#hinduism inspiration

[lazyyogi]

"Is there a difference between happiness and inner peace? Yes. Happiness depends on conditions being perceived as positive; inner peace does not."

Eckhart Tolle

[burst-of-iridescent]

South Asian and Hindu Influences in ATLA (Part 2)

disclaimer: i was raised culturally and religiously hindu, and though i've tried to do my research for this post and pair it with my own cultural knowledge, i'm not an expert on hinduism by any means. should i mess up, please let me know.

please also be aware that many of the concepts discussed in this post overlap heavily with religions such as buddhism and jainism, which might have different interpretations and representations. as i'm not from those religions or cultures, i don't want to speak on them, but if anyone with that knowledge wishes to add on, please feel free.

Part 1

In the previous post, I discussed some of the things ATLA got right in its depictions of desi and hindu cultures. unfortunately, they also got plenty of things wrong - often in ways that leaned towards racist caricatures - so let's break them down, starting with...

Guru Pathik

both the word "guru" and name "pathik" come from sanskrit. pathik means "traveler" or "he who knows the way" while guru is a term for a guide or mentor, similar to a teacher.

gurus were responsible for the very first education systems in ancient india, setting up institutions called gurukuls. students, referred to as disciples, would often spend years living with and learning from their gurus in these gurukuls, studying vedic and buddhist texts, philosophy, music and even martial arts.

however, their learning was not limited merely to academic study, as gurus were also responsible for guiding the spiritual evolution of their disciples. it was common for disciples to meditate, practice yoga, fast for days or weeks, and complete mundane household chores every day in order to instill them with self-discipline and help them achieve enlightenment and spiritual awareness. the relationship between a guru and his disciple was considered a sacred, holy bond, far exceeding that of a mere teacher and student.

aang's training with guru pathik mirrors some of these elements. similar to real gurus, pathik takes on the role of aang's spiritual mentor. he guides aang in unblocking his chakras and mastering the avatar state through meditation, fasting, and self-reflection - all of which are practices that would have likely been encouraged in disciples by their gurus.

pathik's design also takes inspiration from sadhus, holy men who renounced their worldly ties to follow a path of spiritual discipline. the guru's simple, nondescript clothing and hair are reflective of the ascetic lifestyle sadhus are expected to lead, giving up material belongings and desires in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment and, ultimately, liberation from the reincarnation cycle.

unfortunately, this is where the respectful references end because everything else about guru pathik was insensitive at best and stereotypical at worst.

it is extremely distasteful that the guru speaks with an overexaggerated indian accent, even though the iranian-indian actor who plays him has a naturally british accent. why not just hire an actual indian voice actor if the intention was to make pathik sound authentic? besides, i doubt authenticity was the sole intention, given that the purposeful distortion of indian accents was a common racist trope played for comedy in early 2000s children's media (see: phineas and ferb, diary of a wimpy kid, jessie... the list goes on).

furthermore, while pathik is presented a wise and respected figure within this episode, his next (and last) appearance in the show is entirely the opposite.

in the episode nightmares and daydreams, pathik appears in aang's nightmare with six hands, holding what appears to be a veena (a classical indian music instrument). this references the iconography of the hindu deity Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. the embodiment of divine enlightenment, learning, insight and truth, Saraswati is a member of the Tridevi (the female version of the Trimurti), one of the most respected and revered goddesses in the Hindu pantheon... and her likeness is used for a cheap laugh on a character who's already treated as a caricature.

that's bad enough on its own, but when you consider that guru pathik is the only explicitly south asian coded character in the entire show, it's downright insulting. for a show that took so many of its foundational concepts from south asia and hinduism and yet provided almost no desi representation in return, this is just rubbing salt in the wound.

Chakras

"chakra", meaning "circle" or "wheel of life" in sanskrit, refers to sources of energy found in the human body. chakra points are aligned along the spine, with energy flowing from the lowest to the highest point. the energy pooled at the lowest chakra is called kundalini, and the aim is to release this energy to the highest chakra in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment and consciousness.

the number of chakras varies in different religions, with buddhism referencing five chakras while hinduism has seven. atla draws from the latter influence, so let's take a look at the seven chakras:

Muladhara (the Root Chakra). located at the base of the spine, this chakra deals with our basest instincts and is linked to the element of earth.

Swadhisthana (the Sacral Chakra). located just below the navel, this chakra deals with emotional intensity and pleasure and is linked to the element of water.

Manipura (the Solar Plexus Chakra). located in the stomach, this chakra deals with willpower and self-acceptance and is linked to the element of fire.

Anahata (the Heart Chakra). located in the heart, this chakra deals with love, compassion and forgiveness and is linked to the element of air. in the show, this chakra is blocked by aang's grief over the loss of the air nomads, which is a nice elemental allusion.

Vishudda (the Throat Chakra). located at the base of the throat, this chakra deals with communication and honesty and is linked to the fifth classical element of space. the show calls this the Sound Chakra, though i'm unsure where they got that from.

Ajna (the Third Eye Chakra). located in the centre of the forehead, this chakra deals with spirituality and insight and is also linked to the element of space. the show calls it the Light Chakra, which is fairly close.

Sahasrara (the Crown Chakra). located at the very top of the head, this chakra deals with pure cosmic consciousness and is also linked to the element of space. it makes perfect sense that this would be the final chakra aang has to unblock in order to connect with the avatar spirit, since the crown chakra is meant to be the point of communion with one's deepest, truest self.

the show follows these associations and descriptions almost verbatim, and does a good job linking the individual chakras to their associated struggles in aang's arc.

Cosmic Energy

the idea of chakras is associated with the concept of shakti, which refers to the life-giving energy that flows throughout the universe and within every individual.

the idea of shakti is a fundamentally unifying one, stating that all living beings are connected to one another and the universe through the cosmic energy that flows through us all. this philosophy is referenced both in the swamp episode and in guru pathik telling aang that the greatest illusion in the world is that of separation - after all, how can there be any real separation when every life is sustained by the same force?

this is also why aang needing to let go of katara did not, as he mistakenly assumed, mean he had to stop loving her. rather, the point of shedding earthly attachment is to allow one to become more attuned to shakti, both within oneself and others. ironically, in letting go of katara and allowing himself to commune with the divine energy of the universe instead, aang would have been more connected to her - not less.

The Avatar State

according to hinduism, there are five classical elements known as pancha bhuta that form the foundations of all creation: air, water, earth, fire, and space/atmosphere.

obviously, atla borrows this concept in making a world entirely based on the four classical elements. but looking at how the avatar spirit is portrayed as a giant version of aang suspended in mid-air, far above the earth, it's possible that this could reference the fifth liminal element of space as well.

admittedly this might be a bit of a reach, but personally i find it a neat piece of worldbuilding that could further explain the power of the avatar. compared to anyone else who might be able to master only one element, mastering all five means having control of every building block of the world. this would allow the avatar to be far more attuned to the spiritual energy within the universe - and themselves - as a result, setting in motion the endless cycle of death and rebirth that would connect their soul even across lifetimes.

[kara-zor-els]

I'm seated. The cinema staff are begging me to go home but I'm just too seated.

[srisrisriddd]

Happy 5251 st Birthday Krishna God - Janmashtami

मेरी भव-बाधा हरौ, राधा नागरि सोइ। जा तन की झाँई परैं, स्यामु हरित-दुति होइ॥ या अनुरागी चित्त की, गति समुझै नहिं कोइ। ज्यौं-ज्यौं बूड़ै स्याम रँग, त्यौं-त्यौं उज्जलु होई॥ - Dr Devang H Dattani

Good Morning

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Bhagwan Sri Sri Sri

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God Morning

#aartj , #bliss , #TheBlissCity , #philosophy , #mindfulness , #DrDevangHDattani , #nature , #awareness , #InfiniteSriSriSriDDD , #quotes , #life , #art , #zen , #awakening , #quote , #spiritual , #photography , #Video , #meditation , #psychology , #poem , #poetry , #motivation , #inspiration , #quoteoftheday , #love , #words , #thoughts , #joy , #pun , #enlightenment , #health , #mental health , #consciousness , #shiva , #god , #krishna , #life , #video , #self , #beautiful , #makeup , #birthday , #nirvana , #tantra , #yoga , #harekrishna , #har har mahadev , #harerama , #mahadev , #light , #rama , #temple , #videography , #flowers , #photooftheday

[morzowo]

same picture

[belamercado]

The oldest evidence of a kissing-type behaviour comes from Hindu Vedic Sanskrit texts from over 3,500 years ago. Kissing was described as inhaling each other's soul.

[thevachak]

“we never really encounter the world; all we experience is our own nervous system.” ― Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, The Bhagavad Gita

[hannibalismos-jaaneman]

the sole and devastating problem with monkey man is that it will literally never be able to push past the people who think the concept of the film disrespects hanuman ji to be exposed in an environment where people see it for more than its name.

[non-conventionnel]

Anton Sammut's Fb Page

[ziptie-bouquet]

Rain World has a big I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream feel to it. You can't die. There is a supercomputer capable of sentience who is trapped inside its own metal body. He was built to think about issues too complex for the ones who made him. He is unable to change his core programming. He can't die either. His purpose is meaningless after the death of his creators. He has a halo and calls himself a God. He produces rain that kills everything it touches. He is angry at his creators to the point of driving himself mad. I do think it's very interesting how ultimately Five Pebbles IS in Ted's situation. He is stuck in a can completely isolated, he can't talk with anyone because his communication system has been cut. He is left to think, trapped in his own body and unable to interact with the outside world. He can only see it through his overseers.

[thedesirenaissance]

The Awaited Return

A piercing scream echoed through the night, slicing through the pin-drop silence of the night. Just then, a girl's limp body is dumped in an alleyway, bruised and broken, by 2 men, no, demons, dressed as humans. They laugh around, while one of them land a kick to the girl's stomach, as she breathes her last. Her last prayer to her murlidhar, Oh Kanha, when will you return? You will avenge me, right? And so, she dies, remembering her murlidhar.

A little girl, barely 5 years old, clutches her Krishna plushie, as the demon, whom she calls baba strangles her maa. She stares at her maa, with her knees curled up to her chest, fingers tightly clutching the Krishna plushie, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. Then, with a call for her giridhar , her mother breathed her last. The devil's eyes then dart to his daughter, his own flesh and blood, as he strangles his little daughter, to death. Even in death, the little girl, clutched her Krishna, as her body turned blue, just like her gopal.

In a lone classroom, a girl, no, not a girl, a student, barely 15 years old, cries, while clutching her mouth, to muffle her screams, as the devil, dressed as her guru does unspeakable horror to her. She, who only wanted to make her parents proud, herself proud. She, who only wanted to do better, now laid there, feeling dumb, feeling betrayed. What is her fault? She trusted a devil, dressed as a man. She goes home, rubs herself raw in the shower, while she cries to her kanha, How will long will you make us wait, kanha? Please return.

A woman, holds the knife in one hand, shaking tremendously, as tears drip down her eyes. Her phone buzzes continuously, but she doesn't dare open them. Who would want to see themselves being called disgusting and vile names? What was her fault, one might ask. Her fault was, she trusted a man, a friend, rather, a devil. She slices her wrist, does the unthinkable. I apologize Kanha, I apologize. I just couldn't save myself, without you in this world.

Then, the fateful night came. The night was dark, not a single star in the sky. The rain pouring, the winds blowing, it resembled that fateful day. An old, feeble woman, in her 80s thought, woh aarahe hain aaj, with a smile on her face, as she put a garland over her murlidhar's murti. The reign of terror was coming to an end. Elsewhere, a woman was crying out in pain, as the midwives urged her to push harder. The woman could only handle so much more. Still she pushed, she pushed through the pain, for her soon-to-be born child. Then, she heard it. A cry, the cry of her child, her life. She breathed a sigh of relief, as the midwife exclaimed, "Lalla huwa hain! Mithai batwao!"

The woman finally closed her eyes, let darkness overcome her. But, no, not darkness, a figure, with 4 hands, holding a lotus on one, a mace in one, a shankh in another and... the sudarshan chakra in another. Madhav, she thought, madhav paid me his darshan. Tears welled in her eyes. "Maa!" She heard it. The silhouette called her "maa". Her madhav called her "maa." Then, it clicked.

Yada yada hi dharmasya glanirbhavati bharata | Abhythanamadharmasya tadatmanam srijamyaham ||

Paritranaya sadhunang vinashay cha dushkritam | Dharmasangsthapanarthay sambhabami yuge yuge ||

(Inspired by a fic I saw, if I find it again, I'll tag the creator.)

[lazyyogi]

No thought has any power. You have power. And when you identify and believe in the thought you give power to the thought.

Mooji

[mercy-love-joy]

Oh my god.

Herald of Change BS Cookie is a Buddha.

I have a different idea. GC takes after the Egyptian mythology/symbols while BS is literally taking after Hinduism. I would akin BS to more of Kali, the Hindu goddess and the destroyer of time. I believe the Herald of Change is more to take a likeness for Lord Krishna (maybe Vishnu if you want to be more precise).

I would say that the Herald of Change takes more after Lord Krishna (or Vishnu) while Burning Spice himself takes after some elements of Kali

[srisrisriddd]

Prayer Lord God Hare Krishna Hare Rama Har Har Mahadev

Divine Prayer Poetry Poems of 

Bhagwan Sri Sri Sri Dr Devang H Dattani ji

God Morning SunDay

Infinite SriSriSri DDD

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Hare Krishna Hare Rama Har Har Mahadev

beauty , makeup , god , faith , HareKrishna ,Hinduism , Love , Krishna , TheBlissCity , Miracle , DrDevangHDattani , Shiva , God , InfiniteSriSriSriDDD , Life , Divine , Poetry , Rama , Service , Prayer , HareRama , Poem , Quote , Worship , motivation , art , inspiration , artists on tumblr , hindi

[ritish16]

Power of your voice

[artcinemas]

it’s sad how india who once recognised palestine as it’s own nation is now assisting israel in it’s genocide it’s awful it’s sick. as a country who was colonized and invaded for centuries, are ignoring the value and parallel of the palestinian resistance. especially those specialists in history. rot.