Roman & Greek Gods: Neptune/Poseidon is Lord Shiva with his Trident

Former British Prime Minister William E. Gladstone astutely observed that the Trident instrument "appears evidently to point to some tradition of a Trinity, such as may still be found in various forms of Eastern religion, other than the Hebrew. It may have proceeded, among the Phoenicians, from the common source of an older tradition; and this seems more probable than its direct derivation from the Hebrews, with whom, however, we know that the Phoenicians had intercourse" (Juventus Mundi: The Gods and Men of the Heroic Age, pg. 252). 

This author is mistaken when he also remarks how Poseidon's trident has no practical application in seawater, because fishing spears with three prongs are still utilized today. Nonetheless, his intuition correctly tells him that human beings do not just worship ordinary fishermen. Therefore, he argues for a more abstract or metaphysical explanation which traces readers back to the original source of the trident's divine significance. Ultimately that bring us to the Trishul, a celestial weapon of many demigods in Vedic tradition, especially Lord Shiva and his consort Durga (Parvati).

Lord Shiva, seated on tiger skin, with his wife Parvati
Mother Ganga nestles in Shiva's hair above him
Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India

Shiva is associated with the Himalayas (Mount Kailash) and the Ganges river, two of the most prominent geographical features of the Indian subcontinent, whereas Poseidon is associated with the Mediterranean Sea, the most salient natural boundary around the Greek Islands. The Latin word “tri-dentes” (English trident) means three teeth, perfectly matching the Sanskrit word “tri-danta” (having three teeth). Trishul or “triple spears” is Lord Shiva’s most recognizable weapon (not a mere fishing instrument). Multifarious trinities are often correlated with the trishul emblem, including the three main energy channels in the human body and the three major functions of Godhead (creation, maintenance, and destruction), which are elaborately described in the Vedas (http://nathas.org/en/dictionary/trishul/). Investing their own distorted version of the trishul (three-pronged fishing spear) with the magical power of divinity, the Greeks could create a demigod of their own liking. 

Paestum, Campania, Italy used to be known as Poseidonia, city of Poseidon, which may be related to Sanskrit Poshayitnu, meaning "nourishing, causing to grow or thrive, and fostering." This manly deity represented virile (Sanskrit veer-ya) strength much like Lord Shiva, and that is why both are sculpted with muscular physiques. The online etymology dictionary relates that Poseidon, "Greek god of the sea and earthquakes", is a word "of uncertain origin". The earthquakes are a subtle reminder of Shiva's function as destroyer of the three worlds in Hinduism. Venomous snakes such as the Indian cobra (Shiva's motif) are uncommon in Italy and Greece, so they were replaced with sea creatures flanking Poseidon. The Diafani Fountain on the Greek island of Karpathos, where a dolphin twirls around Poseidon's trident symbol, is reminiscent of the cobra encircling Lord Shiva's neck (see below).

The top photo is Lord Shiva's giant statue near the international airport in New Delhi, India. Compare it to the bottom two pictures of Poseidon. The left one is part of a portrait by Gordon Dean at Mythweb, depicting the twelve immortals on Mount Olympus. The right one is a sculpture located in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Notice how all three depictions characterize this deity as an austere personality who stands barefooted and shirtless, with only some cloth around the waist. If you look closely at the sculpture of Poseidon in Denmark, you will see a snake-like water creature (eel?) next to his left leg with its mouth open wide. Comparatively, Shiva has a cobra around his neck because he, like Poseidon, is fearless when surrounded by the most dangerous species. The only tangible difference between the two gods is superficial - Shiva is more well-decorated and Poseidon sports a bearded face, but both have large tufts of hair on their heads, with Shiva's being elegantly matted. Neptune and Poseidon are not exactly identical to each other either, especially when we analyze the meaning of their names.

Neptune has a more clear-cut Sanskrit derivation from the noun 'Nabhorenu' (fog, mist) because Latin nebula (cloud, fog, mist) is related to Latin Neptunus and cognate to the Sanskrit adjective 'nabhya' (cloudy, moist, foggy). This identification of demigod Shiva with moisture or rain is connected to the monsoon season in India, when the Ganges swells into a river of great width and nourishing properties. According to Hindu religious belief, without Lord Shiva's intervention, the Ganga's sheer power would have destroyed the earthly planet. He harnessed her raw energy descending from the high heavens by using his tresses as a channel, so that her rush of water would gently form gushing streams that would rejuvenate the earth. Thus, one can see how Poshayitnu and Nabhorenu combined ("nourishing clouds or rainfall") aptly describe the exploits of Lord Shiva, albeit in a rather odd and obscure manner. The Sanskrit word Apam Napat ("Descendant of the Waters") has also been proposed by scholars as the antecedent of Roman Neptune and Etruscan Nethuns, another Italian water deity (Wikipedia entries: Neptune, Nethuns).

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York confirms that Poseidon not only dominated the sea, but also created smaller bodies of water:
“Poseidon, the brother of Zeus and Hades, was the god of the sea. He also created fresh water springs; and the great springs at Lerna in the southern Peloponnisos gushed forth as a result of his pursuit of Amymone, the daughter of the king of Argos.” (Greek vase, 440 B.C.) In Indian tradition, Lord Shiva helped create the river flow of Mother Ganges, and this has become the greatest source of fresh water in India. The pursuit of Amymone may refer to Shiva accommodating Ganga, the Ganges river personified, or Lord Shiva's sexual prowess and its manifestation (lingam) after uniting with his wife, Shakti (yoni symbolism). Essentially, Poseidon ruled over the Mediterranean sea because Lord Shiva, whose huge statues can be seen in Rishikesh and Haridwar, India, governs over and meditates on the ice-capped mountains of the Himalayas, the physical source of all North Indian waterways. Shiva temple worship is characteristically performed along river banks, especially the Ganges in Varanasi. Greece (like Italy) has no comparable estuaries to the Ganges, and thus they switched the realm of their god Poseidon from a river to the sea (Mediterranean). Georges Dumezil, a French philologist, has acknowledged that Neptune was probably connected with fresh water springs before the sea (La religion romaine archaïque, Paris, 1966: pg. 381).

The Greeks, Romans, and latter-day historians probably wanted to conceal the fact that their gods were borrowed from India, but they have not succeeded here. It is a common aspect of national psychology to avoid giving credit to foreign countries for achievements perceived to be of critical importance to that country's identity as a great civilization of the world. By openly admitting that Poseidon and Neptune are European versions of Shiva, the contributions of Greek and Roman civilization to religious myth would be diminished in the eyes of academics. It would also be a huge embarrassment for Christian Europe, because practically every major city there (e.g. Florence, Italy; Madrid, Spain; Versailles, France etc.) has a Neptune statue and/or fountain. When we talk of Hellenization in Italy, it can also be reinterpreted as secondary Orientalization. Romans further vulgarized and debased the image of Greek Poseidon by often depicting him naked without any cloth around his waist:

Neptune gesturing with his left hand and subduing an aquatic
Museo Civico Archeologico, Bologna, Italy

Conversely, if you view authentic sculptures from Greece of Poseidon, such as the one from the island of Milos on Wikipedia, then you will always see a covering over the waist that resembles an Indian dhoti (traditional garment wrapped around the waist and legs) worn by meditating ascetics, including Shiva. Neptune's statue in the archeology museum of Bologna does not even have a leaf to cover his genitals, but instead his sexual organ is artfully carved to display his virility. Remember, many people interpret the Shiva lingam to be a phallic object, and I will demonstrate in a later post that the Etruscans actually used this elliptical-shaped black stone in their religious practice. The Vatican is hiding or suppressing much of this evidence, but it still comes to light when we connect the dots between Shiva and Neptune's features.

Lord Shiva, like all Vedic gods, raises his right hand to shower his blessings on devotees, as is customary in Hindu culture. Superiors raise their hands with palms facing forward to acknowledge subservient inferiors, and that is arguably what Neptune is doing in the above illustration. Obviously this is my interpretation, so readers can make their own judgement. Neptune's subjugation of aquatic creatures with his right foot is analogous to Shiva's sitting with his left foot on a tiger's head at Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh, India. It also could be a metaphorical representation of Shiva's ability to conquer illusion or ignorance in the form of maya, or materialism, which another website describes in detail when discussing the same subject matter of parallels between Neptune and Shiva.

Roman & Greek Gods: Vedic Counterparts in Polytheistic Religion, Janus vs. Ganesha

“The Romans never claimed to be original. They borrowed nearly everything from others and amalgamated their borrowings into their system.” (Gilbert Highet, Sword and Spirit, pg. xi of Ancient Rome by Robert Payne)

When it comes to Roman Gods (and Goddesses), many of the primary ones can be traced back to ancient Vedic Gods and Goddesses, including Janus-Ganesha, Neptune-Shiva, Jupiter-Indra, Fortuna-Lakshmi, and many other intriguing deities such as Mithra.

Before Jupiter superseded him, Janus appears to have been their first major God, and he was closely associated with the entrance door of a Roman house (pg. 43, Ancient Rome):

“Doorways were invested with magical or numinous significance; Janus, present in every household, exerted great power over the household’s undertakings... the god was invoked before any other god, even before Jupiter, at the beginning of any important undertaking.” (pg. 44, Ancient Rome)

Two-Faced Janus, Vatican Museum, Rome

Janus, governor of all beginnings and entrances, seems to be related to Ganesha, which is a Sanskrit compound. "Gana" means group or multitude, and "Isha" connotes a lord or master; so Ganesha is the Lord with many faces. Janus is the Roman God with two faces, as depicted in the Vatican Museum, while often times Ganesh is also depicted in two-in-one polar face images in temples (Dwimukha Ganapati) and ancient monuments, even ones that are supposedly Muslim in character (see pictures below):

Dwimukha Ganapati, Thiruvanantapuram, India

Twofold Elephant Trunks, Diwan-i-Khas, Red Fort, Delhi, India

Dual Stone Elephant Faces, Jama Masjid, Old Delhi, India

Elephant Imagery, Marble Exteriors of Palace, Red Fort, Agra, India

Online Etymology Dictionary defines Janus as the guardian deity of "portals, doors, and gates" and derives this definition from Latin Ianus, literally signifying an arched passageway. Since 'I' and 'J' are often interchangeable in English transliteration of Latin words (e.g. the month of Ianuarius or Januarius), Ganesh may be connected to both Janus and Ianus. The same dictionary curiously adds that Sanskrit 'yanah', meaning journey or path, is cognate to Ianus, but these words by themselves are not enlightening. It could indeed be the case that Janus first originated from Sanskrit yanah, and later came to be associated with the demigod Ganesha, which would explain the attached suffix -us corresponding to 'Isha' or God. Then the word must have evolved from 'Yanah' or 'Ianah' to 'Ianus' and finally 'Janus', with 'Ja' cognate to 'Ga' in Sanskrit or Hindi. Another possible explanation is that the prefix sound in Sanskrit "janma" (birth in English) got transmuted with Ganesha to form Janus. This would reconcile the 'Ja' and 'Ga' sounds in Janus and Ganesh and also account for the role of Janus at the beginning or birth of all religious ceremonies.

Multi-Headed Lord Ganesha Standing Beside the Entrance to a Hindu Temple

Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome after the legendary founder Romulus, is "credited with laying out the basic structure of Roman religion by instituting public cults, rituals, priesthoods, and a sacred calendar" (UPenn Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, Philadelphia). The cult of Janus worship and the installation of the last two months (Januarius and Februarius) into the Roman calendar (which began in March, or the spring, much like the Vedic calendar) are among his contributions. Historians are unsure exactly why and when the transition from March to January, a backward shift of two months, was made to celebrate the new year. The likelihood is that it occurred around the time of Julius Caesar, with his introduction of the Julian calendar, the forerunner of the modern western calendar. 

Controversial historian P.N. Oak puts forward a persuasive argument for Lord Ganesha's impact on the Julian, and today's Gregorian, calendar:
“The name Januarius is the original name, of which January is an abbreviation. Here it may be recalled that in Latin the name of God Ganesh came to be spelled as Janus. That God used to be worshipped in Rome on January 9. And since Lord Ganesh is traditionally offered worship at the opening of every ritual or the commencement of any period or task, the Romans ordained that the month of the festival of Lord Ganesh be reckoned as the first. Consequently they amended the traditional start of the year and reckoned it as beginning from January 1st.” (World Vedic Heritage, pg. 349)

Ganesh and Janus perform comparable functions in Hindu and Roman theologies, and each one holds the honor of being the first god in prayers and rituals. Ganesha is arguably the most popular Hindu God, found in the homes of numerous Indian families. Janus was "present in every Roman household," according to Robert Payne. Both deities are associated with entrance doors and gates, which are easily noticeable in Rajasthan, India where palaces in Jaipur and Udaipur are adorned with attractive paintings and figures of Ganesh. Toran Pol, one of the main entry gates to Moti Chowk (large courtyard) in the world-famous City Palace of Udaipur, has a striking Ganesh in a sitting pose at its triangular peak, along with swastikas and an OM symbol below him. Perhaps better known is the Ganesh Pol at Amer Palace in Jaipur where Ganesh is painted in the front-center of the gateway, seated on a platform in yoga style. It is a hoary Vedic custom to present Ganesha and/or a pair of stone elephants at the entrance of all major buildings, including temples and palaces. Thus, it is not surprising that Janus came to be recognized as the guardian of gateways in Italy.

Ganesh Pol, Amer Palace & Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Toran Pol with Ganesh Sitting at Triangular Apex

 City Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan

In conclusion, there is enough evidence to state unequivocally that Janus is Rome's less-developed version (artistically and literarily) of India's Ganesha. One final observation, courtesy of Wikipedia: "Janus presided over the beginning and ending of conflict, and hence war and peace. The doors of his temple were open in time of war, and closed to mark the peace. As a god of transitions, he had functions pertaining to birth and to journeys and exchange." Since Lord Ganesha is revered as the "remover of obstacles" in Hinduism, his Roman temple was open for worship in times of war or turmoil, and closed during periods of tranquility. In other words, the Romans believed that the temple of Janus only needed to be open when there were serious obstacles, i.e. war or conflict. Wikipedia adds, "Janus had a ubiquitous presence in religious ceremonies throughout the year, and was ritually invoked at the beginning of each one, regardless of the main deity honored on any particular occasion." Compare this quote with Lord Ganesha's Wikipedia entry: "Ganesha is a non-sectarian deity, and Hindus of all denominations invoke him at the beginning of prayers, important undertakings, and religious ceremonies." This summarizes my thesis, that Janus and Ganesha are equivalent gods. European scholars never even consider this connection, because they cannot imagine how Italy and India, two distant countries culturally and geographically, could realistically share so much in common. But truth is stranger than fiction, my friends.

In my next post, I will discuss the parallels between more Roman and Vedic Gods, including Neptune and Shiva.

Romulus and Remus are Twin Sons of Rama and Sita (Lava & Kush)

Romulus and Remus, much like Lava and Kush in the Ramayana, are twin brothers. These two central characters in Rome's foundation myth have a mother named Rhea Silvia, daughter of Numitor, king of Alba Longa, who corresponds to Sita (pronounced Seetha), daughter of Janaka, king of the Videha kingdom situated east of Ayodhya (Lord Rama's birthplace) in India.

Romulus and Remus suckling the she-wolf
National Gallery, Washington D.C.

Rhea is known as mother of the Olympian gods in Greek mythology and Magna Mater (Great Mother) by Romans. This name may be derived from the Sanskrit word “raya” (pronounced ruhya) meaning river stream or swift current - analogous to Greek rheo, meaning flow or discharge. Many female deities are worshiped as personifications of nature, including plants (Tulsi), rivers (Ganga), and earth (Bhumi). Wikipedia states, "Most ancient etymologists derived Rhea ('Ρέα) by metathesis from έρα 'ground'." That Greek word is ‘Era’ in Roman transliteration, which is possibly related to the English word earth, itself likely derived originally from Sanskrit ‘dharitree.’ Every Hindu knows that according to legend, Mother Sita was literally born in the earth and found by her foster father Janaka after digging in the ground. The Sanskrit meaning of "Seetha" is a furrow in a ploughed field, because that is where Janaka discovered her. Dharitree also means female bearer or supporter, and thus its divine personification (Bhumi Devi) is regarded as Sita's true mother. Sita herself is an incarnation of Lakshmi, who along with Bhumi Devi, are both consorts of Vishnu. Rama, the earthly husband of Sita, is Lord Vishnu's human incarnation for the purpose of slaying the demon Ravana.

Certainly this explains why the mother of Remus and Romulus has such a cryptic and mysterious name that has never been properly deciphered. If we examine the second part of the name “Silvia”, in essence another variation of the name Sita, we come to the same conclusion. Silvia derives from the Latin word Silva (forest) and Silvia is a Roman goddess of the forest. In English, "sylvan" refers to woodlands abounding in trees and forests. Because Sita is banished by Rama to the forest in the epic Ramayana, and gives birth to her twins Lava and Kush there, this memory is retained in the second part of Rhea Silvia's name. Both parts connote a down-to-earth female deity because Mother Sita is closely associated with the earth. Let us read and parse through the rest of the Roman version:

Before Romulus and Remus are conceived, "Numitor's brother Amulius seizes power, kills Numitor's male heirs and forces Rhea Silvia to become a Vestal Virgin, sworn to chastity." (Wikipedia)

This Amulius is probably a corrupted and distorted version of King Rama of Ayodhya himself. According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, "There is much debate and variation as to whom was the father of Romulus and Remus. Some myths claim that Mars appeared and lay with Rhea Silvia; other myths attest that the demi-god hero Hercules was her partner. However, the author Livy claims that Rhea Silvia was in fact raped by an unknown man, but blamed her pregnancy on divine conception." All of this speculation would end if it is realized that Sita, renowned for her steadfast devotion to Rama, would never willingly allow another man to touch her. Because Ravana, Rama's fierce enemy, abducted Sita through cunning trickery, her honor was forever sullied in the eyes of the unknowing populace in Ayodhya, the city where Rama reigned. Ravana plays the role of Mars, Hercules, or simply the "unknown man" who rapes and impregnates Rhea Silvia. The difference between Rome's confused account and the Ramayana is that Lava and Kush, the twin sons of Sita, are still indeed Rama's sons and not illegitimate like Romulus and Remus. The union of Rama and Sita to conceive the twin heroes Lava and Kush is what Livy encodes as "divine conception". By concocting this story about Amulius requiring his niece to remain a maiden, the authors could omit any mention about her husband, or any of her potential suitors. They transform Lord Rama into a villainous uncle (Amulius) because he abandoned Sita (Rhea Silvia) in the forest when whispers emerged among the citizens questioning Sita's chastity and virtue. It is alone in the wilderness where Sita ultimately found refuge at Sage Valmiki's hermitage and peacefully raised her two children.

Continuing with the Roman version, "It was custom that any Vestal Virgin betraying her vows of celibacy was condemned to death; the most common death sentence was to be buried alive." This is a thinly veiled reference to Sita's decision to merge back again with Mother Earth, which split open to create a fissure in the ground for her to enter, thus releasing Sita from the miseries of this world. Since Vestal Virgins are connected to the hearth and the sacred fire, Sita came to be known as a Vestal Virgin in Roman mythology because she underwent the ordeal of walking through flames to prove her purity and faithfulness to Rama. Now in the Roman legend, King Amulius decides to imprison Rhea Silvia instead of murdering her, but he tries to drown her two sons, Romulus and Remus, in the Tiber River. The twins miraculously escape harm as they are carried in a basket across the river. Then they are found by a she-wolf near Palatine Hill who suckles them, and later a shepherd named Faustulus raises both twins after discovering them. This shepherd can be equated with Sage Valmiki, who must have tended many cows and trained many children (including Lava & Kush) in Vedic culture, literature, and military arts at his hermitage.

Etruscan Funerary Relief, 5th century B.C.
Lioness or she-wolf suckling an unknown hero

As for the Roman she-wolf and its origins, Nigel Spivey writes, "Certain archaic images suggest an Etruscan element to stories such as the wolf-raised boys" (pg. 152, Etruscan Art). The relief above is the main piece of evidence that Spivey is referring to, but he stops short of proposing a direct relationship with the Roman myth: "The absence of a second figure makes it unlikely that this is a representation of Romulus and Remus, but we do not possess the Etruscan version of that story." We do, however, possess the Indian version of that story, which was clearly garbled up and mixed with tales and iconography from Etruria and Greece, as we shall see in even further detail. The Capitoline She-Wolf, as shown in the National Gallery at Washington D.C., itself  "is a 5th century BCE Etruscan bronze wolf to which two small figures of Romulus and Remus were added in 15th century CE," according to the Ancient History Encyclopedia (AHE). 

After Romulus and Remus were raised as shepherds by their foster parents, for unexplained reasons (perhaps a dispute over herding or ownership of sheep) they were met with violent resistance from shepherds of King Amulius. This contrived story is yet another transparent act of plagiarizing Lava and Kush's exploits in the Ramayana. Lava and Kush engage in battle with Lord Rama's army (analogous to King Amulius' shepherds) and defeat his younger brothers, including Lakshman, before confronting their own father himself on the battlefield. They do not recognize each other until Sita reveals their identity to Rama, and afterwards Lava and Kush return to Ayodhya with their father. Hence, "King Amulius believed that Rhea Silvia's children were dead; he did not recognize Remus or Romulus" (AHE). The main divergence between the two narratives arises when Romulus kills his grandfather's brother Amulius, but this is a superficial difference caused by the perversion of Rama's character. 

Another strange anecdote, riddled with contradictions, is the quarrel between Romulus and Remus which results in the death of Remus and the founding of Rome by Romulus. Livy's account claims that Remus died after jumping recklessly over Romulus' constructed wall around the Palatine Hill. Another version (St. Jerome) asserts that Remus was killed for mocking Romulus by one of his supporters. Finally, the most popular and accepted belief is that Romulus simply killed his own brother Remus out of puerile anger and resentment in their sibling rivalry. When teasing and belittling Romulus, Remus apparently forgot that Romulus had freed him after Remus had been captured by King Amulius in an earlier episode. 

All of these bizarre concoctions are patently absurd. Nonetheless, "While it may never be certain if these twin brothers were real, what is certain is that their story was treated with respect and discussed at length even by the ancients" (AHE). This inexplicable respect and obsession over what seems like a silly children's novel, is only understandable when we connect it to the revered legends of Rama and Sita, and their twin sons, Lava and Kush. As another example, "Romulus is claimed to have ascended to the heavens to become a god by several eye-witnesses," which is an obvious salute to Rama's exalted position as an incarnation of the Supreme God Vishnu in Vaishnava tradition. This last admission by the Ancient History Encyclopedia should clinch the issue and convince the reader of the direct relationship between Romulus (literally meaning "little boy Rome" or Rama's son, because the suffix -ulus forms the dimunitive of a noun in Latin) and Rama, along with his sons Lava and Kush.
 

Castor and Pollux, Spartan Twins: another precursor of Romulus and Remus
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA

Romans were already fond of divine twins well before they invented Romulus and Remus, as Castor and Pollux formed a part of their early religious pantheon (See Marble Statuettes Above). Greek and Etruscan mythology had a strong psychological impact on Roman civilization, and both Greeks and Etruscans were heavily influenced by Indian fables and legends. Thus, these "heavenly twins (Castor & Pollux) appear also in the Indo-European tradition as the effulgent Vedic brother-horsemen the Ashvins," where Wikipedia cites the Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World. In its description of these two marble statues of Castor and Pollux, each standing next to a horse, the Metropolitan Museum of Art acknowledges: "One of the first monumental structures in the Roman Forum was a temple dedicated to the twins in the early fifth century B.C." This time period coincides pretty nicely with that of the aforementioned Etruscan funerary relief depicting a boy suckling a she-wolf or lioness. 

Therefore, I am led to conclude that these various artistic depictions of legendary stories from Greece, Etruria, and India were combined to generate the mythical founding history of Rome. Ultimately we cannot hesitate to do what Nigel Spivey in Etruscan Art suggests, with a slight (or not so slight) amendment:

"If we follow the practice, popular among the Romans themselves, of 'twinning' mythical and historical figures across the Mediterranean, then we should follow Plutarch and pair Romulus of Rome with Theseus of Athens, therefore treating him as a poetic-religious symbol" (pg. 151)

After reviewing the evidence I have presented, would you pair Romulus of Rome with Rama (as well as Lava-Kush) of Ayodhya? I think I have made a compelling case, and your answer should be independent of whether or not you believe Rama was a historical person (Theseus is also regarded as a mythical king).
 

Rama, Ancient City of Seven Hills, in the Mediterranean World, near Jerusalem

To those who might consider it ludicrous to suggest that Roma was actually known as Rama in Etruscan times, I posit the following fact. There still exists a city today even older than Rome that is probably named after Rama. It is called Ramallah, located in the central West Bank of Palestine, corresponding exactly with Ramah on the ancient maps (2000-1000 B.C.) in The Historical Atlas of Judaism (see pages 25, 37, & 53 of this book by Dr. Ian Barnes). Rama-Allah is a concatenation of two separate terms: the Aramaic/Hebrew word Ramah and the Arabic word Allah, which can be translated as "Rama (is) God". In Sanskrit, Allah (allA) means mother and Arabians may have venerated this divine name (even before the advent of Islam), as it represented the creator or mother of this universe. As a noun, Ramah connotes a high place (e.g. plateau) on a mountain or hill in Aramaic or Hebrew lexicon. As an adjective, Ramah means lofty, exalted, or tall, according to multiple sources including:
http://eteacherhebrew.com/Hebrew-Names/rama

Modern map displaying walking distance from Ramallah to Bethlehem
via Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh

Ramah (Ramallah), Jerusalem, Beth-shemesh (Beit Shemesh), Bethlehem
Kingdom of Saul, circa 1000 B.C. 
Historical Atlas of Judaism, map on page 53 

The Christian Holy Bible acknowledges the same truth.
Matthew 2:18
"A voice was heard in Ramah, with lamentation, weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children; she cannot be comforted, because they are no more."


Albert Barnes' Notes on this verse:
"Rama was a small town in the tribe of Benjamin. Rachel was the mother of Benjamin, and was buried near to Bethlehem (modern-day Ramat Rachel), according to Genesis 35:16-19. Rama was about 6 miles northwest of Jerusalem, near Bethel, and was some 10 or 12 miles from Bethlehem. The name Rama signifies an eminence, and was given to the town because it was situated on a hill." (http://www.studylight.org/commentary/matthew/2-18.html)

More revealing is Adam Clarke's commentary about Rachel, where he nonchalantly admits her potential Vedic lineage: "This mourning may refer to cases far from uncommon in the East, where all the children have been massacred. The lamentations of a Hindoo mother for her child are loud and piercing; and it is almost impossible to conceive of a scene more truly heart-rending than that of a whole town of such mothers wailing over their massacred children."

This indicates that Rama may have been a Hindu city (although unlikely) before Jewish, Christian, and Muslim conquests. Adam Clarke, a British theologian and Biblical scholar of the 18th century who must have been biased against pagan or foreign religions, nonetheless could not gloss over this possible truth. Most likely, he was referring to the fact that Rama is a term common to both Indian and Semitic cultures, with a positive connotation in each region.

An American missionary commented after visiting Rama in 1824: 
'It is about two hours distant from Jerusalem to the northwest, on an eminence commanding a view of a wide extent of beautiful diversified country... Some of the Psalms seem to have been composed in some place which commanded a view of the Mediterranean; and this is the only place, I believe, in the vicinity of Jerusalem that affords such a view.' Rome and Jerusalem each share the famous distinction of a city built on seven hills, and both offer views of the Mediterranean Sea. The name Rama is associated with great heights, because the hero of the Ramayana overcame impossible obstacles to defeat his enemy Ravana. It is his lofty and exalted status as a God that inspired this universal word.

Ramallah sits on the crest or peak of the Judaean Mountains (also known as Judaean Hills) at an altitude of 2,861 feet (872 metres), according to Encyclopedia Britannica. This mountain range (Harei Yehuda in Hebrew) surrounds residents of many biblical cities including Ramallah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron. Judah (transliterated as Yehudah), who is the fourth son of Israel's patriarch Jacob, could be distantly related to king Yadu, ancestor of Krishna. The Yadava clan and Tribe of Judah would thus make an unexpected but not impossible pairing, as Vedic civilization's glory inspired many European and Near Eastern cultures - Iran (Zoroastrianism), Greece, and Etruria, to name a few. Not surprisingly the online etymology dictionary states without further explanation that Yehudah comes from the stem of y-d-h, meaning "praised." The phrase "Harei Yehuda" is akin to "Hare Krishna" in its reverential address to the Almighty and his potency. Great mountains ("Of immovable things I am the Himalayas," Bhagavad Gita 10.25) represent God's power or towering capacity over that of earthly species. How else could Lord Krishna have lifted Govardhan hill with one finger!

The next quote from Barnes' notes implies that Rama must have evolved from a small town into another powerful city in Canaan:
"Rama was once a strongly fortified city, but there is no city here at present. A half-ruined Muslim mosque, which was originally a Christian church, stands over the tomb of the prophet; besides which, a few miserable dwellings are the only buildings that remain on this once-celebrated spot."

Since the Etruscans traded heavily with Phoenicians and Greeks, who in turn traded with the Near East, ancient Italians must have known about this famous city located in Judea. They were also quite familiar with the story of the Ramayana as we will demonstrate in later posts. It is well-known that Rome was founded around the Orientalizing period in Etruria, when Eastern beliefs and motifs were flourishing in Greek and Etruscan art. Persia, Arabia, and the Near East were the conduits between Indian civilization and Europe (for example, see Arabic-Hindu numerals). Thus it is quite possible that Rome (Roma in Italian) was initially named Rama, an ancient city of seven hills. Even in India today, Thiruvanantapuram (City of Lord Ananta or Vishnu) is claimed to be built on seven hills. Since Rama is an incarnation of Vishnu, this concept of naming a great city with many hills or mountains after an important deity is nothing new to Hinduism.

Ponmudi Hill Station outside the city of Thiruvanantapuram, at elevation of 1100 metres 

The origins of the so-called Arabic word "Ramadan", which in Sanskrit would either mean "Giving Oneself to Rama" (Rama-Dhana) or "Meditating on Rama" (Rama-Dhyana), are hazy to say the least. One dubious source (Wiktionary) tells us it derives from Arabic Irtamada ("to be consumed by grief and sorrow") and others (e.g. Wikipedia) give us Ramida or Ar-Ramad ("scorching heat or dryness") as its correct etymology. How do these definitions have anything to do with the purpose of Ramadan? 

Oxford Dictionaries adds:
"The lunar reckoning of the Muslim calendar brings the fast eleven days earlier each year, eventually causing Ramadan to occur in any season; originally it was supposed to be in one of the hot months." 

Therefore this association of Ramadan as a month with "scorching heat" should not be taken at face value. It may be that in Arabia they typically fasted in warm or hot weather and stayed inside the home. But this is not a satisfactory explanation for the appellation given to the fast (or the fasting month) itself. In my opinion Rama was an important "pagan" deity throughout the Middle East.

The above evidence does not prove anything definitively by itself, but certainly provides a strong clue that justifies the adoption of a tentative hypothesis - that Roma, Italy was indeed called Rama in ancient times - and provides the motivation for exploring all the research works for empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis. What we find after exhaustive study would clearly prove that this deserves to be called a scientific theory and even an accepted fact. This blog is meant for the purpose of sharing some of the unmistakeable traces of Vedic religion in Etruscan and Roman polytheism, thus leading to our main conclusion: Roma, the Eternal City is Rama, the Universal Deity.

Below is another preview of such traces:

The picture above is taken from Nigel Spivey's book Etruscan Art. The author is unable to identify it as the classic episode of the Golden Deer where Rama and Lakshman are distracted (top) while Ravana abducts Sita (bottom) after approaching her in the guise of a brahmana (note the typical long beard and hair). These two scenes are depicted on opposite sides of the same water jar (hydria). I will discuss this piece of evidence in greater depth in a later post.

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."
Arthur Schopenhauer