|
Hinduism - Worship of Shakti, Religion
of Mithila, Vedantists, Shaivites,
Vaishnavism
Worship of Shakti
 Many
Hindu cults of very ancient provenance in Bihar have been devoted to the
worship of Shakti (goddess of energy). These cults, collectively called
the 'Shakti cult' conceive of the paramount deity as female and render
devotion to all that appertains to the female sex. The worshippers of
Shakti regard the tantras as their scriptures and address the god as Durga.
When in distress people here offers sacrifices to the Shaktis. Brahmin
priests preside over the places dedicated to the deities, Chandi, Bishahari
and Sitala or Mahamaya, while the others has persons of low tribes.
Religion of Mithila
Most of the major systems of Indian philosophy, namely
Vedanta (from Janaka and Yajnavalkya), Mimansa (from Jaimini), Nyaya (from
Gautama), Sankhya (from Kapila), Jainism (from Mahavira) and Buddhism
(from the Buddha) owe their origin to the land of Mithila. This region
has always remained the bulwark of Mimansa, during its halcyon days Buddhism
could not penetrate into and become popular in the land of Mithila. It
is the great centre of Shiva,
Shakti and Vishnu worship and the home of Sanskritic and Shastric
learning. The Buddhist influence that can be marked on the religion of
the Maithils (people of Mithila) is seen in the tantric forms of beliefs
and practices which found favour during the mediaeval times. Maithils
are shaktas in their original religious convictions. Every Maithil family
has a temple of its own where one of the forms of Shakti is enshrined
for daily worship. Since Shakti is the divine spouse of Shiva, Shaktism
is only another form of Shaivism. Vaishnavism is a later influence which
percolated from the south. The three main figures who have inspired the
Maithils are Shiva, Shakti and Vishnu. Threefold marks are worn on the
forehead by the Maithils, the horizontal lines marked with ashes represent
devotion to Shiva. The vertical sandal paste in red or vermilion signifies
Shakti. There are some other divinities like
Surya, Kartikeya,
Balarama, Pradyaumna, Aniruddha and Hanumanta, all of whom were held
in great reverence. Their carved presence discovered on the door frames
of several houses shows the multiplicity of gods and goddesses in the
Maithils worshipped.
The Vedantists
Most of the Brahmins in Bihar derive their religion from
the Vedanta and are apt to speak reverently of god or Brahma in the neuter.
Being a Vedantist, he concentrates his thought on the idea of pure substance
and make his deities - his Vedic gods - interchangeable. They all lack
individuality and flow into one another. Their pantheism is derived from
the 'Upanishads'. The Vedantists hold the pantheistic Vedanta doctrine
of non dualism, considering everything and matter to be identical and
everything only an infinitesimal atom of the divine part of the supreme
Being.
The Shaivites
In Bihar, there is more Shaivite than Vaishnavite. The
old temple at Deoghar, the great temple at Bikatpur in Patna district,
the Matha at Gaya, the temple at Bazidpur in the Darbhanga district, the
Kuseshwara and Singheshwara temples-all testify to the popularity
of Shaivism in Bihar. People worship the symbol of reproduction, the Lingam
which is the symbol of Shiva.
He is a god of reproduction. In 'Vedas' he is the agent of promoting fertility
in cattle. The bull is regarded as the appropriate emblem of Shiva.
The group of twenty-two temples at Deoghar is dedicated
to Shiva. They form a centre of pilgrimage for Hindus from all parts
of India. The oldest of these temples called Vaidyanath Temple (1596)
is said to be one of the twelve oldest Jyotilingams of Shiva in India.
In the early hours of Kartik Purnima, millions of people in North Bihar
prepare to bath at the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak and offer the
holy Ganga water to Mahadev or the great God Shiva. During Shivaratri
prayers and Puja are offered in Shiva temples to Mahadeva and his Goddess
wife Parvati.
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism has been one of the most important
Brahmanical cult in Bihar where even semi-literate village folks
are still heard reciting the Vaishnavite creed formula 'Om namo Bhagavate
Vasudevaya'. The growing prevalence of this cult seems to be due to the
popularity of the 'purana'. To a considerable number of these Puranas,
Vishnu is the highest God. A large number of epigraphic records of the
Gupta period refer to the temples of Vishnu in his various incarnations
such as Varaha, Vamana, Narasimha, Dasharathi
Rama, Balarama
and Krishna. Vishnu
worship had established itself in Gaya three centuries earlier as
the Gadadhar temple was built in the 15th year of Nayapala's reign. One
should do one's duty without expecting any reward, this is an important
teaching of Vaishnavism. Vishnu's reincarnation as Rama is worshipped
by a large number of Bihari Hindus as he represents Indian manhood at
the noblest and his exploits in the service of justice is embodied
in the epic, Ramayana.
The worship of Vishnu is supported by several festivals
such as Janmashtami, Ramanavami, Vivahapanchami and thousands of shrines
are scattered throughout the state. |
