AboutDr. V. Siva Prasad Expertise In addition to general questions, I can answer rare and in-depth
questions on Hinduism.
Experience I published some articles in general magazines. I have also published
about 40 research papers in national and international conferences
and journals.
Organizations Retired Professor,
Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India
Education/Credentials Ph. D.
Awards and Honors I was nominated as paper referee for an international journal.
Question I know vedas are the oldest text in the world but how old is hindu religion. When did people start praying gods (i.e. Vishnu, Brahma etc.). Vedas never talk about any god like Vishnu, Shiva, right?
Answer Westerners accept that Rg Veda was written 6000 years ago. The Puranas
say that Rg Veda was written during Kritha Yuga some 4 billions of
years ago.
Rudra, another name of Lord Siva appears in Rg Veda:
Rig-Veda, Book 2 - HYMN XXXIII. Rudra.
1. FATHER of Maruts, let thy bliss approach us: exclude us not from looking on the sunlight.
Gracious to our fleet courser be the Hero may we transplant us, Rudra, in our children.
2 With the most saving medicines which thou givest, Rudra, may I attain a hundred winters.
Far from us banish enmity and hatred, and to all quarters maladies and trouble.
3 Chief of all born art thou in glory, Rudra, armed with the thunder, mightiest of the mighty.
Transport us over trouble to well-being repel thou from us all assaults of mischief.
4 Let us not anger thee with worship, Rudra, ill praise, Strong God! or mingled invocation....
"The Rigvedic hymns are dedicated to various deities, chief of whom are Indra, a heroic god praised for having slain his enemy Vrtra; Agni, the sacrificial fire; and Soma, the sacred potion or the plant it is made from. Equally prominent gods are the Adityas or Asura gods Mitra-Varuna and Ushas (the dawn). Also invoked are Savitr, Vishnu, Rudra, Pushan, Brihaspati or Brahmanaspati, as well as deified natural phenomena such as Dyaus Pita (the shining sky, Father Heaven ), Prithivi (the earth, Mother Earth), Surya (the sun god), Vayu or Vata (the wind), Apas (the waters), Parjanya (the thunder and rain), Vac (the word), many rivers (notably the Sapta Sindhu, and the Sarasvati River). The Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sadhyas, Ashvins, Maruts, Rbhus, and the Vishvadevas ("all-gods") as well as the "thirty-three gods" are the groups of deities mentioned."
om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pashyanti surayah diviva caksuratatam
tad vipraso vipanyavo jagrivamsah samindhate visnor yat paramam padam
-- Rg Veda, Mandala 1, verse 22.20
n the Rigveda, Vishnu is mentioned 93 times. He is frequently invoked alongside other deities, especially Indra, whom he assists in killing Vritra, and with whom he drinks Soma. His companionship with Indra is still reflected by his later titles Indrānuja and "Upendra", both referring to Vishnu as being the brother of Indra. His distinguishing characteristic in the Vedas is his association with Light, or even his identification with the Sun.
The most celebrated act of Vishnu in the Rigveda is the 'three steps' by which he strode over this (universe) and in three places planted his step. The 'Vishnu Sukta' of the Rig Veda (1.154) says that the first and second of Vishnu's strides (those encompassing the earth and air) are visible to men and the third is in the heights of heaven (sky). This last place is described as Vishnu's supreme abode in RV 1.22.20:
