Hinduism originated around 4000 BC in the Indus River Valley region of the Indian subcontinent. Its beliefs integrated over time as Aryan invaders introduced their own system around 1500 BC. Key texts like the Vedas and Upanishads were written between 1700-500 BC and formed Hindu traditions. Hinduism is characterized by beliefs in dharma, reincarnation, and many deities including Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and goddess figures representing the divine feminine creative force.

1. Hinduism
• ca.
4000
BC
part
of
Indian
subcon5nent
(the
Indus
River
Valley)
was
inhabited
by
people
of
Harappan
culture.
• Ca.
1500
BC,
Aryan
invaders
brought
their
own
belief
system,
which
was
integrated
with
that
of
the
Harappans.
• Aryans
developed
a
system
of
“cosmic
law”
or
dharma
which
governed
all,
including
social
order
(caste
system)
• Vedas
–
sacred
texts
da5ng
between
1700
–
500
BCE.
Upanishads
are
the
collec5on
of
Hindu
founda5onal
thoughts
and
tradi5ons,
wriNen
pre-­‐
Buddha,
ca.
500
BCE.

3. Indus River Valley/Harappan
Civilization
• The
least
known
of
the
3
great
ancient
civiliza5ons
(along
with
Egypt
and
Mesopotamia/Babylonia)
ca.
5000
–
1900
BCE
• Copper
metallurgy,
ceramics,
stone
sculpture
and
coins
found.
Undeciphered
wri5ng
system
found
on
stone
seals
since
ca.
2600
BCE
• Advanced
grid-­‐paNern
city
plans
(at
Harappa
and
Mohenjo-­‐daro)
and
last
but
not
least–
sewers!

5. Harappan seal with writing
• These
were
merchants’
marks
to
iden5fy
the
owners
of
goods
or
shipments.

6. Mohenjo-daro

7. Dancing Girl,
ca. 2500 BC
• Found
in
Mohenjo-­‐daro
• Lost-­‐wax
process
• Predecessor
to
Hindu
Goddess
figures:
Shak5,
Kali,
etc.
• Dancing
pose
seen
throughout
Indian
sculpture,
including
both
Hindu
and
Buddhist
sculpture

8. Left: Harappan linga, ca. 3000 BCE;
Right: Hindu linga, ca. 200 BCE
• Symbol
of
Hindu
God
Shiva

9. Hindu deities
• While
there
is
one
Divine
Being
(Brahman),
there
are
many
dei5es
who
each
embody
some
aspect
of
the
Divine
Being.
• Hinduism
has
grown
and
evolved
through
regional
tradi5ons,
so
that
each
has
dis5nct
gods;
even
the
common
ones
may
have
different
aNributes
or
incarna5ons
in
each
tradi5on.
VERY
confusing!
• Since
each
incarna5on
of
a
god
is
a
separate
being,
there
are
virtually
limitless
gods
in
the
pantheon
–
hundreds
and
hundreds.
Main
ones
are:
• Shiva
(the
Destroyer)
• Vishnu
(the
Preserver)
• Brahma
(the
Creator)
• Goddess
aka
Shak5

11. Brahma
• The
Creator
(the
first
god
–
created
good/evil
and
light/dark
from
his
own
person.
• Created
gods,
demons,
ancestors
and
men,
along
with
all
living
creatures.
• Abstract
or
metaphysical
god,
so
few
myths
about
him
exist.
Less
important
in
modern
5mes,
except
in
southeast
Asia.
• Brahma,
ca.
1700,
northern
India
5.5
x
3.75
inches,
wc/paper

12. Vishnu
10
reincarna5ons
(avataras):
• Matsya
the
fish
• Kurma
the
tortoise
• Varaha
the
boar
• Narasimha
the
man-­‐lion
• Vamana
the
dwarf
• Parasurama
the
Brahman
• Prince
Rama
• Krishna
the
god
• Krishna
as
Buddha
• Kalki
(future
–
end
of
world)

13. Vishnu, ca. 900
– 1000 AD
Everyone’s
here!
• Vishnu
at
center
(his
aNributes:
chakra,
conch,
mace,
abhaya
mudra)
• Upper
lej:
Brahma
(4-­‐
headed)
• Upper
right:
Shiva
(trident
&
chakra)

14. Shiva Nataraja: Lord of the Dance
Chola
period,
ca.
1000
AD,
South
India,
following
precepts
of
Shilpa
Shastras
(Science
or
Rules
of
Sculpture)

15. Shiva - Lord
of the Dance
• Ca.
900
AD
• Figure
set
in
center
of
universe
• Creator:
hand
drum
in
upper
right
hand
• Preserver:
lower
right
hand
gesture
of
abhaya,
protec5on.
• Destroyer:
agni,
fire
of
dynamic
destruc5on
• Right
foot:
tramples
illusion
and
ignorance
• Lej
hand
points
to
leg
in
gaja
hasta:
refuge
for
troubled
soul
• Ganga
caught
in
hair

16. Linga and Yoni
• Linga
=
phallus
=
male
crea5ve
energy,
symbolizing
Shiva’s
role
as
Creator
• Yoni
=
vaginal
form
=
female
crea5ve
energy,
symbol
of
the
Goddess,
or
Shak5
(energizing
force
of
the
universe),
par5cularly
Parva5
• This
18th
century
pain5ng
shows
2
women
worshiping
the
god
Shiva
at
a
linga-­‐yoni
(most
sacred
part
of
a
Hindu
shrine)

17. Linga with
one face
• 9th
century
• Linga
is
the
most
sacred
object
in
a
temple
dedicated
to
Shiva
• Emphasis
on
male/
female
energy
led
to
an
abundance
of
ero5c
Hindu
art
–
both
metaphoric
and
lusty.

18. Krishna

19. The Goddess
The
Goddess
is
the
manifesta5on
of
female
primordial
cosmic
energy
or
feminine
crea5ve
power,
called
Shak5.
She
can
be
personified
as
a
goddess
named
Shak5,
and
there
are
some
Hindu
sects
in
which
she
is
synonymous
with
Brahman,
the
Divine
Being.
When
Shak5
is
presented
as
a
goddess,
she
has
many
aNributes
and
roles,
as
protector,
healer,
and
bringer
of
well-­‐
being.
She
also
has
many
incarna5ons,
including:
Ganga
(of
Ganges
River)
and
Manasa.

20. Shakti Manasa

21. Duality of Hindu gods
In
her
various
forms,
the
Goddess
is
the
consort
of
the
Great
Gods,
and
considered
to
be
the
female
energy
of
each:
• Saraswa5
–
knowledge
(Brahma
-­‐
creator)
Lakshmi
–
wealth
and
prosperity
(Vishnu-­‐
preserver)
• Parva5,
Durga,
Kali
-­‐
power
(Shiva
-­‐
destroyer)

22. Saraswati
• Consort
of
Brahma
• Known
from
Vedas
• Also
revered
in
Jain
religion
and
some
Buddhist
sects
• Goddess
of
knowledge,
music,
arts
and
learning

23. Lakshmi
• Consort
of
Vishnu
• Goddess
of
wealth,
fortune
and
prosperity
(material
and
spiritual)
• Revered
in
Buddhism
and
Jainism
as
well
• ANributes
include
lotus
blossom
(ojen
shown
standing
on
a
lotus
blossom,
due
to
her
origin
myth)
and
4
arms
• Apparently
Scythians
worshipped
her
too!

24. Lakshmi
Carving
300
BCE

25. Goddess as Durga
• Like
her
male
counterparts,
the
Goddess
has
many
names
and
personas:
Devi,
Durga
(warrior/protector),
Kali
(destroyer
of
evil)
• It
is
believed
she
evolved
from
a
mountain-­‐
goddess
worshipped
in
the
Himalayas
• A
war
goddess,
usually
pictures
with
10
arms
and
astride
a
lion
or
5ger
• Consort
of
Shiva

26. Durga Killing
the Buffalo
Demon Mahisha
• 12th
century
• Argillite
• She
holds
a
variety
of
weapons,
including:
• Spear,
arrow,
sword,
chisel,
hammer,
thunderbolt,
goad,
discus.

27. Standing
Parvati
• Chola
period,
ca.
925
AD
• Note
similarity
to
Harappan
dancing
girl
• Cast
copper
• Parva5
is
the
gentle
aspect
of
the
Goddess
(usually
2
armed),
while
Durga
is
the
protectress
and
Kali
the
ferocious
destroyer
• Note
her
aNribute
of
the
mountain-­‐shaped
hat,
deno5ng
her
origin
as
a
Himalayan
mountain
god
• She
has
108
names!

28. Goddess as Kali

29. Shiva and
Parvati
• Jaipur
school
16th-­‐
17th
century
• Shiva
and
Parva5
personify
male
and
female
crea5ve
energy.

30. Um,
it’s
a
metaphor.
Mostly.

31. How do we know who is who in Hindu
iconography?
• ANributes
• Mudras:
symbolic
hand
posi5ons
• Mudras
are
shared
with
Buddhism