Hindu Mythology and Accepting Non-Conformity

padma (she/her)

​Understanding any religion takes a lot of work. Hinduism in particular is a complex religion made up of very old traditions, beliefs, and mythology which are sometimes contradictory and not easily accessible. Despite the tenets of the religion being complicated and at times confusing (especially as a daughter of immigrants without a strong religious community), I found Hindu epics to be a place of home for me. 

Hindu mythology and its epics (stories) are 3000-5000 years old, and describe situations about the Gods interacting with each other or with humans on Earth. These stories involve a complex array of 1000s of deities, many of whom are related or simply forms of one another. The main 3 are Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the protector), Shiva (the destroyer), and they are often depicted with their partners: Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge), Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth), Parvati (Goddess of Power). 

Hinduism doesn't have one “canon.” In a literal sense, these stories don’t have one specific book to turn to for all the answers. They were written down by many people so long ago, and have differed throughout time and location. Stories were also commented on and expanded by poets over time. In a practical sense, there is no one way to be Hindu. Hinduism is about your personal relationship with God, participating however is available and makes sense to you. 

So what is the point of these stories? From my experience, their purpose is to:
- Remind us that we are not alone 
- Guide us to doing the right thing 
- Connect us with “the divine” in our own unique way 
- Explain to us that we have God in us, and God has us in it 
- Remind us that we, and God, are not are perfect

It is common for every person to have their own favorite God, a figure whose personality is like ours, or who may represent the values we deem important. Stories turn God from an abstract being into characters that we can love, accept, or even hate. So, here I present a story that may resonate with you, no matter who you are. 

The Story of Ardhanarishvara
Bringi was a disciple of Shiva. When he worshiped Shiva, he would only worship Shiva, even when Parvati was there. As Shiva’s counterpart, Parvati is considered just as divine as Shiva, and she was frustrated that she wasn’t also being worshipped. So Shiva told Parvati to sit next to him to force Bringi to worship them both, as he was making circles around Shiva. [For context: walking in a circle around someone/a statue/a deity is a form of worship.] Bringi was annoyed at the closeness of Parvati and Shiva. To avoid worshiping Parvati, he turned himself into a mouse, and only went in circles around Shiva. Shiva countered by asking Parvati to sit in his lap. Bringi turned himself into a bird, so he could fly around Shiva’s head, continuing to only make circles around Shiva.
Finally, Shiva united himself with Parvati to form Ardhanarishvara. Ardhanarishvara is a figure who is half man and half woman. Ardhanarishvara is the holy combination of both, and they forced Bringi to worship both in the way he worshiped Shiva. 

A representation of Ardhanarishwara, half man, half woman [Dolls of India].

This story represents different things to different people. Some view Shiva, a representation of man, uniting with nature, represented by Parvati, serving as a reminder that humans are and become one with God. 

To myself and others, this story helps us understand sex; it is two-fold in that regard. First, it is about respecting the outward. Man is nothing without woman, so we must respect both. We must respect that we came from both, and appreciate both for what we are. However, it is also about respecting the inward. The masculine is nothing without the feminine, and one must embrace both forces that exist within themselves to live healthily. 

Many of these stories also represent the acceptance of divergence and non-conformity. While this figure may be “abnormal,” it is still divine, and respected, with specific prayers dedicated to it. God can be man, woman, both, or neither. There is no correct way of being divine, so there is no correct way to be human. 

I won’t say LGBTQ+ acceptance has always been perfect in majority Hindu nations like India, but I will say there is at least some theological belief supporting LGBTQ+ identities, which has often been overlooked in recent history. 
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It is okay to be yourself. In Hindu philosophy, God comes in many shapes and sizes, and so should we.