Why Are Indian Gods Blue | History Forum - Historum
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- Thread starter Senyokbalgul
- Start date Aug 31, 2016
- Tags blue gods indian
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Joined Nov 2015 591 Posts | 6+ Andromeda
sonofstars
Joined Aug 2014 1,009 Posts | 18+ Canada Last edited: Aug 31, 2016 The deity in the picture is Shiva aka Rudra aka Mahadev, the God of destruction in the Hindu trinity. He is depicted as blue for a reason closely related to why he is shown wearing a snake around his neck. According to the Puranas, during the mythical period of cooperation between the Suras (Gods) and the Asuras (Demons) at the dawn of creation, they both churned the ocean of milk (Ksheersagar) looking for ambrosia (amrita). However the churning process first resulted in a world-destroying poison named Hala Hala or Kalakuta (literally time-puzzle) that began to choke the Suras and Asuras alike. The Devas and Asuras pleaded to Mahadev for help, and he drank up into himself the entire poison emanating from the ocean of milk. He was not immune from the viciousness of the toxins and his wife Goddess Parvati intervened by stopping the poison at his throat by garlanding him with a snake. But by then, enough poison had made it to the rest of his body to render his skin blue. Shiva's throat is said to be the bluest portion of his body due to the concentration of poison there resulting in his names Nilakantha (the blue-throated one) and Mrityunjay (victor over death). Different Puranas differ slightly in the way these events are explained - besides each aspect of the story has spiritual/occult meanings beyond the superficial interpretation. Vishnu, the Preserver in the Hindu trinity is also depicted with blue skin, but for a different reason. Vishnu means all-pervasive (Sarvavyapi) and the sky-blue skin is emblematic of his formless and infinite extent. On the other hand, Brahma - the Creator in the Hindi trinity is not depicted with blue skin in religious imagery. SSenyokbalgul
Joined Nov 2015 591 Posts | 6+ Andromeda What is so special about the colour blue such that so many Hindu Gods have blue skin? sonofstars
Joined Aug 2014 1,009 Posts | 18+ CanadaSenyokbalgul said: What is so special about the colour blue such that so many Hindu Gods have blue skin? Click to expand...Did you even read my response to your question ? Your entire premise is flawed. Speaking of popular deities - Ganesha, Saraswati, Durga and Lakshmi are most frequently depicted in flesh tones and hardly ever shown in blue color. Rama and Krishna are frequently depicted in blue color because they are Avatars (human manifestations) of Vishnu, whose blue color was explained above.
NIROSHAN
Joined Sep 2015 451 Posts | 41+ Sri Lanka GOD AND HUMAN PERCEPTION "The God is Love ["Anbae Sivam"] and It is sublime and infinite .Hence all the main Deities in Hinduism are associated with the colour of Blue. Water, it is absolutely colourless. Look at the depth and vastness of an ocean; But it is appears to be Blue for our "limited Perception" . Space is colourless. But look at the infinite expanse of the clear sky; it appears to be Blue on cloudless day! SSenyokbalgul
Joined Nov 2015 591 Posts | 6+ Andromedasonofstars said: Did you even read my response to your question ? Your entire premise is flawed. Speaking of popular deities - Ganesha, Saraswati, Durga and Lakshmi are most frequently depicted in flesh tones and hardly ever shown in blue color. Rama and Krishna are frequently depicted in blue color because they are Avatars (human manifestations) of Vishnu, whose blue color was explained above. Click to expand...Yes, I understand what you have written but it seems like too much of a coincidence that all of them have blue skin from independent and different reasons. What I am asking is that if the colour blue is symbolic of anything. B
Bhrigu
Joined Jan 2016 1,637 Posts | 69+ IndiaSenyokbalgul said: it seems like too much of a coincidence that all of them have blue skin from independent and different reasons. Click to expand...Only two (Shiva and Vishnu) have blue skin from different reasons. S
Senyokbalgul
Joined Nov 2015 591 Posts | 6+ AndromedaBhrigu said: Only two (Shiva and Vishnu) have blue skin from different reasons. Click to expand...Mistake: I meant both instead of all. E
Ertugrul
Joined Aug 2016 10 Posts | 0+ Turkey blue is seen as an auspicious color. red is seen as an auspicious color in china for example. black was the great color of the tang dynasty. same with yellow for vietnam.
kandal
Joined Aug 2015 3,784 Posts | 857+ USASenyokbalgul said:This way of depicting Hindu Gods in religious iconic art, called polychromes, is of rather very recent origin. It was introduced during the colonial times in India by Victorian artists. Hindus took a liking to it, and is now ubiquitous across India. The blue color is another way of showing dark skin in such icons.
stevapalooza
Joined May 2009 1,699 Posts | 293+ Last edited: Aug 31, 2016 I'm not sure about Hinduism, but in Buddhism the different colored deities are usually alternate manifestations of themselves. Different aspects representing wrath, power, peacefulness, etc. had their own colors. If you look at Tibetan Buddhist art, for example, you'll see a lot of this. Not sure if the Buddhists borrowed that from the Hindus.
Bharata
Joined Nov 2012 334 Posts | 41+ Forum I dont know . But from what I noticed in general blue skin means they had a very dark skin( probably dark brown ) .
Dreamhunter
Joined Jun 2012 16,300 Posts | 3,097+ Malaysia Last edited: Oct 10, 2016 It is kind of a polite way of inferring comparatively dark skin, I hv read. This is especially true in the case of Krishna, who in his human form has been said to be a cattle herder from the south of India. AAatreya
Joined Dec 2014 3,768 Posts | 280+ USADreamhunter said: It is kind of a polite way of inferring comparatively dark skin, I hv read. This is especially true in the case of Krishna, who in his human form has been said to be a cattle herder from the south of India. Click to expand...Last I heard neither Mathura nor Dwaraka was South of India.
Devdas
Joined Apr 2015 7,387 Posts | 2,052+ IndiaDreamhunter said: It is kind of a polite way of inferring comparatively dark skin, I hv read. This is especially true in the case of Krishna, who in his human form has been said to be a cattle herder from the south of India. Click to expand...Krishna was from Mathura a city near to Delhi. T
Theseus
Joined Dec 2009 660 Posts | 111+Dreamhunter said: It is kind of a polite way of inferring comparatively dark skin, I hv read. This is especially true in the case of Krishna, who in his human form has been said to be a cattle herder from the south of India. Click to expand...Actually the oldest pictures of Krishna depict him as black. And only the later pictures show him as blue. S
Sharif
Joined Nov 2015 330 Posts | 2+ abroad Dont listen to any other explanation they are biased As per natyashastra non Aryan I.e native gods of India are depicted in blue Shiva Rama Krishna belongs to same lineage Ggreatstreetwarrior
Joined Nov 2012 5,105 Posts | 386+ Krishna was indeed shown as Black and his name itself means dark black skinned. Also I cant believe someone can say all Gods are Blue. They are in diff forms. Kal Bhairav form of Shiva is indeed dark black. Those who play Aryan vs Dravidian thru this are brining modern race theories which had nothing to do with history.
rakovsky
Joined Aug 2016 537 Posts | 151+ USA I am inclined to think that it's because they are associated with the sky or water. I think I read something to that effect. Some Egyptian gods were colored blue for example for that reason in fact. Here is the god Nun of the waters, who is blue: http://media.gettyimages.com/photos...imeval-waters-nun-holding-picture-id501585141 NIROSHAN
Joined Sep 2015 451 Posts | 41+ Sri Lanka The nexus of egypt ,greek/rome and india ?rakovsky said: I am inclined to think that it's because they are associated with the sky or water. I think I read something to that effect. Some Egyptian gods were colored blue for example for that reason in fact. Here is the god Nun of the waters, who is blue: http://media.gettyimages.com/photos...imeval-waters-nun-holding-picture-id501585141 Click to expand...THE NEXUS OF EGYPT AND GREEK/ROME WITH INDIA ? You're Absolutely right , It all began around Nile [Neela--Blue Colour] river in Egypt Not in the capital city of "Ram Raj" in Ayodyha in India or Thailand---Yup - they naturally represent their own Dark or Black Gods! I never felt comfortable about the role played by the Greeks in the old world History and also the Powerful Priestly Elites of Religions in India And Rome
Never Forget the "Link" of Greek Ptolemy the so called "Pharaoh of Egypt "who ruled Egypt around 300 BC!! However I have no Doubt that Old Roman Empire Still Rules the world by proxy with "Babylonian Gods" with Mother Mary under the Black and White Popes [Temporal and Spiritual Priests] "OM" Hare Rama ! "OM" Hare Krishna!! - 1
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Tag » Why Are Hindu Gods Blue
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