Hindu Myth and Paradigm Shift

Copyright 1995 by John R. Mabry

*This article previously appeared in an issue of _Creation Spirituality_ magazine.*

Myths are stories that make sense of our lives." This is the only thing I remember from my freshman philosophy class. It was a great revelation and it began a process of thinking that significantly changed my world view. It is common today to refer to a world-view as a paradigm. The paradigm, the belief structure on which I hang the disparate parts of my life, has shifted to where it is no longer necessary for me to have all the answers, or to insist that everyone have my answers. I have come to recognize that religious and cultural pluralism is not only a more just way of living, but an essential element of a holy life. What occurred in me was a shift of my former paradigm to a better functioning one.

What those who have experienced this shift on a personal level seem to be working toward is effectively facilitating this shift on a larger scale; even a global scale. This involves a drastic change in people's thinking, which will frighten some and therefore will be a difficult thing to accomplish. And dangerous; ask Socrates, Martin Luther, Copernicus, or Jesus.

Such a massive shift occurred in the Hindu religion 25 hundred years ago. Many people have the impression that Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, and this is an understandable mistake since there are nearly as many known Hindu gods as there are living Hindus. But Hinduism is not polytheistic, it is monotheistic. There is only one God, Brahman. In fact, for the Hindu, that's really all there is. All of creation is part of Brahman; including the stars, the gods, and us.

Primitive Hinduism of the Vedic period (3,000-500 B.C.) was polytheistic, though. There was the chief of the gods, Indra, whose fierceness in battle and erotic exploits were unchallenged; and there was Agni, the fire-god, who knew all things; and countless others. But something happened; there came a time when the old theology was no longer adequate to answer the difficult questions the Hindus faced. They began to perceive that the gods were all extensions-masks-of the one God.

This was a profound paradigm shift, and it did not happen overnight. At first, it was a great and holy secret doctrine whispered from master to disciple. But eventually the shift was made on a popular level partly because there was a story:

Brahman, the one God had just seen to it that Indra and the other gods won their latest battle. Indra and the others were taking credit, bragging about their bravery and ferocity when Brahman appeared to them. They were a bit taken aback and said to each other, "Who is this being that fills us with such awe?" They pushed Agni out in front and told him to find out (he was, after all, supposed to know everything).

"Who are you?" asked the one God. "I am the god of fire," Agni answered."What power do you possess?" Agni replied proudly, "I can burn all things on the earth." Brahman placed a piece of straw before him and said, "Burn this." Agni tried and tried, but couldn't even raise a decent smolder. Agni returned to the other gods shaken and bewildered.

Next the gods sent Vayu, the god of the air. "I am Vayu, god of air and space," he announced when he stood in front of the mysterious being. "What are your powers?" Brahman asked. "I can carry off all the earth in a whirlwind." Brahman held forth the same piece of straw and said, "Blow this away." Vayu too, returned unsuccessful.

Finally Indra, chief of the gods, squared his jaw and ran toward the being, but Brahman disappeared. All the gods were speechless with wonder, for they knew they had seen the Supreme Spirit, the source of their being.

And through this story, the Hindu faith successfully maneuvered a paradigm shift, from one of tribal polytheism to a tolerant monotheism. It was revealed Truth, and it was through the power of the myth that it was translated into daily life.

Hinduism was in a crucial time of uncertainty and change that took place during what has been termed "the axial period." If we are going to survive into the next era, desperate changes in our way of living and perceiving must occur; we must effect a paradigm shift in our culture. The facts have already been provided. Physicists like Stephen Hawking, Fritzjof Capra, and Brian Swimme have given us the facts about our history, about what and why we are. Their books, A Brief History of Time, The Tao of Physics and The Universe is a Green Dragon, respectively, have made the information understandable and have filled us with a justifiable sense of holy awe. We in Creation Spirituality have been calling this the New Story, but what we really need is a new Myth. Are we ready to move beyond anthropocentrism to a degree that our myths need not include anthropomorphic characters? This is an important question.

Our facts are here, but where are the storytellers? Only a myth can touch us where we are the most human; only a myth can break down our divisive barriers; only a myth can unite our souls. Only a myth can speak to us on an archetypal level that will bring the danger and the hope home to each of us. Only a myth can make sense of our lives.