Bull and Pasiphae

Minotaur

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull". He dwelt at the center of the Cretan Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction designed by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus, on the command of King Minos of Crete. The Minotaur was eventually killed by the Athenian hero Theseus. The term Minotaur derives from the Ancient Greek Μῑνώταυρος, a compound of the name Μίνως (Minos) and the noun ταύρος "bull", translated as "(the) Bull of Minos". In Crete, the Minotaur was known by its proper name, Asterion, a name shared with Minos' foster-father."Minotaur" was originally a proper noun in reference to this mythical figure. The use of "minotaur" as a common noun to refer to members of a generic race of bull-headed creatures developed much later, in 20th-century fantasy genre fiction.

After he ascended the throne of Crete, Minos competed with his brothers to rule. Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull, as a sign of support (the Cretan Bull). He was to kill the bull to show honor to Poseidon, but decided to keep it instead because of its beauty. He thought Poseidon would not care if he kept the white bull and sacrificed one of his own. To punish Minos, Aphrodite made Pasiphaë, Minos' wife, fall deeply in love with the bull. Pasiphaë had the archetypal craftsman Daedalus make a hollow wooden cow, and climbed inside it in order to mate with the white bull. The offspring was the monstrous Minotaur. Pasiphaë nursed him in his infancy, but he grew and became ferocious, being the unnatural offspring of man and beast, he had no natural source of nourishment and thus devoured man for sustenance. Minos, after getting advice from the oracle at Delphi, had Daedalus construct a gigantic labyrinth to hold the Minotaur. Its location was near Minos' palace in Knossos.

Now, compare this Greek story with Indian mythology:

Ref and Acknowledgements ---Sulekha.com --

http://indiapulse.sulekha.com/forums/coffeehouse_hindoos-and-incest

"Brahma desired his daughter and took the form of a stag to pursue her as a doe. The Brahmins called him to shame, and Rudra shot him with an arrow. The deer's head came away from Brahma's body and became a constellation in the sky. But then Gayatri and Sarasvati [the wives of Brahma] had no husband. They performed tapas for Siva, and he agreed to revive their husband, giving Brahma the four heads of Nandin and others of his hosts. Brahma arose and praised Siva." -- Skanda Purana 3:40:1-59.

More of Lord Brahma's (Prajapati's) incest:"Prajapati desired his daughter and made love to her. This was a sin in the eyes of the gods, who said to the god who rules over beasts [Pasupati, Rudra], 'He commits a sin, acting in this way towards his own daughter, our sister. Pierce him.' Rudra took aim and pierced him. Half his seed fell to the ground. The gods cured Prajapati and cut out Rudra's dart, for Prajapati is the sacrifice. -- Satapatha Brahmana 1:7:4:1-7.

Now, compare these mythology stories with IVC seal:

Ref--page.no.147 -- Book of Possehl, Gregory L. THE INDUS CIVILIZATION: A CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE.

The figure 8.7 in this page shows that the seal found from Chanhu Daro interpreted by F.R.Allchin --- This narration explains the idea of bull in mythology and it's connection to Vedas. This is another evidence for Indian mythology and religion's connection with Greece. He associates the "Bull" to the"God- Father" and female god lying down to mother goddess.This story refers to the heavenly bull (Star constellation - Taurus) and star Rohini, not the earthy story of Bull and Pasiphae. In ancient time there was always parallel stories of heaven and earth. What ever happened in Heaven happened in Earth also.This union between bull and Rohini (Star Aldebaran).