Mahishasura, Asura… – What Dr. Ambedkar said
A comparison between the Vedic and Puranic Goddesses raises some interesting questions. One of them is quite obvious. Vedic literature is full of references to wars against the Asuras. The literature known as Brahmanas replete with them. But all these wars against the Asuras are fought by the Vedic Gods. The Vedic Goddesses never took part in them. With the Puranic Goddesses the situation has undergone a complete change. In the Puranic times there are wars with the Asuras as there were in the Vedic times. The difference is that while in the Vedic times the wars with the Asuras are left to be fought by the Gods in the Puranic times they are left to be fought by the Goddess. Why is that Puranic Goddesses had to do what the Gods in Vedic times did? It cannot be that there were no Gods in Puranic times. There were Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva gods who ruled in the Puranic times. When they were there to fight the Asuras why were the Goddesses enrolled for this purpose. This is a riddle which requires explanation.
Sarasvati and Lakshmi are the wives of Brahma and Vishnu who along with Shiva are recognized as the Puranic Gods. Parvati, Durga and Kali are the wives of Shiva. Now Sarasvati and Lakshmi have killed no Asura and have in fact done no deed of valour. Question is why? Brahma and Vishnu had Sakti which in conformity with the theory must have dwelt in their wives. Why then did Sarasvati and Lakshmi not take part in the battle with the Asuras?
…the Brahmins do not seem to have realized that by making Durga the heroine who alone was capable of destroying the Asuras, they were making their own Gods a set of miserable cowards. It seems that the Gods could not defend themselves against the Asuras and had to beg of their wives to come to their rescue.
– Dr. Ambedkar, Riddles In Hinduism
Asuras were members of the human family and not monsters.
– Dr. Ambedkar, Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Ancient India
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Few other thoughts ~
A very good article, I’ve gone through periyar written the true ramayana and some fact was also mentioned there about ‘SIN’ &how to get rid through from small to utmost sin, It was suggested that if someone committed small sin ‘abusing mother & father’s repeat & chant om om om & something stupid that I didn’t remember for 50 times & if committed a bigger sin I. E intercourse between father & daughter and so on then repeating and chanting of this would be greater than 50, this allowed brahmans to keep performing sin as they have already made a path to get rid of that sin & make a fool to people, kindly enlight us in this regard, your article is eyeopener. Keep it up!
Assimilate or annihilate was and is the trick of Brahmins they annihilated the Asura kings and assimilated Lord Buddha as they are trying to assimilate dr Ambedkar