Hence, Durga symbolizes strength and power of women. Like women have the power that no man can stand against. Especially in the country like India where women are not equally treated as men, this belief backs up women and provide moral and social (religious) support to fight for their rights.
She'd be the perfect symbol of patriotism and nationalism. A perfect imperial symbol for a powerful, unstoppable empire. Her name would be perfect for superweapons, ancient and giant castles, or a massive unstoppable battleship.
Shiva has only one wife. All the women you mentioned are avatars of the same wife. Shiva and Parvati are like yin and yang. One is incomplete without the other.
@Aves Regal Those 4 are all one. This all sound confusing because he was not able to grasp one concept from among all of the stories. The trimurti brahma, vishnu and shiva all have female consorts. Brahma is the creator god, and he creates everything out of his imagination, and for inagination you need knowledge, and that is saraswati, his female counterpart. Just like without some knowledge you cant be creative, similarly without saraswati brahma can not create the world Vishnu is the preserver god. Have you heard of the idea that this world and our life is all imaginary?? In some movies... like matrix, yeah that idea has been adapted from here. So vishnu is basically responsible for creating all these illusions in the world with the help of maya, divine power of illusion, and his female counterpart is lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and fame. If you will search for the image of vishnu and lakshmi mostly you will get an image of vishnu lying on seven headed snake coils and lakshmi sitting at his foor end. Here are two ideas for this pair, one if you chase wealth and fame then you will always be chasing and never get it, but if you be like vishnu above all illusion he has created, and not chase wealth and fame, she will come to you willingly. Second idea is that to fulfil his responsibility of preservation, he needs the power of lakshmi to create his maya successfully. He needs to offer fame and wealth to trap fickle minded person in his illusions and so he would be able to teach us lessons of life..
@Aves Regal Now the last but not the least shiva, the god of destruction. Basically he is called mahadev, god of all the gods, his equivalents are only the other two of trimurtis the rest of the gods like indra, varuna, surya are at lower ranks than him, many of their powers come from him. He is also teacher of god of justice, i.e. shani dev, and god of death, i.e. yama, who is similar to hades of greek mythology except that he doesnt hate his job. So now his job is destruction of the old to pave way for new creation. For that he needs shakti, i.e. power. He has been shown in the form of ardhnarishwar, i.e. half male and half female. This has been called his primal form, where the female part is the shakti, and male is shiva. and he is epitome of feminism in that wothout shakti he is just a shav, literally meaning a dead body, symbolising that his power is only because of shakti and wothout her he is nothing. And this is the only pair where both of them are worshipped separately and together. Now the story is that he separated from his female half because brahma requested him that he would be needing shakti or power to create world. And thus the story starts, he gave up his half portion for us, the ultimate sacrifice, and then shakti was born in many form but all of them were humans and they all married shiva many times but were not able to invoke their true form of shakti, and till they were not able to invoke the true form they kept taking births, last was parvati. Parvati has nine forms ranging form most benevilent to most ferocious. Kali is the ultimate form of ferociuosness, i.e. she represents the untamed force of nature. Even more powerful than shiva can ever be, as she is thesourceofof his power. So, the presenter has missed such minute details of the culture
@Aves Regal To answer you about sex, he had sex with her, but wife of kamadev, the god of sexual endeavors, cursed paravti that she could never bear a child of her own through sexual conduct. So parvati had to create her sons. Kartikeya and ganesha. Shiva was also an ascetic, and so parvati, his other half represents everything that shiva is not, she seduces him out from his meditation, when he gets angry and performs his tandav, i.e. the dance of destruction, she is the one who dances with him to calm him down, and her dance complements his dance to balance the destruction. I think her dance is called lasya. So there you go, here is your answer. Parvati is the last form shakti had to take to reunite woth shiva in her fully awake form.
@@nazplays8825 no he did there are more than 100 scriptures in hinduism unlike some religions with 1 book punishing you for bad deeds! lol here some from rigveda "The Rig Veda, the oldest of the Vedas, deals with significant skepticism around the fundamental question of a creator God and the creation of the universe. It does not, at many instances, categorically accept the existence of a creator God."
Just to add, Vishnu's Avatars depicts the evolution of life - 1. Matsya(fish) :- Marine Organism 2. Kurma(tortoise) :- Amphibian 3. Varah (Boar) :- Terrestrial animal 4. Narshimha (half Lion half man):- transition phase of animal to man. 5. Vaman( drawrf man) :- First phase of early humans. 6. Parshuram (angry man) :- Wars and violence 7. Ram ( Righteous man) :- Calmness and justice 8. Krishna ( Pleasant man) :- Love & Intelligence. 9. Buddha (The enlightened man) :- Peace & meaning of life 10. Kalki :- The Mystical man.
As a Hindu, I will leave you people with this quote from Hindu Scripture - "Sarvey Lokaha, Sarvey Janaaha, Sukhino Bhavantu" (May all the People of all the Worlds, Live in Peace, Happiness and Prosperity).
@@pangapunga3693 Muslims don't eat pork because it is prohibited since it is considered unholy, it is forbidden while hindus don't eat beef because it is sacred to them, it's their mother's flesh (according to them). You need to understand the difference.
@@scurryfunge9581 I know he his wrong but may be it is not completely his fault the whole internet is filled with these baseless theories about symbolism that it is difficult to even find right information just scroll through comments section and you will yourself see how pathetic explainations have been given even by Indians who should atleast had known about their culture
@@ujjwalkukreti3774 Appreciate your comment Ujjwal, but the thing is, had he really researched a bit more and focused on the quality instead of the quantity he would have at least gotten some of it right. There's hardly a blog I know of that wouldn't explain about the concept of Avtaras while mentioning such stories. Even wikipedia has it! Isne video bnaya hai, research krna was his prerogative.
@@scurryfunge9581 Yess I think you are right after seeing there other videos including one from the science series on India and one from this very own playlist even I think should improve their quality of information and facts as well as their interpretation of the metaphorical meanings in our stories.
1) The rock scripture you mentioned Is not in sanskrit. 2)Lingam is not penis. 3) Shiva just have one wife (all others are different persona of the same and no one is above in rank among others ) 4) Ram is central to Ramayana not Mahabharat
@mohit daga, sanskrit can be written in various scripts other than Devanagari, as @Ajinkya Gokhale posted it could be Brahmi Script, also there re other scripts as well such as Gupta Script . About points 2, 3, 4, you are spot on bro :)
@Stomper902 Lingam is only "One" of the phallic symbol like "Yoni" is one of female symbol. Yoni also means "Form of Existence" for example i am born in "Manushya yoni", Ghosts are called having a "Pret Yoni" etc. So when Shiva (or other) tatwa is to be consecrated into a lingam, due to this ligam became a form of existence for that "tatwa" and is called "Ling Yoni". One of after cremation ritual in Hinduism is to find out in which Yoni the deceased person will take next birth. These misinterpretations of work arises mostly because of Most work available in English is done by English historians who first came to india during british raj and having just verbal translated knowledge of sanskrit. Even today's most (not all) Indian Sanskrit scholars are pretty average at best (this due to congress who failed to preserve our culture for Votes) and now after so long time some of the English books are 100 to 150 years old just because of time they were present, they are to be taken as authentic. Please don't research this on internet. the real deal is in the books or with some last generation Sanskrit scholar, who today might be 60 to 80 years old.
Oops u made a mistake, shiva didn't got the game.. sati, durga, kali, parvati are the same women together as shakti. Hindu belives that a man or a male god needs shakti or power to complete themselves. Intrested people can have a look on Shivapuran. Namastey 🕉️🙏
@@drasticgamerstv1025 man damn it he has only one wife she is Shakti or Parvati. And ganga is not his wife. Feminine energy itself is the energy of Shakti or Parvati
@@gauthamkshatriya2953 no I read many puranas abt Shiva n trust me he has 2 wives parvThi n ganga....ganga is also a metaphor for water.....whatever it is i dont believe in it so it doesn't make any difference one wife two wives whatever
Drastic Gamers TV umm no... Shiva only has one wife, Shakti who takes on many forms and what does ganga meaning water has to do with anything.... The only connection between them is that when ganga descended from the heavens shiva allowed her to fall down on his head and then in earth so as to avoid ganga from flooding the earth with its flow... That's the only myth I can think of with these two as main characters
Rama is central to the Ramayana, not the Mahabharatha. For what it's worth, a few characters from the Ramayana make an appearance in the Mahabharatha, but only Krishna is central to the Mahabharatha.
Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Sigirya fortress was his lair, there are restricted sections in the surrounding area that has glyphs pointing to an enclosed section that contains a star map
About Shiva's consorts: Sati and many other previous female forms were of the goddess Adi Shakti, whom complimented the other half of Shiva. She was reborn many times to attain Shiva, but undoubtedly failed as they weren't pure. (By pure I mean rid of arrogance, ego, etc.). In her Sati form, she managed to attain Shiva, but her father Daksh severely hated Shiva because of some past relations I'm not going to get into. After Sati was married to Shiv, Daksh held a ceremony in which all gods, sages, and people, in general, were invited. This was except for Sati and Shiva. When Sati went there forcefully, Daksh hurled insults at both Shiv and Sati. Angered by her father's ignorance and his attitude towards the GOD SHIVA and the fact that he was her husband, she jumped in the fire. And if you don't know what happens next, Shiv lets his anger loose, which should never happen, and Daksh is inevitably killed So then Adi Shakti finally comes in the form of Parvati and tries again to attain Shiv. Shiva, however, distraught about how he had fell in love with Sati and then it all ended tragically, refused to fall in love. So Parvati attained him by doing severe penance in front of him. So Durga, Kali, and other forms of Parvati are all one. Parvati is the form of Adi Shakti that was meant to be united with shiva/
All of which are representative of human endeavors to attain grace and salvation. The challenges that are faced internal as well as from family and those around, and that ultimately will and perseverance wins.
. Without Shiva, Adi Shakti (Parvati) is incomplete, without her Shiva is incomplete. They both require each other to complete themselves, kind of like how finding your significant other completes you. Adi Shakti attempted to marry Shiva in the form of Sati, but unable to bear insults by her own father on her husband, unfortunately, sacrificed herself. When she was born as Parvati, she went through trials and penance with much more difficulty then Sati originally had, because, after Sati's death, Lord Shiva was absolutely devastated and did not want to feel that type of pain again. So Parvati *attaining* shiva was Adi Shakti finally proving that this form was good and pure enough to be consort to Shiva.
I appreciate your attempt at simplifying the Hindu mythology. A common theme in the comments is that Shiva was definitely not a "Playboy". They repeatedly took birth on Earth to fulfill their duties as Gods, and to guide humans on the path of what is right. Shiva would go in disguise more often than not, while Parvati changed forms, or took birth on Earth. Thus, the many different names of Parvati. Shiva, as mentioned by others, was an extremely loyal husband, and Shiva-Parvati is also considered one of the very first successful love stories. In many subsequent myths, women would meditate and pray to Shiva, and ask for a boon that they get a husband like Shiva.
You guys are right, deities from all mythologies should have their own 2D fighting game! I can't wait for Mesoamerica to have a turn, Maya and Aztec gods are awesome!
Daniel Hatfield I tried that game and it just wasn't my thing, but seeing a 2D fighting scene in a style similar to "Street Fighter" made me feel that would be better even if I not a huge fan of fighting games.
Way to go man. I understand how mythology is hard to explain, and Hindu mythology, being one of the most complex there is, I can see why you simplified Durga's myth and such. Keep up the good work guys! Can't wait to see more
hey fools . only u western people call it myths not we hindus. 1000s of years these stories are being conveyed from generation to generation . u cant call it simply a myth. who are western scholars to call it a myth. are they god .Do they were in those era when it happened. i blieve roman empire was real and jusus existed or muhamad existed. how u blieved ? u blieved becose it is documented in books or rocks . like tha all these incidents of puranas and ramayan are documented in hindus holly books for 1000s ago. if u blieve that stories of hinduism might have been written by some one by imagination then it is also possible that christ and bible is mythical and imagination work. so as quran and others. so think logically. the hindus bliefs doesnot fit in ur ideology and u call it myth .likewise christian ideas doesnot fit in our mind and of we start calling christ8an theology a myth then how will u react.
Sati, Parvati, Durga and Kali are all the same female. Sati kills herself and then reincarnated as Parvati. Durga is another name for Parvati. And Kali is Durga who manifests to kill two demons the demigods could not kill. Just a little correction
I'd agree with you on Parvati and Sati but Durga is not another name for Parvati. When the demigods went to Vishnu for help, Vishnu and Shiva invoked the Paramatman( the supreme consciousness) and it took the form of Durga. This is what the Devi mahatmyam says. Hence Durga is way more powerful than Parvati and Sati on her own and not because she wedded one of the trinity .
@@abhin.v4981 Sati/Parvati isn't powerful because she wedded one of the trinity, it's from her that Shiva draws his power. She literally is a manifestation of the adishakti the eternal supreme consciousness which is the progenitor of the trinity which is the slightly bounded and more imaginable from of the "Adi". Moreover the _Durga Saptshati_ mentions Durga to be the manifestation of Parvati who kills Mahisha for trying to marry her after receiving a boon from her husband. I think she got confused with Adi-durga in this video...
The scripture says lion, but you'll often see her depicted on a tiger simply because there are and have been for a long time more tigers in the subcontinent than lions. This harkens back to when/where the original stories would have told and the scriptures would have been written...which is closer to what is now Pakistan and other countries nearing the "Middle East". Even when one does see Durga depicted on the lion, you can usually see that the artist has based the lion off the African lion, not the Asiatic or Indian lion...as there are so few. The image of the African lion prevails. You're absolutely right though. All about bravery. :)
@@gauthamkshatriya2953 in Hindu scriptures, the male gods have never seen their female consorts any inferior than them. Infact, they all pay respect to each other. In all stories of goddesses, when all fails, a goddess steps in at the request of the gods.
Even though the video had many inaccuracies but I would appreciate his effort to bring out the treasure of stories in the Hindu mythology which are filled with great symbolism which not only teach us about life but also give various scientific explainations in such a beautiful metaphorical way by using stories,words and symbolism
I have to and it to Crash Course, they are doing a great job being considerate to people's beliefs. Especially one as ancient and widespread as Hinduism. Keep up the good work!
I second that, of course I could bang on about the occasional mispronunciation or inaccuracy (particularly Shiva's "wives"), but he went about it in a very professional manner, I really find it hard to shout "I'm offended" or words to that effect as it was clear that he was trying to be as sincere in depicting the innumerable and infinitely diverse beliefs of Hinduism in this video as possible. For that, he has my appreciation.
From my own experience with Indian religion, Vishnu was "The dreamer", Brahma is "The creator" who shapes Vishnu's dreams into perceivable matter, while Shiva was "The changer" who governs the cycles present on earth and in the universe. I think others have commented as well that many of these gods have avatars who may seem like different deities but are one in the same. As Vishnu through Krishna says to Arjurna during the Bhagavad-Gita; "I am all gods, and all gods take form from my being". My favourite myth is when Shiva traps Ravana underneath Mt. Kailash, which forces the egotistical king into humility, and composes the "Shiv Tandav Stotra" which is my faaaaaaavourite devotional song. Also if any of you came into this video not knowing much about Hinduism, i strongly recommend watching "OMG oh my god" which is about internal spirituality and finding nirvana through your own means rather than church or temples.
i'm glad that there exist some non-hindus who are trying to understand hindu mythology, whereas many people i saw were just comparing their religion to hinduism nd talking stufff like blah blah blah.i mean atleat you could try to respect another culture or religion instead of blabbering idiotically.
It was a pretty good attempt to portray the vibrancy of the Hindu Pantheons, if not for the following glitches: 1. The language in the stone inscriptions was not Sanskrit 2. Surya has 7 horses and Agni has 2 heads 3. Brahma has his own consort-Saraswati, the goddess of education and arts 4. Brahma is the third banana because Brahma and Vishnu were fighting over who was superior to whom, so they had a competition that Brahma would find the beginning of a fiery linga and Vishnu would find the end of it. Whoever finds first is superior to the other. But Brahma lied that he had found the beginning first and hence Shiva denied all celebrations to Brahma. 5. It's Bali, not Bai ! 6. Rama was in the Ramayana and Krishna was in the Mahabharata 7. Sati, Parvati, Durga and Kali are all different forms, with different attributes and purposes, of Adi Parashakti, the Supreme Mother Goddess. But the four are different from each other. 8. The Nataraja created by Thought Bubble was inaccurate. 9. Brahma, along with Vishnu and Shiva, was involved in the creation of Durga. 10. You could have added the sons of Shiva, Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, god of wisdom and good fortune; and Kartikeya, commander- in chief of the gods. 11. Shiva has no game, basically his consort is Parvati, the re-incarnation of Sati, who takes on forms such as Durga and Kali to vanquish demons. Otherwise it was superb !!! 😊
Well.. You can be from Tamil Nadu and still be a Malayali..So you didn't answer my question.. I just thought so because the name Jishnu is quite common in Kerala..
7:41 Sati contains (or is an avatar of) Shakti, power itself, who is also known as Mahadevi. She is reincarnated as Parvati who represents the fertile and motherly aspects of womanhood, while Durga/Kali (aka Mahakali) represents a woman's wrath. All of these aspects live together in one "being," but do not show up simultaneously. As power or force itself, she is also Brahman. Since there's so much material available, I'm shocked that Crash Course hasn't done a whole series on the myths and epics of Bharata.
Yeah. That was the main thing that annoyed me. Most of them makes sense since each region has different versions but the whole point of shiva and parvati is that separately they are one part. Together they become whole.
Thivya P yes it is CRUCIAL. to get that crucial info wrong is disrepectful to say the least. i mean we indians never made a popular web series that states jesus has a twin or something.after all shiv shakti are the father mother of the hindu race. it means a big deal.
Actually, from what I remember, Kali/Durga is different from Parvati/Sati/Shakti. (But to be fair, I don't ever remember learning that Kali/Durga was the wife of Shiva)
Tara Sarma actually she is :) most hindu sects see women's conscious as the most powerful Power, manifeste as durga,kali,and meek form parvati. lord shiva as the master of all human knowledge is the husband of all these forms of adi shakti
Nah, more God Adria - the keeper of the V power! You only as men can follow this god, when you follow Adria your weapons in life are; Tissue, lube, nudery of JPG/AVI size material and a dark room. You only can worship this god of you have no nerves to talk to the other sex but also have no nerves to bent over for other men! But like everyone that really can worship this god we all see one common thing that is; blue ballz! For my personal thought, I find this a nice god to see what some males believed in the 21th century. That learned me the cause how the males became less manly in the time i live in!
One of the most interesting fact we see in the various avatars of Vishnu is it starts from fish, to boar, to lion, a dwarf, a human finally.. essentially evolution of life
@@vivipadman Idiot Today western saviours going nude for veganism but Indians attained this level of consciousness eons eons eons ago So Don't copy western Vishnu the preserver 1st Avatar of Vishnu was fish 🐠 2nd avatar was turtle 🐢 where he came on land Now Science says the same how life evolved and preservered on Earth
the best thing i like about my religion you could either be aastik the one who believes in god without doubt or nastik you will only believe until you experience it or don't believe in it , either way you are accepted,
This video is a lifesaver. I've been trying to write a paper on the cosmology and cosmogony of Vaishnavism, and I never realized how complex Hinduism is. I've been reading the Bhagavad Gita and the Puranas and binging youtube lectures and I just couldn't put it all together until I saw this video. Seriously, this is wonderful work, big props to everyone involved. edit: i see in other comments people have pointed out some minor mistakes. shoutout to all of you correctors too, you are helping. This is an incredibly complicated subject.
It’s cause he’s white. That’s makes it different and more understandable. If it was an Indian person there would be beef but Indians just agree to think that he is crazy.
It's not like that. Indians know that this guy is from another part of the world and it's wrong to expect his every statement about hinduism to be correct.
but they got so much wrong, all of Shiva's consorts are not seperate beings....they are just avatars of the same consort. Indra isn't as big and popular as they make him out to be. And they skimmed over the very essence of Hinduism, karma and the idea that the universe cannot be created, only explained.
From an Indian (haven't seen any of the comments below). For heaven's sake, don't waste your own and everyone else's time talking about how a particular name isn't pronounced correctly or that another part of this is not as nuanced as it needs to be etc. If you're a Hindu (like me), I am pretty sure you know more. Congratulations. For a non-Hindu, this is adequate information. Lastly, you're likely not as smart as this guy here. So please shut your trap.
The problem of listening to a westerner explaining Hinduism is that they do it through conscious/unconscious christian perspective. Explaining hinduism requires deep knowledge. It's not just myths & stories.
@@ashraf.bashir Billion people with freedom to speak will make billion different stories, The only proofs we have are monuments(left umdestructed/unnoticed by invaders) built thousands of years ago. Basically it can never be explained.
5:44 That "Some kind of union with the absolute" is known as YOGA. Yoga does not mean twisting your body in funny ways and posting its pictures on instagram. The literal meaning of Yoga is 'Union' and its aim is to make you realise your connection with the nature. It makes realise that you don't live in the universe but you ARE the universe. In Star Wars language, Yoga is a sense realisation that you are one with the force and the force is with you! 😊
Every time I read the comments section of these type of videos, I am reminded of a quote from the Bhagavad Gita: "Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, harshness and also anger and ignorance, belong to one who is born in a demoniacal state, O Arjuna!" Chapter 16, Verse 4 I applaud this man. Om Namah Shivaya, Mr. Rugnetta.
You're right at the end about us having only one God ( yes, just one) and it can be very confusing to understand how this One God can have millions of forms; male, female, human, non human, animate, inanimate etc etc, and still be formless and still be beyond our comprehension all at the same time but if God really is greater than all creations, then how is this so hard to accept? Everyone that worships a God believe that God is greater than us humans but as Hindus we are lucky to understand this a little more, and we're able to accept that if God is greater than us then he can't just be a man in the sky. So that's probably one explanation (sort of) of why we worship just One God but it looks like we're worshipping a million. Another thing about our God is we don't believe that God just resides above us and God is this great thing that is unattainable. No. For us, we believe that God resides in EVERYTHING. Us included and the goal(one of) is to realise this completely so that we can be reunited with who we truly are; God. This is why in Hinduism, we greet each other by saying namaste; I bow to the God within you that is also within me. And this is why in Hinduism, we worship everything, the cows the snakes, plants sky, earth. Everything. Hinduism teaches that God is in everything, God IS everything, the Greatest Thing is in everything and everyone and it teaches this because if you can see God in everything, then you will not want to hate or harm or destroy you will only care for, respect and love. But it was good, I am a Hindu and I don't think I will ever be able to fully appreciate and comprehend it's teachings for all that it is, it's beautiful and eternal and universal.
Oma, I never understood how all Hindu gods represent God until I read your explanation. As a monotheist (Jew), I view forms of God as detracting from His true and incorporeal grandeur. This view is based on the assertion that all created things lack the ability to contain/express Him. I was able to follow your line of reasoning where you describe that *because* God is great that He cannot be limited to just one form residing in the sky removed from and inaccessible to human beings. However, Jews (and Christians and Muslims) don't actually understand God as being disassociated from humanity in the heavens in corporeal form, but rather that He forged a lasting relationship with us through His instructions and to some extent prophecy. Christians come closer to the Hindu concept through God's substitution for these instructions (the Word became Flesh) in the physical embodiment of one aspect (the Son) of the Christian Trinity. I seek not to offend, but in your view may it be possible that the multitude of gods, goddesses, and avatars in Hinduism is rooted in the perception that God alone seems unattainable? In other words, do they serve as more manageable means to access God, Who is otherwise out of reach? Thank you.
I wish he had gone a little deeper into this. Christians aren't confused by calling Yeshua, YHVH, and the _ruach hakodesh_ one deity, but few people teach that Sanatana Dharma is equally monotheistic in this regard.
Yeah, Parvati was a reincarnation of Sati, whereas Kali and Durga were Shaktis created by Parvati. So they were all one and the same woman to whom Shiva was married. The real playboy was Vishnu, who was married to both Lakshmi and Saraswati
What about shiva lingam though? I have seen many people mistake it for genitals, which is actually not the case. Linga in the root sanskrit implies the force of origin and yoni is that which is expressed as a result of this force. Its like a prakriti purusha relation.
Adultery was relatively very rare in these stories and when it took place there were always severe consequences (as far as I can remember). Also, as many pointed out, Shiva only had one wife, they were all forms of Shakti, which is female energy. He is worshipped as the ideal husband by many (including myself) so this is a point that I feel should really be emphasized :) As a "Hindu rightwinger" I appreciate your effort to cover such a vast topic in 12 minutes, great use of humour :)
well , shiva didnt know that it was the being parvati gave life to. In a fit of rage and being denied his rights as a husband, he decapitated the life but later himself gave life back to it and became his most beloved. When saying something, why dont you tell the whole thing, dipshit?
shiva only has one wife, only one. these all are different forms (avatars) of his wife parvati. she has nine avatars. so please don't spread something wrong.
Rama and Krishna are not both from the Mahabharata...Rama has his own epic book called the Ramayana. You are right... Hinduism is a very immense and confusing mythology/Religion.
Rish Sangar that's debatable. Yes Ramayana is an epic of its own but then the Pandavas are also told about Rama and his trials so you could say he makes a cameo??
Riya Nair Both occur with a lot of gap between them. Ramayana occured earlier and is thus referenced many times in Mahabharata (Bhima was said to have met Hanuman in a forest)
Hats off to you man, Ya some information were not true like Shiva only have 1 wife with different names or you can call it avatars, but thats ok because its really hard to understand and than explain it to people without being offensive to people who already understand it, and you did a great job.
Also my friend Hinduism doesn't believe in multiple Gods but what a Hindu believe is God is present everywhere and inside everyone. So he can be worshipped in any form and with any name. That's why Hinduism is most tolerant religion in the world unlike Abhrahmic religions.
Aditya Raghav Like many other countries in South East Asia Hinduism was particularly popular and had an everlasting on the populace and culture. Even when Buddhism became widespread many still worshiped various Indian Hindu gods with various pantheons extremely similar to those found within India itself. The modern Thais will mostly worship various versions and assortment of Hindu gods alongside their veneration of Buddhas and most likely other traditional thai deities
You gotta do *Tapasya* at the top of Mount Kailash to Shiv. You might also perform a *Yajna* to maybe impress Agni. Or you could perform a *Vrat* to receive the blessings of Lakshmi. :) Many gods, many ways to get them.
@Alcatraz TM hindu can be atheist too , hindu atheist don't believe gods but they think people like Shiva got enlightened and spreaded yog, meditation to the world, Buddha was also atheist but he believes universe saul and hindu believe like incarnation, karma etc , he not rejected Hinduism but he rejected some system which are not useful for humility like caste system
Actually 'Hinduism' is not even the 'culture's' name. The word Hindu comes from the river Sindhu (Indus), whose banks the Indus Valley Civilization were established. So, anyone who lived on the banks was called a 'Hindu'. The culture they practiced is called "Sanathana Dharma', which essentially means a way of life. It encompasses all the legends, the stories, the upanishads, the vedas, and the puranas. Alongside the epics of Ramayana and Maha-Bharata. And the philosophy from Bhagawat Gita. No, it is not a religion. It never was made to be one. It's just philosophies, which gives you only one goal, 'question everything'.
I think some people might find it interesting so I would just like to point it out. The 10 avatars of Vishnu are often compared to Theory of evolution. Check it out it's kinda interesting.
A lot of things in Hinduism have close parallels with modern science. For instance, Carl Sagan pointed out that Hinduism is one of the few religions to visualize the universe as being billions of years old, as opposed to a few thousands. But one must be careful in drawing conclusions about ancient Hindu knowledge. Making tall claims about the knowledge in Hindu texts has become a serious problem in India nowadays. The ambiguity of the texts allow all sorts of frauds and charlatans to claim absurd things about Hinduism. That however doesn't mean there was no wisdom in the past.
There are a lot of future Science easter eggs in Hindu Mythology that I am aware of. Like Shiva's Third eye that fires Laser beams that incinerate people into ash, Vishnus unstopable Circular Saw blade made of pure solid light. Arrows that cause huge Explosions like missiles, Chariots with spinning umbrella tops that could fly like helicopters, a bunch of other examples that I can't remember right now. Oh also there was the whole mind bending infinity paradox in the story of Krishna's(the young child version) mom opening his mouth to see if he stole butter only to find the vast universe inside his mouth. Also less sciencey ones that are still interesting like the arrows that multiply mid air splitting from one into two all the way to hundreds maybe even thousands... arrows of elemental powers, arrows that transform into automatically ensnaring ropes and snakes and many others. Even if you look at these stories as just myths written by normal humans it is interesting to note what amazingly advanced concepts people can comprehend when they are from a generation that isn't obsessed with their phones. In an age where they didn't even have a basic light bulb.
all deities are supposed to represent one God that can reincarnate and manifest anywhere. Some sects don't believe in this monotheistic view. there are so many sects and texts that I don't even know how to go about this.
i'd like to point out that Hinduism isn't the only living mythology that people still believe in. The majority of Japanese people still believe in (or at least practice) Shinto. Thanks to the rise of modern "neo"-paganism, many people once again believe in the Greek, Egyptian, Norse, and Celtic deities, to name only a few pantheons. the difference here is that it is a broken chain of belief, arguably making it harder as near constant research (both anthropological and spiritual) is required.
While a genuine *belief* in Shinto may not be common in Japan anymore, rest assured that the traditions are still very much alive! A lot of the local festivals celebrated throughout the year in practically every town have Shinto roots, and though Western style weddings are on the rise, if you go for an old-fashioned wedding in Japan, that follows Shinto tradition, too. Washing your hands and mouth before entering a temple is Shinto. Not wearing shoes inside is Shinto. Cute temple things like the paper-strip fortunes (omikuji) and the little, almost rectangular, colorful amulets (omamori) are Shinto. These days, religion in Japan is much more a traditional thing than an expression of faith.
True, but many neo pagans don't _truly_ believe in these deities, they're just interested in the historical/traditional aspect. They can be atheists, agnostics or believe in only one God.
Also you totally mutilated the durga myth. Mahishasura had a blessing that he could not be killed by any man. He went on a rampage killing devas and humans. Durga was made through the power of many gods. She has 10 arms and every weapon in those arms was given by a god.
Marvel tried to bring in other "deities as superheros" back in the day, but I think when they got to India they realized they were in over their heads. When a central idea is that "all things are one; separation and difference are illusions" it gets really confusing to explain the "different" deities.
7:43 There's a misconception regarding the Shiva Linga. But as the great monk Swami Vivekananda said, Shivalinga is the visual form of the absolute Brahman. In the 3 parts of Shiva Linga, the three main deities live. So this is not that thing at all.
Hehehehe Dude you havent scratched the surface, you stroked it. But I must say well done one point out the symbolisms that show the philosophy behind the symbols. To explain why the Cyclical nature of life does not make the Creator the a main God, (From a female Hindu Vedic armchair philosopher and practioner - me) The work of Creation for the beings in THIS universe was done at the moment of the big bang (or when Bhraman into the silence began Aum - them 'mm' vibration still permeates creation and when it ends so does this universe). So for the purpose of this universe - his role is essentially over - and it will take a bilions of years before that role is required again. So those that gave shape to the formless in order to teach humanity could not justify active worship/focus on a force that has well no practical purpose as the work of that force for all purposes is done. Bhrama's cycle comes with the creation of a New universe after the death of this one - so really job done. Vishnu and Shiva have more to do with the maintenance and running of the current cycle, hence much more relevant to daily life and needs. Oh and on females and Hinduism. All the females forms mentioned and actually the same energy force in different aspects. But Bhrama is also married to Saraswathy. This is a cute thing that you may rarely see, Saraswathy hates her older 'husband' and basically immediately left him, she is Goddess of Art, creativity and studies and she is a one hell of a independent and successful essentially single woman. Lakshmi wife of Vishnu the preserver (Because to protect you need wealth and health) is also an active force who works with her husband as a couple and has independent projects, she is a married woman in a committed relationship, without children. Finally Parvithi representing energy or power, married to Shiva the Destroyer etc... is the mother with children. Representing women with children. The three major God forms and couples teach that all forms single, married no kids and married with children are all actually acceptable in Vedic symbolism - culture different story. Also isnt it interesting that the God of Destruction has a family? The Preserver has no kids? To preserve the world children may be a distraction - so Vishnu has none. However if great grandparents did not die - is there a need for a new generation? No - we be overpopulated, so for families to be meaningful and to actually exist, death is a natural part of life. Hinduism is complex, Indra nowdays is seen as a God of elemental forces and very much an almost Demi-God to most Hindus. His function is too specific. The forms that are worshiped are rich and complex and many times to linear thinkers contradictions in themselves. This allows those that follow the freedom to interpret, understand and practice in many ways, not only is there no one right way - it is EVERY way may be right. If you actually read this thanks, I appreciate the patience.
Hello, female Hindu Vedic armchair philosopher and practitioner, I'm female Hindu Mahabharata geek and I appreciate this comment. Especially the second paragraph :)
I see many problems with your thinking. It's not cute that Saraswati is married to Brahma. She's actually his daughter. It's kinda messed up. My take on religion is that while it makes for good stories, it should *not* be used as some kind of all-encompassing guide to how reality works or how people should behave. For that we have logic and morality. I'm more concerned with the truth behind the stories, not interpretations.
she never meant it literally is what u dont understand. they also represent various phenomenas of the universe. so most of the mythology is symbolic and representative in nature. brahma or the creation producer of knowledge and virtuosity and married to it, since to witness true creation you need virtuosity or correct knowledge. similarly ram is understood as the true essence of god in the great illusion mahamaya and shiva is the null point or devoid of any characteristic of the universe. if you take it literally then in the man made world it doesnt make sense. therefore it is extremely important to leave behind what you know in your limited understanding of the world and try to dive deeper. funnily i dont see any problems in her thinking. she understands it is representative in nature. where as you think it is literal. so i think your thinking is not fitting in this case to the correct interpretation of this ambiguous nature of the mythology. you have literally taken an 8000 yr old ambiguous representative mythology and tried to fit it literally in your 40-50 yr old literal model of the current world you thrive in and made an attempt to interpret it. result. : interpretation is highly faulty
I loved how beautifully you covered the Indian Pantheon in the most knowledgeable way possible within 12 minutes. It's awesome when people get to know our pantheon (and the fights of the Gods) in a non-judgmental way. Like you said, we all have our different perspectives on Hinduism, because of its infinite different sources. Hats off to Crash Course!
But I dnt think he did a Good Job explaining the Shivalingam - The lingam is not a phallic symbol as he suggested and the consorts of Shiva - Sati and Paravati are one and the same - but in different births - needed to be abit more well researched. If the Lingam was a phallic symbol then why would you pour cold milk on it? to turn him off lol? In reality the linga is a naturally occurring shape that embodies the power of lord shiva and the milk is poured to sooth his throat as he drinks the vicious poisons of life for us. That is why he is called nilkanth -
(6:56) There I want to correct you. The 7th Avatar of Vishnu, Ramachandra was in Ramayana. While the 8th avatar, Krishna was in Mahabharata. There is a difference between these deities.
Correction re: The 10 avatars of Vishnu where he incarnates on earth for various purposes. The 5th avatar, 'Vamana' the dwarf, defeats 'Mahabali' or 'Bali', not "Bai". The 7th and 8th avatars, Rama & Krishna are central to the epics, 'Ramayana' and 'Mahabharata' respectively, not Mahabharata alone as was stated. You could do an entire episode (or a blockbuster movie franchise) on either of those stories.
Just see the irony where a Westerner tries to teach Hinduism to a Hindu. Your perspective is too narrow. You are seeing Hinduism (which it isn't actually, but just for your understanding) with Christian glass on. Even if I ignore the "factual" details, you're wrong on most of the part. Hinduism is not just literally reading Veds and Upanishads. It's the practice in itself. Hinduism is a way of life.
Yess i completely agree with you .It one of the most scientifically accurate religion whose symbolism if understood properly can help us learn so much about life and world around us be it in form of Dashavatar representing evolution ,Ramayana representing ideal way of living or Mahabharata which tells importance of change, how people may misuse religion for their benefit (Karna's story) or the ill-effects of gambling
@@nrproductions5776 Brahma is not worshipped as he was once cursed so by Lord Shiva and there is actually no ultimate ruler of all deities as everyone has there role and importance and each god complement other
@@nrproductions5776 There is only one God, the supreme and we call it by different names and worship it in different forms. You can call it the consciousness, the higher spirit, the God, Brahma, Shiva, Krishna, or whatever you want to. They are all manifestations of the one and only, who came on earth to set ideals for the humans to live accordingly. It's not necessary follow them. That consciousness is in everyone and everything, you, me, your dog, the mobile or laptop your using. And don't misunderstand your body or your mind to be you. You are beyond that, a part of the divine who is like an ocean and we're all just a drop of that ocean. And to realise that is the main aim of our human life. You can worship him in the form of a God or just worship yourself, because you are no less than a God. You are everything and nothing, everything is part of you and you are part of everything. This is the gist of what we call the 'Sanatam Dharma' - All our equal.. It's not a religion as I said earlier, it's a way of life. Hindu word was described for the people who live beyond the Indus by the Arabs and Europeans. We didn't have the concept of religion. It's all West's grace to India.
To understand the Indian mythology, you need a legitimate source. The viewers can get confused by the way it’s been narrated. Not just the viewer but the narrator himself isn’t quite clear about what he’s saying. Time for remaking the episode. Fact-check.
Sati is Shiva's first wife, but she had sacrificed herself into a yugna(Fire ceremony). Parvati is the reincarnation of Sati. Kali and Durga are said to be the fierce forms of Parvati. Even though Shiva had also had a children with other gods, like Mohini, it's said that Shiva had only two wives, Sat and Parvati.
Garret Griffith thats fair enough. What I should have said is that from only being taught about the Christian faith and mythology seeing and learning of the mythologies from other cultures is something I'm drawn to. Their differences and similarities make them more interesting to me
The roots of religion are so heavily intwined with the spread of civilisations that seeing how they change over time and with the absorbtion of different cultures can help you gaina better understanding of the eople of a country/culture/time. From an anthropological point of view it is a fascinating facet of mankinds evolution
I'm an Indian Hindu. Loved it. I learnt a lot of stuff about my religion's mythology. I'm sharing this with my friends. Please make more videos on Indian mythologies.
Kudos on taking on a most multifaceted and dynamic belief system. As you said, the Indian Pantheon is still very much alive and relevant, not unlike the Judeo-Christian mythos of the Western world.
Hinduism (actually known as Sanatana Dharma - eternal faith) is easily the most ancient, rich and more importantly most relaxed of all religions. Don't let today's fanatics hijack it. Our manifestations of God do not shy away from homosexuality, use of cannabis, fusion into transexual, sex, among several others. Most chilled out of them all.
