Why all religions had similar gods?

If we go back to the time when human society consisted of only hunters and gatherers, we find that even then, people believed in gods. Their gods were the forces of nature that they didn’t understand. They imagined these gods based on what they saw within their clans. Just as someone in the clan was always responsible for making things happen, they understood the concept of cause and effect and applied it to the world around them. In their eyes, someone must be in charge of the forces of nature, just as the clan leader was in charge of the tribe. As a result, they attributed natural events like floods, droughts, thunderstorms, rain, and eclipses to deities. 

This belief in gods tied to natural forces is seen across many ancient civilizations, such as the Roman, Greek, Mesopotamian, and Egyptian cultures. However, our sages, being logical and analytical, realized that these forces were not the deeds of gods. They understood that if there is a god, it cannot be comprehended by our limited, ignorant minds. Yet, they couldn’t openly express this, as doing so would have led to charges of blasphemy, which often resulted in barbaric punishments. Instead, they used the concept of deities as a framework to guide people toward a more conscious way of life. This eventually became the foundation of Sanatan Dharma—the Vedic tradition. 

The Vedic texts were composed in such a way that deities were often symbolic. For instance, the name ‘Indra’ was used for both the ruler of the senses and water droplets. Through this symbolism, the sages explained the atmosphere, the reasons behind rainfall, floods, thunderstorms, and even the breaking of mountains, while also describing Indra as the supreme lord of righteousness. Similarly, they personified the qualities of other natural forces, such as Agni (fire) and Aditya (the sun), through various deities. In later verses, they clarified that all these deities were simply different names assigned to one ultimate truth. 

To make their teachings more accessible, the sages wrote the verses in the form of poems, which were not only beautiful but also easier to remember. They employed similes, metaphors, and other literary tools to convey deeper meanings. Unfortunately, many people didn’t study the Vedas in their entirety and misinterpreted these symbolic teachings. Instead, they reverted to their earlier mindset of worshipping nature as gods, but this time, they used the Vedas to justify their beliefs. 

Hindus don’t know what is Atma!