Sunday 11 September 2011

Hindu Mythology vs Greek and Norse Mythologies

For Greek Myth, I have some times quoted Holmer and Heseud, who both have contradictions.
Similarly, Hindu Myth, has so many different meanings and versions, that Only a few can be quoted. There are chances of Contradictions and reason for Debate.

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What is common in most Mythologies?
Most Mythologies are a set of stories which were told to express/define that group's opinions of how things started to happen or are happening.
Most of them started with worshipping different forces of Nature, categorizing them and evolving stories around them, adding names, characteristics, and adding evolved.
These variations could be tracked by inscriptions, paintings, etc on walls of old monuments like temples in India, Pyramids in Egypt, Books, Poems, Narration, etc.
These often change by the presiding rulers or priests who endorse them.
Many mythologies have similar characters with different powers and position.

Some common concepts:

Ways of Worship:

Most of the people in the old mythologies and even in some of the current world, built temples for there Gods. The Gods had human like appearances. 
The Hindus Gods had animals as vehicles like Lord Shiva had Nandi the Ox, Lord Vishnu has Garuda the eagle, etc.
The Egyptian Gods had animal like parts like Anubis had head of a Jackal. They were also associated with animals, birds, trees, etc..
There were priests who recited hymns or slokas in praise of the Gods.

Solar Eclipse & Lunar Eclipse:

The Hindu version of Solar Eclipse and Lunar Eclipse is that at that time the Surya (Sun) or the Chandra (Moon) are swallowed by a Rakshasa [Demon] named Rahu. They fight to get rid of the Demon. But since the Demon is immortal they come back to swallow them again.
The Chinese Myth says that a Red Dragon eats the Sun or the Moon and at this particular time they beat drums to scare the Dragon away.
The Norse Myth says Sol (Sun) and Mani (Moon) were persued by the wolf Skoll and Hati.
The Egyptians considered the Apep (a serpent) to eat the Re (Sun).
The amazing fact is that they all had calculations to predict the eclipses.

Heaven, Hell and Rebirth

Most mythologies mentioned about Heaven and Hell and Rebirth. Though the places described where different.

The Hindus belive that Svarga (Heaven) is the place where the righteous live in a paradise Naraka (Hell) is the place where the sinners are punished for their sins.
Chitragupta keeps an account of Punyas (good deeds) or Papas (sins/bad deeds) done by a person while 
Upon death Yama dootas come to extract a persons soul.
Yama is the Devata who decides weather a soul should go to Heaven or Hell based upon his/her account. The bad are punished in various ways.
Only on complete devotion towards the lord and on leading a righteous life can a person attain freedom from life cycle and merge in Brahma.

The Greeks have Mount Olympus as the home of the Gods and consider it Heaven. 
Hades is the ruler of Underworld.
Upon death Hermes leads the souls to the underworld.
Charon ferries the souls who can pay the fee (people must be buried with coins placed on lips)
Cherebus allows all to enter but none to leave.
Rhadamanthus, Minos, and Aeacus are the judges who pass sentence. The very good go to the Elysian Fields. Others are singled out for special treatment. Sisyphus and Tantalus being prime examples of the later.

According to egyptian mythology spirits of the dead go across the Nile into Duat the place of testing and then to Amenti for the good to live for ever. Tombs or Burial Chambers allowed the spirits to go back and forth from Duat.

Norse have Asgard as their territory while Bifrost (a colourful bridge) connected Midgard (Earth) the territory of Humans.
Valhalla the hall of Odin is the home for half of best slain warriors. Valkyries take them there.
The other half would be choosen by Freyja and would stay in Folkwang her home.
Ran wife of Aegir the god of Ocean would catch those who drowned in Ocean, and those who had gold would be allowed to have a happy afterlife at the bottom of Ocean.
Hel daughter of Loki was the ruler of Underworld.

Immortality of Gods

Norse Goddess Idun keeper of Golden Apples provides the Gods with these apples to reverse their ageing.
Kvasir mead is a drink that gave the gift of Poetry and Wisdom.
Hindu Gods drink Amrutha (nectar of life) and live for ever.

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