Tree gods of Indus valley civilization - Indus Scripts Deciphered

Tree gods of Indus Valley Civilization

Abstract

During the Indus Valley civilization period, there were no temples, and gods lived only in trees. God Rudra lived in the Pipal tree. Some other holy trees identified are the Vilvum tree (Bilvum)and Vanni tree(Sami/Khejri). Even in modern days, Hindus are still worshipping these trees. Hence, the ideas of IVC have not entirely disappeared; still, some ideas are surviving in contemporary India.

$C:\Users\IT\Desktop\three bulls -2.png$

Figure 1: Three bulls tied to three different trees.

Picture courtesy – Book of Asko Parpola. (1 p. 21)

Picture after – (2)

The above-given pottery figure shows that three Zebu bulls are tethered to three different trees. Pottery fragment from Nausharo, Pre –Harappan period (2600-2550BC). (1)(Page-21)

Now, the relevance of reproducing the above given three bulls figure is that the early Harappans were tree-worshippers, which means that they followed a very primitive religion. It shows that they never had standard temples, which appear much later in Indian history. Only trees were abodes of gods, not temples. These three trees are distinct; the first tree can be easily identified, i.e. Pipal tree. The second tree could be the Sami tree (Prosopis cineraria). The third could be the Vilvum tree (Bael tree, wood apple – Aegle Marmelos) because the fruit shown in the picture looks like the fruit of the wood apple tree.

Now, all three trees represent three different gods. I have classified them into three different groups based on the three distinct trees used by Gods. This classification may help in analyzing the various details available in the Indus seals. Details are as following:

Table 1: Analysis of three different tree gods

Seals depicting Pipal tree
God represented	Indus seal	Indus symbol
Rudra/ Muneeswaran/	$C:\Users\IT\Desktop\Sue sullivan book\2.sue sullivan book picture extract\Indus script dictionary -F.BK_page610_image1578.jpg$ The god who had lived in this pipal tree was Rudra during the IVC period. Now, he is being called as Muneeswaran (Top God) in Tamil Nadu. Read my article,’ Rudra was the most important god of IVC’, for more information. (3)
Indus god name –Rudra	$C:\Users\IT\Desktop\Sue sullivan book\2.sue sullivan book picture extract\Indus script dictionary -F.BK_page610_image232.jpg$ Note-1: The God living in the pipal tree may be Rudra. See figure -4 (down below). In one seal, it is written as ‘Karkida-sastha’. In another seal, the same inscription is written at the figure’s back, indicating the crab within a fig tree.
Rudra	Pictures reference and courtesy –book of Asko Parpola (Page-no. 112) The above-given seal inscription appears on the figure’s backside, which shows a crab within tree’. The inscription has been read as indicating the god Rudra; this symbol also should be interpreted as ‘Rudra’.
Seals depicting Sami tree
The Scientific name of the Sami tree is Prosopis Cineraria. —————– God of judgment Mahakala/ Kalan(Tamil)	$C:\Users\IT\Desktop\Indus script dictionary -F.BK_page610_image2470.jpg$ See the figure of the tree; it is not a whole tree; it is only a branch. See at the bottom; the branch comes out of a small part of the trunk of a tree. It is not a Pipal tree. It could be the Sami tree. The branch symbol indicates the ‘Zakhastha’. The word ‘Sastha’ is a general term meaning ‘’God’’. (see Note-2, given below)	There is a cone symbol in this seal inscription. The Cone symbol indicates the ‘Sah and Sopdet’ of Egyptian Gods. Under Indian condition, it could have indicated the Egyptian god ‘Heh’, known as god ‘Ayyappa’ in South India. (4) (5)

Judgement day – —————-The god associated with death and judgement was ‘Varuna’. Varuna’s vahana was the crocodile, and no tree is associated with the god ‘Varuna’. (6)	$C:\Users\IT\Desktop\Sue sullivan book\2.sue sullivan book picture extract\Indus script dictionary -F.BK_page610_image2041.jpg$ Note -3: Note that crocodile appears in this seal, indicating that this seal was prepared on ‘day of judgment’. For more information, see the following articles. (8)	The crocodile is eating the fish (The fish indicates the soul in transmigration). The swastika symbol may be telling the day of judgment (or) God of judgment. Crocodile suggests Egyptian goddess Ammit
Seals depicting Vilvum tree
The scientific name of Vilvum tree is Aeagle marmelos	$C:\Users\IT\Desktop\Sue sullivan book\2.sue sullivan book picture extract\Indus script dictionary -F.BK_page610_image1874.jpg$ The mythological story also tells that he was a hunter. He climbed the ‘Bilvum’ tree to escape the tiger on ‘Maha-Shivratri day. See the folded nature of his legs. Such a sitting position is identical to that of god ” Heh” (Ayyappa). (5)	Egyptian god ‘Heh’ is similar to South India n god ‘Ayyappa’. Read the article,’ Egyptian god Heh in Indus valley civilization for more information. (5)
God Shiva is identified with this tree. The mythological story ‘Hunter on Vilvum tree’ on Maha Shivrathri day describes the link between Shiva and the bael tree. (8) (10 p. 152). But, god Shiva is not identified so far in IVC; only Rudra has been found. Only god’Heh’ (Ayyappa) is left out to be attached with this ‘Bilvum’ tree. God Heh was very popular in Egypt, as he could grant millions of years of ‘Afterlife’. Hence the popularity of this god ‘Heh’. (5)
Fourth tree	Banyan tree – not depicted in IVC seal
God living under this tree is Dakshinamurthi But no tree is indicated in this seal. In the following figure, Dakshinamurthi is identified by Banyan tree		This God is not carrying any weapon. He is Called Guru(teacher). Note the rishis are sitting at his feet like students. In the Indus seal, the animals are surrounding the god. But, in this modern-day sculpture, the animals have been replaced by the rishis surrounding the god.

This sculpture shows Dakshinamurthi with two deers below his seat. The same is the case with the Indus seal. The Indus seal shows only one deer because the other deer is broken off in the seal ———– Picture courtesy (9)	——————————————————-	This two deers specification convincingly proves that the God shown in the Indus seal is Dakshinamurthi. Initially, he was the principal god of the Indus people but has been relegated to the position of God on the Southern side of Garba Graha.

Few leaves indicate the tree in the background of the god.	$C:\Users\IT\Desktop\lord_ayyappa_swamy_by_mskumar-d33x4iq.jpg$	God revealed in this seal could be the god ‘Ayyappa’.

All seals- pictures courtesy – (11)

God living in the Pipal tree could be Rudra

The God living in the Pipal tree is identified with the crab constellation and God. Asko Parpola gives the name ‘grahaka’(Rudra) for this symbol (1). My research also supports the said view of Parpola. (3) The Pipal tree symbol indicates the tree in which he usually resides. Nowadays, he is identified as a village God and called Muneeswaran in South India.

Reference and acknowledgements to Asko Parpola, Page.no.234, Deciphering the Indus Script (Book). (1)

The above-given pictures show a male figure of a hunting god, engraved on a copper tablet, found from Mohenjo Daro. The explanation given by Asko Parpola is that this figure could be the image of hunter god Rudra. The backside of the same plate contains some inscription, which could be the name of the god. I tried to read the inscriptions in a syllabic way (giving sound to symbols). Still, no conclusive name of God appeared either in the Dravidian language or the Aryan language.

Iravatham Mahadevan says that Indus inscriptions are written in ‘Ideogramic way’ (Idea). (13) I applied the same ‘Ideogramic’ principle to Indus symbols, and there emerged a proper meaningful interpretation to Indus inscriptions. Mahadevan interprets the ‘Ideograms’ related to Dravidian society, living in metropolises and involved in large scale trade. But, my interpretation is that the IVC community was a small town based agrarian society. The excavated IVC sites were ‘Necropolises’ (Burial grounds), not ‘Metropolises’ as popularly imagined so far. (13)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7

Identifying the objects	Germinating seed —seedling	Two Bangles	Crab constellation symbol	Branch symbol	It could be the ‘embryo symbol.’	Kedaga symbol means protection	Bull’s head -Symbol of sacrifice
Sanskrit name	BijaGkura	Valaya, Kangana	Karkinos (Rudra)	Zakha (Branch) Zakhastha – means God living in a branch	Garbha	Kedaga	Sacrifice
Meaning	An embryo in the Womb	Protection	Karkida Sastha. (column 3&4 should be read together)	Zakhastha is transformed into ‘Sastha’ means ‘God.’	embryo	Protection	Sacrifice

The inscription’s meaning is ‘’Embryo protection ceremony – worship of ‘Karkida Sastha (-Rudra)’ – Embryo protection Sacrifice.

Karkinos name on one side of the copper tablet, and the other side shows the symbol of Karkinos (i.e. crab within pipal tree).

Pictures reference and courtesy –book of Asko Parpola (Page-no. 112)

The above-given seal inscription appears on the figure’s backside, which shows a crab within tree’. The inscription has been read as indicating the god Rudra, and this symbol also should be interpreted as indicating God Rudra.

$C:\Users\user\Desktop\ivc - important seals\Varuna.png$

Picture courtesy – Sue Sullivan (11)

In the above-given seal, God ‘Varuna’ is depicted as accompanied by Crocodile and fishes. Crocodile indicates the Egyptian goddess Ammit, who will eat the heart of the deceased person, after judgement, if he was found unworthy of heaven in the company of gods. The fishes show the souls of person who had reached heaven (or) souls just before the judgement proceedings. In conclusion, it can be assumed that the god depicted in the above-given seal is ‘Varuna’. (6)

‘Proto- Shiva’ seal and Dakshinamurthi

god dakshinamoorthy.png

God Dakshinamurthi.

Picture courtesy – (Wikipedia)

Dakshinamurthi is a god with four arms, depicted seated under a banyan tree, facing the south. He is sitting upon a deer throne and surrounded by sages who are receiving his instruction. Sometimes even the wild animals are depicted to surround Dakshinamurthy. (Wikipedia) Dakshinamurthi has been identified with the god shiva in latter-day Hindu mythologies.

Figure 2: Sky map showing Orion constellation

Picture courtesy – Wikipedia

Further, the southern side position of Dakshinamurthi is reaffirmed by the position of the Orion constellation in the southern hemisphere of the sky. This constellation is located south of the ecliptical pathway. The basic visualization of Hindu priests is that all the celestial gods (Planets) pass through a pathway (ecliptic pathway), which is the central axis of the Hindu temple. In this scheme, Orion is a minor god on the southern sidewall of the Garbha Graha.

The above-given picture shows the Indus Valley seal depicting Proto-Shiva and The sky map showing all the Indus God surrounded by animal constellations. For more details on Dakshinamurthi and this ‘Proto-Shiva’, read the other article of mine under the headings, ’Proto-Shiva seal and Dakshinamurthi’. (15) The relevance of this discussion about Dakshinamurthi is that the ‘Proto-Shiva’ seal corresponds with this god Dakshinamurthi in all aspects. The other name of this god is ‘’Mrighshira’’ because animals surround him. Another name is ‘’Pasupathi’’, ‘Pasu’ means ‘cow’ or ‘animals’.

God Ayyappan could be the other ‘guru.’

Picture of the new copper plate from Pakistan

Image courtesy — (15)

God Ayyappan is considered a ‘Guru’. This particular characteristic of “guru” corresponds well with the God Dakshinamurthi. It can be assumed that Ayyappan is another modified form of Dakshinamurthi/Proto-Shiva. The above-given seal is one of the five new copper plates found recently in Pakistan (15). See the god figure shown in the illustration above. God has a ‘Mani’ (gem) in his neck. That is the particular identification mark for God Ayyappan (Kerala). Because of this identification mark, he is still called Manikanda (God with a gem in his neck) (14). Most probably, the word gem indicates the Dog Star (Sirius) (Canis Major). Refer to page 29 and 30 of my book, New Interpretations on IVC, for more details. (10)

Even though the above-cited Wikipedia article says that ‘Sastha’ means ‘teacher’, Sanskrit dictionaries do not attest to this idea. The word is likely derived from the word ‘zakhastha’, which means ‘branch living God’. (15) This name ‘Zakhstha’ could have been transformed into the word ‘Sastha’ today.

The importance of the Sami tree

For a long time, I did not know why the importance of ‘Sami Tree’. Now, I came across a tiny bit of information, which may be the reason for the importance given to the ‘Sami Tree’ (16).

Arani is a piece of sacred wood to produce fire for sacrifice. Araṇi means “that which is turned round”. The fire in which Vedic sacrifices are performed should be generated by attrition. The two pieces of wood are used for this purpose are called ‘Araṇi.’

‘Adhar-Arani’— The lower piece is rectangular and has an indentation called ‘devayoni’(divine Vulva), the origin of the god of fire. It should be of the aśvattha (Ficus religiosa), which is softer, the size being 16 aṅgulas long, 12 angulas wide and four angulas in height. (Around one foot long and one-foot-wide wooden block)
‘Uttar-Arani’’ – The upper piece is in the form of a drill inserted into the indentation of the adharāraṇi. It should be made from the wood of the Sami tree (Prosopis specigera), which is hard.

Fire is generated by vigorous churning while chanting appropriate chants. The lower Arani is sometimes figuratively called the ‘mother,’ the upper Arani the father and the resultant child is the ‘Agni’ the fire. Hence, the Arani stick is the father of fire, hence the importance given to the Sami tree in Hindu ideas.

Mahabharata narrates the incident of worshipping the ‘’Sami tree’’. Before going into ‘’Agyat-vasa’ (one year life of incognito), the Pandavas prayed the Sami tree. The Sami tree granted their wishes and protected their weapons during the one year of incognito living. This narration shows that ancient worship of Sami tree worship has been practised from the Indus valley period onwards and entered the latter-day epic of Mahabharata.

1. Parpola, Asko. Deciphering the Indus script. New York. : Cambridge University Press., 2000.

2. excavations at Nausharo. Jarrige. 1987-88, PA3, pp. 149-203.

3. Jeyakumar(Rudra). Rudra was the most important god of Indus Valley Civilization. Academia.edu. [Online] https://www.academia.edu/43654003/Rudra_was_the_most_important_god_of_Indus_Valley_Civilization.

4. Jeyakumar(Sah-and-sopdet). Cone symbol indicates the Egyptian God Sah and Sopdet. Academia.edu. [Online] https://www.academia.edu/41094648/Cone_symbol_indicates_the_Egyptian_God_Sah_and_Sopdet.

5. Jeyakumar(Heh). Egyptian god Heh in Indus valley civilization. Academia.edu. [Online]

6. Jeyakumar(Varuna). Varuna was present in Indus Valley civilization. Academia.edu. [Online] https://www.academia.edu/44591283/God_Varuna_was_present_in_Indus_Valley_civilization.

7. jeyakumar(Crocodile-symbol). Crocodile depictions in IVC seal inscriptions are comparable to Egyptian goddess Ammit. Academia.edu. [Online] 2016. https://www.academia.edu/22868949/Crocodile_depictions_in_IVC_seal_inscriptions_are_comparable_to_Egyptian_goddess_Ammit.

8. Jeyakumar(Hunter-on-tree). Indus seal hunter and tiger. Induscivilizationsite. . [Online] 2010. https://sites.google.com/site/induscivilizationsite/home/indus-seal-hunter-and-tiger.

9. jeyakumar(book). New Interpretations on Indus Valley civilization. Academia.edu. [Online] 2009. https://www.academia.edu/11101539/New_Interpretations_on_Indus_Valley_civilization.

10. Courage, Eric. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8426833. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8426833. [Online] 2017. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8426833.

11. Sullivan, Sue. The Indus script dictionary. s.l. : Suzanne Redalia (Publisher)., 2011.

12. Mahadevan.I. The Indus script early form of Dravidian. Thehindu.com. [Online] Nov 2015. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/indus-script-early-form-of-dravidian-iravatham-mahadevan/article6600394.ece.

13. Jeyakumar(Necropolis). Necropolis theory on Indus Valley Civilization. Academia.edu. [Online] 2009. https://www.academia.edu/7773502/Necropolis_theory_on_Indus_Valley_Civilization.

14. Jeyakumar(Dakshinamurthi). Proto-Shiva seal and Dakshinamurthi. Academia.edu. [Online] 2017. https://www.academia.edu/31640723/Proto-Shiva_seal_and_Dakshinamurthi.

15. Shinde, V and Willis, R.J. Ancient-asia-journal.com/article/view. Ancient Asia journal.com. [Online] October 8, 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/aa.12317.

16. wikipedia(Ayyappan). Ayyappan. wikipedia. [Online] May 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayyappan.

17. spokensanskrit.de. zakhastha. spokensanskrit.de. [Online] May 2016. http://spokensanskrit.de/.

18. wisdomlib.org/. Arani seven definitions. wisdomlib library. [Online] https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ara%E1%B9%87i.