Dream Dictionary deity

What is the Hindu definition of God -monotheistic or polytheistic?

There is much confusion about this, not among Hindus but among those on the outside looking in.

Hinduism is both a monotheistic and a henotheistic religion. Hindus believe in one supreme God who created the universe and who is worshipped as Light, Love and Consciousness. Hindus were never polytheistic, but were always henotheistic. Henotheism is defined by Webster's as "the belief in or worship of one God without denying the existence of others."

Read more here: » Hinduism: What is the Hindu definition of God -monotheistic or polytheistic?

What Is God's Real Form?

Does God have a form or is He formless? Adi Sankara preferred a formless God while Ramanujacharya believed that He was both with and without form.

Ramana Maharshi realised the Inner Divine Self by enquiring, ''Who am I?'' Vivekananda was not for dualism, of seeing God in an image. But when Ramakrishna Paramhansa touched his chest to indicate the divinity within, Vivekananda began to 'see' God in every thing - living or non-living.

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God and Gods of Hinduism

The most prevalent expression of worship for the Hindu comes as devotion to God and the Gods. In the Hindu pantheon there are said to be three hundred and thirty-three million Gods. Hindus believe in one Supreme Being. The plurality of Gods are perceived as divine creations of that one Being. So, Hinduism has one supreme God, but it has an extensive hierarchy of Gods. Many people look at the Gods as mere symbols, representations of forces or mind strata, or as various Personifications generated as a projection o of man's mind onto an impersonal pure Beingness.

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Hardship Throws Up A Million Saviours

When we run for cover as the sky opens up and the rain comes thundering down to the accompaniment of a million kettle-drums; when in the middle of the night, our bed dances across the floor of our room in the arms of a mighty earthquake, we exclaim: "Please, God, help me out of this!" - no matter in what language we've muttered the words, no matter what age we are living in, or where. Then there is one God, the protector of all humanity.

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Andal's Divine Union With Sri Narayana

The Tiruppavai, a 1,000-year-old collection of 30 Tamil songs in praise of Krishna, was composed by Goda when she was barely 15 years of age. It is sung during the month of Margazhi in Tamil Nadu, between mid-December and mid-January. The Tiruppavai is also called Godopanishad because it contains the quintessence of the scriptures.

An incarnation of Bhudevi, Goddess Earth, the consort of Mahavishnu, Goda's appearance was to show us the pathway to God through bridal mysticism - looking upon God as the bridegroom.

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Vasthu Ceremony - for laying foundation

The ceremony of the laying of the foundation for a building should be performed only during the home when the Deity of the plot (VASTHU PURUSHAN) is well awake. It is guide imperative to follow the presages to be carefully notices when performing the laying of the foundation ceremony.

The worship during laying the foundation ceremony should be postponed to another auspicious day in any of the following twenty presages are noticed.

Read more here: » Vastu Shastra: Vasthu Ceremony - for laying foundation

Venus is a planet rich in mythology from many different traditions; it is not without reason that the forthcoming Venus Transit as attracted so much attention. The author, Maya White has been a student and teacher of the metaphysical world for over 25 years and her focus as an astrologer include Theosophy, mysticism, spiritual healing and natal & astrology charts.

Read more here: » Venus Transit: Venus - Goddess of the Morning Star

Fruits of Worshipping Each Nakshatra

Each Nakshatra reflects certain wishes or desires that those who born under them are inclined to have. In the Vedas each Nakshatra deity reflects these wishes, that those who worship this deity and its Nakshatra will gain. This material comes from the Taittiriya Brahmana III.1.4. It affords additional insight on the Nakshatras and their meaning. I have condensed the material to make it as relevant as possible.

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Shanidev is Partly Shiva's Avatar

Shani or Shanichar (Saturn) is believed to be the son of Surya the Sun-god and Chhaya. So he is also called Saura. His other names include Kruradris and Kruralochana (the cruel-eyed), Mandu (dull or slow), Pangu (physically challenged), Saptarchi (seven-eyed) and Asita (dark). Shani is believed to wield evil influence, so anyone born under his influence is at risk. Hence the day named after him, Shanivara, is considered inauspicious to begin any new venture.

Read more here: » Shani: Shanidev is Partly Shiva's Avatar

Hinduism: Do Hindus worship idols?

No, Hindus are not idol worshippers in the sense implied. They are intelligent people, and intelligent people do not worship stones or statues. Hindus invoke the presence of great souls living in higher consciousness into stone images so that we can feel the presence of God. Though we may have a stone image of a God, we are invoking the physical presence of the God into the stone image to bless us. Invocations of this nature can be performed by invoking God's presence in a fire, or in a tree, or in the enlightened person of a Sat Guru.

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Vastu Shastra: Importance of entrance and doorways in Vastu

The threshold or the main doorway of a house is the dwelling place of the divine trinity Lord Ganapathy, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswathi. This doorway is the entrance to the office of Brahmma.

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Site Testing

In order to identity an ideal building site, a square pit of one square built (1 cubit x 1 cubit) should be dug out at the centre of the building site, meditating mentally upon the Goddess Earth and praying for plenty of wealth and grains at this site. This is to be performed at an auspicious hour, when the lunar day (thithi) lunar asterism (Natchatram), the astrological dicisious of tone and the rising of the zodiac sign (lagnam) above the horizon are favourably placed.

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Vesta was introduced in Rome by King Numa Pompilius. She was a native Roman deity (some authors suggest received from the Sabine cults), sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera and Demeter, and presumably the daughter of Saturn and Ops (or Rea). However, the similarity with the cult of Greek Hestia is notable. Vesta too protected familial harmony and the res publica. Apollo and Neptune had asked for her in marriage, but she refused both, preferring to preserve her virginity, whose symbol was the perpetually lit fire in her circular fane next to the Forum which the Romans always distinguished ...

See also:

Vesta mythology, Vesta mythology - Deity, Vesta mythology - Vestales, Vesta mythology - Vestalia

Read more here: » Vesta mythology: Encyclopedia II - Vesta mythology - Deity

Cernunnos in Celtic polytheism is the deified spirit of horned male animals, especially of stags, a nature god associated with produce and fertility. As a "Horned God", Cernunnos was one of a number of similar deities found in many ancient cultures. Cernunnos - Origins. Cernunos is known, from archaeological sources such as inscriptions and depictions, to have been worshipped in Gaul, Northern Italy (Gallia Cisalpina) and the southern coast of Britain. The earliest known probable depiction of Cernunnos was ...

Including:

• Cernunnos - Origins
• Cernunnos - Etymology
• Cernunnos - Iconography
• Cernunnos - Medieval traces
• Cernunnos - Neo-Paganism
• Cernunnos - Wicca

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The Gayatri Mantra is the most revered mantra in Hinduism. It consists of the prefix :oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ ॐ भूर्भुवस्वः, a formula taken from the Yajurveda, and the verse 3.62.10 of the Rig Veda (which is an example of the Gayatri meter). Since all the other three Vedas contain much material rearranged from the Rig Veda, the Gayatr ...

See also:

Gayatri, Gayatri - Mantra, Gayatri - Text, Gayatri - Translation, Gayatri - Goddess, Gayatri - External link, Gayatri - Organizations

Read more here: » Gayatri: Encyclopedia II - Gayatri - Mantra

 What is Vasthu?

Human body is under the influence of the nine Planets. In fact it is governed and controlled by all these nine planets. Dwelling place is known as GRAHA, and this graha is under the rule of vasthu, the Omnipotent Devtha (Divine Lord of men's dwelling place.) So there has to be an utmost harmony between the body (which is ruled by Nava Graha) and home (Graha which is under the influence of Vasthu. Vasthu Sasthra is the science which explains the rules of the harmony required.

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In anthropology, phallicism refers to the ritual adoration of the human penis, or the phallus. Elements of phallicism have been found in many cultures, including Ancient Greece, certain Hindu sects in India and in Sumeria. Phallus - Shaivism. The lingam or Linga (Sanskrit: Gender as in purusha-linga : Phallus) by some etymologists, is still used in Shaivism as a symbol for the worship of the Hindu God Shiva. The use of this symbol as an object of worship is a timeless tradition in India; mainst ...

See also:

Phallus, Phallus - In physical anatomy, Phallus - In art, Phallus - Phallic symbols in religion, Phallus - Shaivism, Phallus - Ancient Greece, Phallus - Ancient Scandinavia, Phallus - Ancient Rome, Phallus - In psychoanalysis, Phallus - Sociopolitical usages, Phallus - Objects considered to be phallic symbols

Read more here: » Phallus: Encyclopedia II - Phallus - Phallic symbols in religion

Faith is a rare gift of God granted only to humans, and it forms the basis of human relationships. We need to repose faith in our parents that they will always think of our welfare; in our children that they will not let us down; in our colleagues and friends that they will remain loyal. Similarly, for a seeker of salvation, a prime requirement is faith or shraddha in God.

Faith in people is based on our practical experience of them. We have no such experience of God. Does our faith in Him, therefore, have to be blind? As the following story illustrates, faith in God must be reasoned.

(See also: Faith , God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Faith: Shraddha In God Works Wonders  

Worship of a single god within a pantheon and the abolition of all others may be monotheism, as in the case of the Aten cult in the reign of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten, under the chiefly influence of the Eastern-originating Nefertiti. Iconoclasm during this pharaoh's rule is considered a chief origin for Abrahamic destruction of idols, holding no other God before the preferred deity (dually and subtly acknowledging the existence of the other gods, but only as foes to be destroyed for their drawing of attention away from the primary deity ...

See also:

Monotheism, Monotheism - Types, Monotheism - Origins in Abrahamic or Middle East religions, Monotheism - In Hinduism, Monotheism - In Ayyavazhi, Monotheism - In Taoism, Monotheism - Comparison to polytheism

Read more here: » Monotheism: Encyclopedia II - Monotheism - Origins in Abrahamic or Middle East religions

The word Abraxas (or Abrasax or Abracax) was engraved on certain antique stones, called on that account Abraxas stones, which were used as amulets or charms by Gnostic sects. It was believed that Abraxas was the name of a god who incorporated both Good and Evil (God and Demiurge) in one entity, and therefore representing the monotheistic God, singular, but (unlike e.g. the Christian God) not omni-benevolent. Abraxas has been claimed to be both an Egyptian god and a demon, sometimes even being associated with the d ...

Including:

• Abraxas - Meaning
• Abraxas - Quotes

Read more here: » Abraxas: Encyclopedia - Abraxas

Earth has often been personified as a deity, in particular a goddess (see Gaia and Mother Earth). The Chinese earth goddess Hu-Tu is similar to Gaia, the deification of the earth. As the patroness of fertility, her element is earth. In Norse mythology, the earth goddess Jord was the mother of Thor and the daughter of Annar. Since Earth is rather large, it is not immediately obvious to the naked eye viewing from the surface that it is an oblate spheroid, bulging slightly at the equator and slightly flattened at the poles. In the ...

See also:

Earth, Earth - Lexicography, Earth - Physical characteristics, Earth - Earth in the solar system, Earth - The Moon, Earth - Geography, Earth - Environment and Ecosystem, Earth - Climate, Earth - Terrain, Earth - Natural resources, Earth - Land use, Earth - Natural and environmental hazards, Earth - Human geography, Earth - Descriptions of Earth

Read more here: » Earth: Encyclopedia II - Earth - Descriptions of Earth

Purushottama, the holy month, occurs once every three years. Devotional practice during the month is said to bring to offenders the chance to be forgiven.

According to the Indian Almanac, every three years, an extra month, Purushottama, is included in the year in order to harmonise the lunar month with the solar month. It is technically called an 'intercalary month'.

According to the Smarta school of thought this month is unholy, as they refer to it as being 'tarnished'. Prescribing various holy functions for all months of the year, they left this additional 'unholy' month out of their plans.

(See also: Purushottama , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Purushottama: Krishna Purushottama, The Extra Month