Hindu deities

The Hindu deities or the gods and goddesses have been very much symbolic in their denotations and conotations; therefore, philosophically the deities are significant in spiritual sense and not in terms of their being personalities with the traits of living beings. Each deity, god or goddess, symbolise and signify some scientific, ethical or ideological meanings and implications. The devotee has nothing to propitiate the god or goddess by blind worship, rather he or she has to understand the inner meaning hidden in the symbols of the deity and pursue the understood meanings in the course of life. As for example in the overall symbols of Saraswati,the Goddess of learning, the real ways to be followed by a real learner are lying hidden; a student has to understand those hidden meanings in the symbols and pursue them steadfasly in order to get the highest results in academic life.(Ref.'Sailen Debnath,'The Meanings of Hindu Gods,Goddesses and Myths',ISBN 9788129114815. The true spirit of Hinduism is based on wisdom and the concept of the deities is for the purpose of the realisation of the very goal of human life through the pursuit of the inherent meanings of the deities. But ordinary people are not interested in understanding the inner meanings of the deities; therefore, as guided by priests they try vainly to propitiate the images of the deities for worldly gains. (Ref.Sailen Debnath, ‘The Meanings of Hindu Gods, Goddesses and Myths’, ISBN 9788129114815). In general the important deites are as follows:

Maheshwara and Parameshwara

Shiva literally means "the supreme one". Adi Sankara, in his interpretation of the name Shiva, the 27th and 600th name of Vishnu sahasranama, interprets Shiva to mean either "The Pure One", "the One who is not affected by three Gunas of Prakrti, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas" or "the One who purifies everyone by the very utterance of His name."[9] Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu sahasranama, further elaborates on that verse: Shiva means "the One who is eternally pure" or "the One who can never have any contamination of the imperfection of Rajas and Tamas".

Through these transcendent categories, Śiva, the ultimate reality, becomes the efficient and material cause of all that exists.

Bhagavan and Ishvara

Main articles: Bhagavan and Ishvara

According to Hindu traditions as expounded in Bhagavad-Gita, the religion is timeless and was first given to the Sun god by Krishna over 2.2 million years ago in the last Treta Yuga and transmitted to the worldly beings in various steps. Many religions' (such as Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism) founders arose out of the same milieu as modern Hinduism and therefore many beliefs and customs are the same. Contrary to popular belief, Hindus believe in many gods, but one supreme God as well . All in all Hinduism is more than a religion (though some try to argue this). Besides a wide diverse set of beliefs, it has a set of customs and traditions that were synonymous with the people of India. As invaders came and left India, the term "Hinduism" loosely defined the people who believed in Indian customs and tradition (to separate the people who originally lived in India, from the invading people), for example in the past a Christian or Muslim could have been a Hindu as well, because the term only defined Indian customs and beliefs. More recently (last five hundred years), only people who believe in the traditional Hindu gods are called Hindus, hence it is now defined as a religion. Often Hindus celebrate Christmas, despite Christian origins and many people of other religions also celebrate Deepavali (Diwali), the festival of light, and Holi, the festival of colour despite their Hindu origins.

"Bhagavān" is a word used to refer to the personal aspect of God in general; it is not specific to a particular deity. Bhagavān transcends gender, yet can be looked upon as both father and mother, child, or sweetheart. Most Hindus, in their daily devotional practices, worship some form of this personal aspect of God, although they believe in the more abstract concept of Brahman as well. This may mean worshiping god through an image or a picture, or simply thinking of God as a personal being.

"Ishvara" is a name or title used to emphasize God's role and function as controller of the universe. When Hindus refer to God as Ishvara, they are emphasizing a monistic idea of God as a principle of the universe, rather than a person.

"Ishwar" is the ultimate supreme being Hindus believe in - there is only one God and similar to the way society functions, Ishwar had taken many forms to function the universe; Lord Brahma the creator, Lord Vishnu the preserver and Lord Shiva the destroyer.

Different names and, frequently, different images of God will be used, depending on which aspect of Bhagavā is being discussed. For instance, when God is talked about in the aspect as the creator, God is called Brahmā. If one is emphasizing God's capacity as preserver of the world, the name Vishnu is used. When referred to in the capacity as destroyer of the world, God is called Shiva. Many of these individual aspects of God also have other names and images. For example, Krishna and Rama are considered forms of Vishnu. All the various deities and images one finds in Hinduism are considered manifestations of the same God, called Bhagavān in the personal aspect and Brahman when referred to as an abstract concept.

Avatars as incarnations of God

Main article: Avatar

Many denominations of Hinduism, such as Vaishnavism and Saivism, teach that occasionally, God comes to Earth as a human being to help humans in their struggle toward enlightenment and salvation (moksha.) Such an incarnation of God is called an avatar (or avatāra.) In some respects, the Hindu concept of avatar is similar to the belief found in Christianity that God came to the earth incarnated in the form of Jesus. However, whereas most Christians believe that God has assumed a human body only once, Hinduism teaches that there have been multiple avatars throughout history and that there will be more. Thus Lord Krishna, who is not only viewed as an incarnation but also source of all incarnations, says:

Whenever righteousness declines (Yada yada hi dharmasya, glanir bhavati bharata)
And unrighteousness increases, (Abhyuth-thanam adharmasya)
I incarnate myself as a human; (Tadat-manam srijamyaham)
To deliver the holy, (Paritranaya sadhunam)
To destroy the sin of the sinner, (Vinasha-yacha dush-kritam)
To establish righteousness. (Dharma sansthapan-arthaya)
I come into being from age to age (Sambhawami yugay yugay)

Ten avatars

Main article: Dasavatara

The Dasavatara

The most famous of the divine incarnations are Rama, whose life is depicted in the Ramayana, and Krishna, whose life is depicted in the Mahābhārata and the Bhagavata Purana. The Bhagavad Gita, which contains the spiritual teachings of Krishna, is one of the most widely-read scriptures in Hinduism.

1. Matsya, the fish, appeared in the Satya Yuga. Represents beginning of life.
2. Kurma, the tortoise, appeared in the Satya Yuga. Represents a human embryo just growing tiny legs, with a huge belly.
3. Varaha, the boar,appeared in the Satya Yuga. Represents a human embryo which is almost ready. Its features are visible.
4. Narasimha, the Man-Lion (Nara = man, simha = lion), appeared in the Satya Yuga. Represents a newborn baby, hairy and cranky, bawling and full of blood.
5. Vamana, the Dwarf, appeared in the Treta Yuga. Represents a young child.
6. Parashurama, Rama with the axe, appeared in the Treta Yuga. Represents both an angry young man and a grumpy old man simultaneously.
7. Rama, Sri Ramachandra, the prince and king of Ayodhya, appeared in the Treta Yuga. Represents a married man with children in a very ideological society
8. Krishna (meaning dark or black; see also other meanings in the article about him.), appeared in the Dwapara Yuga. Represents a person in more practical society, where there is one good or bad. Good or bad depends on society you live in.
9. Gautama Buddha is considered an avatar that returned pure dharma to the world.
10. Kalki ("Eternity", or "time", or "The Destroyer of foulness"), who is expected to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, the time period in which we currently exist.

There is also a "hidden avatar" mentioned in 11th canto of the Bhagavata Purana.

Some consider Balarama, brother of Krishna to be the ninth avatar of Vishnu, and delete Buddha. The Buddha avatar, which occurs in different versions in various Puranas, may represent an attempt by orthodox Brahminism to slander the Buddhists by identifying them with the demons. Helmuth von Glasenapp attributed these developments to a Hindu desire to absorb Buddhism in a peaceful manner, both to win Buddhists to Vaishnavism and also to account for the fact that such a significant heresy could exist in India.

Devas and devis

Brahma is described within the Puranas as the god of creation.

The pantheon in Śrauta consists of many deities. Gods are called devas (or devatās) and goddesses are called devis. The various devas and devis are personifications of different aspects of one and the same God. For instance, when a Hindu thinks of Ishvara as the giver of knowledge and learning, that aspect of Ishvara is personified as the deity Saraswati. In the same manner, the deity Lakshmi personifies Ishvara as the giver of wealth and prosperity. This does not imply that Ishvara is a kind of supreme god or lord of all the other deities; Ishvara is just the name used to refer to God in general, when no particular deity is being referred to. Devas represent certain forces. For instance, Agni has one aspect as the flame, but this flame symbolises the psychological power associated with Agni—namely, the power of will. Agni can be called God-will. Similarly Indra is the God-mind; Sarasvati is the power of inspiration, not merely of learning.

The devas constitute an integral part of the colorful Hindu culture. These various forms of God are depicted in innumerable paintings, statues, murals, and scriptural stories that can be found in temples, homes, businesses, and other places. In Hinduism, the scriptures recommend that for the satisfaction of a particular material desire a person may worship a particular deity. For example, shopkeepers frequently keep a statue or picture of the devi Lakshmi in their shops for financial prosperity. The elephant-headed deva known as Ganesha is worshiped before commencing any important undertaking, as he represents God's aspect as the remover of obstacles. Students and scholars may propitiate Saraswati, the devi of learning, before taking an exam or giving a lecture.

The most ancient Vedic devas included Indra, Agni, Soma, Varuna, Mitra, Savitri, Rudra, Prajapati, Vishnu, Aryaman, and the ashvins. Important devis were Sarasvati, Ushas, and Prithvi. Later scriptures called the Puranas recount traditional stories about each individual deity, such as Ganesha and Hanuman, and avatars such as Rama and Krishna.

Trimurti

Shiva and Vishnu are not regarded as ordinary devas but as Mahādevas ("great gods" ) because of their central positions in worship and scriptures. These two along with Brahma are considered the Trimurti—the most supreme individual deities. These three symbolize the entire circle of samsara in Hinduism: Brahma as creator, Vishnu as preserver or protector, and Shiva as destroyer or judge.

Devas in the Vedas

The main devas are (vide 6th anuvaka of Chamakam):

• Aditya
• Agni
• Antariksha
• Ashwinis
• Brahma
• Brihaspati
• Dishas
• Dyaus
• Indra
• Ganesha
• Marutas
• Moordha
• Prajapati
• Prithvi
• Pusha
• Rudra
• Savitr
• Shiva
• Soma
• Varuna
• Vayu
• Vishnu
• Vishvedavas

The main devis are:

• Durga or Parvati
• Lakshmi or Shri
• Sarasvati or Vaak

Popular deities

An elaborate idol of Ganesha at the Kudroli Bhagavathi temple in Mangalore, India. Ganesha is widely worshiped across India as the remover of obstacles.

In their personal religious practices, Hindus may worship primarily one or another of these deities, known as their "Ishta Devata," or chosen deity. The particular form of God worshiped as one's chosen ideal is a matter of individual preference, although regional and family traditions can play a large part in influencing this choice. Hindus may also take guidance about this choice from scriptures.

Although Hindus do worship deities other than their chosen deity from time to time, depending on the occasion and their personal inclinations, it is not expected that they will worship, or even know about, every form of God. Hindus generally choose one concept of God (popular choices include Krishna, Rama, Shiva, or Kali), and cultivate devotion to that chosen form, while at the same time respecting the chosen ideals of other people.

Some popular Hindu deities include Durga, Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Hanuman, Kali, Murugan, Venkateshwara, Nataraja, Rama, and Lakshmi.

Denominations of Hinduism

Main article: Hindu denominations

Contemporary Hinduism has four major divisions: Saivism, Shaktism, Smartism, and Vaishnavism.

Hinduism is a very rich and complex religion. Each of its four denominations shares rituals, beliefs, traditions and personal gods with one another, but each sect has a unique philosophy on how to achieve life's ultimate goal (moksa, liberation). For example a person can be a devotee to Shiva and a Vishnu devotee but one can practice the Advaita Vedanta philosophy which believes there is no difference between Brahman and a person's individual soul. Conversely, a Hindu may follow the Dvaita philosophy which stresses that Brahman and the soul are not the same. But each denomination fundamentally believes in different methods of self-realization and in different aspects of the one supreme God. However, each denomination respects and accepts all others, and conflict of any kind is rare.

Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Shaktism, respectively believe in a monotheistic ideal of Lord Vishnu (often as Lord Krishna), Lord Shiva, or Devi; this view does not exclude other personal gods, as they are understood to be aspects of the chosen ideal. For instance, to many devotees of Krishna, Shiva is seen as having sprung from Krishna's creative force. Ganesha worshippers would connect themselves with Shiva as Shiva is the father of Ganesha, making him a Shaiv deity. Often, the monad Brahman is seen as the one source, with all other gods emanating from there. Thus, with all Hindus, there is a strong belief in all paths being true religions that lead to one God or source, whatever one chooses to call the ultimate truth. As the Vedas - the most important Hindu scriptures state: "Truth is one; the wise call it by various names" (transliterated from Sanskrit: Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti.)

Smartism, is monist as well as a monotheist and understands different deities as representing various aspects and principles of one supreme entity, Brahman or parabrahman. Teachers such as Swami Vivekananda, who brought Hinduism to the West, held beliefs like those found in Smartism, although he usually referred to his religion as Vedanta. Other denominations of Hinduism do not strictly hold this belief.

A Smartist would have no problem worshiping Shiva or Vishnu together as he views the different aspects of God as leading to the same One God. It is the Smarta view that dominates the view of Hinduism in the West. By contrast, a Vaishnavite considers Vishnu as the one true God, worthy of worship and other forms as subordinate. See for example, an illustration of the Vaishnavite view of Vishnu as the one true God. Accordingly, many Vaishnavites, for example, believe that only Vishnu can grant moksha.. Similarly, many Shaivites also hold similar beliefs for Shiva.

Polytheism

There are some Hindus who consider the various deities not as forms of the one Ishvara, but as independently existing entities, and may thus be properly considered polytheists.

Although the panentheistic tendency in Hinduism allowed only a subordinate rank to the old polytheistic gods, they continued to occupy an important place in the affections of individual Hindus and were still represented as exercising considerable influence on the destinies of man. The most prominent of them were regarded as the appointed "loka palas", or guardians of the world; and as such they were made to preside over the four cardinal and (according to some authorities) the intermediate points of the compass.

Thus Indra, the chief of the devas, was regarded as the regent of the east; Agni, the fire, was in the same way associated with the southeast; Yama, lord of death and justice with the south; Surya, the sun, with the southwest; Varuna, originally the representative of the all-embracing heaven (atmosphere), now the god of the ocean, with the west; Vayu (or Pavana), the wind, with the northwest; Kubera, the god of wealth, with the north; and Soma with the northeast. In some traditions, Ishana—an aspect of Shiva—is regarded as the regent of the northeast and Nirrti the regent of the southwest.

In the institutes of Manu the loka palas are represented as standing in close relation to the ruling king, who is said to be composed of particles of these his tutelary deities. The retinue of Indra consists chiefly of the Devas, gandharvas, a class of genii, considered in the epics as the celestial musicians; and apsaras, lovely nymphs, who are frequently employed by the gods to make the pious devotee desist from carrying his austere practices to an extent that might render him dangerous to their power. Narada, an ancient sage (probably a personification of the cloud, the water-giver), is considered as the messenger between the gods and men, and as having sprung from the forehead of Brahma. The interesting office of the god of love is held by Kamadeva, also called Ananga, the bodyless, because, as the scriptures relate, having once tried by the power of his mischievous arrow to make Siva fall in love with Parvati, whilst he was engaged in devotional practices, the urchin was reduced to ashes by a glance of the angry god. Two other divine figures of some importance are considered as sons of Siva and Parvati, viz. Karttikeya or Skanda, the leader of the heavenly armies, who was supposed to have been fostered by the six Knittikas or Pleiades; and Ganesha (lord of troops), the elephant-headed god of wisdom, and at the same time the leader of the dii minorum gentium.

Mother goddesses

Goddesses are worshiped when God is thought of as the Universal Mother. Particular forms of the Universal Mother include Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Parvati, Durga, and Kali. Shaktism recognizes Shakti as the supreme goddess. The concept of Mahadevi as the supreme goddess emerged in historical religious literature as a term to define the powerful and influential nature of female deities in India. Throughout history, goddesses have been portrayed as the mother of the universe, through whose powers the universe is created and destroyed. The gradual changes in belief through time shape the concept of Mahadevi and express how the different Goddesses, though very different in personality, all carry the power of the universe on their shoulders. Jagaddhatri and Mariamman are other significant female deities.

See also

• Hindu mythology
• List of Hindu deities
• Rigvedic deities