Comparative Mythology

Responsibilities

- Dispels darkness

- Cures disease

- Illuminates the world

- Brings good fortune

Surya v.s. Helios

Symbols of Surya

- Surya is the God of the Sun, like Heilos.

- Responsible for the rise of the sun each day.

- They are both depicted as riding a chariot across the sky, as the sun.

- Colour: Copper or Red

- Metal: Gold or Brass

- Ruby

- Wheat

- Chariot with 7 horses

Surya - God of the Sun

- Chief Solar Deiity

- Chief of the 9 Classical Planets

- Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn

- God of the Sun

Saraswati v.s. Athena

- They are both the embodiment of wisdom, learning, and the arts.

- Both depicted as being pure. (Atnena being a virgin, and Saraswati being the purest thing in the universe.)

- They are kind to mankind, and gives them the power of knowledge

Symbols of Saraswati

- Swan

- Peacock

- White

- Pustaka (Book or Script)

- Mala (Rosary or Garland)

- Water Pot

- Lute

- Vina

Responsibilities

- Revealed knowledge and language to man

- Is the power of memory, knowledge, and intelligence.

- The source of all creativity

- Gives mankind knowledge and learning

- Also the god of Wisdom, Learning, Music, and Arts

Saraswati - Goddesses of Knowledge

- Goddess of Wisdom, Learning, Knowledge, Music, and Arts

- Wife of Brahma

- Part of a trinity with Lakshmi and Parvati that helps the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to create, maintain, and regenerate the universe.

Lakshmi - Goddess of

Beauty

Lakshmi is the wife of Lord Vishnu

Responsibilities of Lakshmi

The Symbols of Lakshmi

The Lotus

The lotus in symbolic and in traditionally represents reality, knowledge, and self realization.

The Elephant

- Goddess of beauty

- Goddess of wealth

- Goddess of prosperity

- Goddess of fortune

Elephants signify work, activity, and strength. They appear often in paintings of Lakshmi.

Yama - God of

Death

Lakshmi vs. Aphrodite

The similarities between

Lakshmi and Aphrodite end

with beauty.

Aphrodite is shallow and conceited while

Lakshmi teaches others to value the beauty

of non-materialistic things.

Responsibilities of Yama

knawledge

The Symbols of Yama

Water Buffalo

Yama, as the God of death, is tasked with bringing

the dead down to his palace. There, he reads out there

sins and assigns their destiny.

Yama is often depicted, in paintings and stories, riding on his water buffalo

Great

Pitrus

Danda

Another

Life

Danda, Sanskrit for 'stick', is the weapon of Yama

Average

To Hell

Bad

Yama vs. Hades

Yama is very different from

Hades. Hades doesn't bring

down the dead nor does he

judge the dead. Their personalities

are also different. While Hades is greedy

Yama is content with what he has.

Yama also has a strong moral compass

and never does what would

be considered wrong.

Murugan, the Hindu God of War

- Courageous and Brave

Murugan vs. Ares

- Ares and Murugan are completely polar opposites.

- Murugan is brave, intelligent, smart and has a deep depth of thought.

- Wields the Vel, or a divine spear

- Alike Ares, Murugan is the God of War.

- Murugan is also very childish, as shown from when his brother bested him in a competition, w

- Hindu God of War

- Handsome and Intelligent.

Symbols of Murugan

Symbols Include :

Responsibilities of Murugan

- The Vajra, or a rod that has the power of a thunderbolt.

- A White Elephant

- Diamond and Thunderbolt

- Can see in all directions, his 5 heads represent the 5 senses.

- Referred to as the God of Tamils, highly respected by Tamils.

- Peacock, which is his mount.

- The Vel, or the holy spear which he utilizes in battle.

- Commander in Chief for the army of Devas.

Indra Vs. Zeus

- Wields the Vel, which symbolizes the purification of human ills.

- Unlike Zeus, Indra is much less lustful, and does not commit infidelity.

- They are both Gods of weather, both controlling the skies, and both wielding a thunderbolt as their weapon.

- The bow and arrow.

- Indra and Zeus both share poor familial relationships, and shown from Zeus killing his father, and Indra chastising his own son.

- Indra, like Zeus is a leader of the Devas.

Indra, the God of Rain and Thunderstorms

- Hindu God of Rain and Thunderstorms, controls the sky and punishes mortals.

Responsibilities of Indra

- Leader of the Devas (the gods)

- Lord of Svargaloka (a level of heaven)

- Watches over the heavens, or the Svargaloka.

- Defender of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

- Strikes down evildoers with his Vajra.

- Wields the Vajra, or a thunderbolt.

Comparative Mythology

Greek vs. Hindu Gods