The religion of the ancient Israelites and the religion developed in the Indus and Gangetic plains

are the two most ancient religions of the world as we know it today. The Indian religion, which
we call Hinduism, and the Israelite religion, that is known to us as Judaism, have been the two
dominant systems of faith, particularly in the last three thousand years of history, in terms of
origin, development, and shaping off the subsequent religious evolution of man. Each of these
dominates the religious life and ethos of the two halves of the world, which borders one another
in the heartland of ancient Persia

However, the evidence of history does not necessarily support this theory of the origin
and evolution of the nation that was entrusted with the religion of one all-powerful God, Israel.
The historical view of the origin of the Israelites’ religion refuses to entertain the idea of a divine
encounter in absolute terms and assumes that the Israelites borrowed their concept of God and
system of metaphysics from the Egyptian religion. There are all kinds of concepts and
arguments about the creation and cosmology in the Book of Genesis, which is often pulled into
two directions in order to connect it with the Egyptian religion on the one hand and with the
Mesopotamian pagan religions on the other.

Berquist, Jon L (2003) states that “Judaism is unique in some ways among the religions that, by
essence, revolve around the concept of God the one God. Historically, the national religion of the
Israelites was not an ancient myth repackaged into a new belief system, as is often contended by
some ancient Near Eastern mythologists. It is, instead, a faith that broke radically with the
ancient religious traditions and introduced an entirely new concept of the supernatural on the
religious horizon. It claimed that there was only one God, the all-powerful creator of every living
and non-living being in the scheme of creation. Every conceivable or inconceivable thing was,
therefore, within the domain of that sovereign God.”

According to Budge, E.A. Wallis (1988), The Egyptians also had an obscure idea of the one God
The Israelites, on the other hand, came up with a new theology that was unheard of before in the
ancient Near East. We must not forget that it was a period of ‘kingdoms’ and Egypt was the
superpower of the known world with a strong centralized institution of kingship. The Pharaoh
was regarded as a god himself to whom all the divine powers were relegated by the gods. This
resulted in the concentration of all real and imaginative earthly powers in him. For a slavish
nation like the Israelites to introduce a revolutionary doctrine in the existing religious

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weltanschauung was unimaginable. Religion belonged to the powerful a powerful king of a
powerful nation. Therefore, a slave nation could not have thought up a radically new idea of one
sovereign God in the first place, and if they had somehow conceived such an ideology, it was
impossible, let alone being plausible, that they would have ever been heard and entertained the
powerful and other ethnic groups. It was but a blasphemy in the sight of the ruling nation.

Hinduism, on the other hand, is a religion of rich mythology that manifests its religious
experience in the plurality of gods and diverse metaphysical truths. The religion of ancient India
did not see the divine force as one; instead, it splits what is divine into a range of distinct divine
entities. The generic term the Hindu theology employs for denoting the central force or being of
the universe is Paramātmā, "Supreme Self," whereas its more religiously-tilted rendering
which also squares with the monotheistic conception of the Supreme Deity is Paramēśvara,
meaning "Supreme God." Classical Hinduism (1982)

The generic Sanskrit term for a male god is deva or devtā, whereas the terminology used for a
female goddess is devī. These terms are assigned to every god of Hindu mythology from the
most ordinary divinity to the highest one as a general appellation, which often serves as a prefix
or suffix of the personal name of a god or goddess. While Jewish thought pattern sternly opposes
the anthropomorphosis or personification of a transcendent God and his revelation into images,
the Hindu thought pattern solely operates on the principle of divine revelation into mūrtīs,
"images of gods," and avātāras, "divine incarnations," to achieve the same end-goal. Knott
(1998)

The forces of the divine also communicate with human beings in Hinduism. The Hindu gods
were (and are) actively as well as proactively engaged in their communication and correlation
with humankind in fighting against evil to fend it off of man. Dhavamony (1982) eraborates’ the
gods of Hinduism are not remote heavenly creatures in Platonic sense, nor do they have a
resemblance with the Semitic concept of a transcendent deity, because the thread of Hindu
tradition is theologically focused on the cycle of events in this world, particularly the Indian
Subcontinent.

The concept of divine inspiration and revelation to mankind is not altogether absent from
the Hindu religion. The terminal of inspiration may not have the same characteristics as that of
the Israelite religion, it does nevertheless serve a similar function. Hindu mythology is too subtle

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to be rendered as a pagan religion, technically speaking, which earns it the status of a complete
religious system in its own right with a ‘league of religions’ within it. There is a refined
philosophy seeking after the true knowledge of the Reality and personal enlightenment behind
the façade of mythology. For the ordinary Hindus, for instance, it is a religious culture littered
with idols of gods that offer them a direct personal revelation. Beyond this tangible revelation,
however, the sages experience an entirely different world of metaphysical mysteries and eternal
truths. It is only their imagination, often perceived as spiritual climaxing, that can possibly reach
those Eucharistic heights in the Hindu experience of communion.

Since there are innumerable gods in the divine vehicle of Hinduism, they interact in
person or via agencies with humanity to transmit their will and word for given situations. They
often reveal themselves to their favorite individuals in person and teach highest forms of wisdom
to unlock the secrets of the universe. The main Sanskrit term for what can be the closest
resemblance to the biblical inspiration is sampradāna, meaning "giving" or "teaching.

Both Jewish and Hindu religious traditions offer unique perspectives on the origin of the
universe and life. According to Jewish tradition, the universe was created by God as described in
the Book of Genesis. The creation story unfolds over six days, with God creating the world and
everything in it. Genesis 1:1-3 states "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit
of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light."

This narrative describes how God spoke creation into existence, starting with light and
progressing to the formation of the Earth, the sky, seas, vegetation, animals, and finally
humanity.

In Jewish tradition, life is considered a gift from God. The creation story in Genesis depicts God
forming Adam from the dust of the ground and breathing life into him, making him a living
being (Genesis 2:7). Eve, the first woman, is created from one of Adam's ribs (Genesis 2:21-22).
Thus, life originates from the divine act of creation by God.

Hinduism offers diverse creation narratives, with the most prominent being found in the
Rigveda, particularly in the hymn known as the Nasadiya Sukta (Creation Hymn). This hymn
explores the mystery of creation, questioning the origins of the universe. It presents a

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philosophical inquiry into the nature of existence, acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the
ultimate origin. One verse from the Nasadiya Sukta (RV 10.129) reflects this ambiguity.

"Whence all creation had its origin, he, whether he fashioned it or whether he did not, he, who
surveys it all from highest heaven, he knows or maybe even he does not know." This hymn
reflects the Hindu understanding of creation as a divine mystery beyond human comprehension.

In Hinduism, life is believed to be cyclical, with the concept of reincarnation central to its
understanding. Life is not seen as having a singular origin but rather as an ongoing process of
birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). The ultimate goal is to break free from this cycle of
reincarnation and attain liberation (moksha).

Pitt, Malcolm, Introducing Hinduism, (1955). The concept of creation is closely tied to various
deities such as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, who are often associated with creation, preservation,
and destruction respectively. Brahma is the creator deity, responsible for the creation of the
universe in Hindu cosmology.

A practical example of the Jewish perspective on creation and life can be seen in the observance
of Shabbath, the weekly day of rest. Jews commemorate God's creation of the universe in six
days and his rest on the seventh day, as described in Genesis. By resting on Shabbath, Jews
acknowledge God as the ultimate creator and sustainer of life.

In Hinduism, rituals such as puja (worship) and yagna (fire sacrifice) are performed to honor
various deities associated with creation and the preservation of life. These rituals symbolize the
interconnectedness of humans with the divine and the cyclical nature of existence. Pitt, Malcolm,
(1955)

In conclusion, both Jewish and Hindu perspectives offer rich insights into the origin of the
universe and life, emphasizing the divine role in creation while presenting unique theological and
philosophical interpretations.

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 References

Berquist, Jon L., Judaism in Persia’s Shadow: A Social and Historical Approach, Eugene,
Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2003.

Chalmers, Aaron, Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel: Prophet, Priest, Sage & People,
Downers Grove, 2012.

Chandra, Satish, Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals (1206-1526), New Delhi:
HarAnand Publications, 2005.
Dhavamony, Mariasusai, Classical Hinduism, Documenta Missionalia – 15, Rome: Gregorian
University Press, 1982.
Herberg, Will, Judaism and Modern Man, Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights , 1997.