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Many religions believe in aliens and all those extra-terrestrial creatures.

What is the Hindu conception of aliens like?

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    Sorry, but are you referring to the Flying Spaghetti Monster? I'm not sure I know many religions believing in aliens.
    – Earthliŋ
    Commented Jun 18, 2014 at 21:17
  • Christians believe in it you know, muslims have faith in it; I have faith! jews as a fact are the fore founders of this as they're alot older and they were told about them. Now the oldest, Hindus, do they believe in that? or were they taught about it.
    – Afzaal Ahmad Zeeshan
    Commented Jun 18, 2014 at 21:19
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    @Earthliŋ Clearly you need to read up on the Nation of Islam.
    – senshin
    Commented Jun 18, 2014 at 21:38
  • Related and on-topic on: Paranormal proposal
    – kenorb
    Commented Jul 27, 2017 at 10:33

2 Answers 2

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There are numerous references to beings from other planets throughout the Hindu canon.

From a Vaishnava perspective, there are mentions of other beings in the Bhagavata Purana, one of the 18 main puranas. A few examples:

  • Creation of the universe throughout Canto 3
  • Description of the universe throughout Canto 5
  • Battles between demigods and demons described in details on other planets in Canto 8

There are also extensive mentions of beings on other planets in the Mahabharata.

  • Arjuna goes to the heavenly planets after performing austerities to meet Indra and other demigods
  • Arjuna and his brothers meet Gandharvas, a type of subtle celestial being, numerous times, once in the beginning of the book, and again in exile
  • Bhima travels underwater to the planet of the snakes
  • Arjuna and Krsna kill the demons hiding in the water to please the demigods
  • Duryodhana goes into trance while committing suicide, travels to the subterranean planets, and meets with demons who convince him to change his mind

There are many more.

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  • The links are not pointing to sources directly - only the index page. Could you fix them please?
    – a20
    Commented Aug 27, 2014 at 18:41
  • I would like to see more material in English on this. Do you have any recommendations of free online resources I can look at? Thanks.
    – Xarcell
    Commented Sep 2, 2014 at 2:33
  • @a20 The source is throughout the entire Canto that's linked, so it difficult to give a specific verse. There are dozens, if not hundreds.
    – cheenbabes
    Commented Sep 3, 2014 at 2:06
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    @Xarcell Check out vedabase.com; there you can find the Srimad Bhagavatam. There is also a free online copy of the Mahabharata which contains all the events I mentioned.
    – cheenbabes
    Commented Sep 3, 2014 at 2:07
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    These sound like different planes & densities. That is, the higher beings exist in the higher planes. I don't know of any scripture regarding 3D beings like us, but from other star systems.
    – Rubellite Yakṣiṇī
    Commented Jun 9, 2018 at 1:39
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Hinduism is the only religion that mentions that Universe is infinite.

So, there is no cover or boundary wall where you stand on one side, you are inside the Universe, and then there is a God sitting outside that boundary taking care of the universe.

So, in way, Hinduism has left that question unanswered, by stating that the Universe extends to infinity on all sides..

Now, whether you want aliens to part of this universe or not, probably was not covered anywhere in Hinduism. Puranas do talk of demons, Rakshasas, Devas etc, but they are metaphors for describing evil, and good. People in wierd costumes, horns on their heads, is actually a recent imagination and Hinduism as such does not try to desribe those.

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    Devas, Asuras, Gandharvas, etc. are not metaphors at all. Their apperance, characteristics, identity, lineage and history is described in meticulous detail in Hindu scriptures. In Hinduism we genuinely do believe in divine beings. That's not a modern creation.
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Commented Jul 30, 2014 at 15:11
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    It is also incorrect that there is no boundary wall. Multiple scriptures mention that the universe is shaped like an egg and give a precise diameter as well as mentioning what the covering is made from.
    – cheenbabes
    Commented Aug 31, 2014 at 2:16
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    I believe descriptions of their appearance, at the very least, are metaphorical. For example, Vishnu is all pervading, so a specific appearance is not possible—he is within all.
    – Rubellite Yakṣiṇī
    Commented Jun 9, 2018 at 1:37

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