Hindu Mythology

[stvdv]

I have no idea if I am interpreting everything correctly or if there even is a right interpretation.

I am used to reading the bible which in most part follows a narrative and isn't so conflicting with its accounts. My question is: what are the purpose of Hindu myths? Is it supposed to tell a coherent truth or is it largely to make one think? I understand that the different stories are the result of different local tribes coming up with stories?

I also find polytheistic religions to be highly metaphorical and creative. Is that the point? Is it to get us to think of universal truths rather than specific deities?

I remember that my Master told us "You try to know all the personages, how old they were, who married with whom. But you forget the inner deeper meaning". For example: Father stands for Righteousness, Mother stands for Love, Daughter for Compassion, Son for Wisdom, etc.

How I use Scriptures: I don't believe I can find Truth in Scripture, but Scripture can guide me to get the Truth that is already in me revealed

 

[Jainarayan]

What @Vinayaka said about his sect largely applies to mine also, Vaishnavism, (devotees of Vishnu and/or one or more of His avatars. However, Vaishnavism is overwhelmingly anthropomorphic. We rely a great deal on tangible and visible forms of God, per Bhagavad Gita 12.5 in which Krishna says it's often hard to focus on an unmanifested form of God. As sensory beings we need to see, hear, touch. Therefore He sanctions the use of physical forms., e.g. statues, idols (murti is the proper word), pictures.

 

[sun rise]

Wouldn't it be true that there must be a union of mind and heart in understanding a religion? To me, just by what I have read now, the mythology seems to be expressing some highly intellectual and thought provoking topics.

I also see that the heart and mind should be a union. Otherwise people are dry intellectuals or overly credulous emotionally driven.

 

[Samael_Khan]

I also see that the heart and mind should be a union. Otherwise people are dry intellectuals or overly credulous emotionally driven.

Agreed. I think that true creativity is the balance between intellect and emotion.

 

[Samael_Khan]

'By symbolic, I meant some folks see the entire process, including the statues of the Gods, as symbolic of something else, abstract, and not actually there. It's like pretending. In the magical versions, it's not pretending. The devotee believes the presence of God is right there. So when offering food, for example, the smbolic type would see it as acting out a drama, whereas the well trained priest will be offering the prana (essence of the food, life-force) to the presence (astral body) of the deity.

You beseech the presence of God to obtain blessings. They can be general or specific. It's like inviting royalty into your home. During puja the veils between worlds are weakened.

Yes, Hinduism is personal, on many levels. Devotees have personal relationships with God and Gods.

Ok. I think I get it.

What would be a worshippers reason for participating in symbolic worship? What do they get out of it?

I imagine that they wouldn't be seeking blessings from a symbol?

That last sentence is interesting, coming from a Christian background. We were told that only we have a personal relationship with a god.

 

[Samael_Khan]

Pretty much. They are also ways of teaching lessons to people who could not read, which was almost everyone. The puranic story of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati is hilarious (genuinely funny) on the face of it but it teaches a couple of lessons, one being the old "don't judge a book by its cover" (or a god by his appearance), and another that God is very forgiving despite being gravely insulted, and even has a sense of humor about it.

That is interesting. Is it true that the intent is also for each individual to interpret the meaning on their own, so that two people are allowed to come to different conclusions?

 

[Samael_Khan]

She's condescending towards Hinduism. Max Mueller gets a bad rap, but he was a product of his times and corrected himself when necessary.

Luckily, I think that the book I am reading just relays the myths and how Hinduism treats them. She isn't going beyond that. So I haven't detected any condescension yet. But for all I know her relaying of Hindu thought is a condescension so...

 

[Vinayaka]

What would be a worshippers reason for participating in symbolic worship? What do they get out of it?

I'm actually not sure, as I've never been there. But since millions of people do it, there must be something to it. Perhaps the tradition makes them feel happier.

 

[stvdv]

What would be a worshippers reason for participating in symbolic worship? What do they get out of it?

This is what I was told about "how/why participate in symbolic worship":

The (first six of the nine) steps in the pilgrimage of man towards God along the path of dedication and surrender are:
(1) Developing a desire to listen to the glory and grandeur of the handiwork of God and of the various awe-inspiring manifestations of Divinity. It is by hearing about the Lord again and again, that we can transform ourselves into Divinity.
(2) Singing to oneself about the Lord, in praise of His magnificence and manifold exploits.
(3) Dwelling on the Lord in the mind, revelling in the contemplation of His beauty, majesty and compassion.
(4) Entering upon the worship of the Lord, by concentrating on honouring the feet or foot-prints.
(5) This develops into a total propitiation of the Lord, and systematic ritualistic worship, in which the aspirant gets inner satisfaction and inspiration
(6) The aspirant begins to see the favourite Form of God, which one likes to worship, in all beings and all objects, wherever one turns, and hence develops an attitude of Vandana (reverence) towards nature and all life!

 

[Jainarayan]

That is interesting. Is it true that the intent is also for each individual to interpret the meaning on their own, so that two people are allowed to come to different conclusions?

To an extent. Hinduism encourages exploration and questions, but within reason. It’s not a free-for-all. Scholars have made interpretations to answer questions. For example, people have tried to use the Bhagavad Gita to justify vigilantism and taking the law into one’s own hands.

 

[Samael_Khan]

I remember that my Master told us "You try to know all the personages, how old they were, who married with whom. But you forget the inner deeper meaning". For example: Father stands for Righteousness, Mother stands for Love, Daughter for Compassion, Son for Wisdom, etc.

How I use Scriptures: I don't believe I can find Truth in Scripture, but Scripture can guide me to get the Truth that is already in me revealed

That is interesting. So your believe is that scriptures are a mechanism to find truth rather than containing truth itself? Wouldn't it need to have some truth in order to find truth?

 

[Samael_Khan]

I'm actually not sure, as I've never been there. But since millions of people do it, there must be something to it. Perhaps the tradition makes them feel happier.

Possibly. For instance I don't believe in literal gods and see all religion as symbolic, but I still derive enjoyment from pondering them, trying to see what point the authors were trying to get across, much like what one does with poetry. I guess actually participating in ritual is another form of that. Ritual also contributes to social cohesion so that could be another factor.

 

[Samael_Khan]

This is what I was told about "how/why participate in symbolic worship":

The (first six of the nine) steps in the pilgrimage of man towards God along the path of dedication and surrender are:
(1) Developing a desire to listen to the glory and grandeur of the handiwork of God and of the various awe-inspiring manifestations of Divinity. It is by hearing about the Lord again and again, that we can transform ourselves into Divinity.
(2) Singing to oneself about the Lord, in praise of His magnificence and manifold exploits.
(3) Dwelling on the Lord in the mind, revelling in the contemplation of His beauty, majesty and compassion.
(4) Entering upon the worship of the Lord, by concentrating on honouring the feet or foot-prints.
(5) This develops into a total propitiation of the Lord, and systematic ritualistic worship, in which the aspirant gets inner satisfaction and inspiration
(6) The aspirant begins to see the favourite Form of God, which one likes to worship, in all beings and all objects, wherever one turns, and hence develops an attitude of Vandana (reverence) towards nature and all life!

So then those who worship symbolically still believe that an actual god exists? It sounds to me as if symbolic worshippers are actually monotheist if that is the case.

 

[Samael_Khan]

To an extent. Hinduism encourages exploration and questions, but within reason. It’s not a free-for-all. Scholars have made interpretations to answer questions. For example, people have tried to use the Bhagavad Gita to justify vigilantism and taking the law into one’s own hands.

Ahh. So people tried to do what some Christians do, twist the text to support their anti social tendencies. Reminds me of the Thuggee death cult (from which we get the word "Thug"), who claimed to be children of Kali, who used to rob and kill people in the name of Kali. (ironically many of these people turned out to be muslim). They believed that their brutal actions would save mankind, otherwise Kali would destroy the world.

 

[Vinayaka]

Possibly. For instance I don't believe in literal gods and see all religion as symbolic, but I still derive enjoyment from pondering them, trying to see what point the authors were trying to get across, much like what one does with poetry. I guess actually participating in ritual is another form of that. Ritual also contributes to social cohesion so that could be another factor.

Yes, I was going to put the social cohesion factor as well, but I'm lazy. If whatever creates solace and peace in the individual, in my book, it's a good thing. I just personally prefer more intensity.

 

[stvdv]

That is interesting. So your believe is that scriptures are a mechanism to find truth rather than containing truth itself? Wouldn't it need to have some truth in order to find truth?

The Indian Saints and Sages declare that the Truth is beyond words. But words can be like a kind of "bootstrapping" .. Eureka

 

[Jainarayan]

Ahh. So people tried to do what some Christians do, twist the text to support their anti social tendencies. ...

Yes, pretty much.

 

[stvdv]

So then those who worship symbolically still believe that an actual god exists? It sounds to me as if symbolic worshippers are actually monotheist if that is the case.

Depends on the individual. Some symbolic worshippers will be monotheists others not
Each knows best for themselves. I have done worship, but never felt that there are many gods

 

[Samael_Khan]

Yes, I was going to put the social cohesion factor as well, but I'm lazy. If whatever creates solace and peace in the individual, in my book, it's a good thing. I just personally prefer more intensity.

I agree. For me the main purpose of religion is to give people some sort of peace, otherwise they wouldn't join it. That is why I as an atheist am not anti-theist. Intensity is good though.

 

[Samael_Khan]

The Indian Saints and Sages declare that the Truth is beyond words. But words can be like a kind of "bootstrapping" .. Eureka

That is very true. Words box in concepts. Truth is more detailed and possibly more abstract, especially when it comes to the metaphysical. For instance, who can really describe feelings in words?