hinduism part 1 1
TRANSCRIPT
Hinduism
• ca. 4000 BC part of Indian subcon5nent (the Indus River Valley) was inhabited by people of Harappan culture.
• Ca. 1500 BC, Aryan invaders brought their own belief system, which was integrated with that of the Harappans.
• Aryans developed a system of “cosmic law” or dharma which governed all, including social order (caste system)
• Vedas – sacred texts da5ng between 1700 – 500 BCE. Upanishads are the collec5on of Hindu founda5onal thoughts and tradi5ons, wriNen pre-‐Buddha, ca. 500 BCE.
Indus River Valley/Harappan Civilization
• The least known of the 3 great ancient civiliza5ons (along with Egypt and Mesopotamia/Babylonia) ca. 5000 – 1900 BCE
• Copper metallurgy, ceramics, stone sculpture and coins found. Undeciphered wri5ng system found on stone seals since ca. 2600 BCE
• Advanced grid-‐paNern city plans (at Harappa and Mohenjo-‐daro) and last but not least– sewers!
Harappan seal with writing • These were merchants’ marks to iden5fy the owners of goods or shipments.
Dancing Girl, ca. 2500 BC
• Found in Mohenjo-‐daro • Lost-‐wax process • Predecessor to Hindu Goddess
figures: Shak5, Kali, etc. • Dancing pose seen throughout
Indian sculpture, including both Hindu and Buddhist sculpture
Hindu deities • While there is one Divine Being (Brahman), there are
many dei5es who each embody some aspect of the Divine Being.
• Hinduism has grown and evolved through regional tradi5ons, so that each has dis5nct gods; even the common ones may have different aNributes or incarna5ons in each tradi5on. VERY confusing!
• Since each incarna5on of a god is a separate being, there are virtually limitless gods in the pantheon – hundreds and hundreds. Main ones are:
• Shiva (the Destroyer) • Vishnu (the Preserver) • Brahma (the Creator) • Goddess aka Shak5
Brahma • The Creator (the first god
– created good/evil and light/dark from his own person.
• Created gods, demons, ancestors and men, along with all living creatures.
• Abstract or metaphysical god, so few myths about him exist. Less important in modern 5mes, except in southeast Asia.
• Brahma, ca. 1700, northern India 5.5 x 3.75 inches, wc/paper
Vishnu
10 reincarna5ons (avataras): • Matsya the fish • Kurma the tortoise • Varaha the boar • Narasimha the man-‐lion • Vamana the dwarf • Parasurama the Brahman • Prince Rama • Krishna the god • Krishna as Buddha • Kalki (future – end of world)
Vishnu, ca. 900 – 1000 AD
Everyone’s here! • Vishnu at center (his aNributes: chakra, conch, mace, abhaya mudra)
• Upper lej: Brahma (4-‐headed)
• Upper right: Shiva (trident & chakra)
Shiva Nataraja: Lord of the Dance Chola period, ca. 1000 AD, South India, following precepts of Shilpa Shastras (Science or Rules of Sculpture)
Shiva - Lord of the Dance • Ca. 900 AD • Figure set in center of
universe • Creator: hand drum in
upper right hand • Preserver: lower right
hand gesture of abhaya, protec5on.
• Destroyer: agni, fire of dynamic destruc5on
• Right foot: tramples illusion and ignorance
• Lej hand points to leg in gaja hasta: refuge for troubled soul
• Ganga caught in hair
Linga and Yoni
• Linga = phallus = male crea5ve energy, symbolizing Shiva’s role as Creator
• Yoni = vaginal form = female crea5ve energy, symbol of the Goddess, or Shak5 (energizing force of the universe), par5cularly Parva5
• This 18th century pain5ng shows 2 women worshiping the god Shiva at a linga-‐yoni (most sacred part of a Hindu shrine)
Linga with one face
• 9th century • Linga is the most sacred object in a temple dedicated to Shiva
• Emphasis on male/female energy led to an abundance of ero5c Hindu art – both metaphoric and lusty.
The Goddess
The Goddess is the manifesta5on of female primordial cosmic energy or feminine crea5ve power, called Shak5. She can be personified as a goddess named Shak5, and there are some Hindu sects in which she is synonymous with Brahman, the Divine Being. When Shak5 is presented as a goddess, she has many aNributes and roles, as protector, healer, and bringer of well-‐being. She also has many incarna5ons, including: Ganga (of Ganges River) and Manasa.
Duality of Hindu gods
In her various forms, the Goddess is the consort of the Great Gods, and considered to be the female energy of each: • Saraswa5 – knowledge (Brahma -‐ creator) Lakshmi – wealth and prosperity (Vishnu-‐ preserver)
• Parva5, Durga, Kali -‐ power (Shiva -‐ destroyer)
Saraswati
• Consort of Brahma • Known from Vedas
• Also revered in Jain religion and some Buddhist sects
• Goddess of knowledge, music, arts and learning
Lakshmi
• Consort of Vishnu • Goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity (material and spiritual)
• Revered in Buddhism and Jainism as well • ANributes include lotus blossom (ojen shown standing on a lotus blossom, due to her origin myth) and 4 arms
• Apparently Scythians worshipped her too!
Goddess as Durga
• Like her male counterparts, the Goddess has many names and personas: Devi, Durga (warrior/protector), Kali (destroyer of evil)
• It is believed she evolved from a mountain-‐goddess worshipped in the Himalayas
• A war goddess, usually pictures with 10 arms and astride a lion or 5ger
• Consort of Shiva
Durga Killing the Buffalo
Demon Mahisha
• 12th century • Argillite • She holds a variety of weapons, including:
• Spear, arrow, sword, chisel, hammer, thunderbolt, goad, discus.
Standing Parvati
• Chola period, ca. 925 AD • Note similarity to Harappan
dancing girl • Cast copper • Parva5 is the gentle aspect of
the Goddess (usually 2 armed), while Durga is the protectress and Kali the ferocious destroyer
• Note her aNribute of the mountain-‐shaped hat, deno5ng her origin as a Himalayan mountain god
• She has 108 names!
Shiva and Parvati
• Jaipur school 16th-‐ 17th century
• Shiva and Parva5 personify male and female crea5ve energy.