Lately, in today's world, where religion is always on the offensive and has been made into something people want to get high on, instead of being a source of motivation, learning and inspiration for the well being of all humanity through right conduct (thanks to the internet, politics and other business thriving on religious values of the masses), it can be observed that one thing which has changed 180 is the depiction of Gods in images being popularised over the internet. The gods now being sketched and getting popularised by the newer generation, look more violent and punishing. Some examples have been listed below.
(All images are taken from Google Image search and their rights lie with their respective creators. Usage only for reference and fair use.)
Looks like gone are the days of painters like Raja Ravi Verma, who pioneered bringing god to a frame, depicting Gods based on the values told by the scriptures and other sources. Below are examples of Raja Ravi Verma's paintings.
(All images are taken from Google Image search and their rights lie with their respective creators. Usage only for reference and fair use.)
The Gods as per their character descriptions wore a mild smile, compassion in their eyes and a gentle and welcoming posture, much contrary to the Gods depicted by new age artists which are seen in Angry face, in an aggressive or fighting posture. Maybe it is due to the fact that these angry avatar gods get more popular. Featuring on people's DP, or wallpapers, or statuses and even some business running printing T-Shirts and watches. Maybe the angry gods have become the new cool.
Most recognizable ones being the Smoking Shiva, the Arrow Shooting Rama, and the most controversial, Angry Hanuman. What intrigued me to write today is that today being Hanuman Jayanti, I am seeing digital spaces flooded with pictures of Hanuman Ji, looking mighty, furious and filled with rage. Why is that that we have started molding our gods into displaying vices they never possessed. Instead of being able to change ourselves into inculcating their virtues, we have started revering them into forms they never took, or took only for a while and was not in their nature. So this blog of mine goes to reminding mine and the readers' humble self of the virtues of lord Hanuman as described by the scriptures.
Hanuman Ji, since his very childhood, has been described as the most innocent yet the most high-spirited of the lot. He has been described as an ocean of wisdom and virtues, the light bringer to all the three worlds. The owner of immeasurable strength, the one who shall break the shackles of ill-mindedness and take his followers toward noble thoughts. He is knowledgable and smart, always eager to serve his lord, Shri Ram. He is said to glorify all the four eons and lighten up mankind. He is the protector of sages and saints and gets them rid of the demons which makes him dear to Shri Ram.
These are the qualities in light of which we need to look up to our gods. Not anger, violence and vengeance. Even when Shri Rama was on his Lanka conquest, his goal was not of taking revenge or kill someone, his goal was to bring Mata Sita. There is no description of him filled with rage ever even during the whole war. His mind was at peace, his goal was ever clear. Even when Shri Hanuman, willfully got captive by Ravan, and set Lanka ablaze, it was not in a fit of rage or to cause destruction, it was done in a playful manner sending a hint about the greatness of the lord. If his follower can be so witty and out-performing the whole empire, what will he do if his lord commands?
If Shri Hanuman was a being, who could get under the influence of negative emotions like rage, he could have never followed Shri Ram. On the other hand, Shri Lakshman, Lord Ram's younger brother, had emotions of rage and vengeance, but throughout Ramayan (Valmiki, Original), Lord Ram keeps moderating him and reminding him to not let emotions rule his decisions. Once eventually, when he did, he got fatally injured, during the battle.
Having said that, it is not that Hindu Gods were never depicted angry. But it is so rare, that only a couple of incidents of it have been popularised since the long span of the history of Hindu religion and Folk religion. The ones I am mentioning here are being Lord Shiv annihilating Kamdev in his attempt to break his Dhyaan (Meditation) and strike Shiva with his Kambana (Arrow of Passion). Another being when Mata Shakti personified into Fury and Wrath on being confronted by the demons Chand and Mund. Even if we consider these rarest of rare occasions, what we must notice is even the Gods later repented for being angry, and it was their momentary form, not their natural state.
Conclusively, the purpose of writing this is to remind the reader and me, that this neo-culture being born out of a religion filled with super-human positive virtues, must not be corrupted by changing how its gods are depicted, and create a false image for them, just because they look "cool" when angry, smoking or fighting. It is good for business and fashion, not for worship.
