Observations placeholder
Mircea Eliade - On the Hindu pantheon
Identifier
004378
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
The Hindu religion, because it has strong rules built into it, has defined 'good' and 'evil' as being transgressions of these rules, but, there is no 'Father' 'allowing bad things to happen'.
The Hindu pantheon has no concept of a father figure, just Intelligences of greater and greater power and diverse function. No Hindu would thus ever be bemused by the idea that something called 'God the Father' allows 'evil to happen' because such a god does not exist as far as they are concerned. All would recognise that evil is a man made phenomenon and a man defined phenomenon .
The Hindu concept of the supreme being is very close to that of indigenous peoples – an Intelligence whose primary function is the accumulation of function – power.
A description of the experience
Mircea Eliade – Patterns in Comparative religion
Truly, Varuna is the supreme Ksatra, and H Guntert and Dumezil have found excellent formulae to make clear this fundamental quality of Varuna. The faithful feel 'like slaves' in his presence and the attitude of humility is to be found in the worship of no other god. As universal sovereign, Varuna is guardian of the norms of cosmic order. …..
One common note is clear in all these attributions and functions; the serene, sacred, one may say passive, quality of this power. He does not take to himself any rights, conquers nothing, does not struggle to win anything; he is powerful, he is sovereign, …..power is his by right because of his very nature.... one may say he is power itself