Hindu Tropers, UNITE!

Yare yare. When do we get to Shantanu and Bishma and the Pandavas and everything? The front part of this bloody book is a bunch of Brahmins gossiping about their colleagues and the gods both!

(Wait, is the plural of Brahmin just Brahmin?)

edited 12th Jan '14 9:06:19 PM by FurikoMaru

Welcome to Hindu poetry.

(Brahmins)

I'm curious, why is shiva the most popular out of the Trimurti (besides Vishnu). I guess I shouldn't really stereotype him as a death god since his powers seem to be state to be much broader

Dunno if this applies to Hindu deities as well, but I don't see why it wouldn't...

The whole idea of gods being tied to one or two specific dominions is a simplification to make them easier for historians to study. In actual fact, they're... I'm not sure how to phrase it. 'Like human people, only moreso'? In the sense that they have multiple interests and abilities and stuff, and they care about what they do; they aren't office drones watching the clock and counting down 'til lunch, they take pride in their duties.

They have reasons for existing and doing what they do other than narrative convenience, is what I'm saying.

Also, there's more to death than murder.

edited 14th Jan '14 9:05:31 AM by FurikoMaru

Shiva is actually not a death god; he's focused on change and destruction. He destroys the universe, so that it can be recreated, according to the natural cycle of things. He's worshipped on a relatively equal level to Vishnu, in terms of the number of followers, whereas Brahma is less-worshipped.

Furiko is correct; Hindu deities have a wide variety of traits, talents, and duties. They're a lot less concrete about that sort of thing, as opposed to something like Greek mythology. Unless you're dealing with historical Vedic Hinduism, in which case, there are a number of similarities.

Fun fact: "Deity" actually comes from "deva", which is a Sanskrit word that refers to Hindu gods, particularly from the pantheonic days (Vedic Hinduism).

The relationship between Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva is this: Brahma is Neutral Good, Vishnu is Lawful Good, and Shiva is Chaotic Good.

edited 20th Sep '14 5:29:50 PM by SpaceWolf

Which really spoils that one crossover fanfic The Dance of Shiva in hindsight. Plays him up as some massive irresistible force of Despair.

I don't really get Brahma as a person. Vishnu and Shiva kind of make sense as both concepts and... characters, for lack of a better word, but Brahma I do not get. But I don't think I'm alone in that.

edited 16th Jan '14 3:40:30 PM by FurikoMaru

Brahma is a little odd, conceptually. So, he created the universe and the earth. And according to the stories, Shiva (or someone else) got angry with him, because he allowed illness and suffering to be a part of the world. Naturally, Brahma argued over this error, and Shiva lopped off his fifth head. So, according to that story, Brahma is less-worshipped, because he decided to be an asshat. He's still important, but he's less-worshipped.

edited 16th Jan '14 7:53:13 PM by SpaceWolf

Well, illness and suffering provide perspective. And make people more tolerable, generally; you ever met a teenager who's grown up rich and sheltered? So punchable. I honestly don't know how I'd define reality if it didn't involve pain.

edited 16th Jan '14 8:48:15 PM by FurikoMaru

Indeed; opposites define many concepts.

Namaste, all.

Crossposted from the Pagans thread.

So I looked at the angry comments on this one, and... am I alone in thinking that the statue isn't the god, the bug is? And that that's the point? The gulf between what we want divine power to be like (relatable and familiar) and the far more complicated reality?

I mean, aside from the main point of "slapstick involving someone with dignity = funny."

edited 26th Jan '14 7:33:05 PM by FurikoMaru

I agree with you, and I think that people take these types of things too seriously.

Happy Chinese New Year, all!

The various regional versions of the Hindu New Year are mostly during Spring. I'm not from India, so I'll have to do some choosing.

New troper here.hello everyone.and about that local water filtration system, it is requirement that ashes must be mixed in flowing water which joins the sea.so rivers only,and there are a lot of them in india .

Shantanu and bhisma come in shortly.The war is actually late in book.most of the first part is setting up the dominoes that fall later.

Namaste. That's some useful information. As for your explanation of the long plot build-up of the Mahabharata, I have figured as much. I've been reading the Ramayana, so I'm familiar with long beginnings.

Hey,I'm a Hindu from India.

Hello!

Only hello? No question asked.

What are your thoughts on this coven? Do you like it?

Yeah i like it that's why i post on this coven also because i want to know how you become a Hindu.You are a White from USA?

Yep; I'm an American convert. Some of the details are provided on the first page of this thread.

I want to tell you something and i think you would probably know this that originally Hindu refers to people on the other side of Indus(Sindhu in Indian languages)river by Persians then by Persian speaking Turks who invaded our country and ruled for about 700 years.Then the British came and gave this word a new meaning that of followers of Vedic faith.

Yeah, but don't we now use the word 'Vedic' to describe proto-Hinduism, the old school types of worship as practised by people in the epics and such?

'Veda' from which the word 'Vedic' derive refers to a large body of texts written in Vedic Sanskrit,the oldest form of Sanskrit which contains 'Mantras' some of which are still recited at prayers and religious functions.And yeah now 'Vedic' are use by many Indologist to refer to the faith that was followed by the composer of Vedas and their contemporary.