Ancient Egypt’s Vaishnava Culture

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Ancient Egypt’s Vaishnava Culture

 

Los Angeles, CA

April 10, 2000

 

Recently, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art held an exhibit called

“Pharaohs of the Sun”. It turned out to be the most popular exhibit ever.

The exhibit featured artifacts from the reigns of Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and

the famous King Tut. Modern scholars claim that Akhenaton was the worlds

first known monotheist. However, the fact is, he was actually reviving an

ancient monotheistic religious tradition. Unknown to most is the true

nature of this religion. This religion was not only vedic, but was actually

an indiginous Egyptian form of Vaisnavaism.

Research has proven Akhenaton’s vedic roots through his familial connections

to the Hurrian/Mitanni peoples. Everyone agrees that the Mitanni were a

Sanskrit speaking and writing people and they worshipped the vedic gods.

What is forgotten is the fact that Akhenaton’s father, his mother, and wife

were all related to the vedic Mitanni. Thus, it is no surprise that

Akhenaton’s religion has so many vedic similarities. The research of

BhaktiAnanda Goswami has proven the Vaishnava nature of his religion.

On April 10, 2000, BhaktiAnanda Goswami of E.O.H.N. (Ecumenical Order of the

Holy Name), and Vedic Empire Productions put together a tour and

presentation on Akhenaton’s vedic/vaishnava past. During the two hours of

the tour BhaktiAnanda Goswami enthusiastically pointed out the various

vaishnava connections. Again and again he amazed and enlightened the tour

participants. It is truly amazing how many ancient artifacts are related to

the worship of Hari. Using the torchlight of knowledge, BhaktiAnanda

Goswami clearly revealed the Vaishnava nature of Akhenaton’s religion.

During the tour, many people unconnected to our group were intrigued and

asked intelligent and sincere questions which BhaktiAnanda Goswami answered.

The program continued that evening at the Los Angeles Hare Krishna Temple

where BhaktiAnanda gave a detailed talk on various examples of the ancient

world’s global Vaishnava traditions. Using a scientific approach called

linguistic archaeology, some of the key points he presented are as follows:

1) The original forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead worshipped in

the Mediterranean region were Radha-Krishna and Balarama. The center of

this ancient Vaishnava culture was the Greek Isle of Rhodes.

2) Jews, Egyptians, and Europeans all worshipped Lord Krishna in many forms

all familiar to the modern day Vaishnava. Forms such as Matsya, Korma,

Narasimha, and Kalki. This tradition was called Heliopolitan because they

worshipped Helios (Greek for Hari).

3) Hundreds of Jewish, Egyptian, and Greco Roman deity names (theophoric

names) can be clearly identified as names of Krishna or Vishnu.

4) Official religious emblems, including the state seals of the Jewish

kingdoms of Israel and Judah, were indisputably Vaishnava symbols, and

directly connected to Akhenaton’s religion and the eternal Vaishnava

traditions of India.

5) In ancient Egyptian religion, creation began from the form of NHRYN

(Narayan) lying on the primordial waters. A lotus grows from His navel, and

on this lotus appears the four armed and four headed Heliosphanes (Brahma)

who speaks creation.

6) Ancient Mediterranean Vaishnavism can be properly understood when we

compare it to the authentic Vaishnava scriptural sources especially

Bhagavad-Gita, and Srimad Bhagavatam, where the viratarupa (Universal Form)

conception of the Supreme Lord is revealed. For example, Krishna’s self

revelation in the “I Am” verses of the Bhagavad-Gita directly parallels the

great hymns of HR-Heri of ancient Egypt. Therefore, ancient Egyptian

religion considered HR-Heri the origin of all gods and deities. That is why

they used the name HR-Heri or Asu (Vasu) along with deities considered to be

aspects of Heri. Thus, the god of wealth was called KPHR/Kepe-Heri because

in the Gita Krishna says “…I am Kubera”.

7) Being authentic followers of Vaishnavism, ancient Heliopolitan cities

always had a presiding deity of Helios (Hari). He was always worshipped

with His Fortuna (Goddess of Fortune or Shakti). Evidence shows that the

original form of Helios (Hari) was worshipped on the Greek Isle of Rhodes as

Kouros. The original form of Fortuna was named Rhoda.

8) Even modern scholars accept that Kouros was considered the origin of all

the Greek gods. He is described as a beautiful youth tending His sacred

white cows with His elder brother and friends. He plays a flute and leads

the boys in dance as they clash their cymbals. He dances with Rhoda and Her

expansions in a circle dance named after Him called the Chorus Dance. As

the Lord of the Dance He is called Choreagos from which is derived the

modern word ‘choreographer’. The peacock feather was the pre-eminent symbol

of both Helios and Kouros. Throughout the region Helios (Hari) was

worshipped as the Lord of the Heart and the Supreme Personality of Love.

That is why He is the Lord of all living entities, cultures, and traditions.

 

All of this evidence highlights the fact that we are all rooted in the

tradition of pure devotional service to Sri Sri Radha Krishna and Balarama.

BhaktiAnanda Goswami hopes that his research can be instrumental in

reuniting all of God’s children and awaken the world to its common heritage

as the people of Hari.

 

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