01:840:211 Lecture 2: Religion in Asia 01_24_17
Religion in Asia 01/24/17
Vedic Hinduism
<Some Major Deities of the Polytheistic Vedic Pantheon>
● Indra
- Chief of the Gods
- Creator of the natural world
- Manly warrior god who wields the mace/thunderbolt
- Conqueror of the non-Aryan Dasa (“Slaves” - the enemies of the Aryas)
- Lord of Cattle
- Great Drinker of Soma
- Giver of gifts to men
● Varuna
- God of cosmic and natural world (rta)
- Punisher for and absolver of sins
- Protector of men
● Agni
- Fire itself and the God of the sacred fire of the sacrifice
- The “mouth of the gods” and “conveyor of the gods”
- Divine priest and reciter (hotar) who mediates between gods and men
● Soma
- God as a ritual intoxicant that is pressed and drunk during the ritual sacrifice; consumed
by gods and men
- Both a deity and a real ritual substance (a plant whose identification is uncertain:
candidates have included Ephedra and Amanita Muscaria, a psychedelic mushroom)
- Bringer of exhilaration/ecstasy, freedom, health, and wealth
- The force of life that confers (converse) immortality on the drinker
● Others: gods of the storm (the Maruts), gods of the sun (Surya, Savitr) the earth
goddess Prthivi, Rudra (Siva), Visnu, et al
<Magical Spells and Incantations>
● The Vedas - particularly the Atharvaveda - also contain numerous magical spells and
incantations that would be recited in a ritual context in conjunction with offerings to
certain deities.
● In Rg Veda, these include, but are not limited to, spells used to
- Induce sleep - Triumph over “Rival wives” - Ensure safe pregnancy and birth
- Protect cattle and livestock - Drive away death or witchcraft
- Cure disease
● Some hymns - also centrally related to Politics, recited to ritually consecrate (declare)
divine kingship supported by the deities
Upanisadic Orientations
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Document Summary
Manly warrior god who wields the mace/thunderbolt. Conqueror of the non-aryan dasa ( slaves - the enemies of the aryas) God of cosmic and natural world (rta) Fire itself and the god of the sacred fire of the sacrifice. The mouth of the gods and conveyor of the gods . Divine priest and reciter (hotar) who mediates between gods and men. God as a ritual intoxicant that is pressed and drunk during the ritual sacrifice; consumed by gods and men. Both a deity and a real ritual substance (a plant whose identification is uncertain: candidates have included ephedra and amanita muscaria, a psychedelic mushroom) Bringer of exhilaration/ecstasy, freedom, health, and wealth. The force of life that confers (converse) immortality on the drinker. Others: gods of the storm (the maruts), gods of the sun (surya, savitr) the earth goddess prthivi, rudra (siva), visnu, et al.
