Ramayana-- Hindu Text

[TheoloJer]

I was reading required literature for my class Global Literature class, and I read somewhere in Yuddha 120,121, when Rama is approached by the Triune Hindu Gods (3 seperate hindu gods, no relation to the trinity of the Father, son and Holy Spirit), and Brahma the creators talks about Lord Narayana, proclaiming him to be the truth, eternal and the supreme dharma of the worlds.

A Believer may look at this and see a similar and compare it to Jesus Christ proclaiming himself as the ‘way, truth and the life’ in John 14:6.

I have to admit that I was a little surprised to see Narayana deemed as the truth, eternal and supreme-- but deep down, I believe that there’s something that seperates Jesus from this hindu epic (as good as this epic is).

Being that I started a similar thread about the texts of the Hymns of Aten, my core concern is this-- how does a believer like myself, when comparing the Ramayana ‘Yuddha’ to the Gospel of Christ.

I’m pretty sure a good starting point may be John 3:16 illustrating God’s love for the world and sharing himself, as his son, Jesus, to talk about eternal life.

 

[TheoloJer]

Wow-- already a day after I posted it and still no reply.

Come on folks. This should be an easy one to talk about.

 

[SteveVH]

…my core concern is this-- how does a believer like myself, when comparing the Ramayana ‘Yuddha’ to the Gospel of Christ.

You have asked an incomplete question. Maybe you need to re-phrase it because as it is no one knows what you’re really asking.

 

[TheoloJer]

I guess what I meant to ask was this—

because the Ramayana proclaims that Lord Narayana to be the truth and eternal and supreme dharma-- I’m curious how does a Christian counteract that when talking about Jesus’ role as the messiah-- the way the truth and the light.

I guess one general distinction is that Jesus came to partake in the suffering of the world and show himself as a light in the darkness, and to make known about his father’s business.

And being that he is the way, truth and light, he was talking about the pathway to heaven to be with the father-- that’s where John 3:16 comes in-- whoever remains in Christ, shall not perish, but have eternal life [in heaven].

You think this is a good starting point?

 

[Marybeloved]

I guess what I meant to ask was this—

because the Ramayana proclaims that Lord Narayana to be the truth and eternal and supreme dharma-- I’m curious how does a Christian counteract that when talking about Jesus’ role as the messiah-- the way the truth and the light.

I guess one general distinction is that Jesus came to partake in the suffering of the world and show himself as a light in the darkness, and to make known about his father’s business.

And being that he is the way, truth and light, he was talking about the pathway to heaven to be with the father-- that’s where John 3:16 comes in-- whoever remains in Christ, shall not perish, but have eternal life [in heaven].

You think this is a good starting point?

You don’t need to counteract it. At least for Catholics, we recognize that many elements of truth can be found in pagan cultures- this would be one of them. Christianity claims, as you pointed out, One God only, who is a Trinity of three persons (one being, not three beings/natures). It claims also like all major monotheistic faiths, a distinct separateness between Creator and creature (We are not pantheists and we are not God, we don’t share his being), and claims a singular unique incarnation- and this particular incarnation (Christ) is the only one there is (of God) and is the only way, truth and life.

So you may see lots of good things in Hinduism (I do- I used to love their myths and epics since I was a child) common with us, but there’s a lot that is uncommon too. Christianity is not Hinduism, Christ was not a pantheist, never went to India, He was a Jew- Christianity is a Jewish sect in fact. The presumptions and understandings that color the New Testament and Christ’s words are all Jewish in mindset, and we can’t honestly read pantheism into it when it’s the child of a decidedly non-pantheistic Jewish monotheism.

 

[billcu1]

I was reading required literature for my class Global Literature class, and I read somewhere in Yuddha 120,121, when Rama is approached by the Triune Hindu Gods (3 seperate hindu gods, no relation to the trinity of the Father, son and Holy Spirit), and Brahma the creators talks about Lord Narayana, proclaiming him to be the truth, eternal and the supreme dharma of the worlds.

A Believer may look at this and see a similar and compare it to Jesus Christ proclaiming himself as the ‘way, truth and the life’ in John 14:6.

I have to admit that I was a little surprised to see Narayana deemed as the truth, eternal and supreme-- but deep down, I believe that there’s something that seperates Jesus from this hindu epic (as good as this epic is).

Being that I started a similar thread about the texts of the Hymns of Aten, my core concern is this-- how does a believer like myself, when comparing the Ramayana ‘Yuddha’ to the Gospel of Christ.

I’m pretty sure a good starting point may be John 3:16 illustrating God’s love for the world and sharing himself, as his son, Jesus, to talk about eternal life.

Read about Rama’s ascension. That’s interesting. So is Krishna. Never had a physical body. Never aged or died.