Hinduism in the Star Wars Saga by Scott Hejka

It may be surprising to some to find out that George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars films, has strong Hindu beliefs. This has resulted in him sprinkling Hindu references and beliefs throughout the Star Wars saga. After looking back at the films and studying Hindu beliefs, one will see that many characters, concepts, and quotes in Star Wars correspond to important aspects of Hinduism.

Yoda is a very symbolic character. Rajan Rajbhandari observes, “[W]hen Luke Skywalker goes to find Yoda . . .  Luke finds himself in a forest, looking for the old, wise Yoda to learn the ways of the Jedi. This is very like Hindu’s Janoi (Gujarati), where young males run to the forest in search of the old, wise yogi, who would provide great knowledge” (Rajbhandari ). These yogis test students’ patience before beginning the strenuous task of learning, just like Yoda tests Luke’s patience by waiting to tell him who he really is before teaching him to be a Jedi.

This is not the end of Yoda’s symbolism, however. Yoda sounds like yoga, training or discipline needed for reaching union with Brahman. It definitely is not a moot point that he is one of the most skilled and wise of the Jedi, which means he has reached union with Brahman or the Force. Also, Yoda is the one who trains Luke in the ways of the Jedi in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. The creator of Star Wars means for Yoda to be a powerful symbol of someone who brings great knowledge and discipline of the Force to help and teach others; he is someone whom all people can strive to be like, similar to the gurus in Hinduism.

The Jedi can be seen in several different ways, as described by CieSharp: “I see the Jedi as brahmins, the priestly caste of the Hindu Varnashrama system. The Jedi are primarily spiritual

in nature, and to be a Jedi is a birthright, as is being a brahmin. The Jedi dress simply, and brahmins likewise stay away from opulent clothing. Do you see that ponytail that Anakin, Obi-Wan, and other Jedi sport, which originated from the rear-top portion of the head? This is known as a ‘sikka’, which . . . is considered a source of spiritual energy” (CieSharp). In his opinion, the Jedi knights, despite resembling “spiritual samurai” or a kind of Buddhist monk capable in martial arts techniques, are similar to Brahmins (the priest-like class in Hinduism). Jedi share several similarities with the Brahmins. These include their simple clothes (Jedi always wear simple clothes) and their ponytail-like locks of hair that (in Brahmins) symbolize a source of spiritual energy. Both Jedi and Brahmin are chosen from birth. This symbolizes that only a select few have what it takes to achieve the level of spirituality that they exhibit—they are role models for all who seek to be in union with the Force or Brahman. CieSharp also points out that although Brahmins would try to avoid fighting, they could certainly be very skilled at it. Jedi do not generally arrive on the scene decapitating the opponent, instead waiting for the opponent to begin the battle and using their light saber weapons for defense rather than active battle (except when they are fighting others with light sabers). Jedi are peaceful law enforcers; this means that in Hinduism and Star Wars, being peaceful and doing the right thing are highly stressed as important skills. George Lucas clearly intends for the viewer to glean from the story that non-violence and following one’s conscience are very important qualities to exhibit in the real world, not just in a fictional world.     

The most obvious and perhaps most famous example of a shared theme in Star Wars and Hinduism is the similarity between the Force and Brahman. Brahman “comes from the Sanskrit verb root brh, meaning ‘to grow’. Etymologically, the term means ‘that which grows’ (brhati) and ‘which causes to grow’ (brhmayati)” (Das). Brahman causes things to grow and live and at the same time grows with life, meaning all life and Brahman must be unified and inseparable. Yoda’s explanation of the Force in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is so great for explaining Brahman that some professors and teachers probably use it to explain Brahman to their

students. Yoda says “Size matters not. . . . Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship” (Lucas). Brahman or the Force is a world soul that contains all that was and all that will ever be. Both Hinduism and Yoda say that its energy surrounds us and makes us one with it; the physical bodies one sees are simply just illusory projections of the Brahman within oneself. Both Hindus and Jedi focus very strongly on being one with Brahman or the Force by accessing the small part of Brahman in every single object. Doing so unites you with the universe and gives you the skill and power to achieve Nirvana in Hinduism or become a powerful Jedi knight in the Star Wars saga. It is definitely not an easy task to achieve either of these; it comes through much training and self-discipline. The “power” that comes from mastering the Force or Brahman is not worldly power, but has more to do with spiritual and mental power. For example, Yoda (a master of the Force) does not have much worldly power, but he does have great wisdom and knowledge of the Force.  

In conclusion, George Lucas’s strong Hindu beliefs have translated into many significant Hindu references in the Star Wars saga. From Brahman and the Force to Jedi and Brahmin, many comparisons can be made. Why does Lucas put these references in Star Wars? Most likely the reason is that he believes that the principles and ideals of Hinduism are noble and can be applied universally to anyone’s life.

Works Cited

CieSharp. “Hindu/Vedic Influences on the Star Wars Saga.” Jelsoft Enterprises Limited, 22 Jul 2002. Web. 23 Oct 2011

Das, Subhamoy. “Hinduism: Beliefs & Practices.” About.com. The New York Times Company, 2011. Web. 23 Oct 2011. <http://hinduism.about.com/od/basics/u/beliefs_practices.htm>.

Lucas, George, Executive Dir. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Dir. Irvin Kershner. 20th Century Fox, 1980. Film.

Rajbhandari, Rajan. “Star Wars and Hinduism.” YodaJeff.com. N.p., 1994. Web. 23 Oct 2011. <http://www.yodajeff.com/pages/hinduism/>.