The Science of Colors of Gods and Goddesses

In Indian Mythology, we can see different gods and goddesses have distinct colors. Those colors of gods and goddesses are not by chance. The mythology is the subjective truth which beckons towards the objective truth. Veneer of every mythological story or symbol, there is always a strong message. The size, posture, cloths, hair style, colors etc. of the idols or symbols, all these have the logical and scientific aspect . Let us understand what the colors of gods and goddesses suggest.

Lord Vishnu and his incarnation have the dark/black color. He is god of households. Kali has also black color. Lord Shiva and Sarasvati have white colors. Lord Shiva is known as “Karpoor Gauram”, means whose color is like camphor. Mostly things are associated with Lord Shiva is white. Ganga, Snow of Kailas, Nandi, and His own color all are white.  Mostly thing associated with Sarasvati are also white. Swan, Sarasvati River, her cloth, her own color all are white. Mostly things associated with Vishnu and Kali are black. Jamuna River, Kaliya, Night, their color all are black. Vishnu is involved in worldly life, Kali persuaded Shiva to involve in worldly life. Once Shiva got ready to marry with Kali, She percolated her black color into Jamuna River and became “Gauri”, and Shiva married with Gauri. Their qualities are more prone to household involvements, absorb all worldly pleasure and live into it. Shiva is hermit, lives is secluded place, detached from the worldly life. Sarasvati also likes to live in secluded place, not much indulge in worldly life. She does not approach anyone, who needs Sarasvati, approaches her. Both Shiva and Sarasvati do not create any discriminate for the persons who put effort to gain their blessings. All are equal to them.

Scientifically, any object looks black, because it absorbs all the color into it. Any object looks white, because it reflects back all other colors. The same quality we can see in Vishnu and Kali, they absorb worldly things into them or they indulge in worldly affairs, like the characteristics of the black color. Lord Shiva and Sarasvati detach from worldly affairs, like the characteristics of the white color who reflect back all other colors.

The image of the gods and goddesses was never a blind construct. The sages of yore had the complete knowledge of the science even at that time. As the times passes, the science, the depth, the logic, the purpose of the mythological symbols have been lost, and now, only the symbol has left.