Dear Vassilinki ,
Please refer to earlier discussion on Dionysus ---
i was under the impression --- his characters were similar to Hercules---
but, i have changed the opinion, after reading your article --- he is more like shiva ---
I was under the impression that Dionysus was the Greek precursor of Krishna. But, deeper analysis of character and life events of Dionysus shows that he was the Greek format of Hindu God Shiva. Now, let us consider some of the characters of Dionysus. Generally he is known as the wine God, similarly Shiva is a kind of vagabond with drinking habits. Consider the strange animals that pulls the cart of Dionysus and strange creatures that follow him. They look similar to "shiva Ganas", who come all kind of shapes and animal shapes. (These animal figures ---themselves may be indicating various constellations ---with animal motifs)
Coming to the issue of dismembering of Dionysus by Titans on the direction of Hera. It is a common mythological story in all regions, In Egypt Osiris (Son -Horus) was dismembered by his brother, who was resurrected by his wife later. But, in the story of Dionysus he is resurrected by Rhea (his grand mother)---similar story in Shiva to be traced out. This dismembering indicates the various body parts used for astronomical identification of various constellations. Earlier Kalan (Shiva) was recognised in full form as sky god. Later various body parts were used for this identification purpose. This original story is lost and priests remembered only body parts. Consider that 12 temples were built in 12 different places were 12 body parts of Osiris (Son -Horus) were thrown by Seth (His elder brother). These 12 temples idea of ancient Egypt is similar to the idea of 9 temples dedicated to 9 planets at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. http://www.londonsrimurugan.org/pdf/Navagraha.pdf
bye ---rjk
Osiris and Dionysus
(Analysis of Vassiliki):-
This sacrament with the drinking of the blood and the body of the sacrificed god also existed in the pre-christian Dionysian mysteries. This sacrament consisted of red sweet wine and bread. A name of the sacrificed Dionysus is Saimon that means bloody. A name of Indra in RV is Usra that means "rising light"and it is a reference of Resurrection It has the same etymological root with Osiris. Dionysus as an embryo was sewed in the thigh of his father Dias. that is why he is called sewed.The same story exists in RV. it may have eschatological meaning A reference in Apocalypse says that the new name of Jesus will be written on his thigh. In RV is often referred in Indra hymns that he is sewed in a thigh. ----------Vassiliki
The fabulous story about Dionysus in India has some evidence. It is written that he entered to India riding on a tiger. It is a historical fact that this time around 6.000-6.500 B.C horses were not yet in use by the humanity . In Greece they always depict Dionysus on a tiger. It is written on Greek Mythology that because he passed the river Tigris on a tiger the river got its name. Tiger in Greek is Tigris. Even though in Greece there were never tigers. Only in central Asia. In Indus valley seals, there is a picture of a centaur, who is half man half tiger. Another element that agrees to the historical fact. In Greece as well as in Middle Eastern civilizations, the illustrations depict Dionysos riding on a Donkey. In Indus seals there exist pictures of donkeys that were in use this time. Dionysos is never depicted on a horse, an element that refers to the chronological period he lived.
In ancient Greek philosophy, the centaur symbolizes the domination of the divine part of the human soul, the Logos(Sanskrit. Loc ). symbolized by the human figure, on the lower part of the human soul that includes the inclination to evil, symbolized by the animal. When humanity started using the horses some millenniums later, the centaur changed from tiger to horse. Greek: Kentauros. Sanskrit Gandharva. Whether this Dionysus was Greek or Indian even the ancient Greek writers don't know exactly. In Puranas exists the name Diunysa with the same meaning as in Greek: "Daynight" It means the divine light been born by the primordial night, or in microcosm the enlightenment of human mind.--------------Vassiliki
Comments of Jeyakumar Ramasami :-
This above given views of Vassiliki needs some explanation and correction. She had given the information that in ancient times Dionysus was depicted as riding the "Tiger" or "Donkey". This tiger riding depiction means that he was representing "Leo Constellation"(August -September) or "Canis Major"(April -May) in ancient calendar scheme. But riding a donkey means "Horse Constellation" (Pegasus)(March -April). Both are distinctly different, it needs to be clarified further.
She had given some philosophical explanation for these "Tiger riding" simile ( analogy, metaphor) , but my experience shows that there is nothing philosophical about these depictions, they were merely calendar events indicating months in ancient calendar. Similarly, Centaur also indicates a star constellation "Sagittarius". Which again indicate the month of December - January in modern calendar.
Explanation on Soma and Shiva
(Analysis of Vassiliki):-
Identification of Dionysus and Shiva. But I think that Shiva is a development of Soma or one of the names of Soma that are forgotten by the later literature. Soma is the blood of the sacrificed god of Vedas. It may mean also his body. In Greek saima is the blood and Soma is the body. Our Christian Orthodox priest when he performs the bloodless sacrifice on the holly altar( he sacrifices bread and wine),he says: Let us drink Christ's Saima and Soma That means Christ's blood and body.
I read in RV that the priest when offering the Soma was telling: Lets us drink Soma, our beloved god's nectar and dismembered body to unite ourselves with him(RV 2,36,5/ RV 10,37,11-12/ RV,8,96,21). This sacrament by the Christians is experienced as a marriage with Christ. The same way this sacrament was experienced by RV(as I noticed the early Vedic sacrifice was also bloodless, that means no sacrifice of animals but only of cereal products). One of the basic names of Dionysus is Eirafiotis that means Sewed. Soma has the name Uravya that means the same. Siva in ancient Sanskrit means also sewed.