Vedic religion is a whole system of ancient teachings and beliefs, collected in a collection called the Vedas. She is widely known among Iranian, Indian, and also Slavic peoples. At present, interest in this topic has suddenly increased, so many eminent scientists are collecting information and deciphering ancient runic texts. We will talk about what the ancient Vedic religion is and its features in this article.
Fundamentals of the ancient religion
Authentic Slavic literature says that the creator of all things, Rod, created order in the world from the reigning chaos by dividing it into dark and light. This division of the world into light and darkness is the basis of the worldview of the ancient Slavs.
Our ancestors believed that in the very center of the world a Tree grows, at the roots of which the world of Navi is located - this is the world of spirits, a kind of purgatory where souls go after death. Also Slavsbelieved that this world is a haven of evil spirits and gods. It was associated in the imagination of our ancestors with evil, due to the proximity of Navi with Chaos.
The middle part of the Tree, the trunk, passes through Yav - this is the world in which people and other representatives of flora and fauna live. Also, this world is considered the abode of spirits and small gods, such as brownies, water and goblin. The Slavs believed that some gods spend a lot of time in their world. We will tell you more about all Slavic deities in the next chapter of our article.
The upper part of the Tree leads to the so-called world of Rule, which is the world of light gods. Authentic literature mentions that this world consists of nine heavens. The gods of this world help a person to improve, gain new knowledge and skills, and do good deeds.
Only gods can travel from one world to another. Also, our ancestors believed that deities from the lower world could not get into the upper one, and vice versa. The main principle - the separation of darkness and light - cannot be violated.
It is worth a separate note that the ancient Slavs believed in the rebirth of the human soul after death. Moreover, the achievements and status of the lived life are taken into account in the afterlife. Therefore, Slavic warriors have always been distinguished by courage, valor and nobility in relation to the vanquished.
Deity in the Vedic religion
In the worldview of the ancient Slavs, the change of day and night was presented as an eternal confrontation between the gods: the Darkand Light. None of them is able to win, otherwise the balance of the Universe will be disturbed. The hierarchy of gods in the ancient religion of the Slavs is very extensive, so we will present some of them below.
The manifestation of Rod, that is, the supreme god who created all things, was Belobog. In the mythology of the ancient Slavs, he represented strength and wisdom, and was also the bulwark of the knowledge of all the gods of the upper world.
Svarog is the creator of the world of Reveal. In the world of people entangled in passions, heaven serves as his image. He is also the personification of the Family and the Father of all gods. The main functions of Svarog are to protect family values, maintain order and harmony in the world of people.
It is worth a separate note that in the ancient Vedic religion there was no prejudice against women, so female deities are on a par with male ones. For example, the goddess Lada is a female manifestation of the Family. She personifies the keeper of love and harmony. Goddess Lada in the Slavic epic is presented as the Mother of all gods and the wife of Svarog.
The above three deities together make up Triglav, which is the core, which means the unity of the world of gods and people.
Veles is the god of we alth and wisdom, as well as the guardian of the worlds from dark spirits. Our ancestors believed that it was he who taught them how to farm.
Dazhbog is the god of sunlight, the creator and patron of mankind. He is credited with creating the laws of Rule for the human world. The Slavs believed that it exists in all three worlds.
Dana - wifeDazhboga, who is the goddess of water. In the mythology of the ancient Slavs, it appears in many hymns and songs.
Vesta is the goddess of dawn, enlightenment, forgiveness, and also girlish purity.
Stribog in the mythology of the ancient Slavs is the god of wind and air. It occupies a separate place in Slavic mythology as the embodiment of variability and mobility.
Perun is the god of war, lightning and thunder. He is the patron saint of Slavic warriors.
Svarozhich is the god of fire and the embodiment of hearth and comfort.
What are the Vedas?
The Vedas are an ancient collection of runic scriptures on various subjects. They cover all areas of the life of the ancient Slavs. For example, these ancient documents de alt with both religion and various crafts, agriculture, folk art and culture of the ancient people.
According to scientists, the Vedas were compiled over a thousand years. Their main purpose is to preserve harmony, fortitude, and also to pass on to the descendants the knowledge of the ancient Slavs.
Currently, many scientists are searching for and deciphering these ancient monuments of the past, which were lost and forgotten after the forced baptism of Russia.
Features of the ancient religion
The Vedic religion of the Slavs was born thanks to the attempts of an ancient man to understand the world around him. This is how several hundred gods and other supernatural beings appeared, whose main task is to help people understand the system of the universe. So that the gods would not be angry, it was necessary to makespecial rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices. Some Slavic ritual songs, hymns and prayers have survived to this day.
Our ancestors did not build temples, because nature itself served as the altar of worship. For example, to appease the goblin, the Slavs left food supplies in the forest, and for the goddess Lada, women brought fresh flowers and berries.
A feature of the Vedic religion is the place of women and female deities in it. For our ancestors, she is a symbol of the mother, the keeper of the hearth, fertility and enlightenment.
Parallels between Indian and Slavic Vedas
Currently, there are disputes about the influence of two ancient cultures on each other: Indian and Slavic. For example, many scholars have noted the similarity of the Old Slavic runic texts and Sanskrit. Also, both peoples deified the phenomena of the world around them, which they could not explain then.
Many authors studying this topic have noticed the similarity of the names and functionality of the gods in the Slavic and Indian religions. Both peoples believed in the existence of a higher, middle, lower worlds and the rebirth of the soul after death. In very similar ways, the two cultures calculated time, which was then considered cyclical.
The meaning of religion for the Slavs
She played a huge role in the life of the ancient Slavs. She helped explain the world and come to terms with frightening natural phenomena.
Our ancestors lived in communities based onrelatives. The Slavs led a settled way of life, engaged in agriculture, hunting and fishing. The community was headed by elders who passed on the experience of previous generations, monitored the implementation of the sacred laws of their ancestors and the observance of traditions. All important issues among the Slavs were resolved at a general meeting, and the opinion of all members of the tribe was taken into account.
Vedas and paganism
There are two diametrically opposed points of view on this issue. For example, some opponents suggest that paganism and the Vedic religion of the ancient Slavs are one and the same concept. Others argue that our ancestors called pagans apostates or outcasts, who at one time were expelled from the tribal tribe. Then these people founded their own isolated settlements, in which they preached scraps of knowledge in accordance with their own beliefs.
Ancient religion in ancient literature
The most famous references to the traditions and rituals of the ancient Slavs are contained in the well-known Tale of Bygone Years, written in the first half of the twelfth century by the hagiographer Nestor. The famous poem "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" is also an ancient historical document.
At present, the "Animal Book", "Pigeon Book", "Book of Veles" and others have become known. They contain hymns, legends and ritual songs. The "Book of Kolyada" contains a collection of ancient Vedas. It is worth noting that there are disputes over the authenticity of these editions.
Interesting facts
In Indian and Slavic sacred texts there is a mention of the land beyond the Arctic Circle, called Hyperborea. The fact is that in ancient times the climate in the Far North was very different from the present. It is known from reliable sources that the climatic conditions at this latitude were comfortable, which allowed many representatives of flora and fauna to live there.
The inhabitants of this land called themselves Hyperboreans. According to the surviving testimonies of contemporaries, it can be concluded that this civilization was highly developed. For example, references were found to flying cars and outlandish guns that fired.
At present, the media has rekindled interest in the ancient religion of our ancestors among the general public, so the debate - where are the true facts and where is fiction - does not subside. This article describes the essence of the Vedic religion (briefly). It is clear that the Slavs were wise people. They lived according to the precepts of their ancestors, protected and deified nature.
