Dashin' MrAus

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Tag: Greek vs Hindu

The Gods Intertwined!

Knowing your gods..
Lately I have leisured myself to some of the prevalent myths around and what Ive
discovered is fascinating. It is a very widely known fact that Greek mythology mirrors
Romans with each person and event reproduced upon slight alteration of their
nomenclature. To name a few Greek gods and there Roman counterparts, we have
Zeus/Jupiter, Poseidon/Neptune, Hades/Pluto, Aphrodite/Venus and Eros/ Cupid etc
(former Greek and latter Roman).The list goes on. The similarity in both mythologies sort of
backs the saying that Roman mythology was actually derived from Greece. It is popularly
believed that it was, in a matter of fact, a Greek, named Aeneid who decided , after the
conquest of Troy, to establish a new territory (now Rome) with a new sets of Gods and
beiliefs. Rick Riordon, a famous author on greek adventures often hints that the Greek gods
elope from the mount Olympus, for brief durations of the year, only to exist as their Roman
counterparts elsewhere. All these talks are very fascinating especially because the Roman
civilization started after about 1000 years of that of Greece.
Far more alarming to us (Hindus) should be the idea that there exist some striking
similarities between our mythology and Greeks. On mild contemplation, one might
discover that the roots of both the mythos are actually intertwined. Let me start with the
obvious analogies. The Hinduism entertains the mighty trinity Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh as
the chiefs of the gods, not so different from the Greek trio (also brothers) of Mount
Olympus namely, Zeus Posiedon and Hades. Stunned? Wait till I am finished. The territories
that each of these three Greek gods preside over are exactly the ones the Hindu trinity

claims. Zeus rules the sky as does Brahma. Posiendon (and Vishnu), the sea and Hades
(Shiva,) the underworld. Oh yes, the underworld! Hence the name, Bhootnath. The only
contradiction to this analogy is perhaps the command hierarchy. Zeus is considered the
supreme in Greece followed by Posiedon and then Hades. Such, however, is not the
arrangement within the Hindu trinity where Vishnu(arguably) enjoys the top position
followed by Shiva and Brahma(in that order). Here, however, allow me to surprise you by
drawing your attention to the widely accepted calling of the trinity i.e Brahma-VishnuMahesh. Notice the order? Zeus-Posiedon-Hades.
Overwhelmed, are you? Well, I am just getting started. Let me, now, talk about an
interesting Greek god named Hermes (the messenger god), son to Zeus, a known trickster
believed to have outsmarted the gods, on several occasions, with his weapon of gossiping
(though only for the good of mankind). Does he remind you of someone? Yes, the Narada
muni. Last I checked, hes documented to be the son of Brahma (aka ?). Theres more. You
must very well be aware of the mother-son duo gods of love and fertility, Rati and
Kamadev. Their exact counterparts in Greece are Aphrodite and Eros, also mother and son.
According to several accounts, Zeus is a womanizer known to have taken many wives
including his own mother and sister (hey..dont kill the messenger). The guy is rumored to
possess an insatiable lust. Now, have you ever asked your mother why you have never
seen a temple of Brahma? Like ever? I bet it has something to do with him taking Saraswati
(his own daughter) as wife against the protest of other gods. Some lust, eh?
There are several accounts in Hindu puranas that mirror tales from Greece. For instance,
the demigod Hercules and his heroic quests are analogous to Lord Krishna and his various
lilas ( I am talking Hydra and Sheshnag). Another example can be of goddess Ganga, who
respites over her son Bhishmas death and washes his body into her from the battleground
very much like Goddess Thetis ( the Greek goddess of ocean) engaging in a similar
endeavor upon her sons (Archilles) fall in the Battle of Troy.
Having reviewed these shocking similarities, one might actually find himself drifted more
towards the believing lot owing to the idea that they are sourced from common ancestors,
hence, might actually be true.
/ June 15, 2015 / Religion / Analogous myths, Greek Gods, Greek mythology, Greek vs Hindu, Hindu gods,
Rreligion / 1 Comment

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