Hinduism

The Trimurti (or Trinity) and the Caste System

Hinduism It is said that Hinduism has taught the world

both tolerance and universal acceptance. Most Hindus not only believe in universal

tolerance of others, but they accept all religions as true.

It is said, “As different streams having different sources all mingle their waters in the sea, so different paths which men take through different tendencies various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to God.”

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Hinduism offers its devotees many paths. Individuals may find release from life (samsara) through devotion to one or more of the Indian gods.

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One may give full religious attention to each of these gods or goddesses by worshipping at their temples, offering sacrifices, praying, supporting the priests of the temple, and so on.

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By doing the above, the gods or goddesses may look with favor upon the devotees, support the believers in life, and help in the struggles of life.

Brahman, who is the ultimate reality, is at the core of Hindu thought.

He is one and undivided, yet Hinduism sees him in terms of three forms or a trinity of functions called Trimurti: creation, destruction, and preservation.

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Of the three leading deities in the Hindu pantheon (all parts of the Brahman), the creator, Brahma receives the least attention.

Even though Brahma is widely respected and recognized as the creator of the world, only two temples are specifically dedicated to him in all of India.

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Brahma is usually shown with four bearded faces and four arms.

His chief wife (Sarasvati) is the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, speech, and poetry.

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Among the most popular gods in Hinduism is Shiva, known as “the destroyer.”

Shiva is the god of death, destruction, disease, and decay.

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Shiva is complex because not only is he the god of death and destruction, he is the god of dance.

Hinduism Probably the most important reason for

Shiva’s popularity is he is also the god of vegetable, animal, and human reproduction.

In Hindu thought, death is but a prelude to rebirth…so it follows that the god of death is also the god of reproduction and sexuality.

So Shiva paves the way for renewal in the endless cosmic process of samsara.

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Often associated with Shiva (and as popular) are many of the goddesses that are his companions.

The most important and popular of these goddesses are Kali (means “She who is black” or “She who is death”) and Paravati.

Mythology connects Kali to the founding of the modern city of Calcutta.

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Kali is the goddess of time, doomsday, and death.

She is more terrifying than Shiva because she wears a necklace of human skulls, tears away the flesh of sacrificed victims, and drinks blood.

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Paravati is nearly the opposite of Kali.

She is the daughter of the Himalayas and the female element of the perfect loving couple when paired with the gentler aspect of Shiva.

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Paravati is usually depicted as the perfect wife and mother.

She is also a fertility goddess and a goddess of love and devotion.

Hinduism The son of Shiva and

Paravati is Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of the arts and sciences, of intellect and wisdom.

He is the Lord of success and wealth, and the destroyer of obstacles.

Hinduism Ganesha's head

symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings.

Hinduism

The third god of the Hindu triad of Brahman is Vishnu, “the preserver”.

In contrast to Shiva, he is not complex. Always benevolent, Vishnu appears as the

expression of divine love, peace, and forgiveness.

He is also a prankster and he loves to play games and tricks.

Hinduism The chief feature of

Vishnu is his overwhelming concern for humanity.

In times when the Earth has been in great peril, Vishnu has appeared in various forms known as Avatars.

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Vishnu supports the moral order and moral balance of the world, but sometimes evil over takes the Earth.

God, in the form of Vishnu, then comes to Earth to relay some message or to accomplish an important task (like saving humanity).

Hinduism To restore the natural

balance, Vishnu appears as an avatar, sometimes as a man, sometimes as an animal, and sometimes as a mythical creature.

Here he is Matsya, the fish that saved humanity from the great flood.

Hinduism Tradition states that there

are ten avatars and that nine have already appeared.

One incarnation was Krishna (former Beatle George Harrison was a devotee of Krishna).

According to this tradition, Krishna was divine and also heroic. He killed demons, monsters, dragons, and tyrannical rulers.

Hinduism The Buddha was one of the nine avatars to

come to earth. In some Hindu traditions, Jesus and

Muhammad were also avatars.

Hinduism The tenth and final avatar has not yet

appeared, and it is said Vishnu will come as an avatar riding a white horse bringing time to an end.

He will then punish and destroy the wicked, re-establish order, and reward the virtuous.

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Lakshmi is the wife of Vishnu. She arose from the ocean to ensure the

fertility and welfare of the world. She is a goddess of fertility and wealth, and

also of victory.

Hinduism In some places,

Lakshmi is known as Sri, and worshipped as the goddess of rice.

She is often seen as the mediator between humans and Vishnu, since it is hard for humans to approach Vishnu directly.

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The moral order and natural harmony of the world is known as the Dharma (in Sanskrit means duty, morality, and virtue).

Dharma is the power that maintains society, makes the grass grow, makes the sun shine, and makes us moral people or rather gives humans the opportunity to act virtuously.

Hinduism But acting virtuously does not mean precisely the

same thing for everyone; different people have different obligations and duties according to their age, gender, and social position.

What is the correct Dharma for a woman might not be for a man or what is correct for an adult might not be for a child.

Correct action in accordance with Dharma is also understood as service to humanity and to God; and not to act according to one’s Dharma is considered a moral transgression.

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One of the ways to achieve harmony and maintain Dharma is through yogas.

Hindus’ believe that meditation is necessary if one is ever to break free of the cycle of samsara…it is even necessary for the gods.

Yogas (there are four different forms) stress mental and physical discipline as a way to free the mind of pain, anger, fear, hatred, greed, lust, etc.

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Hindus’ try to live according to their Dharma, which is their code of behavior or duty that governs their life.

In the Hindu tradition, a person’s duty is determined by their position in society and by the stage of life they have reached.

It is from here that the Caste system developed.

The Caste System

The term caste—a social class of hereditary and usually unchangeable status—was first used in India by Portuguese merchants and mariners during the 16th century CE when they observed sharp social distinctions among the Indian people.

The Aryans used the term varna, a Sanskrit word meaning “color,” to refer to their social classes.

The Caste System

By about 1000 BCE, the Aryans recognized four major varnas and explained them in their creation myth which revolved around the father of humankind, Purusha.

The Caste System

The first Aryan epic, the Rig-Veda attributed the rise of the caste system to the gods:

When they divided the original Man into how many parts did they divide him?

What was his mouth, what were his arms, what were his thighs and his feet called?

The Brahmin was his mouth, of his arms was made the warrior.

His thighs became the vaishya, of his feet the shudra was born.

The Caste System Brahmins: the highest social classes were the

priests and scholars, who sprang from Purusha’s mouth, and represented intellect, knowledge, and wisdom.

Brahmins were the “lightest” in skin color.

The Caste System

Next came the Kshatriya—the warrior-aristocracy, the rulers and government officials who came from the arms of Purusha.

The Caste System

The third layer of people, the Vaishya, came from Purusha’s thighs. They were the landowners, merchants, artisans (or skilled laborers).

The Caste System

The fourth level, the Sudra (or Shudra), came from Purusha’s feet. They were the common peasants, (unskilled) laborers, and servants.

The Caste System

During the classical era, the caste system became much more complex with each caste further subdivided into jati, or birth groups, each with its own occupation, duties, and rituals.

Each jati had little contact with others, and its members intermarried and followed the same occupations as their ancestors.

Marriage between castes was forbidden, under penalty of death

The Caste System

A fifth group eventually developed, considered so low, they didn’t even merit a caste designation.

Called the Dalits (or untouchables), they were relegated to the jobs considered the most “polluted” or defiling (handling garbage, dead bodies, animal skins, etc). Nearly 20% of all Indians are a part of this group.

The Caste System

Today, these people are known as the Harijan (so named the “Children of God” by Gandhi).

The Caste System

The Dalit were outside the caste system (outcastes) because they were considered too impure to be worthy human beings.

They are untouchable by the other four castes; in some areas of India, even contact with their shadow was considered polluting.

Prejudice and oppression defines their lives and they are in constant danger of being shunned, insulted, or humiliated in public.

Mark on the Forehead

The colored mark on the forehead is a sign of piety and reveals to others that the wearer is a Hindu.

It symbolizes the “third eye”…the one focused inwards towards God.

Both men and women wear the mark, but it is generally falling out of favor with men.

Traditionally, unmarried women wear a black mark and married women wear a red one.

Mark on the Forehead