Tattva-viveka
Golden Goddess
Madhukari Dasi - November 24, 2008 2:14 pm
While surfing the net on ancient religious music, I came across these interesting verses, written in Egyptian hieroglyphics. They are in praise of chanting, singing, dancing and a Golden Goddess. Is there any evidence of cross-culture between the Egyptians and early Vaishnavas?
“First there was the god, Hesu, who created music. The goddess, Hathor, was both the goddess of love and of music. There is a painting depicting the worship of this goddess in a later Graeco-Roman temple at Medamund, north of Thebes. We see a group of female musicians, with harp, drum, and lute, beneath a hieroglyph description:
The members of the choir take up their instruments and play them. The song stresses in full number adore the Golden Goddess and make music to the Golden Goddess: they never cease their chanting.
The text of the hymn is written behind the lutanist and a singer.
Come, O Golden Goddess, the singers chant
for it is nourishment for the heart to dance the iba,
to shine over the feast at the hour of retiring
and to enjoy dance at night..
The royal children satisfy you with what you love
and the officials give offerings to you.
The lector priest exalts you singing a hymn,
and the wise men read the rituals....”
Robertnewman - November 24, 2008 2:54 pm
Is there any evidence of cross-culture between the Egyptians and early Vaishnavas?
The evidence is apparently vast, not only of religio-cultural connections between the Egyptians and early Vaishnavas, but between all monotheistic peoples in the general area of the Middle East and it's surroundings. Unfortunately I'm not qualified to present it, but attached is a (rather technical) essay that hints at some forms of connection.
Robertnewman - November 25, 2008 12:36 am
Here is another essay by the same author, comparing Catholicism with Vaishnavism in some depth.
Syamasundara - November 25, 2008 4:29 am
I don't know about Vaisnavas specifically, but it's very likely that there are connections between the Vedic society and the Egyptian one.
Both Radha and Durga are called Gauri, golden one, but in general I don't find it so surprising that a specific people would attribute or associate gold to divinity. It's not like the song said that a certain goddess was the pleasure potency of God.
Tadiya Dasi - November 25, 2008 6:49 pm
Haribol Madhukari 
I don't know anything about the possible ties between Egyptian religions and vaisnavism. However, I am taking a course called Oriental Religions right now, and the similarities between some of the cults of the time in Egypt and Christianity are striking and there was a prominent cult of the Great Goddess (Magna Mater) in Egypt that bears similarities to the worship of the Goddess in Hinduism. So, I guess I'm leaning towards the same idea that Syamasundara proposed (i.e. influence from Durga worship etc.)
I'll let you know if I learn something about the possible ties between Egyptian religions and Hinduism (vaisnavism) from my course 