From the Vedas to Vikings: On the Relationship Between Hinduism and European Paganism

For many, the idea that Hinduism, the predominant religion of India, has anything in common with the ancestral paganism of pre-Christian ancient Europe sounds ridiculous. In the present-day, both traditions seem quite different and even opposed to one another. However, they are more similar than meets the eye, and the scholarly consensus is that these two traditions have common origins.

It first needs to be understood that Hinduism and European paganism are both very diverse, vast traditions. Hinduism is a term invented by Indologists to simplify the study of the wide range of different spiritual beliefs in India, which have many things in common and rely on the Vedic texts for wisdom. The term pagan is also itself an invention of the ancient Romans, who used it to denote village dwellers that worshiped their own obscure deities. European paganism encompasses many different ethnic traditions, such as Germanic paganism (practiced in Northwestern Europe, Scandinavia, and modern-day England), Slavic paganism (practiced in Eastern Europe), Greco-Roman paganism (practiced in present-day Greece and Italy), and Celtic paganism (practiced in modern-day France and the British Isles) to name a few.

These pagan religions were greatly suppressed by the arrival of Christianity in Europe. However, many traditions were practiced in secrecy, or openly under the guise of being Christian celebrations (such as Christmas and Easter, which are based on the pagan celebrations of Yule and Ostara), and today, many of these religions have found new practitioners in the descendants of those who birthed these traditions. Modern followers of paganism have been called "neo-pagans," respectively.

Both Hinduism and European paganism are Indo-European traditions. Along with Zoroastrianism, they developed independently from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) religion. The Proto-Indo-Europeans were a prehistoric group of tribes that consisted of many different cultures and practices, and have their genesis in the Eurasian steppes. There is some debate about the specifics of their exact origin, and where they may have initially come from. Because of this, I will limit my remarks about this specifically. Our interest in this article is the connection between two Indo-European religions; Hinduism and European paganism.

For some further reading on the subject, I would recommend the book Journeys in the Kali Yuga: A Pilgrimage from Esoteric India to Pagan Europe by Aki Cederberg.

The commonalities between Hinduism and European paganism are plenty, and some of these can be seen even better if we look at Vedic Hinduism, or Hinduism the way it was practiced at the time the Vedas were written. Some similarities include:

1. Veneration of a "sky deity", such as Zeus in Greek paganism, Jupiter in Roman paganism, and Thor in Norse paganism. Many different deities could receive this title in Hinduism, though Indra and Dyaus come to mind.

2. Veneration of a fertility goddess, such as Freyja in Norse paganism. Aditi and Devi could be the Vedic counterpart.

3. Veneration of solar and lunar deities. Sol (Roman), Sól (Norse), Sul (Celtic), Helios (Greek), and Surya (Vedic/Hindu) are all clear examples of solar deities. In most of these mythologies, motifs depict the solar deity as riding a chariot that pulls the sun across the sky.

4. Veneration of thunder or storm deities. Perun (Slavic), Perkunas (Baltic), and Parjanya (Vedic/Hindu).

5. "Twin founders" of civilization; two brothers are thought to have birthed civilization. The myth of Romulus and Remus is the story of Rome's foundation. Also called Manu and Yama (Vedic/Hindu), and Mannus and Ymir (Germanic).

6. Virtually all early Indo-European cosmologies speak of a "world tree," or a tree at the center of the cosmos. Especially prevalent in Norse mythology, i.e. Yggdrasil.

7. Sacred ritual drink consumed in religious rites. In Europe, the consumption of the alcoholic beverage mead was widespread, and correlates to the consumption of haoma (Indo-Iranian) and soma (Vedic).

8. The development of a caste system or social order, mainly separating people into warriors, priests, farmers, and laborers.

Among these are many other similarities, however, these are some of the core ones that have been identified as having clear roots in the Proto-Indo-European religion. This has led many practitioners of neo-paganism (or modern paganism) to see Hinduism as a cousin religion, and vice versa.

The Indo-European religions are deeply mystical. Forms of mysticism and magic can be found within all of these traditions to varying degrees, differing in their own ways to suit the population that practiced these customs. For instance, Germanic paganism's system of galdr can be viewed as similar to the magical spells in the Atharva Veda. Therefore, I see the practice of both galdr and Vedic spells to be equivalent and equally valid.

Something that is perhaps more emphasized in Hinduism than it is in European pagan religions is the cyclical nature of the universe. Hindus believe that the universe is constantly created, preserved, and destroyed, and that this process has repeated itself an infinite number of times in the past, and will do the same in the future. The Vedas state that the universe undergoes four main ages or aeons, called yugas. The first of these great ages is the Satya Yuga, which is described as being a great golden age on earth in which the largest population of enlightened beings existed, and all people practiced the same religion. I believe this global religion mentioned in the Vedas is the Proto-Indo-European religion itself, and the various traditions that branched off from it.

Hence, from my perspective, Hinduism sees the European pagan faiths (and Zoroastrianism) as distant relatives, all working towards the goal of spiritual enlightenment.

The title of this article, while meant to be catchy and memorable, is also meant to be taken almost literally; even with vast distance between the two cultures, there is a connection between the Indian Vedas and the Norse Vikings. The Hindu and pagan religions share a lineage going all the way back into prehistory. How far back it goes exactly remains unknown. The question of whether these beliefs are true is a personal one.

While I first and foremost consider myself a Hindu, I do not see anything wrong with being labeled a pagan. I am open to observing and celebrating pagan holidays and festivals, as they are a part of my heritage (I am of European descent). And, they are close in origin to some of the customs observed by the Hindus. So, if you are a neo-pagan, you should read the Vedas and see what similarities you may find between Hinduism and your own path. And if you are a Hindu, you should read the Norse Eddas, or the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.