Avatar Movie Inspired by Hinduism : The movie “Avatar” has a profound connection with Hinduism. It depicts several elements that directly relate to the principles of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism).
Avatar Movie Inspired by Hinduism
Do you know which is the highest-grossing movie in the world? If not, let me tell you. The highest-grossing movie in the world is “Avatar,” released in 2009, and its record remains unbroken till today.
The movie had a budget of approximately 12 billion Indian Rupees, which could have easily financed the production of 8 to 10 good Bollywood movies. However, the amount of money it earned will astonish you. “Avatar” grossed around 1.9 trillion Indian Rupees in total, which is why its record still stands strong.
1) The name “Avatar” has a connection to Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)
The movie “Avatar” takes its name from the Sanskrit term “Avatar,” which has its roots in the ancient Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) culture. Many of you might already understand this, as this Sanskrit word is widely used in Hinduism. It is used to refer to various incarnations of deities, such as Lord Rama and Lord Shri Krishna, who are among the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu
2) The theme of the movie “Avatar” is connected to Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)
In Hinduism, the concept of “Avatar” is not just limited to the word itself but involves the idea that Lord Vishnu, instead of coming to Earth in His divine form, sends His divine consciousness into other bodies at different times to fulfill a specific purpose. This is what we refer to as an “Avatar.” The direct connection is established between Lord Vishnu and the Avatar. In simple terms, Lord Vishnu is the essence of the Avatar, and the body is merely a human form through which they can establish and propagate the principles of Dharma among humans.
Similarly, in the movie “Avatar,” a similar concept is depicted, where some Earth inhabitants, including us, can connect with the inhabitants of another planet called Pandora without physically going there. With the help of science, they transfer their consciousness into the bodies of the inhabitants of Pandora, who have similar physical forms. This allows Earth inhabitants to easily interact and carry out their tasks among the people of other planets. In this movie, this human form of connection is referred to as an “Avatar.”
3) There is a connection between the avatars in the movie “Avatar” and the concept of avatars in Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism).
When you observe the avatars depicted in the movie, they also seem to be inspired by the avatars in Hinduism.
In Hinduism, the physical characteristics of Lord Vishnu and Lord Rama, as described in scriptures, include a blue complexion and an extraordinary height that surpasses the average height of humans. Similarly, the avatars portrayed in the movie “Avatar” also appear to be influenced by these aspects. The height and complexion of the avatars in the movie resemble those described in Hinduism, particularly bearing a resemblance to Lord Rama. Additionally, just like Lord Rama, the movie’s avatar is shown to possess remarkable skills and mastery in combat.
While there may not be a direct religious connection between the avatars in the movie and Hinduism, the visual and conceptual similarities evoke a sense of inspiration and familiarity, particularly with the depiction of divine incarnations in Hindu mythology .
4) The connection with nature found in Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)
In the movie Avatar, the people of Pandora are shown to have a strong connection with nature. They worship trees and see them as divine beings. They are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the trees.
The concept of worshipping trees is also found only in the Sanatana culture. There are several trees that are still worshipped in Hinduism, such as the Peepal tree, Banyan tree, and Tulsi plant.
The incident of the Bishnoi community in Rajasthan in 1730 is an example of people’s deep reverence for trees. When the king ordered the cutting down of trees, many Bishnois hugged the trees to protect them, but the ruthless soldiers of the king cut down the trees along with the people.
This incident inspired the Chipko Movement in 1973. When the government under Indira Gandhi’s leadership ordered the felling of forests in Uttarakhand, people stood in front of the trees, hugging them to save the forests from destruction. In this movement, 27 women sacrificed their lives for the environment.
This shows the importance of the environment in the Sanatana culture. However, as we move away from our culture, we are also deteriorating the condition of the environment. Today, various global programs are being implemented to save trees, rivers, air, soil, and different species. But in the Sanatana culture, there was never a need to do these things separately because our culture taught us to progress while preserving the environment.
Therefore, when you understand the Sanatana culture and watch this movie, you can sense the essence of Sanatana culture. This movie also emphasizes living in harmony with nature and teaches us ways to live our lives with respect for the environment.
5) The director of Avatar 2, James Cameron, has a connection to Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)
It is not just that. The director of Avatar 2, James Cameron, also has a deep appreciation for Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and is greatly attracted to many aspects portrayed in the movie. He mentioned this in one of his interviews, stating that these scenes were subconsciously incorporated into the film. “I hope that due to the connections these scenes have with Hinduism, no one’s religious sentiments have been hurt”.
