Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.s2.65

v2.c74.s2.65

The conception of gods as anthropomorphic in nature and their representation in the mythology and art as mortals, was not peculiar to India. It was so in other ancient countries too. This affinity between the mortals and immortals, as hinted above lies deeper. The gods become gods only when they assume the human forms (cf. the Doctrine of Incarnation) otherwise the God, the Absolute, has no form. This is the underlying philosophical and mystic truth which has led men from very early times to endow the gods with human forms, human dresses, human decorations and even human emotions and passions. The innumereble illustrations of this fact in all the classes of ancient literature, Vaidic, Paurāṇic, Epic, where the denizens of the heavens appear for all practical purposes, as mere men, living their lives of joys and sorrows, though there was a time when the mortals and immortals were one and living only a life of joy alone (S. S. Sahadevādhikāra, Chapter VI).