GOD: what 'god' actually means & why Hindus should NEVER use it | Jeffrey Armstrong | Vedic Vidya

Summary

In this insightful video, Jeffrey Armstrong and Kavindra Rishi from Vedic Vidya explore the etymological roots of the word 'God', tracing its origins back to Sanskrit. They reveal that 'God' originally meant 'smoke offering', a concept from pagan fire sacrifices, and highlight the linguistic journey from Sanskrit's 'hutam' to the English 'god'. The script delves into the significance of the Sanskrit term 'Bhagavan', which denotes the supreme being with six divine qualities, contrasting it with the limited meaning of 'god'. The discussion underscores the importance of understanding linguistic roots and definitions in cultural and spiritual contexts, especially as yoga and Indian philosophy gain global recognition.

Takeaways

• 📚 The English word 'god' has migrated from other languages and originally comes from Sanskrit, highlighting the interconnectedness of linguistic evolution.
• 🌍 The concept of 'god' in English lacks a precise definition and is often used to point to something beyond human understanding without a universally agreed meaning.
• 🔍 The word 'god' in English is derived from the Sanskrit 'hutam', which refers to the smoke carrying an offering in a fire sacrifice, showing a deep cultural and linguistic connection.
• 🔥 The term 'bhagavan' in Sanskrit is not synonymous with 'god' in English and has a specific meaning related to the ultimate being with six divine qualities.
• 🌬 The word 'deus', Latin for 'god', is also traced back to 'deva' in Sanskrit, indicating a migration of words and concepts across cultures and time.
• 🌐 Sanskrit, the classical language of India, is revealed to be the basis of German and has significantly influenced the development of European languages.
• 🌿 The practice of yoga and the spread of Indian culture globally is bringing attention to the origins and true meanings of words like 'god' and 'bhagavan'.
• 🌱 The concept of 'bhagavan' encompasses six qualities: beauty, wealth, strength, fame, knowledge, and generosity, offering a more nuanced understanding than the word 'god'.
• 🌌 The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the etymology and true meanings of words to avoid misinterpretation and cultural misunderstanding.
• 📖 Etymological dictionaries may not always reveal the full story of word origins, particularly if they have been influenced by colonial history or religious biases.
• 🚀 The technological revolution and global communication are uncovering hidden etymological connections, challenging traditional narratives and promoting a more accurate understanding of language and culture.

Q & A

What is the claim made by the speaker about the origin of the word 'god'?

The speaker claims that the word 'god' has its origins in Sanskrit, specifically from the word 'hutam', which refers to the smoke carrying the offering in a fire sacrifice.

How does the speaker describe the etymological journey of the word 'god'?

The speaker describes the journey as starting from Sanskrit 'hutam', migrating to German as 'gutam', then to Dutch as 'goot', and finally into English as 'god'.

What is the irony mentioned by the speaker regarding the word 'god'?

The irony is that the word 'god', used in Christianity, originates from a part of the pagan fire sacrifice that Christianity has historically sought to demonize and distance itself from.

What does the speaker suggest is the problem with the English language in terms of word origins?

The speaker suggests that English is a polyglot language with words coming from various sources, and this diversity often leads to a lack of understanding of the true origins and meanings of words.

How does the speaker connect the word 'deus' to Sanskrit?

The speaker connects 'deus', a Latin word for god, to 'deva' in Sanskrit, indicating that many English words related to divinity have migrated from Sanskrit.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of understanding word origins in the context of yoga and Indian culture?

The speaker believes that understanding word origins is crucial as yoga and Indian culture are spreading globally, and the Sanskrit language is becoming increasingly relevant to Western practitioners.

What does the speaker define as the six qualities of 'Bhagavan'?

The speaker defines the six qualities of 'Bhagavan' as beauty, wealth, strength, knowledge, fame, and generosity.

Why does the speaker argue that 'god' and 'Bhagavan' are not synonyms?

The speaker argues that 'god' and 'Bhagavan' are not synonyms because 'god' is a simplified term derived from a specific ritualistic context, whereas 'Bhagavan' has a precise definition in Sanskrit with six specific qualities.

What is the significance of the word 'hutam' in the context of the script?

In the context of the script, 'hutam' signifies the smoke from a fire offering in a Vedic ritual, which is the original meaning behind the English word 'god'.

How does the speaker relate the practice of etymology to the technological revolution?

The speaker relates etymology to the technological revolution by suggesting that understanding the origins and true meanings of words is part of a linguistic revolution that complements technological advancements, allowing for clearer communication and understanding in a globalized world.

What does the speaker imply about the importance of Sanskrit in the development of European languages?

The speaker implies that Sanskrit has been a significant influence on the development of European languages, and its study can provide insights into the origins and deeper meanings of many English words.

What is the purpose of the 'Vedic Vidya' program mentioned in the script?

The purpose of the 'Vedic Vidya' program is to shed light on the truth and origins of words and concepts, particularly those related to spirituality and divinity, and to educate about the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of India.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 The Origin of the Word 'God'

The word 'God' did not originate from English but migrated from other languages. It has roots in Latin ('deus') and Sanskrit ('deva'). The video explores the irony that the word 'God,' used widely in Christianity, has no other meaning except as a label for something beyond comprehension. It delves into the mistranslations and misconceptions around the word, emphasizing that 'God' is not a synonym for the Sanskrit 'Bhagavan.' The video introduces the speaker, Jeffrey Armstrong, and sets the topic of the discussion: the origin and meaning of the words 'Bhagavan' and 'God.'

05:01

🧘‍♂️ Yoga, Sanskrit, and the Undefined 'God'

The paragraph discusses the growing influence of yoga and Sanskrit in the Western world, highlighting the lack of curiosity among Christians about the origin of the word 'God.' It points out that the word 'God' has no universally agreed-upon meaning and emphasizes the need for precise definitions. The video also traces the etymology of 'God' from Dutch ('gut') and German ('gutam') back to Sanskrit, suggesting that the original meaning of 'God' has been lost or obscured over time. The speaker criticizes the omission of this history by Western institutions, arguing that it was a result of colonization.

10:01

🔥 The Concept of 'Yagya' and the Misinterpretation of 'God'

The concept of 'yagya' in ancient India, where offerings are made to divine beings, is explained. The paragraph clarifies that the word 'God' derives from the Sanskrit word 'hutam,' which refers to the smoke rising from the sacred fire during a yagya. The speaker criticizes the demonization of this practice by Christianity and Islam, emphasizing that the word 'God' in its current usage does not capture the original meaning. The paragraph also touches on the broader role of divine beings ('devas and devies') in the universe, likening them to members of a government.

15:04

🌟 The True Meaning of 'Bhagavan'

The paragraph explains the meaning of 'Bhagavan' in Sanskrit, describing it as the ultimate being who possesses all desirable qualities, such as beauty, wealth, strength, knowledge, fame, and generosity. It contrasts this precise definition with the vagueness of the word 'God,' arguing that 'God' does not encompass the full meaning of 'Bhagavan.' The speaker suggests that the global spread of yoga and the sharing of cultures have led to a greater awareness of these distinctions. The paragraph highlights the importance of understanding the original meanings of words and the linguistic connections between different cultures.

20:05

🙏 A New Understanding of 'God' and 'Bhagavan'

The speaker encourages viewers to seek a deeper understanding of the word 'God' and consider the original meanings of words in their spiritual journey. The video concludes by reiterating that 'God' is a limited word compared to the comprehensive concept of 'Bhagavan.' The speaker, Jeffrey Armstrong, invites viewers to continue exploring these topics on 'Vedic Vidya' and provides information on how to stay connected with the channel. The emphasis is on using words clearly and accurately to convey precise meanings, particularly in spiritual and philosophical discussions.

Keywords

💡Deus

Deus is a Latin word meaning 'god,' which is used in the video to explain the origin of the English word 'god.' It shows the migration of words across languages, tracing 'god' back to Latin and Sanskrit origins. The video highlights how 'deus' comes from 'deva' in Sanskrit, illustrating the interconnectedness of ancient languages.

💡Bhagavan

Bhagavan is a Sanskrit term meaning 'the divine being with all desirable qualities.' The video contrasts this term with the English word 'god,' explaining that 'god' does not capture the full meaning of 'Bhagavan.' Bhagavan encompasses attributes like beauty, wealth, strength, knowledge, fame, and generosity, which are central to the Vedic understanding of the divine.

💡Hutam

Hutam is a Sanskrit word meaning 'offering' or 'sacrifice,' specifically referring to the smoke rising from a sacred fire. The video explains that this concept is the root of the word 'god,' tracing its linguistic evolution through various languages. Hutam signifies gratitude and cooperation with the natural world, a concept embedded in ancient Vedic rituals.

💡Yagya

Yagya is a Vedic ritual involving fire sacrifices, where offerings are made to the divines as a way of showing gratitude and ensuring ecological balance. The video discusses yagya to illustrate how ancient practices and terminologies have influenced modern religious concepts and languages, particularly through the word 'god.'

💡Etymology

Etymology is the study of the origin and historical development of words. The video delves into the etymology of the word 'god,' revealing its roots in Sanskrit and its journey through languages like German and Dutch. This analysis helps viewers understand the deeper, often hidden, connections between languages and cultures.

💡Colonization

Colonization refers to the process of acquiring control over another country, exploiting it economically, and imposing one's own culture and language. The video discusses how Western colonization led to the appropriation and often the erasure of the origins of many words and concepts from colonized cultures, including the word 'god.'

💡Polyglot

Polyglot means a person or society that knows and uses several languages. The video describes English as a polyglot language, highlighting how it evolved by borrowing extensively from Latin, German, French, and other languages. This diversity is part of why English speakers often do not question the origins of their words.

💡Linguistic Drift

Linguistic drift is the gradual change in language over time. The video mentions how most languages, unlike Sanskrit, undergo linguistic drift, leading to changes in pronunciation and meaning. This concept helps explain how the word 'god' evolved from 'hutam' through various linguistic transformations.

💡Sanskrit

Sanskrit is the classical language of India, known for its precision and unchanging nature over time. The video emphasizes Sanskrit's influence on many European languages and its role in preserving ancient Vedic knowledge and practices, contrasting it with languages that undergo linguistic drift.

💡Deva

Deva is a Sanskrit term meaning 'divine being' or 'god.' The video explains that 'deva' is the root of the Latin word 'deus' and subsequently the English word 'god.' This highlights the interconnectedness of religious and linguistic traditions across cultures and time periods.

Highlights

The English word 'god' has migrated from other languages and originally comes from Sanskrit, indicating a profound etymological history.

The word 'deus', Latin for 'god', is derived from 'deva' in Sanskrit, showing the interconnectedness of languages.

The true meaning of 'god' is rooted in the concept of 'hutam', a Sanskrit term for the smoke carrying offerings in a fire sacrifice.

The word 'bhagavan' from Sanskrit does not mean the same as 'god' and has a specific definition in the context of Indian philosophy.

Bhagavan embodies six qualities: beauty, wealth, strength, knowledge, fame, and generosity, unlike the ambiguous term 'god'.

The English language is a polyglot, influenced by various root languages and enriched by words from different cultures.

The etymology of 'god' reveals a progression from Sanskrit 'hutam' to German 'gutam' and eventually to Dutch 'goot', highlighting linguistic evolution.

The colonization era affected the understanding of word origins, with certain etymological roots intentionally obscured.

Yoga's global popularity has brought attention to Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, and its influence on modern languages.

The practice of making offerings and saying 'thank you' before eating is rooted in ancient Vedic traditions, emphasizing gratitude and ecology.

Sanskrit's scientific basis and mathematical precision make it the foundation of many programming languages and a key to understanding linguistic roots.

The linguistic revolution, alongside the technological one, is uncovering hidden etymological connections and cultural origins.

The word 'god' is a borrowed term from India and Sanskrit, reduced in meaning over time and now used as a synonym for 'bhagavan'.

Understanding the distinct meanings of words like 'god' and 'bhagavan' is crucial for clear communication and cultural appreciation.

Vedic Vidya aims to shed light on truth and promote understanding of the profound origins and meanings of words.

The channel encourages viewers to subscribe, turn on notifications, and visit cidti.net for more content and support.

Transcripts

really deep and interesting english

words didn't come from english they

weren't invented in the english language

they migrated in

deus

which is actually latin

coming into english

if you said

god is deus

then you've gone back to the latin and

deus is from deva in sanskrit

that smoke

carrying the offering is called hutam

and that is the meaning of the christian

word god

so it's very ironic

and the word doesn't have any other

meaning than that

except that it's been used

to point

to someone or something

that goes beyond that

but that isn't what it means

so god

is a three-letter word

that doesn't really carry the meaning

that you hoped so now here's the next

secret

when a text is translated from sanskrit

and it says bhagavan

then the word god is not a synonym it

does not mean the same thing

[Music]

namaste

welcome

to vedic vidya

my name is jeffrey armstrong

kavindra rishi

vedic vidya is available exclusively

on chitty media english channel

on sunday nights

at 7 pm ist

our topic tonight is how the word

god god

came from india

to the western world and christianity

or

the real origin

and meaning

of the words bhagavan

and god

thank god oh wait

but that's such a common

expression isn't it and a few others

that i won't say

it's a multi-purpose kind of word

but here's the thing about english not

only

do we often abuse words by using them in

a

variety of situations that they're not

right for

but we actually don't ask

where do they come from

of our words

now with everyday words and not or

even for example

miller as a last name used to be because

you were a miller

at least because

because that's what you were doing you

were milling green

but those words now are just names

they're not attached to functions

so naming is a very important

issue

when you're trying to make

explanations of very subtle and profound

reality

so it shows up the most in words where

we're pointing to something big

god

or

bhagavan

now just a little bit of background

our english language

evolved

over a couple thousand years thousand

years

out of

various root languages

in the country we call england

and then it was influenced it french

invaded for a while and so

they left french behind english is a

polyglot language

that's one of the reasons we don't ask

where words came from because we got

them from so many places

then it we got a huge download from

german

and there's a lot of celtic

and other cultures in the background

then

during the renaissance

people like shakespeare invented words

then there was a download of about 2 000

latin words into english because it

wasn't smart enough

as a language

and so

since

english-speaking people went out and

colonized the world

with gunpowder

it wasn't their language that colonized

the world it was their gunpowder

it was brute force and violence

and in that process

called colonization

various cultures were contacted and

knowledge from those cultures was taken

and appropriated by western civilization

and until right now until this

generation

most people haven't paid much attention

to this

it's important now

because

the several hundred million western

yogis

were all practicing

yoga a practice developed

in india

and carrying indian culture around the

world right now massively

you can be sure

that sanskrit the language the ancient

language of india

is now

coming into

the lives of all of those yoga

practitioners

meanwhile

i don't know anyone who's christian and

no disrespect who has asked where did

the word god come from

and what does the word actually mean

if someone says i believe in god

you actually have to ask for an

explanation you say okay but what do you

mean by that

why because the word

doesn't have a single meaning that's

agreed upon to everyone

so you have to ask them what their

definition is

of that word

but usually those definitions are in the

dictionary

but if you look in the dictionary and

say what does god mean they just sort of

ramble on and go off in different

directions because they know it depends

on what church you go to what

religion you're in whether you're

religious or not

but the word doesn't have an official

meaning

so that's step one you've got to

understand that and if you doubt it

look it up in an etymological dictionary

the next part of this it gets

interesting

really deep and interesting english

words didn't come from english they

weren't invented in the english language

they migrated in

and the word god migrated from

dutch

where it was gut instead of g-u-d g-o-d

it was g-u-t goot

and it went into dutch from german where

it was gutam

g-h-u-t-a-m

m

g-h-u-t-a

gut god see the progression

now here's the part that during

colonization nobody wanted you to know

and even still to some

degree that is that it was originally a

word from sanskrit

and sanskrit is the language that's the

basis of german not latin

that's what makes german quite unique

and different from the other european

languages

it's sanskrit based

sanskrit as you may or may not know is

the

classical language of india it's the

most ancient one and the most perfect

one it has a very perfect grammar 50

letters in the alphabet

precise rules of grammar so sanskrit

doesn't vary or change across time

almost all other languages drift it's

called linguistic drift

and this is what happened to god the

pronunciation drifted

god

but there's a step missing that no one's

told you about

and most etymological dictionaries like

the oxford

didn't include this because they didn't

want

culture starting in india

it was part of the colonizing that was

going on they didn't want the arrows

pointing to india as to where these

concepts came from

so they left that out

but it turns out

that now you've heard about this you've

seen the so-called pagan fire sacrifice

somebody's lighting a fire and they're

offering their food and they're chanting

mantras and they're

doing something

and that

has been demonized

by christianity

and islam as

worshiping lesser

beings and that's not what's happening

at all

actually the so-called lesser beings are

all the helpers in the cosmos

actually our word in english

deus

which is actually latin

coming into english

if you said

god is deus

then you've gone back to the latin and

deus is from deva in sanskrit

meaning all these words are migrating

so here's where the english word

god came from

the sanskrit is hutam

huti a.m

which just migrated to gu and then root

and then god

the similarity of the letters are the

secret of the migration

and linguists are all aware of this if

they're released studied

so now

that fire

where things are being offered

to the divines

in some way or the other

was to say thank you to them and to

reciprocate with them

it was saying we want to cooperate with

the laws of nature so before we eat

since you made the wood

the earth did and the food that we're

cooking we're going to say thank you for

that and we're going to take a vow that

we won't destroy the planet while we're

taking from it

we'll recycle

we'll cooperate

so that is called a yagya that fire

offering

is a way of sealing the contract by

giving a little bite of the food to

where it came from and the smoke rises

up from the fire

and you say thank you for dinner

now

that smoke

carrying the offering

is called hutam

and that is the meaning of the christian

word god

that's it

it's actually ironically

a small part of the pagan fire sacrifice

that christianity learned to hate so

well

so it's very ironic

and the word doesn't have any other

meaning than that

except that it's been used

to point

to someone or something

that goes beyond that

but that isn't what it means

what it means

is

that's also divine that offering and

that's saying thank you

and that

give that's

also divine that saying thank you and

offering up

to the many beings that are making life

possible

so let's talk about those for just a

moment those are called devas and davies

just imagine the government that's in

charge of whatever country you live in

there are many different levels of that

government and all of those persons in

that government are doing something

important

now

if somebody asked you who's doing that

you wouldn't say oh the president

though you may be right that ultimately

the president is but really you'd say oh

this councilman or that congressman or

that senator or that member of this

group their department is doing this

so the so-called many gods are not gods

they're many beings

serving

in the universe

as the laws of nature

so all the ancient civilizations

practiced ecology by making an offering

before they ate in india included and

saying thank you for dinner like i said

and promising to recycle

and to circulate

now

that

is one word

so what is the sanskrit word then

for the ultimate being that god has been

used for

but you'd never ask

it's baga

van

now in sanskrit

each word has a precise meaning

so hutum

the smoker rising from that sacred fire

is a lesser name of bhagavan

and bhagavan is the being that most

english speakers mean

when they say god

but they don't have a definition

so bhaga

means all of the things in life that

attract us

and that make life worthwhile

and von means that divine person who is

the source of all of those

that's the definition bhagavan

and you might have heard of the bhagavad

gita

which is a book written in sanskrit from

india

that's the summary

of the philosophy and viewpoint in world

view of that culture

and bhagav vadh or bhagavan means

the time when the supreme being came to

earth and spoke knowledge to humans

that's the premise of the bhagavad-gita

so bhagavan has six qualities beauty

wealth

strength

knowledge

fame

and generosity

this is a definition the one that god

doesn't have

remember god doesn't have a definition

because its definition is who tom the

smoker rising from

a pagan

no vedic

you said pagan i say vedic

offering of thanks

bhagavan means

that

person

who is the source

of all of the things that we find

attractive in life everything that's

beautiful

everything

that's knowledgeable or contains

knowledge or is based on note

every all the things we call wealth

all the opulences all of those desirable

objects

all of those are emanations from that

ultimate being

bhagavan

this word has meaning beauty wealth fame

the most famous being bhagavan

everyone has a concept for the ultimate

supreme bhagavan

beauty wealth strength fame

knowledge

all knowledge comes from a source from

the grand intelligence that is the

source of everything

beauty wealth strength fame knowledge

generosity and a lack of attachment to

anything why because the source of

everything has everything

it's the person with everything

this vocabulary

gives us new words that expand our

definitions and open us to see things in

a broader way and in a greater way

it is the vedic civilization of india

that had a language

from which

much of the european languages evolved

over time thousands of years ago

and now because yoga is sweeping the

world

because

communication

and modern technology has allowed us to

communicate with each other all over the

world we're now sharing culture all over

the world

and so

etymologies become revealed word origins

become revealed

origins that were being hidden because

of colonization or because certain

traditions religions didn't want people

to know

their predecessors or where they got

their knowledge from but all of this is

now coming out

the coming out party is that hundreds of

millions of yogis are practicing this

around the world and no one paid for

that to happen

they're just hungry

really we humans go for knowledge

eventually because we're hungry for it

so god

is a three-letter word

that doesn't

really carry the meaning

that you hoped so now here's the next

secret when a text is translated from

sanskrit and it says bhagavan

then the word god is not a synonym it

does not mean the same thing

it has a different meaning it's the

smoke arising it's hutan and hutum is

not the same as bhagavan it's a little

piece of bhagavan

just as the president of the company

and the workers at various levels are

not identical

they're just in the same enterprise

hutam is a small worker word down here

and from it came

guten gut and god

so god

is a two-bit word in terms of meaning

it's not

how it's being used in meaning

it's a borrowed

feather that dropped from the beautiful

peacock

that is india and sanskrit

and that borrowed feather was cut

reduced made small and now used as the

name

as a synonym for bhagavan

but it is not

this is part of the linguistic

revolution that's accompanying the

technological revolution this is very

important for you to understand

without a vocabulary you cannot program

and all of the devices that we're using

now work because they've been programmed

what you may not know is that sanskrit

is the

scientific basis of those programming

languages

and the mathematics

that are concealed in sanskrit in india

all of this knowledge that was

originally in the sanskrit library of

the vedic civilization of india

are rooted in the sanskrit language that

doesn't change as it goes forward

through time and it is time

that western civilization started

learning these distinctions instead of

just being in reaction or saying well

god means the same thing as bhagavan

no like any other word

water doesn't mean fire fire and water

don't mean earth each one means

something different

and when that meaning is clear you use

the word clearly

so now hopefully you'll use

god

with a little more understanding

and look for other words for what you're

trying to address when you speak with

that being who is the source of

everything

aka

baga

that being with all of the six things

that are desirable

to an unlimited

degree

thanks for listening

vedic vidya means shining the light of

truth

tune in to vedic vidya on the chetty

english channel sunday night 7 p.m ist

my name is kavindra rishi

jeffrey armstrong

see you next time

and have a namaste

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