Why do we so readily assume that belief in a single God or otherwise, sets us apart from others? We often come across people who proudly declare their faith in a single God. This hints at a complex history of religious beliefs and the often overlooked similarities between them. Could it be that the idea of monotheism is not as unique as we think?
During one of my early morning walks in a remote Indian village, I came across an elderly gentleman. His wrinkled face betrayed his age as he greeted me with a smile and introduced himself as a retired banker.
He proudly declared that he belonged to a faith that believed in a single God!
This meant he was a Muslim. There was a hint of superiority suggesting he considered himself different from 'others' who believed in many gods. And this others likely meant the Hindus in that locality who worshiped countless deities.
But this distinction is a myth.
During one of my early morning walks in a remote Indian village, I came across an elderly gentleman. His wrinkled face betrayed his age as he greeted me with a smile and introduced himself as a retired banker.
He proudly declared that he belonged to a faith that believed in a single God!
This meant he was a Muslim. There was a hint of superiority suggesting he considered himself different from 'others' who believed in many gods. And this others likely meant the Hindus in that locality who worshiped countless deities.
But this distinction is a myth.
No matter what Hindus do today or why they do it, monotheism was the basic tenet of even the Vedic religion from which current Hinduism emerged. The 'gods' in the Vedas are not really gods but divine beings — gods with a small 'g', as one Swami often puts it. They are not the God.
One historian traces the 'origin' of this single-all-powerful God to ancient Mazdaism, which emerged somewhere in central Asia. This religion believed in Ahura Mazda, the creator of the world, and an anti-God named Angra Mainyu, who fought with Ahura Mazda but was ultimately defeated by him.
According to this historian, Judaism stemmed from this ancient Mazdaism, with Ahura Mazda taking the name Yahve, and Angra Mainyu becoming Satan. Unlike Angra Mainyu, Satan is not all-powerful; he is merely a problem-creator who misleads humans.
This Yahve of Judaism later became Allah in Islam, as the Quran states that Allah is none other than Yahve. And Satan became the cursed angel or jinn called Saytan.
In between, there was an offshoot of Judaism: Christianity. Its originator, Jesus, was a Jew, so Christianity also believed in monotheism.
However, this historian did not explore beyond Mazdaism.
Mazdaism had much in common with the Indian Vedic religion, including many gods, (gods with small 'g'), - ritual practices, caste divisions, and mythology. But what is important to note is that monotheism was an underlying current even in the Vedic religion. The similarity of thoughts between these religions is striking, making it immature and uninformed to categorize humanity into monotheistic and polytheistic faiths.
So, saying 'we believe in a single God' does not convey much, and is superfluous. What matters more is how this God is perceived and understood.
On one hand, we have the almost formless God of Abrahamic faiths: a God who often remains invisible but has many human-like qualities. In Quran, there is a verse about this God as:
This God speaks, shows emotions, loves, hates, jealously protects His herd, expects total submission, tests, rewards, and punishes — just like any human master would with his subordinates. This is the God of Mazdaism as well as Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
On the other hand, the Vedic religion's God is an abstract concept. This God rarely interacts with humans and does not demand complete surrender from them. He is formless and inconceivable, incapable of being expressed in words. This God is often called Satt or Atma or Brahma—adjectives that try to elaborate some of its aspects rather than a name.
This is the God talked about by the Upanishads, the concluding parts of the Vedas. You can call it 'The God of the Upanishads' if you wish; this is not the god talked about in the ritual parts of the Vedas.
But from another perspective, this Vedic mantra declares:
—Rigveda 1:164:46
Indra, Varuna, Yama, and so on were the deities worshiped through fire rituals. As I mentioned earlier, these deities are divine beings, not the God.
But this mantra seems to say just the opposite. It says that all those deities are the same as Satt or the God of the Vedic religion. The same God is talked about variously as many gods by Vipras,—the people who perform Vedic rituals.
You may be surprised to know that even the 5000-year-old Vedas give the same definition for God as other religions.
The Upanishads say:
So where is the fight? A Vedic Indian has no different view from a Quranic Muslim regarding the oneness of God. It's just that one calls Him Brahma and the other calls Him Allah.
Water is water whether you call it agua, Wasser, Paani, Tanni, Neeru, or whatever!
What do you think? Let me know through your comments. Let us meet again with another interesting episode.
One historian traces the 'origin' of this single-all-powerful God to ancient Mazdaism, which emerged somewhere in central Asia. This religion believed in Ahura Mazda, the creator of the world, and an anti-God named Angra Mainyu, who fought with Ahura Mazda but was ultimately defeated by him.
According to this historian, Judaism stemmed from this ancient Mazdaism, with Ahura Mazda taking the name Yahve, and Angra Mainyu becoming Satan. Unlike Angra Mainyu, Satan is not all-powerful; he is merely a problem-creator who misleads humans.
This Yahve of Judaism later became Allah in Islam, as the Quran states that Allah is none other than Yahve. And Satan became the cursed angel or jinn called Saytan.
In between, there was an offshoot of Judaism: Christianity. Its originator, Jesus, was a Jew, so Christianity also believed in monotheism.
However, this historian did not explore beyond Mazdaism.
Mazdaism had much in common with the Indian Vedic religion, including many gods, (gods with small 'g'), - ritual practices, caste divisions, and mythology. But what is important to note is that monotheism was an underlying current even in the Vedic religion. The similarity of thoughts between these religions is striking, making it immature and uninformed to categorize humanity into monotheistic and polytheistic faiths.
So, saying 'we believe in a single God' does not convey much, and is superfluous. What matters more is how this God is perceived and understood.
On one hand, we have the almost formless God of Abrahamic faiths: a God who often remains invisible but has many human-like qualities. In Quran, there is a verse about this God as:
"God created you; He nourishes you; and to Him you will return."
"Allaahul-lazee khalaqakum sum-ma razaqakum sum-ma yumeetukum sum-ma yuhyeekum; hal min shurakaaa'ikum mai-yaf'alu min zaalikum min shai'; Subhaanahoo wa Ta'aalaa 'ammaa yushrikoon."
– Quran, Soorah Ar-Rum 30:40
– Quran, Soorah Ar-Rum 30:40
This God speaks, shows emotions, loves, hates, jealously protects His herd, expects total submission, tests, rewards, and punishes — just like any human master would with his subordinates. This is the God of Mazdaism as well as Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
On the other hand, the Vedic religion's God is an abstract concept. This God rarely interacts with humans and does not demand complete surrender from them. He is formless and inconceivable, incapable of being expressed in words. This God is often called Satt or Atma or Brahma—adjectives that try to elaborate some of its aspects rather than a name.
This is the God talked about by the Upanishads, the concluding parts of the Vedas. You can call it 'The God of the Upanishads' if you wish; this is not the god talked about in the ritual parts of the Vedas.
But from another perspective, this Vedic mantra declares:
"Whether it is Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni or even the golden-winged Garutman, all of them are nothing but Satt. The same Satt is referred to variously as Agni, Yama, or Maatarisva by Vipras—the people who perform Vedic rituals."
"Indraṁ mitraṁ varuṇam agnim āhur, atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān;
Ekam satt viprā bahudhā vadanti, agniṁ yamaṁ mātariśvānam āhuḥ."
"Indraṁ mitraṁ varuṇam agnim āhur, atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān;
Ekam satt viprā bahudhā vadanti, agniṁ yamaṁ mātariśvānam āhuḥ."
—Rigveda 1:164:46
Indra, Varuna, Yama, and so on were the deities worshiped through fire rituals. As I mentioned earlier, these deities are divine beings, not the God.
But this mantra seems to say just the opposite. It says that all those deities are the same as Satt or the God of the Vedic religion. The same God is talked about variously as many gods by Vipras,—the people who perform Vedic rituals.
You may be surprised to know that even the 5000-year-old Vedas give the same definition for God as other religions.
The Upanishads say:
"Brahma is that from which all beings came into existence, that which sustains them, and that into which they finally converge."
"Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante; yena jātāni jīvanti;
yat prayanty abhisaṁviśanti; tad vijijñāsasva; tad brahmeti."
—Taittiriya Upanishad, Section Bhriguvalli, Verse 1
"Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante; yena jātāni jīvanti;
yat prayanty abhisaṁviśanti; tad vijijñāsasva; tad brahmeti."
—Taittiriya Upanishad, Section Bhriguvalli, Verse 1
So where is the fight? A Vedic Indian has no different view from a Quranic Muslim regarding the oneness of God. It's just that one calls Him Brahma and the other calls Him Allah.
Water is water whether you call it agua, Wasser, Paani, Tanni, Neeru, or whatever!
What do you think? Let me know through your comments. Let us meet again with another interesting episode.
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