Sacred Myths (of Creation, Sacrifice, Nature and Geographical locations) and Social Realities

Abstract

Sacred Myths are religious or quasi religious narratives that have the potential to influence and be influenced by Social Realities by virtue of being the substratum of social order, beliefs, customs, ritual Sacrifices, natural and geographical influences, specific Cosmogonies, etc., which are the integral elements in the structuring of the latter (Social Realities). Reinforcing each other, Sacred Myths and Social Realities work hand in hand to consolidate the cultural consciousness and identity and social behaviour of a community, which requires a careful, comprehensive, thematic and comparative scrutiny because of its immense anthropological, sociological and philosophical value. Keeping in mind the centrality of Creation Myths, myths codifying sacrificial rituals in a society and myths concerning nature and geographical locations in shaping the Social Realities and the way of living of communities, the paper aims to classify and critically analyze the relationship between Sacred Myths in relation to Creation, Sacrifices and Nature and Geographical Locations and Social Realities with eclectic exemplars across the world. In fact, the interconnectedness among these three distinct branches of Sacred Myths serve to show how entrenched they are in the social corporeity of Cultures across geographical boundaries, either individually or in conjunction to each other. Conceptually crafted, this paper concerns itself with only the social function and social value of the Sacred Myths concerning Creation, Sacrifices and Nature and Geographical Locations in influencing the Realities of the Society across generations, steering clear of debates regarding whether these Myths are historically true or false, whether the Sacred Myths of one region or culture are superior to that of the others, etc. The methodology used for the discussion is an Omnicomparativist approach, i.e., a method of studying that randomly selects isolated data samples from varied populations across the globe, veritably suited to the objective of the paper. Trying to understand Sacred Myths by considering the complex human position and agency in life itself, this paper favours and follows a multiversal approach in studying the specificities of cultures and religion of the populations studied, grouping them into thematic sections instead of the commonly pursued archetypal and stereotypical classification.