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).
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).
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:
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.
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.
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.
Your logic is quite ok,Many senior Journalist like Fraquis Guitar of Lefiggaro ,Sthepan Knaap ,Willam Drake and many have written Indian deep connections with ancient Greek.Personaly I would say discus through in ancient Olympic totally inspired by Vishnu whose synonym is Brihaspati called in Greece ,Room Neptune.Room word derived from Ram.Many evidences and literature are available on this subject.
ReplyDeletePrabhu Narayan,Director,The Centre for Science & Indian philosophy,New Delhi
DeletePrabhu Narayan,Director,The Centre for Science & Indian Philosophy
ReplyDeleteNew Delhi
Pelagisians and Estruscans ancestor of Romans are Pali Puhas people or Panis or Phonecians-Philistines mixed with Heraclids. This People came from Zoan dynasty ,they were founders of Sumeria and Magadhan kingdom in India.
ReplyDeleteThey are also known as Sea people, or Shepherd kings , they belong to Panch dynasty of CHALDEA or Sumer. Also known as Tubal Cain people worshiped Metallurgy god of Vulcan. They were KUSHITE -EGYPTIAN in origin.
ReplyDelete