This is an extract:
HYPOTHESIS OF HINDU BEGINNINGS
The lack of archaeological and anthropological findings of Hindu past is puzzling, compared with that of other ancient peoples. But there is sufficient evidence today, especially with the archaeological findings at the Mehrgarh, and Indus Valley Civilisation and Hindu religious activities to join some of the dots together. It is likely that due to geophysical nature in that part of the world as well as with the common practice of cremation to dispose of the dead, there is not much hard evidence available from burial sites. There is little doubt that the legends of the Ayran Invasion were myths.The Hindu culture was not introduced by the Ayrans around 2000BC-1500BC but archaeological evidence (Mehrgarh) has proven that the practice of cremation and coffin burial was already widely practised even in the neolithic periods of the Indus Valley Civilisation, i.e., the Cemetary H Period (ca.1900 BC to ca. 1300BC.) This clearly indicates that the concept of re-incarnation was already believed by a large majority of people even then, hence the ritual of cremation, to free the spirit.
If we begin to examine the culture of the neolithic peoples of that region, there is without a doubt that they would have created gods to protect them and to guide them with their way of life. These gods emanated even in pre-neolithic times created by the people and their Sudhus and Yogis (Holy men.) Hinduism beliefs incorporates many esoteric and colourful imaginations and physical transformations that are quite unique to these people. It could only evolve from a very isolated mentality that has little understanding of basic sciences or biology but needed to create an explanation to meet the needs of their curiosity of the natural world around them.So if we study the pictorial image of Lord Brahma, it is full of symbolic meaning shown pictorially rather than in text (as this was pre-Historical times,) that ispresentable and understandable for Hindu followers, i.e., Lord Brahma is shown as a bearded, four-faced, four-armed deity.
In popular images, He carries a rosary in the upper right hand, a book in the upper left hand, a kamandalu (water pot) in the lower left hand, and bestows grace with His lower right hand. The four faces represent the sacred knowledge of the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva), and this is the most prominent feature of any image of Brahma. The four faces, therefore, symbolize that Brahma is the source of all knowledge necessary for the creation of the universe. The four arms represent the four directions and thus represent the omnipresence and omnipotence of Lord Brahma.
The four hands represent the four aspects of human personality: mind (back right hand), intellect (back left hand), ego (front right hand), and the empirical self or conditioned consciousness (front left hand). The rosary symbolizes the time cycle through which the world moves from creation to sustenance, from sustenance to dissolution, and from dissolution to new creation. The rosary also symbolizes the materials used in the process of creation. Its position in the back right hand suggests the intelligent use of these materials in the process of creation.
A book in the back hand (symbolizing the intellect) illustrates that right knowledge is important for any kind of creative work. A water pot (kamandalu) in the front left hand symbolizes the cosmic energy by which Brahma brings the universe into existence. The hand symbolizing ego (the front right hand) is shown in the pose of bestowing grace. This conveys the idea that the Lord bestows grace and protects all sincere devotees.
So although the portrayal may appear over the top to the outsider, its symbolism is meaningful to the majority of the illiterate followers especially when explained to them by a priest or someone knowledgeable.
But to someone studying Hinduism, it does show that the pictorial concept of Hindu gods must have had a great significance to their beliefs and their devotions. It also indicates the antiquity of the concept of people who accepted creation, and the physiology of birth and death with esoteric imaginations without even an understanding of how life is created. This shows clearly that Hinduism was born long before the Mesolithic period for them to have been able to adopt such concepts of human life. [The evolution of Hinduism is quite different from the evolution of the Taoist religion, for example.]
Hinduism evolved not from the Aryan Invasion but from the indigenous peoples of the Harappan civilisation and their predecessors even from Mesolithic roots.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-vHfvBS...Y/edit?hl=en_GB