u/Odd-Pack818

Same as the title

I feel that Shiva and manifestations seem simplistic yet represent something so profound, relating to the Cosmic nature and rooted in logic and reason. I think I associate myself with the Samkhya school of thought, yet find Shaivite Iconography so meaningful, for example, the Nataraja figure.

Is this because Shaivism also subscribes to Samkhya principles?

Same as the title

*My two cents and an aim to paint a bigger picture on the above topic

The Rig Veda deals much with Varuna, Indra, and Agni, while Rudra/Vishnu to a much lesser extent. It's only in the Yajur Veda that Rudra finds prominence, including the 100 names of Rudra, such as Shiva and Pashupathi. This should mean that temples weren't a thing of the Vedic time, and hence rituals needed Fire altars to invoke or pray to gods such as Indra, which sits well with the findings of the IVC, and the Pashupathi seal corresponds to Proto-Shiva, matching somewhat with the descriptions in the Rig Veda as an ascetic personality. Also, the cultural continuity of practices from IVC to modern times, such as Bangles, Sindhoor, and fire altars, clearly suggests an unbroken and continuous civilization spanning over 2500 years.

The parallels between IVC and Rig Veda, evident in nature worship, the lack of temple prominence, and the evolving stature of Vishnu/Shiva, hint at a partial overlap. It is also supported by the RigVedic hymns praising the Saraswati as mighty and flourishing, matching the peak of the IVC. The battle of 10 kings in the Rig Veda and the fact that the Mahabharata war happened 15-25 generations ago support the rise of Shiva and Vishnu through Krishna in the Mahabharata, so the Rig Veda & IVC predate the Mahabharata.

The parallels between ancient Tamil Sangam and Sanskrit literature, and the mention of deities such as Kartikeya, Shiva, and Vishnu, suggest a syncretization of cultures. The move from the worship of deities like Indra to Shiva and Vishnu, profoundly later on, may be indicative of the Sangam era as the post-Vedic period. Previously, Tamil Nadu may have had an indigenous culture without the influence of Vedic deities, and later began to syncretize deities with the Vedic ones. Sanskrit words in Tirukkural shed light on cultural interaction spanning two millennia. Even the Thirukkural mentions the concepts of Dharma and Moksha, showing a connection to the Vedic philosophies.

Though indigenous civilizations have existed across the extremes of India, they may have been fairly independent and started interacting and exchanging not only traditions but also philosophies and linguistics. There’s substantial proof to back these up from the available linguistic and archaeological sources.

*My two cents and an aim to paint a bigger picture on the above topic

The Rig Veda deals much with Varuna, Indra, and Agni, while Rudra/Vishnu to a much lesser extent. It's only in the Yajur Veda that Rudra finds prominence, including the 100 names of Rudra, such as Shiva and Pashupathi. This should mean that temples weren't a thing of the Vedic time, and hence rituals needed Fire altars to invoke or pray to gods such as Indra, which sits well with the findings of the IVC, and the Pashupathi seal corresponds to Proto-Shiva, matching somewhat with the descriptions in the Rig Veda as an ascetic personality. Also, the cultural continuity of practices from IVC to modern times, such as Bangles, Sindhoor, and fire altars, clearly suggests an unbroken and continuous civilization spanning over 2500 years.

The parallels between IVC and Rig Veda, evident in nature worship, the lack of temple prominence, and the evolving stature of Vishnu/Shiva, hint at a partial overlap. It is also supported by the RigVedic hymns praising the Saraswati as mighty and flourishing, matching the peak of the IVC. The battle of 10 kings in the Rig Veda and the fact that the Mahabharata war happened 15-25 generations ago support the rise of Shiva and Vishnu through Krishna in the Mahabharata, so the Rig Veda & IVC predate the Mahabharata.

The parallels between ancient Tamil Sangam and Sanskrit literature, and the mention of deities such as Kartikeya, Shiva, and Vishnu, suggest a syncretization of cultures. The move from the worship of deities like Indra to Shiva and Vishnu, profoundly later on, may be indicative of the Sangam era as the post-Vedic period. Previously, Tamil Nadu may have had an indigenous culture without the influence of Vedic deities, and later began to syncretize deities with the Vedic ones. Sanskrit words in Tirukkural shed light on cultural interaction spanning two millennia. Even the Thirukkural mentions the concepts of Dharma and Moksha, showing a connection to the Vedic philosophies.

Though indigenous civilizations have existed across the extremes of India, they may have been fairly independent and started interacting and exchanging not only traditions but also philosophies and linguistics. There’s substantial proof to back these up from the available linguistic and archaeological sources.