Originally posted by: -Jamy-
Sayanee, I'm no learned; only a confused soul looking at the endless ocean with amusement. I personally don't support any God -Shiva or Vishnu or Durga or Saraswati- more than the other. I rather support facts.
You're right about Vishnu being told as Indra's young brother in Rig Veda (RV) as 'Upendra'. But that is only in the context of Trivikrama where he is born as the younger son of Indra's mother, to protect and help Indra. Indra kills the demon in the space Vishnu created, only after receiving energy from Vishnu. It is to be noted that this 'Brother Vishnu' is mentioned nowhere in other contexts related to Vishnu. RV-10-113-2 clearly indicates Vishnu gets honoured for his own vigour where as Indra & other gods need to do things like slaying Vritra for honour. RV-1-156-5 says Vishnu comes and assist Indra and he gets worshipped. Indra was only worshipped only circumstancially as I quoted before. Now this is like missing the forest by focusing on a tree.😆 RV makes it clear that Indra and all other Gods derive their energy from Vishnu only. I can't cite every Vedic hymn, but trust Vedas, there is no 'MAY BE' in regarding the supremacy Vishnu. It is clear like water. I'm not opposing your views, but just trying to say everything co-existed together in a subtle form.
Purusha Sooktam from 10th mandala of RV, explains how creation happened from Purusha (Vishnu). There is no mention of any great destruction before it. This part is perhaps the most devastating paradox to solve even for the experts in Sanskrit. Let's put aside the complex explanations that need physics (which I don't know) to understand. In simple words, Purusha produced himself from himself using himself through a series of his expansions (and condensations) after which the creation of the universe took place, following the origin of Dharma. So the concept of Mahadeva/Shiva remains unclear or irrelevent here. Also this hymn identifies Vishnu in his worldly form as the husband of Lakshmi. Other many hymns like RV-1-154-4 (Vishnu upholds the universe and all living creature- that is why the name Vasudeva), RV-7-99-2 (the unlimited divine magnitude of Vishnu covering three worlds-his name Trivikrama), RV1-156-2 (Vishnu as the ancient, the creator, the recent, the self-born, blessing his devotees with the what sought by all people) prove that the Vedic Vishnu and Puranic Vishnu share the exactly same characters. So there is no point in arguing both are different. I quoted only RV as they're the oldest (at least 6500 years). Also it is impossible to quote every word and explain. In other Vedas also hymns like Narayana Sukta glorify him. The later developement of Vishnu is the adaptations of his (24 generally) incarnations including 10 major ones.
I totally agree with the Pashupatinath statue indicating Shiva worship. But there are also many symbols in Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) indicating the worship of Vishnu. Of them, the most cited are the different seals for daily use. The unicorn boar seal called Ekashringa Varaha apppears as the highest animals of the Indus Seals of the Divine. It is the prime symbol connected to the Varaha avatara of Vishnu. The Vedas also mention the highest or the supreme male one as Vrisha (not a bull or vrishabha) which is a varaha, which usually meant a boar. The Varaha is the symbolism of the supreme male principle of Dharma, the Purusha or cosmic spirit, which is said to be Vishnu. The Unicorn Boar is also considered as the symbol of Vedic knowledge. It was a common symbol on writing inscriptions makes sense as a Vedic symbol of speech, knowledge and worship. Also The Varaha avatara is the form most connected to the Vedic sacrifices. The IVC unicorn is always portrayed with a standard, cauldron or filter in front of it which can be equated with Vedic sacrificial cauldrons and Soma filters. There are also other Indus Valley seals like 'curious Krishna' and 'Ashwattha leaf' and the 'Brahma bull' etc... and many other symbols that confirm worship of Vishnu during IVC, for which explanations will only make this comment too lengthy to read.
Saraswati in Vedas is not only a river, but also the goddess of learning and the universal mother or the universal power house who is described as the supreme most of all Goddesses. RV-2-41-16- 'ambi tame nadi tame devi tame Saraswati' (the best of all mothers, rivers and goddesses is only Saraswati)
Let us keep the Invasion theory aside. Even Swami Vivekananda had questioned its validity. Writing all those only will make my fingers and your eyes pain.😆 The most interesting fact is that both theories-Aryan Invasion and Saraswati drying up- are equally old and formed by English men whereas the British kingdom promoted only the Invasion theory. Think about it.
Anyhow let us continue this discussion elsewhere as we're moving away from the topic of the main thread. Sorry for any unknown mistakes.
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
