Questions for Polytheistic Hindu's

[Philomath]

Most of the threads posted in this DIR are usually aimed at Vaishnavism, Shaivism or Advaita. I don't think I've seen a thread related to Polytheistic Hinduism yet. I just have a few questions if you don't mind.

What is the basis for polytheistic Hinduism?

What are the main scriptures that polytheistic Hindu's use?

Why in your opinion aren't there more polytheistic Hindu's?

Why are you a polytheist?

 

[Aupmanyav]

What is the basis for polytheistic Hinduism?: The Gods and Goddesses have been there since time immemorial. Has anyone proved their non-existence?

What are the main scriptures that polytheistic Hindu's use? Puranas, especially Srimad Bhagawat Purana.

Why in your opinion aren't there more polytheistic Hindu's?: That is the original Hinduism. The rest are changes.

Why are you a polytheist?: I am not. But if my people are, let them be. Polytheism is fun. Monotheism is dictatorship.

 

[Sb1995]

I am a polytheist I suppose. I believe in both Shiva and Vishu. I'm not sure of the specific texts though. I believe in all Hindu God's and Goddesses as mentioned above ^

Har Har Har Mahadev
Hari Om

 

[Kalidas]

I guess I'm polytheistic? In the sense that I believe in one divine formless infinite power that manifests int he form of many divine godly beings. But I'm also not in that I only worship one God(dess). Can I still answer?

 

[Philomath]

I guess I'm polytheistic? In the sense that I believe in one divine formless infinite power that manifests int he form of many divine godly beings. But I'm also not in that I only worship one God(dess). Can I still answer?

I guess you can? lol

But this question most geared more towards those who view God as multiple entities, not one being.

 

[Poeticus]

Most of the threads posted in this DIR are usually aimed at Vaishnavism, Shaivism or Advaita. I don't think I've seen a thread related to Polytheistic Hinduism yet. I just have a few questions if you don't mind.

What is the basis for polytheistic Hinduism?

What are the main scriptures that polytheistic Hindu's use?

Why in your opinion aren't there more polytheistic Hindu's?

Why are you a polytheist?

Namaste, Philomath:

[melodramatic sarcasm] I am deeply saddened by your lack of consideration of the fact that I, the only ardent polytheist of my kind here in the HinduDIR - who has been a member of RF since late summer of last year, was excluded from this thread because you "haven't seen a thread related to polytheistic Hinduism yet", which is most certainly not true. :sad4:

Because of this, I, the only ardent polytheist of my kind here in the HinduDIR, shall not be answering your questions. :sad: [/melodramatic sarcasm]

I guess I'm polytheistic? In the sense that I believe in one divine formless infinite power that manifests int he form of many divine godly beings. But I'm also not in that I only worship one God(dess). Can I still answer?

Namaste, Kalidas. I hope you've been well. I'm sure you can still answer; however, your statement more closely affiliates with monism/pantheism than soft-to-hard polytheism(s).

 

[Philomath]

Namaste, Philomath:

[melodramatic sarcasm] I am deeply saddened by your lack of consideration of the fact that I, the only ardent polytheist of my kind here in the HinduDIR - who has been a member of RF since late summer of last year, was excluded from this thread because you "haven't seen a thread related to polytheistic Hinduism yet", which is most certainly not true. :sad4:

Because of this, I, the only ardent polytheist of my kind here in the HinduDIR, shall not be answering your questions. :sad: [/melodramatic sarcasm]

Sorry, I probably missed one of your threads

But please your input is greatly needed since you are the only ardent Polytheist in this DIR.

 

[Poeticus]

Sorry, I probably missed one of your threads

But please your input is greatly needed since you are the only ardent Polytheist in this DIR.

Namaste,

I was just teasing, Philomath.

And, I would like to thank you for taking the time to be considerate of polytheistic Hindus and dedicating a thread to them/us. While we are definitely a very small minority, it would be safe for me to state that we surely do exist.

What is the basis for polytheistic Hinduism?

Would the truths revealed from the ever-divine, Shri Veda-s, need a basis?

What are the main scriptures that polytheistic Hindu's use?

"Hindu polytheists", like every non-polytheistic Hindu, vary amongst each other.

Therefore, I can't speak on the behalf of others, but I can speak for myself:

The "main" scripture that I "use" would be the Shri Rg-Veda.

Why in your opinion aren't there more polytheistic Hindu's?

Perhaps, inside each lay-Hindu, there is a little polytheism, be it either soft or hard.

However, in today's world, a great deal of stress is given upon abiding by the paradigm of the "One True God". Many may abide by this paradigm either through monotheism, monism, pantheism, and the like.

I do not know if it would be justified or not to state that such would be conforming.

But, I wish many would not see us negatively as so many religious groups usually do.

Why are you a polytheist?

“What pathway leads to the Shri Gods?
Who knows this of a truth, and who will now declare it?
Seen are Their lowest dwelling-places only,
But They are in remote and secret regions [also].”

-R.V.3.54.5​

Revealed by the Shri All-Gods to the Rishi-s, Vishvāmitra and Vāchya.​

 

[Jaskaran Singh]

“What pathway leads to the Shri Gods?
Who knows this of a truth, and who will now declare it?
Seen are Their lowest dwelling-places only,
But They are in remote and secret regions [also].”
-R.V.3.54.5

Why do you make the translations even more confusing than the original saMskR^itam? A literal word for word translation of kó addhÁ veda ká ihá právochad is "who surely knows, who hither will speak," yet you write it as "Who knows this of a truth, and who will now declare it?" Me thynketh you've been reading too much of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales...

 

[Poeticus]

Why do you make the translations even more confusing than the original saMskR^itam? A literal word for word translation of kó addhÁ veda ká ihá právochad is "who surely knows, who hither will speak," yet you write it as "Who knows this of a truth, and who will now declare it?" Me thynketh you've been reading too much of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales...

I understand that Griffith sometimes can be confusing.

EDIT: Using Sayana's commentary, Wilson translates similarly to how Griffith did:

Who knows what is the truth, or who may here declare it?
What is the proper path that leads to the Gods?
Their inferior[1] abiding places are beheld,
as are those which are situated in superior[2] mysterious rites.​

[1] constellations
[2] those that are made known by the Veda​

 

[Kalidas]

Namaste, Philomath:

[melodramatic sarcasm] I am deeply saddened by your lack of consideration of the fact that I, the only ardent polytheist of my kind here in the HinduDIR - who has been a member of RF since late summer of last year, was excluded from this thread because you "haven't seen a thread related to polytheistic Hinduism yet", which is most certainly not true. :sad4:

Because of this, I, the only ardent polytheist of my kind here in the HinduDIR, shall not be answering your questions. :sad: [/melodramatic sarcasm]



Namaste, Kalidas. I hope you've been well. I'm sure you can still answer; however, your statement more closely affiliates with monism/pantheism than soft-to-hard polytheism(s).

Agreed, that is more or less what I self identify as lol. I mean I do believe in the multiple deities and that they are in fact equal to this divine source. But i think you would do a far better job.

and I am fine. Just left for a little while to avoid the arguing.

 

[Jaskaran Singh]

I understand that Griffith sometimes can be confusing.

EDIT: Using Sayana's commentary, Wilson translates similarly to how Griffith did:

Who knows what is the truth, or who may here declare it?
What is the proper path that leads to the Gods?
Their inferior[1] abiding places are beheld,
as are those which are situated in superior[2] mysterious rites.​

[1] constellations
[2] those that are made known by the Veda​

A pravachana is a statement, so I can see how they translated it as declare rather than speak (still a bit melodramatic) but there is no word there that functions in sampradAnakAraka, so they seemed to viewed the "it" as being implied, even though it is not mentioned in the verse. In addition, the fact that both are translating addhÁ not as "clearly/surely/manifestly" but as "the truth," or in Griffith's case, "of a truth" shows that the translators have a poor grasp of saMskR^itam.

Edit: Apparently (after looking it up), "of a truth" means the same thing as certainly, so technically Griffith isn't incorrect about that (although it's still very weird or outdated phrasing) whereas Wilson is incorrect in regards to his translation. However, Griffith's use of "now" for ihá rather than here or hither is incorrect as ihá relates to distance and not time, whereas Wilson is correct in regards to that. This means that both Wilson and Griffith are technically farther from each other in their translations than they are from me, although both are unnecessarily verbose.

 

[Philomath]

I understand that Griffith sometimes can be confusing.

EDIT: Using Sayana's commentary, Wilson translates similarly to how Griffith did:

Who knows what is the truth, or who may here declare it?
What is the proper path that leads to the Gods?
Their inferior[1] abiding places are beheld,
as are those which are situated in superior[2] mysterious rites.​

[1] constellations
[2] those that are made known by the Veda​

One final question if you don't mind lol. How many Gods do you worship?

 

[Sb1995]

One final question if you don't mind lol. How many Gods do you worship?

Is this question to all or MV in specific?

 

[Philomath]

Is this question to all or MV in specific?

Anyone can answer it

 

[Poeticus]

How many Gods do you worship?

...many.​

 

[Sb1995]

...many.​

Well said..well said. Om Namah Shivaya

 

[Philomath]

...many.​

That's kinda obvious lol

Is there a specific number?

 

[Poeticus]

Is there a specific number?

...Three-and-Thirty.​

 

[Philomath]

...Three-and-Thirty.​

33 Gods?