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keepyourpantsongohan · 4 years

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Hinduism in Naruto: A Study

The world of Naruto is influenced by a number of different cultures, but the references I was most familiar with were those which related to Hinduism. So here is a breakdown of some of those connections, focusing on Otsutsuki clan.

Ashura and Indra Otsutsuki

The words “As(h)ura” and “Indra” appear both in the Vedas, the earliest Hindu scriptures, and in Sanskrit epics of Ancient India depicting Hindu mythology, the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

There are a number of ways to interpret Indra’s role in the Hindu pantheon, but I think it’s easiest to start with Indra in the Rig Veda (earliest of the Vedas). Indra can be understood as a deity who is “King of the Gods” in that text. An early description of Indra’s status: “Mighty is Indra, yea supreme; greatness be his, the Thunderer: Wide as the heaven extends his power.” (Rig Veda 1.8.5)

Trying to explain the meaning of Ashura in Hinduism is more complex; it is not a single deity but a descriptor. In Rig Veda, the word appears numerous times. In the earlier Books, or Mandalas, the connotations of Ashura are that of a powerful being/“god”/“lord.” By the later Books as well in other texts like the Mahabharata, the meaning has transformed to something closer to “demon.”

Looking at Books 1-3 for the Rig Veda*, you can see the more positive connotation for Ashura, meaning “god/lord” associated with Savitr and Agni respectively (which I will touch more upon later).

May he, gold-handed Asura, kind leader, come hither to us with his help and favour. (Rig Veda 1.35.10)

and

Giving delight each day he closeth not his eye, since from the Asura's body he was brought to life. (Rig Veda 3.29.14)

In any case, you can say this of Ashura in the Rig Veda: Indra is placed in a position signifying greatest strength, and Ashura’s position is either that of simply a benevolent lord/god, or later, something much lower status, as a mortal or demon, and aggressor to the gods. This power dynamic is maintained in Naruto, as stated in Chapter 670, when Ashura Otsutsuki is described as a “dunce” compared to the “exceptional” Indra Otsutsuki.

Embodying the conflict between Heavenly People (like Indra) and less divine enemies is this line in Book 10:

This prelude of my speech I now will utter, whereby we Gods may quell our Asura foemen. (Rig Veda 10.53.4)

Indeed, in Chapter 670, Indra Otsutsuki, god-like in power, does attempt to “quell his [Ashura] foeman.”

Notably, As(h)ura has its own distinct meanings in Islam (“tenth”) and Buddhism (“titan”/“demigod”), and Indra similarly has a place in Buddhist cosmology, with their own associated roles in each. However, in Buddhism, these references are often derived from the Vedic origins of its spiritual practice, so the Vedas and Sanskrit epics are still an excellent place to begin examining symbolism.

Indra and the Uchiha Clan

In Naruto, Indra is the progenitor of the Uchiha clan, having the Sharingan, an ocular jutsu, and passing it on to his descendants (Naruto Chapter 681). Indra is described in the Rig Veda as follows:

“The singers' for their aid, invoke Indra and Vāyu, swift as mind, The thousand-eyed, the Lords of thought.” (Rig Veda 1.23.3)

The name Indra alludes to several common elements between the Rig Veda and the Uchiha clan as depicted in Naruto: eyesight, might, and dominion over battle. For a more specific reference to Naruto, you can look to Chapter 670, when Hagoromo explains the differences between his sons.

Parallels with Indra in the Rig Veda and the Uchiha clan can be found even earlier than the above chapters. Looking to the subject of the power found in emotions:

“The choirs have stablished Indra King for ever, for victory, him whose anger is resistless: And, for the Bays' Lord, strengthened those he loveth.” (Rig Veda 7.31.12)

These lines in Book 7 describing Indra strongly parallel Tobirama’s description of the Uchiha in Chapter 619 of Naruto, a person being strengthened by love by and overpowered by the force of their own emotion (the Curse of Hatred).

Indra and Sasuke

In Naruto, Sasuke is Indra’s reincarnate (seen below in Naruto Chapter 671). As an Uchiha, both the Sharingan and Curse of Hatred parallels apply to him. But he’s got his own unique connections to Indra in the Rig Veda as well.

In the Naruto anime, Indra is seen using lightning release (Naruto Shippuden Episode 465), which is one of Sasuke’s two chakra natures**, and the one he uses most often.

While it’s likely that the animation studio wished to make Indra and Ashura’s powers parallel the established powers of Naruto and Sasuke, the fact that Indra has lightning release in the anime makes a lot of sense, as the Rig Veda consistently describes Indra as wielding thunder and lightning.

“Even the Heaven and Earth bow down before him, before his very breath the mountains tremble. Known as the Soma-drinker, armed with thunder, who wields the bolt, He, O ye men, is Indra.” (Rig Veda 2.12.13)

Like Sasuke’s lightning release exists in duality with his fire release, Indra also exists in duality with Agni, the fire deity. In Book 10, Indra is described as Agni’s twin, born from the mouth of the Creator, just as the Uchiha emit their Great Fireball Technique from their mouths, i.e. “Indra and Agni from his mouth were born.” (Rig Veda 10.90.13)

Naruto and Ashura

Where Sasuke is associated with Indra through the elements, Naruto shares a specific symbol that is associated with Asura as well: The sun. Savitr is a solar deity, referred to as an Asura in Book 1 of the Rig Veda:

“He, strong of wing, hath lightened up the regions, deep-quivering Asura, the gentle Leader.” (Rig Veda 1.35.7)

While Naruto, after receiving the Sage of Six Paths power, is marked with a symbol for the sun on his hand (seen in Chapter 672).

Savitr is not the only deity to be referred to as an Ashura in the Rig Veda; Indra himself is even described as an Ashura. However, Ashura being associated with sun-like qualities is a recurring theme within the earlier books in the Rig Veda. Ashura is also brought up in the context of Agni, who himself has solar properties and is throughout the Rig Veda also compared to the sun. In fact, the word Ashura only comes up for Agni in the context of the sun. One quote specifically makes the comparison in Agni (the Ashura)’s strength to Indra’s. Found in Book 7:

“PRAISE of the Asura, high imperial Ruler, the Manly One in whom the folk shall triumph- I laud his deeds who is as strong as Indra, and lauding celebrate the Fort-destroyer.” (Rig Veda 7.6.1)

This connection to the sun is maintained throughout these early Hindu scriptures.

It is also worth noting “In who the folk shall triumph” as a parallel to the way Ashura Otsutsuki/the Senju/Naruto, as all of these parties find their strength in cooperating others, and vice versa became their people’s source of strength/hope. This is shown in Chapter 670 when Hagoromo describes Ashura’s power awakening.

How “In who the folk shall triumph” applies to Naruto is made obvious in the next chapter (Chapter 671) when Naruto talks about his “comrades,” and its application to the Senju is referenced in Chapter 619 i.e. “The Senju clan, who based their strength in love [..]” Strength through loved ones is a recurring theme on both sides of the Otsutsuki brothers, and as well in both aspects of the Rig Veda.

These are certainly not the only parts of the Naruto franchise in which you can see links to Hinduism. But in Indra and Ashura you can find the more prominent and distinct parallels.

Notes

*The translation I used is The Rig Veda by Ralph T. H. Griffith, published in 1896. There are better translations that have been published in more modern times, but this one is easy to navigate and link to for sources. Each of those quotes contains a link to the translated hymn.

(Also, as an academic side-note, the concept of “Hinduism” as a religion did not exist at the time the Vedas were written, but rather is retroactively applied after the amalgamation of various Vedic belief systems in the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. For a more complex overview, refer to this article. The point being, calling all of this “Hinduism” is the simple version.)

**Chakra is also a concept which is rooted in the Vedas, however, given the elemental nature of chakra in Naruto, and its five-fold varieties, it seems far more likely that it was derived from looking at Tibetan or Tantric Buddhism, so its Hindu origins are a footnote here.

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