A request

[satay]

namaskar,

I would like to raise an issue that might seem like a very small issue, nonetheless, here it is.

I have seen several of us using the word 'mythology' when speaking of puranas or other hindus texts. In my opinion, we should use the more correct word 'Theology' instead.

Mythology implies that the vedic texts, stories are myths.

Thoelogy on dictionary.com is defined as

1. the field of study and analysis that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe; study of divine things or religious truth; divinity.
2. a particular form, system, branch, or course of this study.

Vedic system is the most advanced system of studying and analysing GOD and God's attributes. The system is not a myth and thus it is not mythology.

Vedic system is 'Thoelogy' in every sense of the word.

Just a request...

[Agnideva]

Namaskar Satay,

Yes, you are right. I know we (particularly I) inadvertently use the term "mythology" sometimes when referring to Puranic literature. By this I do not mean to imply that there is any falsehood in them. Most certainly the Puranic literature is replete with theology, and that is what we are to extract from reading and understanding this body of literature, imho.

OM Shanti,
A.

[Ganeshprasad]

namaskar,

I would like to raise an issue that might seem like a very small issue, nonetheless, here it is.

I have seen several of us using the word 'mythology' when speaking of puranas or other hindus texts. In my opinion, we should use the more correct word 'Theology' instead.

Mythology implies that the vedic texts, stories are myths.


Just a request...

Pranam Satay

your request is most reasonable and welcome.

What you term as small issue I think in my mind it is a fundamental attack on our dharma to term the puranas as 'myth'. Granted some of the stuff in it, we can not comprehend and some of it has been interpolated. But on the whole it forms a very important part in our dharma, it is the history of our past. So to term them as myth and follow the western propoganda we allow ourself to be rediculed.

Jai Shree Krishna

[sarabhanga]

Myth is a legendary or stylized narrative, usually of a theme that expresses the ideology of a culture.

Myth is a way the unknowable can be understood ~ a device to think with, i.e. a way in which reality is classified and organized.

And myth is a type of speech, so that everything can be a myth, provided it is conveyed by a discourse.

What is Myth?

[satay]

Pranam Satay

your request is most reasonable and welcome.

What you term as small issue I think in my mind it is a fundamental attack on our dharma to term the puranas as 'myth'. Granted some of the stuff in it, we can not comprehend and some of it has been interpolated. But on the whole it forms a very important part in our dharma, it is the history of our past. So to term them as myth and follow the western propoganda we allow ourself to be rediculed.

Jai Shree Krishna

namaskar,

My sentiments exactly! It is glad to see at least one Hindu with the same feelings, confirms that I am not alone in this madness.

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Satay,

I suppose you understand myth ONLY as "a completely misrepresented conception". Why be so strict? Surely it is only a problem when that negative meaning is actually intended.

[Nuno Matos]

A myth is something that as free himself from the grip of history. It´s a narrative or a tale produced in out of time (sidhi time). It´s a non linear intimate conception of reality. So it has the same scatological effect on it`s listener`s that it had on it`s producers. Only someone in debt or scared with the here to come may want to take the myth and make him into history. Such a person should find a good guru and understand that what is really occidental mainstream thought it`s historicism not the contrary.


Nuno

[saidevo]

Hindu Puranas speak of the history of Bharat over the four yugas of perhaps several manvantaras and kalpas. They of course contain stories but it is mostly history as the very term purana indicates. Kanchi Paramacharya said that by researching the Puranas and the Stala Puranas the correct history of Bharat can be written.

Swami Prakashananda in his Website http://www.encyclopediaofauthentichi...e_writings.htm says:

"But the descriptions of our Puranas, Upnishads and the other scriptures are not only the happenings of the material plane, they also include the happenings of the Divine and the celestial dimensions. This is the reason that sometimes they don’t fit within the conceptual framework of a material mind."

In addition to the narrow meaning of the term mythology, I think Hindus should also avoid using the term 'idol' and use 'icon' in its place, which has the additional meaning 'a representation', and remains somewhat equivalent to the Sanskrit term 'murti' or 'pratima'.

[sarabhanga]

In addition to the narrow meaning of the term mythology …

I have tried to show that mythology does NOT actually have a narrow negative meaning, only that it must refer to an oral tradition.

In Greek, muthos is anything delivered by word of mouth, word, or speech; a speech in the public assembly; talk or conversation; counsel or advice, a command, an order, and also a promise; the subject of speech, or the thing or matter itself; a resolve, purpose, design, or plan; a saying or proverb; the talk of men, and thus rumor.

muthos > mythos > mythus > myth

Myth is a tale, a story, or a narrative; a traditional or recurrent narrative theme or pattern; a standard plot in literature; or a traditional story providing an explanation for or embodying a popular idea concerning some natural or social phenomenon or some religious belief or ritual.

And a myth may be an idealized or exaggerated, or even (though not necessarily) a completely misrepresented, conception.

Myth is a legendary or stylized narrative, usually of a theme that expresses the ideology of a culture.

Myth is a way the unknowable can be understood ~ a device to think with, i.e. a way in which reality is classified and organized.

And myth is a type of speech, so that everything can be a myth provided it is conveyed by a discourse.

“the descriptions of our Puranas, Upanishads and the other scriptures are not only the happenings of the material plane, they also include the happenings of the Divine and the celestial dimensions. This is the reason that sometimes they don’t fit within the conceptual framework of a material mind.”

And this is the very reason that they have often been conveyed in a mythic narrative!


Icon comes from the Greek eikōn, meaning “likeness, similitude, or image”.
Idol comes from the Greek eidōlon, meaning “form, shape, or image”.

An icon may be a portrait or picture, a statue, or even a realistic description in writing.
An icon is “a sign with some factor in common with the object it represents”.

An idol is “an image or representation of a god or divinity used as an object of worship”.
An idol may be any object of extreme devotion, but especially a statue.

Both terms indicate “a likeness”, and (so far) both are entirely applicable, although idol has more exactly the meaning of mūrti.

In Christianity, however, the term icon is used for “an image of Jesus or a holy person that is venerated in the Orthodox Church”, whereas an idol is “a false god”, and thus “a counterfeit, sham, impostor, or pretender”, “an image without substance, a reflection, or a phantom”, “a fantasy, a false conception, a misleading notion or fallacy”.

An icon is a Christian (thus, and only for this reason, “true”) image, while an idol is a non-Christian (thus “false”) image.

[Ganeshprasad]

Pranam all
Definition of myth in oxford dictionary
Myth n. Fictitious (primitive) tale, usu. involving supernatural persons, embodying some popular idea concerning natural or historical phenomena; fictitious person or object.


Myth is used in everyday life as some thing false and this is what I am concerned about there is no positive use of this word in general use.

If I may use an example for instance gay was use to mean merry: full of light-heartedness and merriment
but now the use of the word is commonly know for, attracted to same sex: relating to sexual attraction or activity among members of the same sex.

I would prefer puranas to be just that, it means history and just as Saidevo ji has explained very nicely that it is history not just for this yugas but perhaps several manvantaras and kalpas.

There is no room in my mind, doubt or give even a small credence that puranas are myth i.e. fictitious.

Jai Shree Krishna