Adhyatma (अध्यात्म): Common misbeliefs about Hindu Gods ... !!

White Shiva (From Google)

I have noted some common misbeliefs in public (context: Hindu Gods) that appear in images or idols of Gods. Following are some of them:--

1. The color of God Shiva

In most of the pictures of the God Shiva, I have seen his body color as blue (साँवला) but the actual color of Shiva is white. He is so white that poets have compared his color with that of “Kund” (कुंद) flower and moon. “Kund” is a white flower which is a standard of whiteness in Sanskrit literature whenever a comparison is done - just as in English we compare it with snow. Here is what Tulsidas says in 'Ramcharit Manas',

।। कुंद इंदु सम देह उमा रमन करुना अयन ,

जाहि दीन पर नेह करउ किरपा मर्दन मयन ।।

( Whose body is like 'Kund' flower and 'Indu' (moon), who loves 'Uma', is compassionate and has affection for humble beings, May that destroyer of 'Kamadeva' - ie. God Shiva be pleased upon us)

It has been said at another place too. See this prayer,

यस्यांके च विभाति भूधरसुता देवापगा मस्तके

भाले बालविधुर्गले च गरलं यस्योरसि व्यालराट्

सो अयं भूतिविभूषणः सुरवरः सर्वाधिपः सर्वदा

शर्वः सर्वगतः शिवः शशिनिभः श्रीशंकरः पातु माम् |

(That God Shree Shankar in whose arms is 'Parvathi', River Ganga on the head, the moon of 2nd day on the forehead, deadly venom in the throat, King of snakes in the neck - so decorated God of gods, master of everyone, remains in all times (Past, future and present), the destroyer, the healer, having a color of the moon - May he save us.)

So here also the color of Shiva is described as white as the moon. Maybe some people think that due to drinking the terrible venom "Halahal" (हलाहल) his color changed to blue as an aftereffect. But that is not true because he did not take "Halahal" fully inside. Mythology says that Shiva put that venom in the throat and it resulted in turning his throat blue. That is why Shiva also got a name as "Neelkanth" (नीलकंठ).

2. What is the color of horses of Sun God

Most people think that the color of the horses of Sun God (सूर्य देवता) is white. That is why most artists who draw/print or make idols of the Sun God with his chariot color the horses white. Now let us see what the poet 'Walmiki' (वाल्मीकि) says about it in 'Ramayana'(रामायण). At the time of the war of 'Rama'(राम) vs 'Ravana' (रावण), 'Rishi Agastya' (अगस्त्य ऋषि) came to 'Ram' and asked him to pray to Sun God before he goes for it. This part of the story is named as 'Adityahrudayam Stotram' (आदित्यहृदयम्). One of the verses is thus,

हरिदश्वः सहस्त्रार्चिः सप्तसप्तिर्मरीचिमान् |

तिमिरोन्मथनः शम्भुस्त्वष्टा मार्तण्ड अंशुमान् ||

(He has green horses, thousands of rays, seven horse chariot, destroyer of darkness, source of happiness, destroyer of sufferings of his devotee and full of life-giving light.)

So here we find that the color of these horses is green. Some people say that seven horses have seven different colors as in a rainbow. Their thought may be due to modern findings in science that sunlight has seven colors that we see in a rainbow but I have not found it in any ancient book. If anyone knows please enlighten me.

3. Who is Santoshi Mata

It is said that Goddess Santoshi Mata is the daughter of God Ganesha. But nowhere in ancient Hindu literature, this fact is found. Very few people knew her before 1975. Those who knew were mostly women and knew through word of mouth. They performed 16-Friday 'Vrat' of 'Santoshi Mata'. Then came a Bollywood movie named "Jai Santoshi Mata" in 1975. This low-budget film proved a milestone in its own way as was the movie "Sholay". On the insistence of the wife of director Vijay Sharma to spread the message of Goddess this film was made. Even though they did not expect its bumper success the film became phenomenal in the emergence and making popular of a lesser-known Goddess. Many temples in different cities across India emerged, the songs of the movie were being listened to with reverence like a "Bhajan" and 16-Friday 'Vrat' became even more popular. As the followers increased in number the priests in temples gave place for her idols as it was a source of more income. This is an example of the power of audiovisual/print media. Nowadays the popularity of "Santoshi Mata" (संतोषी माता) is not as it was then. Since then, the popularity of some other gods has increased. Two of them are "Sai Baba" (साईं बाबा) and "Shani Maharaj" (शनि महाराज). Now almost every city in India has separate temples of these two gods and many temples have added idols of these Gods.

4. 'Kartikeya' is a son of 'Shiva' or 'Agnideva'?

We know that 'Kartikeya' is the elder son of 'Mahadeva'. Even "Ram Charit Manas" by Tulsidas says so. But "Ramayana" by Valmiki has some confusing details about the birth of 'Kartikeya'. It says that after marriage 'Mahadeva' was enjoying with 'Parvati' for 500 years (By God's scale) and Gods feared that the "Teja" of 'Mahadeva' may destroy the three "Lokas". So they requested "Mahadeva" to control his "Teja". 'Mahadeva' accepted it but asked the Gods, "Where should I put the "Teja" that has already come out?". Gods suggested putting it on the earth (Prithvi) and he did so. But the earth could not bear its intensity. Then Gods told "Agnideva" and "Vayudeva" to enter in this "Teja" of Shiva. After they entered it became a white mountain-like thing and then changed to a divine forest of "Sarpat" from which God "Kartikeya" emerged like brilliant fire.
Next, all the Gods went to Shiva-Parvati and prayed to them but Parvati became angry and said that this action of the Gods was not fair to her and that the earth had helped the Gods in doing so. "Parvati" cursed the Gods that they would never get children from their wives and the earth (Prithvi) would have many "Patis" (Husbands or owners). After that Shiva-Parvati went to the north for "Tapasya". Now the Gods went to "Brahma" for relief but he said that the curse of "Parvati" cannot be undone. But "Agnideva" may have a son from "Ganga" who will be commander of "Devatas" (Gods). So "Ganga" conceived from "Agnideva" but she could not hold the "Teja" of "Agnideva", She put it in the Himalayas with the consent of "Agnideva". That place became divine and all the precious and useful metals like gold, silver, copper, iron, etc came into existence there from the effect of that "Teja". From that also emerged a child with six heads. The Gods appointed six "Kruttikas" to feed the child their milk. The child sucked the milk of six "Kruttikas" with his six mouths and only in one day he became so powerful that he defeated the army of Demons. The child was named "Kartikeya" or "Skanda" and appointed as commander of Gods.
So two different and confusing stories.

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"अध्यात्म" ब्लॉग के पोस्टों की सूची :--

75. अम्बे माँ (दुर्गा माँ) की आरती - "जय अम्बे गौरी"

74. हर प्रकार की सम्पदाओं और धन को पाने का अद्भुत उपाय - श्रीदुर्गाष्टोत्तरशतनामस्तोत्रम्

73. श्रीगोविन्द दामोदर स्तोत्रम - (श्रीबिल्वमंगलाचार्य विरचित) - हिंदी ब्लॉग

72. श्रीवल्लभाचार्य विरचित "युगलाष्टकम"- (हिंदी ब्लॉग)

71. Madhurashtakam by Sri Vallabhacharya (Roman script)

70. श्रीवल्लभचार्य विराचित "मधुराष्टकम" - Madhurastakam by Sri Vallabhacharya

69. नवधा भक्ति - नौ प्रकार की भक्ति (Nine Types of Bhakti)

68. सूर्य द्वादश नाम स्तोत्र - The Stotra containing 12 names of Sun god

67. भवान्यष्टकम् - माँ भवानी की अष्टक-स्तुति

66. श्रीराम लला का जन्म - रामनवमी →।।श्रीरामावतार।।