At a time when differences between faiths are being bombarded at us via folks of different religions, it is worth noticing the similarities. There is one such similarity between Hinduism and Abrahamic religions (Judaism / Christianity / Islam) that caught my eye. A great deluge (flood) that happened years ago....a message sent by God to a human being....a boat that provided refuge to life and knowledge on Earth. Sounds familiar? Going back in pre-history, this is a specific event we can cite which all major religions speak of. We will look at the accounts from Hinduism and Abrahamic faiths to come to common terms on this event.
One of Hinduism's countless texts is called Matsya-purana. It mentions a story of how Lord Vishnu saved the 'purest of all' Vedas from landing up in the hands of Demons and ended all life from Earth in a bid to cleanse it. The story goes like this:
While Lord Brahma was creating the world, he decided to rest before he continued with the creation again at the start of the next kalpa. He inadvertently let flow the 4 Vedas out of his mouth. A demon named Hayagreeva snatched the flowing Vedas. He ran away with them to Patal lok (mythical third-world which provided refuge to Danavas (Demons).). When Brahma woke up and realized his slip-up, he ran to Lord Vishnu in order to save the Vedas. That moment Lord Vishnu decided to take a form of mortal life and manifest on Earth - something that happened 8 more times since and years later formed basis for Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Lord Vishnu took a form of a matsya (a fish) and descended in Kritamala river where Satyavrata (later known as Vaivasvata Manu as first human of the new world) was offering Argya. The fish requested Manu to take itself home as it feared for life from larger fish in the river. Manu took the fish in its kamandalu (a small pot).
The next morning, the fish had grown somewhat and was unable to be accommodated in the small kamandalu. Manu then transferred the fish to a larger pot. The next day, the fish outgrew the large pot. Manu transferred the fish to a lake. The fish outgrew the lake as well. Manu had no option but to transfer the fish to sea. He traveled far and wide to reach the sea. As soon as he transferred the fish to sea, the fish grew even larger. It was time Manu realized he is not dealing with an ordinary being. It was Lord Vishnu himself. Lord manifest himself in front of Manu and narrated the purpose of his avatara as Matsya. Lord Vishnu informed him that on seventh day from then, a great flood will consume all the 3 worlds and nothing will remain. Lord said that he will send a boat in order to save all that is valuable in this world to be carried on to the next creation. He asked Manu to collect vegetables and other food materials and store in the boat along with animals and Rishis. He asked Manu to tie the boat on Matsya's horns to protect from wind. Matsya would drag that ship up to the end of flood. Then Lord Vishnu disappeared.
The story goes on wherein Lord Vishnu kills Hayagreeva in Patala and gets the Vedas back to Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma begins with creation afresh. The gist of this avatara is creation of a new world via cleansing of an older world. There can be no NEW if the OLD is not gotten rid of.
On similar lines is a story from Bible. Interesting fact is that the Biblical story also takes place at the time of Genesis, i.e. beginning of the world. Lets hear the story:
There was a man called Noah (called Nuh in Qur'an) who lived on Earth once. He is one of the chosen prophets in western religions. Noah was a righteous man, But the Earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. So God once said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood." Then God explained how Noah was to build the arc. God instructed Noah to take his family, 2 of all living being - male and female, 2 of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal, every kind of food. God said that flood would begin 7 days from them. Noah did everything just as God commanded him. After the seven days the flood waters came on the earth and it flooded for 150 years.
Story goes on to explain how Noah and family survived and life was revived on Earth once the flood receded. The story explains how God cleansed the world of all evil and recreated life taking with it the righteous Noah;'s family.
Key pointers from the comparison of the 2 events are:
1. There was indeed a flood in eastern hemisphere few thousand years ago that was molded into stories by religious texts.
2. Religions have depicted the event in different stories but same idea - re-creation of Earth after emergence of evil.
While we see extreme differences in idea of God between eastern and western philosophies, it is a good idea to see how historical events that eliminate these differences.
One of Hinduism's countless texts is called Matsya-purana. It mentions a story of how Lord Vishnu saved the 'purest of all' Vedas from landing up in the hands of Demons and ended all life from Earth in a bid to cleanse it. The story goes like this:
While Lord Brahma was creating the world, he decided to rest before he continued with the creation again at the start of the next kalpa. He inadvertently let flow the 4 Vedas out of his mouth. A demon named Hayagreeva snatched the flowing Vedas. He ran away with them to Patal lok (mythical third-world which provided refuge to Danavas (Demons).). When Brahma woke up and realized his slip-up, he ran to Lord Vishnu in order to save the Vedas. That moment Lord Vishnu decided to take a form of mortal life and manifest on Earth - something that happened 8 more times since and years later formed basis for Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Lord Vishnu took a form of a matsya (a fish) and descended in Kritamala river where Satyavrata (later known as Vaivasvata Manu as first human of the new world) was offering Argya. The fish requested Manu to take itself home as it feared for life from larger fish in the river. Manu took the fish in its kamandalu (a small pot).
The next morning, the fish had grown somewhat and was unable to be accommodated in the small kamandalu. Manu then transferred the fish to a larger pot. The next day, the fish outgrew the large pot. Manu transferred the fish to a lake. The fish outgrew the lake as well. Manu had no option but to transfer the fish to sea. He traveled far and wide to reach the sea. As soon as he transferred the fish to sea, the fish grew even larger. It was time Manu realized he is not dealing with an ordinary being. It was Lord Vishnu himself. Lord manifest himself in front of Manu and narrated the purpose of his avatara as Matsya. Lord Vishnu informed him that on seventh day from then, a great flood will consume all the 3 worlds and nothing will remain. Lord said that he will send a boat in order to save all that is valuable in this world to be carried on to the next creation. He asked Manu to collect vegetables and other food materials and store in the boat along with animals and Rishis. He asked Manu to tie the boat on Matsya's horns to protect from wind. Matsya would drag that ship up to the end of flood. Then Lord Vishnu disappeared.
The story goes on wherein Lord Vishnu kills Hayagreeva in Patala and gets the Vedas back to Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma begins with creation afresh. The gist of this avatara is creation of a new world via cleansing of an older world. There can be no NEW if the OLD is not gotten rid of.
On similar lines is a story from Bible. Interesting fact is that the Biblical story also takes place at the time of Genesis, i.e. beginning of the world. Lets hear the story:
There was a man called Noah (called Nuh in Qur'an) who lived on Earth once. He is one of the chosen prophets in western religions. Noah was a righteous man, But the Earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. So God once said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood." Then God explained how Noah was to build the arc. God instructed Noah to take his family, 2 of all living being - male and female, 2 of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal, every kind of food. God said that flood would begin 7 days from them. Noah did everything just as God commanded him. After the seven days the flood waters came on the earth and it flooded for 150 years.
Story goes on to explain how Noah and family survived and life was revived on Earth once the flood receded. The story explains how God cleansed the world of all evil and recreated life taking with it the righteous Noah;'s family.
Key pointers from the comparison of the 2 events are:
1. There was indeed a flood in eastern hemisphere few thousand years ago that was molded into stories by religious texts.
2. Religions have depicted the event in different stories but same idea - re-creation of Earth after emergence of evil.
While we see extreme differences in idea of God between eastern and western philosophies, it is a good idea to see how historical events that eliminate these differences.
