Which one of the following is not related to the Harappan religious belief system?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Rudra
Option (1) Proto Shiva — Related. On some seals, a figure seated cross-legged in a “yogic” posture, sometimes surrounded by animals, has been regarded as “proto-Shiva”, an early form of one of the major deities of Hinduism.
Option (2) Rudra — Not related. Rudra is a god named in the Rigveda (compiled c. 1500-1000 BCE), a name used for Shiva in later Puranic traditions. Rudra in the Rigveda is neither depicted as Pashupati nor as a yogi, so the “proto-Shiva” seals do not match the description of Rudra.
Option (3) Mother goddess — Related. Terracotta figurines of women, heavily jewelled, some with elaborate head-dresses, were regarded as mother goddesses.
Option (4) Priest-Kings — Related. Rare stone statuary of men in an almost standardised posture, such as the “priest-king”, was also classified as having a religious significance.
NCERT (2026-27): “11.2 Problems of interpretation … The problems of archaeological interpretation are perhaps most evident in attempts to reconstruct religious practices. Early archaeologists thought that certain objects which seemed unusual or unfamiliar may have had a religious significance. These included terracotta figurines of women, heavily jewelled, some with elaborate head-dresses. These were regarded as mother goddesses. Rare stone statuary of men in an almost standardised posture, seated with one hand on the knee – such as the ‘priest-king’ – was also similarly classified.… 11.2 Problems of interpretation … Attempts have also been made to reconstruct religious beliefs and practices by examining seals, some of which seem to depict ritual scenes. Others, with plant motifs, are thought to indicate nature worship. Some animals – such as the one-horned animal, often called the ‘unicorn’ – depicted on seals seem to be mythical, composite creatures. In some seals, a figure shown seated cross-legged in a ‘yogic’ posture, sometimes surrounded by animals, has been regarded as a depiction of ‘proto-Shiva’, that is, an early form of one of the major deities of Hinduism. Besides, conical stone objects have been classified as lingas.… 11.2 Problems of interpretation … Let us look, for instance, at the ‘proto-Shiva’ seals. The earliest religious text, the Rigveda (compiled c. 1500-1000 BCE) mentions a god named Rudra, which is a name used for Shiva in later Puranic traditions (in the first millennium CE ; see also Chapter 4). However, unlike Shiva, Rudra in the Rigveda is neither depicted as Pashupati (lord of animals in general and cattle in particular), nor as a yogi.…” |