River

PROPHET MUHAMMAD IN HINDU SCRIPTURES



open your mind

http://openurmind.jeeran.com/hindu%20scriptures.htm


There Never Was A People Without A Warner
Allah's Covenant With Prophets
A Brief Introduction To Hindu Scriptures
Background To Prophecies
Prophecy In The Puranas
Prophecy In Kuntap Sukt (Atharva Veda)
More Prophecies In Atharva Veda
Prophecy In Sama Veda
Prophecy In Rig Veda
More Prophecies In Hindu Scriptures
No Compulsion In Religion





There Never Was A People Without A Warner



Qur'an 35:24
Verily We have sent thee (Muhammad) in truth as a bearer of glad tidings and as a warner:
And there never was a people without a warner having lived among them (in the past).


Qur'an 16:36
For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the Command) "Serve Allah and eshew Evil":
Of the people were some whom Allah guided and some on whom Error became inevitably (established).
So travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth).


Qur'an 4:164
And Messengers (Prophets who received revealed books) We have mentioned unto thee (Muhammad) before
And Messengers We have not mentioned unto thee;
And Allah spake directly unto Moses.
These verses of the Holy Qur’an testify that Allah (the One True God) has sent prophets to every people. Therefore, it is not surprising to Muslims to find prophecies about the Last Prophet, Muhammad (s), in previously revealed scriptures. Moreover, Allah had taken covenant with the Prophets to believe and help future Prophets of Allah, as indicated by the verse quoted below.




Allah's Covenant With Prophets



Qur'an 3:81-82
Behold! Allah took the covenant of the Prophets saying:
"I give you a Book and Wisdom; then comes to you an Apostle confirming what is with you; do ye believe him and render him help."
Allah said: "Do ye agree and take this My Covenant as binding on you?"
They said: "We agree."
He said: "Then bear witness and I am with you among the witnesses."
If any turn back after this they are perverted transgressors.



A Brief Introduction To Hindu Scriptures

The Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and Brahmanas Granth are the four sacred books in Hindu religion. The last one is a commentary on the Vedas, but it is considered as a revealed book. These books are in Sanskrit, the sacred language of the Hindus. The Vedas are divided into four books: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sam Veda and Atharva Veda. Of these, the first three books are considered the more ancient books, and the Rig Veda is the oldest of them. The Rig Veda was compiled in three long and different periods. Opinions greatly differ as to the date of compilation or revelation of the four Vedas. Swami Daya Nand, founder of the Arya Samaj, holds the opinion that the Vedas were revealed 1.3 billion years ago, while others (Hindu scholars and orientalists) hold the opinion that they are not more than four thousand years old. Analysis of the Vedas reveal differences in the accounts of the places where these books were revealed and the Rishis (Prophets) to whom these scriptures were given. Nevertheless, the Vedas are the most authentic scriptures of the Hindus.

The Upanishads are considered next to the Vedas in order of superiority and authenticity. However, some Pandits consider the Upanishads to be superior to the Vedas primarily from the internal evidence found in the Upanishads. Next in authenticity to the Upanishads are the Puranas. The Puranas are the most widely read of all Hindu Scriptures, as these are easily available (the Vedas are difficult to find). The compiler of the Puranas is Maha Rishi Vyasa, and he arranged the Puranas in eighteen volumes. These books contain the history of the creation of the universe, the history of the early Aryan people, and life stories of the divines and deities of the Hindus. The Puranas were either revealed simultaneously with the Vedas or some time before. The sanctity and reverence of the Puranas is admitted and recognized in all the authentic books of the Hindus.

For a long time, the Hindu Scriptures were primarily in the hands of Pandits and a small group of men who had learned Sanskrit (The majority of the Hindu population knew Hindi and could comprehend only a smattering of Sanskrit words). Sir William Jones, who was a Judge and founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal, learned Sanskrit in the last decade of the Eighteenth century. He was instrumental in generating interest in Sanskrit and Hindu Scriptures in Europe, and it was due to his efforts that the Hindu scriptures were translated into English.

In 1935, Dr. Pran Nath published an article in the Times of India that showed that the Rig Veda contains events of the Babylonian and Egyptian kings and their wars. Further, he showed that one-fifth of the Rig Veda is derived from the Babylonian Scriptures. From a Muslim perspective, it is likely that the Hindus were given a revealed book or books that contained description and struggles of Allah’s Prophets sent previously to other peoples. It is also possible that commentaries written about them were incorporated later and became a part of the revealed books.

There are a number of examples of these in Hindu scriptures. The Atharva Veda is also known as ‘Brahma Veda’ or in its meaning as the Devine Knowledge. An Analysis of the Vedas reveal that ‘Brahma’ is actually Abraham, where the initial letter A in Abraham is moved to the end making it Brahma. This analysis is accurate when one writes the two words in Arabic script, a language close to that spoken by Prophet Abraham. Similarly, Abraham’s first wife Sarah is mentioned in the Vedas as Saraswati, and Prophet Nuh (Noah of The Flood) is mentioned as Manuh or Manu. Some Pundits consider Atharva Veda as the Book of Abraham. Prophets Ismail (Ishmael) and Ishaq (Isaac) are named Atharva and Angira, respectively, in the Vedas.


Table 1




Brahma Abraham
Saraswati Sarah
Manu, Manuh Nuh





Background To Prophecies

It is well known that the Hindus love hero worship, and it is reasonable to assume that over a long period of time the high regard and reverence for some Prophets led to some of them considered as god or God. Further, it is likely that the Book of Abraham and those of other Prophets contained prophecies about the Last Prophet, Muhammad (s). Muslim historians of India hold the opinion that the graves of Prophets Sheesh and Ayyub (Job) are in Ayodhya, in the province of Uttar Pradesh, India. In ancient times, Ayodhya was known as Khosla according to Shatpath Brahmanas.

Some Pundits have now begun to reject the Puranas simply because they find in them many prophecies and vivid signs of the truth of Prophet Muhammad. A case has been made that the present Puranas are not the same collection that Vedas refer to and the real books were lost. Nevertheless, this contention is not correct. It is impossible that all the Puranas which were so widely read and keenly studied, could have fallen in oblivion and totally wiped out, whereas the Vedas, which only a few could read and understand, remained intact until now.

Another argument against the prophecies is that these were added to the Puranas at a later date. Nevertheless, this argument is also without a basis. Such a well-known book, in vast circulation and read at appointed times in prayers, cannot be easily tampered with. Moreover, all the Pandits and the learned divines of the Hindus could not have conspired and secretly added these prophecies to the Puranas. The most strange thing is that the corruption is made in favor of the Prophet and against their own religion.

All major books of the Hindus prophesy about Prophet Mohammad. In addition to many of his qualities, his life events, Abraham, Ka'bah, Bakkah (Makkah) and Arabia, the prophecies mention his name as Mahamad, Mamah, and Ahmad. The name Mahamad appears in the Puranas, Mamah in Kuntap Sukt (in Atharva Veda) and Ahmad in Sama Veda. Many different classifications as to the degree of importance of the Vedas have been made. For example, in Shatpath it is stated that Sama Veda is the essence of all the Vedas. At another place in Taitttriya Brahmana, it is stated that “This world was created from Brahma, the Vaishas were created from the mantras of the Rig Veda, the Kashtriyas were created from Yajur Veda and Brahmans were created from Sama Veda.”



Prophecy In The Puranas

The compiler of the Puranas, Mahrishi Vyasa, is highly honored among the Hindus as a great rishi and learned person. He was a pious and God fearing man. He also wrote the Gita and the Maha Bharat. Among the eighteen volumes of the Puranas is one by the title ‘Bhavishya Puran,’ literally meaning future events. The Hindus regard it as the Word of God. The prophecy containing Prophet Muhammad by name is found in Prati Sarg Parv III: 3, 3, Verse 5.

Before the English translation is presented, a note on the word Malechha that appears in the first part of verse 5 is in order. The word Malechha means a man belonging to a foreign country and speaking foreign language. This word is now used to degrade people meaning unclean or even worse. Its usage varies and depends on who is using it and for whom. Sir William Jones had great difficulty in recruiting a Pundit to teach him Sanskrit because he was considered unclean (Malechha). It was only after the direct intervention of Maharaja (King) Shiv Chandra that Pundit Ram Lochna agreed to teach him Sanskrit.

It is not known when this word began to be used in the derogatory sense, whether before the advent of Prophet Muhammad (s), after the conversion of Hindu King Chakrawati Farmas (of Malabar, located on the southwest coast of India) to Islam during the lifetime of the Prophet, soon after the arrival of Muslims in India (711 CE) or sometime later. Mahrishi Vyasa, the compiler of the Puranas, has defined a wise Malechha as “a man of good actions, sharp intellect, spiritual eminence, and showing reverence to the deity (God).

Many Sanskrit words have borrowed from Arabic and Hebrew with a slight change as was shown in the examples of Brahma, Saraswati and Manu, and as indicated in Table 2 below. It appears that this word is derived from the Hebrew word Ma-Hekha (), which means thy brethren (e.g., And he (Ishmael) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. Genesis 16:12; i.e., Ismaelites are the brethren of the Israelites). In the context of Biblical scriptures this word meant a descendant of Prophet Ismail (Ishmael), and it is well known that Muhammad (s) is a descendant of Prophet Ismail through his second son Kedar. Those who can read Arabic Script can easily see that a mistake in separating Ma from Hekha will produce a single word ‘Malhekha,’ and when adapted in another tongue like Sanskrit might sound like Malechha.

Table 2






The Sanskrit text and translation of Verse 5 of Bhavishya Puran, Prati Sarg Parv III: 3, 3 are given below. (The boxed area in the Sanskrit text identifies the word Mahamad or Mohammad)



A malechha (belonging to a foreign country and speaking foreign language) spiritual teacher will appear with his companions. His name will be Mahamad...


The translation of Verses 5-27 (Sanskrit text of the Puranas, Prati Sarg Parv III: 3, 3) is presented below from the work of Dr. Vidyarthi.



“A malechha (belonging to a foreign country and speaking foreign language) spiritual teacher will appear with his companions. His name will be Mahamad. Raja (Bhoj) after giving this Mahadev Arab (of angelic disposition) a bath in the 'Panchgavya' and the Ganges water, (i.e. purging him of all sins) offered him the presents of his sincere devotion and showing him all reverence said, 'I make obeisance to thee.' 'O Ye! the pride of mankind, the dweller in Arabia, Ye have collected a great force to kill the Devil and you yourself have been protected from the malechha opponents (idol worshipers, pagans).' ‘O Ye! the image of the Most Pious God the biggest Lord, I am a slave to thee, take me as one lying on thy feet.'
“The Malechhas have spoiled the well-known land of the Arabs. Arya Dharma is not to be found in that country. Before also there appeared a misguided fiend whom I had killed [note: e.g., Abraha Al-Ashram, the Abyssinian viceroy of Yemen, who attacked Mecca]; he has now again appeared being sent by a powerful enemy. To show these enemies the right path and to give them guidance the well-known Mahamad (Mohammad), who has been given by me the epithet of Brahma is busy in bringing the Pishachas to the right path. O Raja! You need not go to the land of the foolish Pishachas, you will be purified through my kindness even where you are. At night, he of the angelic disposition, the shrewd man, in the guise of a Pishacha said to Raja Bhoj, "O Raja! Your Arya Dharma has been made to prevail over all religions, but according to the commandments of ‘Ashwar Parmatma (God, Supreme Spirit), I shall enforce the strong creed of the meat-eaters. My follower will be a man circumcised, without a tail (on his head), keeping beard, creating a revolution, announcing call for prayer and will be eating all lawful things. He will eat all sorts of animals except swine. They will not seek purification from the holy shrubs, but will be purified through warfare. Because of their fighting the irreligious nations, they will be known as Musalmans (Muslims). I shall be the originator of this religion of the meat-eating nation."




More Prophecies In Hindu Scriptures

The Vedas contain many prophecies about Prophet Muhammad. Some European and Hindu translators of the Vedas have removed the name referring to the Prophet, while others have tried to explain away the mantras (verses) on his life events, Ka’bah, Makkah, Medinah, Arabia, and other events using the terminology of the Hindus, such as purification rituals, and lands and rivers in India. Some mantras containing prophecies are inter-mixed with explanatory phrases, and it may be that these were commentaries and explanatory notes on the prophecies, which later became a part of the prophecy.

Several prophecies are found in Atharva Veda: (1) XX: 21, Mantras 6, 7, and 9, (2) XX: 137, Mantras 7 through 9, and (3) X: 2, Mantras 26, 27, 29, 30, and 32. Similarly, in Rig Veda, additional prophecies are found in: (1) VII: 96, Mantras 13 through 16, and (2) I: 53, Mantras 6 and 9. Finally, a prophecy is found in Sama Veda III: 10, Mantra 1. These are a sample of many prophecies. The serious reader may want to refer to scholarly work of Dr. A.H. Vidyarthi, entitled “Mohammad in World Scriptures,” 1990. This book explains the Hindu terminology used in the Mantras and the meaning and usage of certain words and phrases from within the Vedas and other Hindu Scriptures.




__________________________________________________ _____________________________________

No Compulsion In Religion



Qur'an 2:256
There is no compulsion in religion.
The right direction is henceforth distinct from error.
And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break.
Allah is Hearer, Knower.








Allah: Allah is the proper name of the One True God, creator and sustainer of the universe, who does not have a partner or associate, and He did not beget nor was He begotten. The word Allah is used by the Arab Christians and Jews for The God (Eloh-im in Hebrew; 'Allaha' in Aramaic, the mother tongue of Jesus). The word ALLAH does not have a plural or gender.


pbuh: Peace Be Upon Him. This expression is used for all Prophet of Allah. Abreviations derived from Arabic words are (s) and (as).


ra: Radiallahu Anhu (May Allah be pleased with him).


TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT: http://cyberistan.org/islamic/prophhs.html#warner

hinduwoman

Usual muslim propaganda and poor Rivers being a good muslim relied entirely on a religious website instead of doing research himself. how nice that I have already put up a webpage to save myself the bother of refuting again and again.

http://www.hindunet.com/home/social_...n/muhammad.htm

just some samples ---

(a) Brahma, the Creator in the Hindu Trinity, is declared to be actually Abraham. The initial letter A in Abraham has apparently been moved to the end making it Brahma. We are told "This analysis is accurate when one writes the two words in Arabic script, a language close to that spoken by Prophet Abraham". This immediately raises the problem of what language Abraham actually spoke and also that "a language close to that spoken" is not the same thing as the actual language. Also since the analysis is based on only phonetic similarity and on changing the position of the alphabets, the Hindus can with equal justice claim that Ramadan/Ramazan is actually a corruption of 'Ramanavami'.

Not only that, let us take a look at the linguistic root of Brahma. The term Brah comes from the root Bri which means "to worship, to select, to surround". When an h is added to Bri it becomes Briha meaning to "increase, to grow". By addition of 'an', we have the word Brahman who in Hinduism is the Supreme God. Brahman thus is the original word. Brahman is without form, without gender and cannot be plural. The cosmos came into being by its will alone. When Brahman is imagined as a masculine being engaged in the act of creation, then it is called Brahma. When Brahman is imagined as a feminine being who is the source of energy without which the act of creation cannot take place, then it is called Brahmani. Brahma thus has nothing to do with Abraham (incidentally we can also claim that Abraham comes from Brahma), but comes from Brahman and is clearly the God of creation/the creative aspect of God and not a human.

(b) "Similarly, Abraham’s first wife Sarah is mentioned in the Vedas as Saraswati". This again depends on mere phonetic similarity. Unfortunately, when we study the Rigvedic verses we see that Saraswati was actually a river. There is great dispute as to where this river was, but there is no doubt that it is a river. Rigveda again and again declare it to be a river with descriptions of flowing down from the mountains into the sea and it is worshipped as a river-goddess. Later on, somehow or other she became the goddess of learning as well. It was only in the Middle Ages that she became the consort of Brahma. In the Vedas, she is definitely not Brahma's wife. Unless one is willing to grant that the Sara of the Bible was originally a river, one cannot see any connection between the two.

( c ) "Noah or Nuh is mentioned as Manuh or Manu." The only similarity between the two characters lies in their stories. Like Noah Manu too was saved by God during the Flood. But this proves nothing except that there was perhaps a worldwide flood. Moreover, the rest of the story simply do not match: Manu had no ark (only a boat towed by God in the form of a fish) and definitely no kind of animals with him to repopulate the world. Not only that, Manu is a generic name for 14 sovereigns of the world in the myths and there is a female Manu as well who is the Mother of mankind (Manava > children of Manu (fem.) )

(d) Similarly, it is argued that 'Maleccha' (unclean ones) come from Hebrew word "Ma-Hekha which means 'thy brethren'. (e.g., And he (Ishmael) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. Genesis 16:12; i.e., Ismaelites are the brethren of the Israelites). This word therefore means a descendant of Ishmael, and it is well known that Muhammad (s) is a descendant of Prophet Ismail through his second son Kedar. Those who can read Arabic Script can easily see that a mistake in separating Ma from Hekha will produce a single word ‘Malhekha,’ and when adapted in another tongue like Sanskrit might sound like Malechha". Again this relies on the belief that ancient Hindus knew Hebrew and had read the version of the Bible, as we find it today. Linguistically, the term comes from 'mlech', meaning to speak indistinctly, barbarously. So 'mlechha' came to mean those who could not speak the Vedic language, those who are outside Hindu society. The term is definitely ancient since it is found in Vedas.



3. The third argument draws heavily from what is known as Bhavishya Purana or Book of Prophecies. Prati Sarg Parv III: 3, 3, verses 5-27 give detailed descriptions of Mohammed's doings, the establishment of the new religion and even gets the Prophet's name right. So we immediately come to the question of how authentic this book is. According to most scholars, this book is a work of compilation that went on through centuries, with the writers pretending to pass off historical knowledge as prophecies of the future. The writer argues, "A case has been made that the present Puranas are not the same collection that Vedas refer to and the real books were lost". I would be very astonished if any Hindu had actually made such a claim, because it is common knowledge that Puranas were written after the Vedas and the Vedas never mention any Purnanas. However this allows Mr. Haq to set up an useful non-existent strawman for him to demolish. He also argues that materials could not have been added in later dates because Puranas were read in public and so could not have been altered. However, only the more popular stories from the 18 Puranas were read in assemblies and Bhavishya Purana is a text that was seldom read out in public. Even if we accept the book as authentic, two questions arise. One is, why does the book contain prophecies only till Victoria's reign? Why did God suddenly decide to suspend his revelations at that particular moment? Surely it would have been more proper to continue it (even through Muslim holy men) or to end all such prophecies with the emergence of Islam and the 'perfect' Book of Koran which was to replace all others. Secondly, the Purana is filled with stories of the doings of various gods and concludes that the only god who is worthy of worship is the Surya, the sun-god. If the book is authentic then all such stories are also true and therefore it is the sun we must worship. However, most Muslims have not read the whole book; those who have, argue that all such portions are corruptions. But Hindus can too use such pick-and-choose methods by declaring that it is the portions relating to Islam which are degenerations.

"Kuyang ang nam kutsitang bhavati taddopatti , tasmat [from there] Kuntap" --- the letters k, u, n, t, a, p all come from the Sanskrit words in the definition. (I have used Roman alphabets for the ordinary reader, though the pronunciation is not absolutely accurately transcribed thereby). Also, another term for the Kuntap sukt is left out. It is also called 'Khila-parva' meaning supplement; these verses are taken mostly from the Rig-Veda and are not considered to be of any great importance. Indeed many translations skip this chapter altogether, which no doubt Dr. Vidyarthi felt can only help his cause.

"Disseminate the truth, O ye who glorifies [Ahmad], disseminate the truth, just as a bird sings on a ripe fruited tree. Thy lips and tongue move swiftly like the sharp blade of a pair of shears. [The Prophet’s state when he received revelation through Archangel Jibril (Gabriel)].

Again, the standard translation is "Glut thee o singer, glut thee, like a bird on a ripefruited tree".However, the term 'narasansha' which is translated as singer, can also mean someone who praises. Apparently this version is relied on, so that it can be equated with Ahmad.



7. Sing the high praise of the king of the world or the Light of the Universe, who is a god and the best among men. He is a guide to all people and gives shelter to everyone. [Prophet Mohammed's qualities].

The standard translation is, "Sing the praise of Pariksit, the sovereign whom all people love, the king who ruleth over all, excelling mortals as a god". The name Parikshit is definitely mentioned. Parikshit is the name of a king of the Kaurava line, though it cannot be ascertained whether this is the same king mentioned in Mahabharata. However, this name is left out. Apparently even the writer's imagination has a hard time trying to prove that Parikshit is another name for Muhammad.

8. He who affords shelter to everybody, gave peace to the world, as soon as he mounted the throne. Men in Kuru-land are talking of his peace-making at the time of the building of the house. [Kuru means one who protects a house in Hebrew and Kore means a house. It refers to the first house of worship, the Ka’bah. In this sense, Kuru-land means the land of Koreish. This Mantra refers to the rebuilding of the Kabah five years before Mohammed's prophethood and his role in peace-making when each tribe of the Koreish (Quraish) wanted the sole honor to put the Black Stone at its right place and disputed to the point of threats to fight each other. The Black Stone is a celestial material and is the only remaining part of the original building material of the Ka'bah].

Standard translation: "Mounting his throne Parikshit best of all hath given us peace and rest, saith a Kaurava to his wife as he is ordering his house". A Kaurava is a member of the Kuru clan, descended from Kuru, whatever may be its meaning in Hebrew. Also why are the specific terms husband (pati) and wife (jaya) left out? I am sure the writer could have found some hidden significance in them as well, if only he had worked hard.



12. Cows, horses and men multiply and increase here, because here rules the one who is bountiful and splendidly generous who gives thousands in charity and sacrifice. [qualities of the Last Prophet].

Here another reference to a pagan god is left out : "Here cows! increase and multiply, here ye o horses, here o men. Here with a thousand rich rewards doth Pusan [sun god] also seat himself".

Then the writer quotes a verse from Sama Veda, II:6,8: "Ahmad acquired religious law (Shariah) from his Lord. This religious law is full of wisdom. I receive light from him just as from the sun." He gets the translation almost right with a peculiarly Islamic twist. The proper translation is, "I from my Father have obtained deep knowledge of eternal Law; I was born like unto the Sun". As for 'Ahmad', once again it is a typical example of sleight-of-hand like Mamah. The actual Sanskrit term is 'ahammiddhi' , 'aham' meaning 'I'.

However, the climax comes in this assertion: "The Vedas contain many prophecies about Prophet Muhammad. Some European and Hindu translators of the Vedas have removed the name referring to the Prophet, while others have tried to explain away the mantras (verses) on his life events, Ka’bah, Makkah, Medinah, Arabia, and other events using the terminology of the Hindus, such as purification rituals, and lands and rivers in India". In other words, explain what scholars might like, our good Islamic Sanskrit scholar knows that they would be lies. He operates under the assumption that anyone who tries to refute him is by the very definition a liar. This assertion is a wonderful way of not having to face the truth. (Of course I personally believe that Haq's book is not meant for either the Hindu or the serious scholar; it is targeted at the Muslims to strengthen their faith).


:banghead: :banghead:

Sarpedon

To Hindu woman's excellent refutation from scripture, I will add a small scientific note:

The Saraswati river has in fact been identified. It is currently a small trickle, rather than the large, great river once descibed. Geologists have determined that around 6,000 years ago there was a major earthquake in the Indian Subcontinent that caused the watershed to move. Archaeological evidence shows abandoned settlements and submerged cities in this area that met their end at about that time. Before that, the river was a large river that sustained a thriving civilization. Therefore, we can say that at least the oral parts of the Vedas were composed prior to 4000 BC. (one of the submerged cities found may date back thousands of years earlier) This is long before "Arab Script" or any similar language existed. The only written languages of that time in the middle east were sumerian and a primitive form of egyptian hieratic. I don't know exactly when Arabic script was devised, but since it uses SANSKRIT numerals (what we call arabic numerals are actually from India) I think it is clear that the the arabic was developed after the sanskrit. Perhaps the two are even related.

Second, the claim that words in arabic are related to sanskrit is similarly absurd, as the two languages are in different language families. (sanskrit being Indo-European, while arabic is Semitic) Concidental similarities in sounds mean nothing. (I suggest you see the funny names you have encountered in real life thread in the humor section, there are many examples) Do I suggest that Shiva is really a god of agriculture because his name resembles sheeve? (as in a sheeve of corn) Or that Vishnu is a Fish god? (yes, I know)

Finally, Bramha is a god, whereas abraham is a man. how can it be that someone who in one culture is the servant of a god, gets transformed into that god himself? and where do the other gods of the hindu pantheon come from?

This speculation is as amusing as those people who suggest that the Mayans were related to the egyptians, just because they both built pyramids.

River

The Character of Brahma is based on the actual character Abraham. Brahma is also prophecized as the coming of Abraham.

It is not totally clear whether Kalki Avatar is Prophet Muhammad or the character Imam Mahdi ( the archetypal Elijah) which will come in the future.

lpetrich

The only similarity is in the sounds of the words. A supreme god != a man, even one that is a prophet.

Also, in response to Sarpedon's points, the Saraswati river is likely a river in the Arachosia area of east Afghanistan (Old Persian Harauvati).

And here is a link to Michael Witzel's home page. He advocates in detail the non-Hindu-nationalist view of the Aryan Invasion Theory -- that it's no fundamentally different from the Anglo-Saxon-Jute Invasion Theory of England.

lpetrich

As to Indo-European-Semitic comparisons, words can often be borrowed -- especially names. So the travels of words like "Abraham" and "Brahma" would not be affected by the family relationships of langauges.

But there is a more basic vocabulary that tends not to get borrowed; this can be used to determine ancestry. With the help of grammatical features, that is how Indo-European and Semitic were recognized.

River

I would not be surprised if many hindu "gods" were indeed islamic Prophets...There's a good deal of evidence for this...

We must remember that it isnt a clear relationship ...its not like A goes to B . B goes to C.....

Things are alot more complex. However, you are free to differ.

River

-Sarpadon

Its quite common that gods in one relgion are man in another....i.e Jesus a god in Christianity is a Prophet in Islam....Enoch a man /Prophet in Islam/Christianity is the archetype for the mythological gods Hermes/ Osiris derived from "enkii" which literally has the same meaning for both.

-Ipetrach

damn, must you always play devils advocate....

hinduwoman

Rivers, you have not refuted any of the points I made. first do that instead of repeating that everything is Islamic history.

Sarpedon

First of all, River, I don't accept your claim that enoch=Osiris. The Egyptian culture is far older than the hebrew culture, any similarities between the two is probably due to hebrew borrowing from egyptian. Second of all, Hermes is never identified with Osiris. He is usually identified with Anubis. Get your gods straight. You have not yet answered my objection of age.

Second, Though jesus is a god in one religion, and becomes a prophet in a later religion, this is unlike a prophet of one religion becoming a god in another religion. Usually, it is prophets of one religion that get converted into gods of the same religion. Jesus becomes the god of Jews, Mary becomes a christian goddess, etc. That a prophet of one religion would become a deity of another religion, half a world away, seems strange and silly.

In general, don't merely assert. Provide evidence and reasoned arguments.