Geography, asked by amoori425, 1 year ago

Why have the rivers been called as life – giving in Indian mythology?

Answers

Answered by faridkhann
1

Explanation:

Water has always been held as sacred in all of the

world’s religions. The current major religions

(Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and

Buddhism) lend it great importance.

In Judaism from the earliest times, the immersion ritual was

symbol of regeneration and purity, a way of finding unity

with original perfection. Also in early Christian baptism,

the first act of a believer’s life was total immersion in and

then reemergence from water, which had an extremely

powerful meaning. Indeed it symbolized death and rebirth,

the elimination of impurity and the guarantee of eternal

life. Water is also one of the symbols used to represent

the Holy Spirit. In early Christian art, the source of life

surrounded by peacocks is the symbol of immortality. For

Jews and Christians alike, the excess water sent by God in

the Universal Flood was also a bringer of death. The Islamic

religion has largely remained confined to an arid geographical

area where water is considered a precious gift, divinely sent

and which should be carefully managed. For Muslims too,

ritual bathing is of great importance, because it gives a state

of purity back to the believer. Cleansing and purification

with water is scrupulously carried out before entering a

mosque. According to Islamic teachings, no one can own or

possess water since it is a divine gift. The Koran also states

that whosoever pollutes water will be severely punished.

According to Buddhism, water is a symbol of purity and in

the Buddhist new year it is celebrated in a special rite. The

Hindus, who also have a tradition of purifying immersion in

water, believe the waters of the river Ganges are sacred, and

although the river is currently polluted, they still believe in

its powers for spiritual regeneration. But all this attention to

water and belief in its intrinsic sacredness is actually much

older than that linked to the main world religions of today.

From prehistoric times, humans venerated

gods and goddesses of water, both agricultural

and funerary, often with characteristics in

common. For early humans the source of

all life was the Mother Goddess from whose

underground womb all living creatures were

born. This Goddess was the goddess of the

Earth or Nature itself, she who could give or

take life and renew herself in the eternal cycle

of seasons and water, from death to rebirth.

The first evidence we have of this cult goes back to the

Middle Paleolithic, which began about 100,000 years ago,

when humans started using triangular tombstone symbols

in stone (symbol of the female reproductive organs) and dug

little cups into the stone to collect rainwater, life-giving fluid.

From the upper Paleolithic on, or from 40,000 years ago,

humans produced stone sculptures and rock engravings of

animals and female figures. Whole vases or fragments found

by archaeologists near to water sources in areas that are

not easily accessible are evidence that these waters were

probably considered sacred or magic, or that they had

healing properties, if drunk in loco, perhaps also due to the

mirror effect they produced. During the Neolithic period,

alongside circular ditches found in caves, (perhaps linked to

agrarian or funerary cults), there is archaeological evidence

of ritual manifestations in the presence of water. These finds

are located in particular near underground water, springs, or

other very idiosyncratic or unique water sources, like those

that are gaseous, sulphureus, or those full of residue that

over time is transformed into stalactites and stalagmites.

Later, during the Bronze Age, men tended not to consider

still waters sacred so much as running water, a common

Answered by Anonymous
0

Hello❤

Here is your answer ❤

  • The Ganges is said to purify the soul of negative karma, corporeal sins, and even impurities from previous lives
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