Greek religion: 1 definition
Introduction:
Greek religion means something in the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
India history and geography
Source: archive.org: Journal of the Madras University, vol.28 (history)Greek religion and Roman religion bears striking similarity with the picture drawn of that age by South-Indian Tamil poets of the Sangam age.—In general the ancient Greeks and Romans were worshippers of nature in its various forms and had deified every faculty of man into a god. Thus the Greek goddess Athena was the symbol and goddess of wisdom and Aphrodite was the goddess of love; while in Rome Mars was the god of war. In the same way the Greek god Dionysus and the goddess Demeter (mother Earth) were the deities of agriculture; while Hermes was the god of trade and commerce.
When the picture drawn by the Tamil poets of the first three centuries of the Christian era is spread out before us one cannot escape seeing the striking similarity between what we learn of the Greek and Roman conditions and what seems to have actually obtained in South India during the period. [...] Thus if we take for example the description of religion the Sangam poems bring before our mind gods like Muruga, a Tamil war deity residing on the hills, Mayon, the god of pasture and animal husbandry, Balaraman, the god of agriculture and Varuna, the god of rain and goddesses like Kalaimagal, the goddess of learning and wisdom. Even the worship of nature is not jettisoned in this picture where the moon and the sun and the rain are adored and praised verily like gods and goddesses. Respect for omens is equally well seen in these ancient poems. Bad dreams, the falling of comets, indications seen in the direction of bird flights are clearly mentioned as omens in authentic Sangam works like the Puram.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Greek, Religion.
Full-text: Seraphis, Manetho, Roman religion.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Greek religion; (plurals include: Greek religions). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
The making of cakes as part of magical or religious ceremonies < [Notes]
Foreword to volume 6 < [Forewords]
Appendix 8.1 - The “Swan-Maiden” Motif < [Appendices]
Paganism and Religion < [July 1937]
Lord Hayagriva in Sanskrit Literature (by Anindita Adhikari)
Aspects of Religious Belief and Practice in Babylonia and Assyria (by Morris Jastrow)