Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

History

Chapter

Ancient India: Bricks, Beads and Bones

Question:

How does the depiction of Rudra in the 'Rigveda' differ from later 'depictions of Shiva'?

Options:

Shiva is depicted as Pashupati, lord of animals

Rudra is depicted similarly to the "priest-king" statues

Both options 1 and 2

None of the above

Correct Answer:

Shiva is depicted as Pashupati, lord of animals

Explanation:

Figures shown seated cross-legged in a "yogic" posture, sometimes surrounded by animals, have been interpreted as early depictions of "proto-Shiva," an early form of one of Hinduism's major deities. Additionally, conical stone objects have been classified as lingas.

Reconstructions of Harappan religion often rely on drawing parallels from later traditions to understand earlier ones. Archaeologists typically move from the known (present) to the unknown (past) in their interpretations. While this approach holds merit for objects like stone querns and pots, it becomes more speculative when applied to "religious" symbols.

For instance, let's consider the "proto-Shiva" seals. The earliest religious text, the Rigveda (compiled around 1500-1000 BCE), mentions a deity named Rudra, who later became associated with Shiva in Puranic traditions (from the first millennium CE). However, in the Rigveda, Rudra is not depicted as Pashupati (lord of animals) or as a yogi, contrary to later descriptions of Shiva. Therefore, this depiction does not align with the description of Rudra in the Rigveda. Some scholars have suggested that it might represent a shaman, introducing further speculation into its interpretation.

Shamans are individuals, both men and women, who assert their possession of magical and healing abilities, alongside their capacity to establish communication with the spiritual realm.