the same thing. I saw a programme on National Geographic yesterday that stated that Christianity was influenced by many religions/cults that they now consider heretical. For example the worship of the virgin Mary is strongly influenced by the previous cult of Isis, which came to Rome originally from Egypt. Many belifs about mary are those of Isis, such as the title of Mother of God.

 

I think the gods may or may not be the same but have the same qualities and functions. E.g. Zeaus and Indra, Isis and Shakti/Devi. I do not know if the followers of ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Persian, Medeterranian religions had spiritual visions or experience of these gods or is they just believed in them because their preists said so. If they did have spiritual visions, just like the Hindu sages, then maybe they are just different forms of the Divine.

 

Many of the Abrahamic faiths come from polytheistic origins. Whereas these Abrahamic religions have wiped out these religions in order to survive, Hinduism has managed to accomodate the many gods in One. You can see them as either the same god or similar gods. Hinduism provides a philosophy where you can worship one or many gods and live together in society in harmony. I have come across westeners who are interested in returning to one of these ancient religions that honoured many gods and especially the mother godess, but they find that there is no surviving tradition of these. Only Hinduism has manages to keep these traditions alive.

[Guest guest]

 

Only Hinduism has manages to keep these traditions alive

 

The tradition is alive, although the Gods have changed with time.

 

The original Rig vedic Gods - Indra, Mitra, Varuna, etc., are no longer worshipped. They have been replaced by later non-vedic Gods like Ganapathi, Krishna, Rama, Shiva and Devi.

 

In our times, the list has grown longer with temples and worship of Raghavendra Swami, old Sai Baba, new Sai Baba, etc.

 

Actually, the Jains should be mentioned here for they still worship their ancient Thirtankaras who are older than the Buddha. Their last (24th) Thirtankara, Mahavira was Buddha's contemporary. So their tradition goes back a long way, even beyond the origins of some the Hindu Gods worshipped today like Ganapathi.

 

Cheers

[Shaktidevi 0]

"..........I have come across westeners who are interested in returning to one of these ancient religions that honoured many gods and especially the mother godess, but they find that there is no surviving tradition of these. Only Hinduism has manages to keep these traditions alive........."

 

And this is precisely where I came from, because in the West, the closest thing to goddess worship is the Roman Catholic cult of the virgin mother Mary, and various neopagan groups such as Wicca. The Catholic approach, for me, fails because the goddess is demoted to a human, and neopaganism, although it is much closer to the truth, still has that articial, made-up feel to it. It was only in discovering the thousands-of-years-old tradition of goddess worship in Hinduism, and the more specific worship of Shakti and the dasa Mahavidya, that I felt, here at last is the truth!

 

Shaktidevi

 

 

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[Guest guest]

 

It was only in discovering the thousands-of-years-old tradition of goddess worship in Hinduism, and the more specific worship of Shakti and the dasa Mahavidya, that I felt, here at last is the truth!

 

If you visit India, specifically South India, then you should find some time to visit the Sharada temple in Shringeri. It can be a pleassant experience, depending on your mood at that time.

 

The temple is historically quite old although it has received a makeover sometime in the recent past.

 

And once you travel to Shringeri, there is a whole bunch of traditional temples quite close like Udipi, Dharmastala, etc. If you enjoy visiting temples and can look past the crowds and the heat, then you will like them.

 

Cheers

[Guest guest]

 

The tradition is alive, although the Gods have changed with time.

The original Rig vedic Gods - Indra, Mitra, Varuna, etc., are no longer worshipped. They have been replaced by later non-vedic Gods like Ganapathi, Krishna, Rama, Shiva and Devi.

 

 

Well you could say that Vishnu and Shiva (being an aspect of Indra) are still worshipped. The Vedic worship of Agni as the Havan ritual is still there and is related to the Zoroastrian fire ritual. The Vedic goddess Gayatri is seen as the mother of the Vedas and has the popular Gayatri mantra dedicated to her. I think Gayatri is identified with Saraswati.

 

 

Actually, the Jains should be mentioned here for they still worship their ancient Thirtankaras who are older than the Buddha. Their last (24th) Thirtankara, Mahavira was Buddha's contemporary. So their tradition goes back a long way, even beyond the origins of some the Hindu Gods worshipped today like Ganapathi.

 

 

Yes, the Jains have an ancient tradition and also use the swastika along with Hindus, Buddhists and Zoroastians that all claim Aryan origins. It's a pity the Jain community is dying out today. One of their Thirthankaras, Neminath is believed by some to be a cousin of Krishna.

 

 

and neopaganism, although it is much closer to the truth, still has that articial, made-up feel to it. It was only in discovering the thousands-of-years-old tradition of goddess worship in Hinduism, and the more specific worship of Shakti and the dasa Mahavidya, that I felt, here at last is the truth!

 

 

Glad to see you've found what you're looking for. I think alot of the neopagans are trying to connect to the ancient goddess worship through modern ways. What they follow is likely not to be the same as the ancient pagans, though they try hard from what knowledge they have of them. Well it's good that in this day and age they can at least try without risk of being burnt at the stake.

The worship of the mother godess is something Hindus should be proud of as they have managed to keep the traditions alive to this day, where other mother goddess traditions have been wiped out in other countires. I remember when the British pop singer Sting went to India, he remarked how impressed he was by Hinduism especially the worship of the mother goddess.

[Shaktidevi 0]

I agree, and believe that Hinduism's grand contribution to the world is the preservation of the most ancient sciences and philosophies of the human race. The vedas, for example, predate all other teachings and scriptures, and can never have lost their authority. The earliest known forms of deity come from those ancient times, too, and have never been rejected by the followers of Sanatana Dharma (........ with some exceptions).