Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. The ubiquitous symbol of the elephant may or may not have been associated with Buddhism. According to the ancient Greeks, the Pleiades were seven sisters. The Rig Veda proclaims Indra as Hindu God of thunder, who rides a grand chariot and lives on Mount Meru in Swarga. NAAM-RAMAYAN: Singing or Listening of These "108 Ramayan-Verses" Fulfills All your wishes! The Hindi word for father is pitar as stated already. The Greek Trinity Likewise, the supreme gods of Greek mythology are. Both the religions have gods for everything and every kind. After several years, Zeus intervened and transformed the women into doves to help them escape. Later, some Indo-Greek coins incorporate the Buddhist symbol of the eight-spoked wheel, such as those of Menander I, as well as his possible grandson Menander II. For millennia humans have followed different cultures and have practiced diverse religions. They were happily married to seven sisters, named Krittika. Traits. 14 http://www.koausa.org/Gods/God10.html In Greek mythology Hades is the king of Underworld (where the dead ones go), the god of death and the dead16. In the Hindu Religious text, Vayu Purana, it is quoted as saying that there were eight Greek kings who ruled India. Krishna also killed a demon Trinavarta by strangling him to death while in air. Hindi Video ft. @IqlipseNova BigBrainco. Ganesha | Meaning, Symbolism, & Facts | Britannica You can improve your grasping ability by doing some basic exercises. Anukriti Gupta. 36 http://www.hinduhumanrights.info/goddess-aditi-the-primal-creatix/. the dwelling place of Zeus is Mount Olympus, home of other Greek Gods as well. 34 http://www.pitarau.com/nd/Girl/aditi Similarly, Greek mythology is all about the Celtic gods of life and light, who wage a constant struggle against the Fomorians, ancient gods of death and darkness. 10 Fascinating Parallels between Greek and Indian Mythology The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha is totally absent from Indo-Greek coinage. On the other hand, a demon Putana was sent by Kamsa to kill Krishna. 28 http://hinduonline.co/HinduReligion/Gods/Varuna.html A nice comparison. This god is Ganesha, who is the child of Shiva. Greek Gods Vs Hindu Gods - historicalhuman.com Such datation, as well as the general Hellenistic style and attitude of the Buddha on the Bimaran casket (Hellenistic treatment of the dress, contrapposto attitude) would make it a possible Indo-Greek work, used in dedications by Indo-Scythians right after the end of Indo-Greek rule in the area of Gandhara. Ganesha additionally is a destroyer- however, rather than destroying evil presences, he obliterates impediments and is viewed as a lord of fortune and achievement. Curses are flung about with gay abandon, the dead brought back to life routinely, with beings half-men, half-women, and babies born to human moms and animal . Felix Baumgartner: Free falling from space, Om Jai Jagdish Hare: Basic mantra for Hindu puja. The main Hindu gods are the Trimurti, which consists of three Devas who Cooperate in general for the universe. After battling the Titans, he administered the world with his family. When Hercules was born, Zeus tricked Hera into nursing the infant. "Distinctively Indian religious types seems to occur on the coins struck by two of the Greek princes- "the tree in railing" and the "Chaitya" on certain coins of Agathocles and the "Wheel" which has been reasonably idenditfied with "the wheel of the Law" (Dharma-chakra) of Buddhism, on one of the numerous currencies of Menander" Hellenism in ancient India, Banerjee, p136, Bopearachchi 4A and note 4; Bopearachchi & Rahman -; SNG ANS, "Crossroads of Asia", p12. Although not the exact meaning but both the words seem somewhat related. He was also a seer. The Greek God of love is often depicted in the pictures or statues as a young, handsome male with wings. Both Indra and Zeus are the "kings" of the gods. There is a presence of hell and heaven in both of the mythologies and also similarities in the functions of gods, But there are many differences between Hindu Gods and Greek Gods. Quoted in "Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian coins", Bopearachchi, p.19. Srimad Bhagwad-Gita says the final verses! According to one story, one of the Pleiades, Merope, deserted her sisters because she was ashamed of having a mortal husband, who also happened to be a criminal. Difference Between Greek Gods and Hindu Gods, Main Differences Between Greek Gods and Hindu Gods. This is how they comprehended the world. When I was a kid, I was really into Greek mythology. 1.05M subscribers Subscribe 40K 657K views 10 months ago #greekgods #bigbrainco DOWNLOAD KUKUFM. Greek mythology has a pantheon of 12 main gods, while Hinduism has a trinity of three principal deities. N.G. The Indo-Greeks practiced numerous religions during the time they ruled in present-day northwestern India from the 2nd century BCE to the beginning of the 1st century CE. He is one of the main gods of the Rigveda and is the Indo-European cousin of the German Wotan, Norse Odin, Greek Zeus, and Roman Jupiter. Menander I, the "Saviour king", is documented to have converted to Buddhism, and is described in Buddhist texts as a great benefactor of the religion. They are the main gods of the Pandava Quintet, a series written by Roshani Chokshi published by Rick Riordan Presents. Both of their mothers were river goddesses while father were kingsRiver goddess Thetis and King Peleus22 of Achilles and River Ganga and King Shantanu of Bhishma23. 3. In addition to the worship of the Classical pantheon of the Greek deities found on their coins (e.g., Zeus, Herakles, Athena, Apollo), the Indo-Greeks were involved with local faiths, particularly with Buddhism, but also with Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. What To Look Out For When Choosing Your Maternity Dresses. 12 Page 65, https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1iASyoae8cMC Well, the Greek Gods have Zeus, who could attach a chain to the whole world and then haul it up into the clouds even if all the other Greek gods were pulling on the other end. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. While the Hindus believe in an uncountable number of gods and goddesses, the ancient Greeks believed in only twelve major gods and goddesses. Aditi is the goddess of boundless sky and she is also considered the Universal mother, as all forms of life including Gods and Demons are said to be contained in her womb36 (which is drastically similar to Rhea). When she was about to dip Bhisma, Shantanu stopped her from doing so. 173179. 10 strange similarity between Hindu and Greek's religious - Detechter Both religions believe that a special river separates the netherworld. But there were also quite afew who went east including a group we know were called the Aryans who settled in India and Iran. They all originally lived together in the northern sky. Both lords of death,they preside over the netherworld. In Hindi, the word for water is wisser. somewhere close to 2300 B.C. Was Lord Rama Right or Wrong? These men would probably be nearby Indo-Greeks.[14]. In Hindu context, the river is popular known as Vaitarani and Styx in Greek context. Hindus have a goddess of wealth and prosperity, and she is Lakshmi. As king, he leads cattle raids against the dasas, or dasyus, native inhabitants of the lands over which his people range. Zeus parents are also Kronos and Rhea, like Poseidon while Indras parents are Kashyapa and Aditi like Varuna. Now, lets compare the events from their lives. Similarly, there is a concept of seven sisters in Greek tradition known as the Pleiades, which is a cluster of stars. And for that reason his wife Hera is jealous of him. 27- http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Poseidon.html Similarly, in the Greek context, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon are the most important. At the of it all, all these ancient civilizations used to believe in the grand scheme of 3 supreme . Similarly Hercules also refers to great strength. Greek Gods vs Hindu Gods | SpaceBattles Both Hindu and Greek religion are very old religion known to mankind. [21] Although they are known to have been sympathetic to Indian religions in general, the Indo-Greeks apparently chose, for whatever reason, not to represent Indian deities on their coinage anymore. They are called the Olympians. It is this bow he uses to shoot people with arrows that makes them fall in love. This would tend to suggest that the first statues were created between 130 BCE (death of Menander) and 50 BCE, precisely at the time when Buddhist symbolism appeared on Indo-Greek coinage. Both Apollo and Helios10, 11 are often associated with a flying golden chariot which is driven by steeds. Hades is the master of Cerberus (three-headed dog18 who guards the entrance of Underworld, while the gates of Yamarajs abode Naraka are guarded by two insatiable dogs with four eyes and wide nostrils19. Although, the title of God of Sun in also shared by Helios in Greek mythology. Parents of Varuna are Kashyapa and Aditi29 who can actually be compared to the parents of Poseidon Kronos and Rhea27. He shoots humans using this bow to intoxicate them with love. Both are regarded as the king of gods and rains in their respective religion and both gods are related to similar actions. Like Poseidon is a major Olympian god, Varuna is a prominent deity of Indian deities (devas). Most of the early images of the Buddha (especially those of the standing Buddha) are anepigraphic, which makes it difficult to have a definite datation. She is the one who is considered as blessing all cultural and artistic fields. Greek Gods vs Hindu Gods | Comparison & Similarities between Greek and Both of them slay a sea-monster: Indras opponent is the serpent Vritra; Zeus fights andvanquishes Typhon. In Hindu context, the name of the dog is Sharvara that is the dog of Yama, god of death. The Heliodorus pillar inscription is another epigraphical evidence of the interaction between Greeks and Hinduism. Although the name Hinduism is relatively new, having been coined by British writers in the first decades of the 19th century, it refers to a rich cumulative tradition of texts and practices, some of which date to the 2nd millennium bce or possibly . Next interesting thing is that Hades is also called as Pluto20, especially by the Romans, which is also the name of a planet. He was called the father (i.e., the ruler and protector) of . In addition, their weapons are thunderbolts (in Indra's case, called the Vajra). Hindu Mythology vs. Greek Mythology on emaze Both the religion have the mention of the netherworld and there is a special dog that watches the gate of it. Different divine gods had their positions. Hindu have seven sages called Saptarishis, which are the seven brightest stars that can control even the Sun. Although there may not be direct correspondence, we can find symbolic resemblance7. While in Greek mythology it is Zeus. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and Dikpala (guardians of the directions). Zeus Poseidon Hades We'll just go with the three of the most powerful gods here Zeus Can throw lightning God of the sky Greatest god of all Pose. The geometric period from 900 BC to c. 800 BC forward. In my opinion Yes definitely. Devdutt Pattanaik: Similarities between Greek and Hindu mythology are Greek gods reside on Mount Olympus, while Hindu gods inhabit various celestial realms. And, yes, youre right about both cultures getting mixed. I n the ancient world, just as today, gods were pressed into political service. In German it is wasser. Zeus is the god of sky, and has control over weather phenomenon related to sky and air like storms, tempests, darkness, thunders, lightening and rain30. Also, Hera unknowingly tried to breast feed Hercules, but as soon she knew of his identity she withdrew. Orion fell in love with Pleione and her charming daughters. Kamadeva is known by several other names including Manmathudu, Madan, Ratikanta amongst others. Rhea is the mother of Gods including prominent gods like Zeus and Poseidon and also the goddess of female fertility, motherhood and generation. What is the main message of the book of Revelation in the New Testament? Amish Tripathi is known for his modern retellings of Hindu myths, many of which are bestsellers, but his . The hounds of hell, Sharvara was Yamas dog, andin Greek mythology, Cerberusis depicted accompanying Hades. Seeing such a similarity between Greek and Roman gods, I was wondering if there was a connection between the names of Zeus and Jupiter, but that quickly seemed a lost cause. 193 Words 1 Page. The best and most interesting part is both of them are the gods of thunder. 21 http://blog.matrabhasha.com/2012/08/name-of-planets-graho-ke-naam.html In this list were going to compare 10 Greek Gods and/or heroes with their best possible match from Indian mythology. Now, the tale of birth of both of them is quite similar too. Saraswati on the other hand is the Indian goddess of knowledge, wisdom, learning, music and arts14. Likewise, the supreme gods of Greek mythology are also three - Zeus (The Lord of the Skies), Poseidon (The Lord of the Seas) and Hades (The Lord of the Underworld). [15] Also Chinese murals are known which describe Emperor Wu of Han worshipping Buddha statues brought from Central Asia in 120 BCE. Following his son Abhimanyus death, Arjuna pledges to kill Jayadratha. Alternatively the bull, according to Foucher, represents the birth of the Buddha, which happened during the month of Vaicakha (AprilMay), known to Buddhists as Vesak, under the zodiacal sign of the Taurus, during the full moon),[23] and the Brahmi script was immediately replaced by the Kharoshti script, derived from Aramaic. Hindu deities - Wikipedia Hera sent poisonous snake to kill Heracles when he was a child but Hercules killed them. Plutarch also presents Menander as an example of benevolent rule, and explains that upon his death, the honour of sharing his remains was claimed by the various cities under his rule, and they were enshrined in "monuments" (, probably stupas), in a parallel with the historic Buddha: "But when one Menander, who had reigned graciously over the Bactrians, died afterwards in the camp, the cities indeed by common consent celebrated his funerals; but coming to a contest about his relics, they were difficultly at last brought to this agreement, that his ashes being distributed, everyone should carry away an equal share, and they should all erect monuments to him. In absence of documented records, we dont know the details. Just like Hindus have each god for wealth, power, knowledge, wisdom, etc. Also visible are Carnyx-like horns. Kleisobora and Jobares may correspond to Krishna Pura and Yamuna respectively. Many people suffer with back pain that stems from a wide variety of causes. Greek gods are mainly based on human personality traits likes love, hate, honor and dignity, and myths related to them are shaped by these traits. Apollo is the god of Sun, light, music and prophesies8. From around 180 BCE, Agathocles and Pantaleon, probable successors to Demetrius I in the Paropamisadae, and the earliest Greek kings to issue Indian-standard square bilingual coins (in Brahmi), depicted the Buddhist lion together with the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. 6 similarities between Greek and Hindu mythology. 10 strange similarity between Hindu and Greeks religious understanding. In Hindu mythology, Kaliya was the name of a poisonous snake or naga living in the Yamuna river near Vrindavan. 26 http://books.google.co.in/books?id=bgHuDL0ONWEC&pg=PT88&dq=Iccha+mrityu&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7wMDU4DYLI-UhQewooDQCw Kashyapa has given birth to majority of Indian mythological lineages including most of the gods, demons and other races. They did extraordinary things, frequently with the assistance of Greek gods. Therefore, it is reasonable to use that analogy when considering or understanding the 330 million deities of . Interesting point to note about both the deities is their mode of birth. In Hindu Mythology, They generally represent great and common decency. We might be ironic towards it being a coincidence or there actually is some resemblance. Next in our comparison are the two Gods who are so much alike that many believe that they can even be the same person, I mean same God. By. However, what separates them both is that being a goddess of war, Athena is sometimes shown carrying weapons and her shield Aegis. When the sixth child Zeus is born, Rhea (Kronos' wife) devises a plan to save the baby with the help of Kronos' mother Gaia. On the contrary, none of the kings whose rule was limited to Punjab did display Buddhist signs, with the exception of the powerful Hippostratos, who probably took under his protection many Gandharan Greeks fleeing from the Indo-Scythians.[13]. While our very own Karn is a skilled . At the point, when Indra, the King of the Hindu Gods, laid down with Sage Gautamas significant other he did as such by mimicking the Sage. Shiva- the ultimate destroyer. Want to save this article for later? Both the ancient civilisations had trade, movements of people, traders. India and Greece both boast ancient civilisations with deep, rich mythologies. He is commonly shown to be holding a bow in his hands. Some of the comparisons indicate towards a parallelism between the two cultures, while other comparisons hint towards a direct collaboration/inoculation of the deities/heroes from one culture to another. His mother, Thetis, held him by his heel and dipped him into the river. Please read these FAQs before contributing. When we look at the sky in the night, the milky way seen is regarded as the river. Also parts of his dress, with rows of geometrical folds, are characteristically Hellenistic in style. Ganesha, also spelled Ganesh, also called Ganapati, elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings, who is traditionally worshipped before any major enterprise and is the patron of intellectuals, bankers, scribes, and authors. The roots of these cultures go back very far. Rhea was married to Kronos while Aditi was married to Kashyapa who can also be compared to draw a parallelism. The Veda is the focal sacred text of Hinduism. Since Surya is not associated with music or prophesies like Apollo, it would be safer to compare Surya with Helios than Apollo, who is the Titan god of Sun. Immediately, I thought with that the name might be related to Zeus, but then It really came together when I read that that Indian god was sometimes called Dyaus Pitar which means Sky Father which sounded very similar to Jupiter. Their total population is said to number some thirty three million. 13. Youre right about hindi word for father, though. But some believes are that Helios and Apollo are same9, while other believe them to be different and since Helios was a Titan, the title of God of Sun passed to Apollo after Titans defeat. Like Hermes, he also plays tricks on others triggering a bigger event making his role significant in a great many Indian stories. While Zeus is the ruler of Olympian gods30, Indra is the king of Indian Gods31. Indra, in Hindu mythology, the king of the gods. In both contexts, it is believed that the mount is the center of the earth. on the contrary, Hindu Gods seem to occupy some specific world that isnt the Earth. It is quite possible that Megasthenes who travelled to India during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, Maurya Dynasty, after his observation of Indian culture, took back the legend of Krishna (Hare Krishna) which due to language barrier got converted to legend of Heracles6. Saraswati on the other hand is the Indian goddess of knowledge, wisdom, learning, music and arts 14. In a manner similar to Hermes, Narada was proficient in music and invented musical instrument called Vina. Duringthese wars, both lose men who they deeply loved. Hinduism, major world religion originating on the Indian subcontinent and comprising several and varied systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual. have given us an insight into the Greek Mythology. Hindu philosophy has it that Kaliyuga began with Lord Krishna's death by a mislaid arrow shot by a hunter. Demeter controlled over the gather, and Hestia was the goddess of the home. The Three Goddesses Rhea secretly gives birth to Zeus and arranges for him to be brought up in exile. The ancient Greeks explained the absence of a seventh star with several different stories. The Greek Gods in contrast are in a few hundred excluding those Gods and Goddesses responsible for specific aspects of human affairs. Godess Saraswati sprang out from the mouth of Lord Brahma dressed in white carrying a scared book and a veena in her hands. Varuna is the God of water, oceans and aquatic animals28. Since it already displays quite a sophisticated iconography (Brahma and akra as attendants, Bodhisattvas) in an advanced style, it would suggest much earlier representations of the Buddha were already current by that time, going back to the rule of the Indo-Greeks (Alfred A. Foucher and others): "It seems highly probable to me that the unknown artist who created the initial model [for the Buddha] was a Yavana, both artist and philosopher, who belonged both to Greece and India.". Quora - A place to share knowledge and better understand the world In a manner similar to Helios or Apollo, Surya is also known to ride a flying chariot with seven horses12. However, whichever the culture it might be and how different they may seem from the other, there are always some similarities that make us wonder if all the cultures are branches of the same tree. 4 http://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Hermes/hermes.html Athena is often seen with her companion owl, while Saraswati is seen with a swan (hansa) or a peacock. A weaver named Arachne was transformed into the primary bug by the goddess Athena. The most obvious difference between Hindu gods and Greek gods is the sheer number of gods. By using the power of constructive journalism, we want to change India one story at a time. Hindu folklore is found in Hindu texts like Mahabharata and Ramayana. From their character traits to their weapons, the similarities are too many to ignore. Hindu and Greek mythology: How similar they are - Speaking Tree Similarities between Greek and Indian mythology, in the eyes of Devdutt Surya is also known by other names like Aditya or Bhanu. In Hindu context, the dragon was known as Vritra while in Greek context it is Typhon. Gods & Human Relations [12] This usage was adopted by Strato I, Zoilos I, Heliokles II, Theophilos, Peukolaos, Menander II and Archebios. The willingness of ancient Greeks to represent and worship local deities is also attested in Egypt with the creation of the god Serapis in Hellenistic style, an adaptation of the Egyptian god Apis, or in Phrygia with the Hellenistic representation of the heretofore aniconic Cybele. Both of them were heroes in the biggest wars of their respective mythologiesAchilles in Trojan War and Bhisma in Mahabharata. 30 http://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Zeus/zeus.html Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Messenger Source Romans originated from Greeks, so their Gods too. Difference Between Greek Gods and Hindu Gods Also, after the reign of Menander I, several Indo-Greek rulers, such as Agathokleia, Amyntas, Nicias, Peukolaos, Hermaeus, Hippostratos, Menander II and Philoxenus depicted themselves or their Greek deities forming with the right hand a benediction gesture[11] identical to the Buddhist vitarka mudra (thumb and index joined together, with other fingers extended), which in Buddhism signifies the transmission of the Buddha's teaching. "Some scholars suggest he (Maitreya) was originally linked to the Iranian saviour-figure Mitra, and that his later importance for Buddhist as the future Buddha residing in the Tusita heaven, who will follow on from Sakyamuni Buddha, derives from this source." They were creatures who dived regularly, This meant they only had one Human Parent. Ganga had forced Shantanu to take a vow that he would never question his actions. A grown-up Krishna comes back to kill his uncle Kamsa. Greek Gods vs Hindu Gods | Comparison & Similarities between Greek and Hindu mythology.It's pretty interesting to finds Greek Gods and Hindu Gods quite simil. Poseidon is often shown riding a chariot driven by horses or hippocampi, while Varuna is seen with chariot of Swan or crocodiles. Required fields are marked *. Poseidon is the name of the Greek god of the ocean, and in both cultures, they protect sea life. Hinduism | Origin, History, Beliefs, Gods, & Facts | Britannica In Greek context the name is Kerberos. He spent a great deal of time, trying to win their affection. Battle of the Ancient Mythological Deities( Vedic Hindu vs Ancient No big surprise he is so famous!if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'askanydifference_com-leader-3','ezslot_21',665,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-askanydifference_com-leader-3-0'); Ive put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. 31 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/286640/Indra The first known statues of the Buddha are also very realistic and Hellenistic in style and are more consistent with the pre-50 BCE artistic level seen on coins. Indian Mythology and Greek Mythology - The Kalyani School Another conspicuous similarity is their weapons. During the reign of Menander, the Greek (Pali: Yona, lit: "Ionian") Buddhist monk Mahadhammarakkhita (Sanskrit: Mahadharmaraksita, lit. So, none of them was born the regular way, but from the heads of two prime Gods of their respective religions. Putna tried to breastfeed him by poisonous breasts, but was killed by Krishna. [22] The square coins, instead of the usual Greek round coins, also followed the Indian standard for coinage. The point of time when bhakti fervour would have encountered the Hellenistic artistic tradition would then be around 100 BCE. Hinduism Gods Vs Greek Gods - 193 Words | Internet Public Library Chokshi focuses on the Vedic gods from Rig Veda in the series . Varuna is the name of the Hindu god of the oceans. Indra has Vajra as his weapon32 which has the same power as thunderbolt. 5 http://www.hindutemplesc.org/balagokulam/BGDownloads/Sage_Narada.pdf Percy Jackson, Clash of the Titans, Wrath of the Titans, Troy, 300, The legend of Hercules, etc. Their parents can also be directly compared between the mythologies, hence making the evidence of parallelism stronger.
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