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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Basics of Hinduism: Are the Gods of Hinduism really married?

It is true that God is often depicted with a spouse in our traditional stories. However, on a deeper philosophical level, the Supreme Being and the Gods are neither male nor female and are therefore not married.

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Earth, water, fire, wind, sky, the astral bodies, dawn, night, thunderstorms and lightning are all worshipped and deified in Hinduism. If God is 'all’, then where is his abode?

"The Hindu firmly believes that the countless viewpoints of God (the different religions) are all valid and will lead us to the same God. The ultimate experience is beyond the pale of the ego; but the highest spiritual experiences, too, may differ from person to person, as is revealed in the different religions... "Even they who seek material gains - or even spiritual perfection - resort to God only through the various divinities; and God responds to them through the same channel. We adore God in various ways. This knowledge frees us from fear, attachment, anger, intolerance and proselytism".

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

Read more here: » Gods in Hinduism: Multiple Paths To The Supreme One  

God and Gods of Hinduism

Devotion to God and the Gods of Hinduism is known as Bhakti. It is an entire realm of knowledge and practice unto itself, ranging from the childlike wonder of the unknown and the mysterious to the deep reverence which comes with understanding of esoteric interworkings of the three worlds. Hinduism views existence as composed of three worlds. The First World is the physical universe; the Second World is the subtle astral or mental plane of existence in which the devas, angels and spirits live; and the Third World is the spiritual universe of the Mahadevas, "great shining beings," our Hindu Gods. Hinduism is the harmonious working together of these three worlds.

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There is an interesting legend connected with Mahashivratri, the day Shiva got married a second time to Shakti, his divine consort.

Once Shiva and Sati or Shakti were returning from the ashram of sage Agastya, after listening to Ram Katha or the story of Ram.

On the way when Shiva saw Rama roaming the forest - in search of Sita who was kidnapped by Ravana - he bowed his head in reverence. A surprised Sati inquired of Shiva why he was paying obeisance to a mere mortal.

(See also: Mahashivratri , 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: » Mahashivratri: Celestial Marriage of Shiva and Shakti  

Hanuman, the monkey-god, was an ardent devotee of Rama. His devotion took him wherever he was required to help Rama tide over difficulties. Most famously, Hanuman searched and found Ram's kidnapped consort Sita, brought vital healing herbs from the mountain to make a seriously wounded Lakshman well, and acted as the commander of Ram's forces.

Hanuman, therefore, is popularly referred to as the sankat mochan , resolver of problems, easy to please. He was born on Chaitra Shukla Purnima, and there are many legends surrounding his birth. He is also known as Shankarsuvan, Kesarinandan, Pawansut - that is, son of Shankar, of Kesari and Anjani and of Pawan, the god of the winds respectively.

(See also: Hanuman and Ram , 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: » Hanuman and Ram: Hanuman and Ram - Bond of Brothers  

Question One: Why does Hinduism have so many Gods?

Hindus all believe in one Supreme God who created the universe. He is all-pervasive. He created many Gods, highly advanced spiritual beings, to be His helpers.

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January every year, devotees throng the Sabarimala temple situated in the Sahayadri ranges in Kerala, to participate in the renowned Mandala Puja conducted during Makara Sankaranti.

The deity worshipped here, Lord Ayyappa, is believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu and is also known as Sastha and Harihara Sutha. The basic concept of incarnation is that God descends in order to let man ascend.

(See also: Makara Sankaranti , 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: » Makara Sankaranti: A Different Kind of Pilgrimage - about Makara Sankaranti  

Diwali is a time of the year when families, friends and communities come together in a spirit of celebration and joy. Diwali is the time, according to the version popular north of Vindhyas, when Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after spending 14 years in exile.

However, the deeper meaning of Diwali is celebration of the message of Lord Rama's life of sacrifice and dharma.

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

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Lord Krishna's influence on our lives far exceeds that of any other God-incarnate. Krishna is depicted not only as an embodiment of wisdom and selfless action, but also as a humane liberal and practical philosopher with foresight.

Krishna's mysticism and activism have greatly inspired poets, painters, writers, dramatists and dancers. The advice he rendered to a disheartened Arjuna at Kurukshetra - immortalised in the Bhagavad Gita - greatly influenced philosophers and continues to inspire millions of people worldwide.

(See also: Krishna , 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: » Krishna: Krishna The Cowherd - The Perfect Avatar  

On Dhanteras , Hindus worship Lord Dhanwantari, the deity of health and healing. Dhan is wealth or Lakshmi - so the goddess of wealth and prosperity is also prayed to.

Every household buys something new. But we tend to forget the real meaning of wealth which is sound health. Lord Dhanwantari also symbolises the spirit of knowledge and nature, including all about herbs and medicinal plants.

(See also: Dhanteras , 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: » Dhanteras: Dhanteras for Health, Wealth and Prosperity  

Festive bonhomie apart, many myths, legends and spiritual insights are woven around the customs and rituals associated with Diwali.

Celebrations commence a day before amavas on Naraka Chaturdasi , which marks the vanquishing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and Satyabhama. According to the puranas , demon king Naraka had acquired immense power through penance and had imprisoned the gods. He had also held captive 16,000 celestial princesses.

(See also: Diwali , 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: » Diwali: It's Time to Light Lamps of Wisdom - about Diwali  

Gods: Mahadevas, "great beings of light."

In Dancing with Siva, the plural form of God refers to extremely advanced beings existing in their self-effulgent soul bodies in the causal plane.

The meaning of Gods is best seen in the phrase, "God and the Gods," referring to the Supreme God- Siva- and the Mahadevas who are His creation.

See: Mahadeva.

(See also: Gods , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Gods In Hinduism Dictionary

Dussehra marks the day when goddess Durga killed the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, who had a boon from Brahma that he would not be slain by gods, men, spirits or any aspect of nature. So he vanquished the gods and tyrannised the world.

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva combined the energies of their consorts, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Shakti and created a beautiful woman - the ten-armed Durga - to kill the demon, as Mahishasura had forgotten to mention women while asking for his boon. Durga fought Mahishasura for nine days, finally beheading him on the tenth day.

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Read more here: » Dussehra: Slaying the Demon That's Within Us  

The Markandaya Purana and the Vamana Purana chronicle how Mahishasura, the wicked buffalo-king, a demon possessing monstrous power and deadly weapons of destruction, waged a war against the gods and defeated them.

Mahishasura dislodged Indra and occupied the throne. Indra fled to save himself. This shook the celestial world and so enraged Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva that they began to emit fire from their eyes. From the fusion of these beams of fire, carrying the radiant divine energy, a female figure, Goddess Durga, was born.

(See also: Durga , 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: » Durga: Invincible Durga Is Always On Call  

The lakhs of Shiva temples all over India include the famous temples at Amarnath in Kashmir, Somnath in Gujarat, Vishwanath in Varanasi and Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain.

The names of these Shiva temples define Shiva's various divine functions, exalting Him as the Supreme Soul. The linga is worshipped as the very image of Shiva. The linga indicates that Shiva has neither male nor female human form like do the other deities; the Lord is an incorporeal point of Light. This is why, the 12 well-known Shiva temples in India are also known as Jyotirlinga Mat h signifying his form of Light.

(See also: Shivaratri , 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: » Shivaratri: A Column of Light On Shivaratri  

Holi is an abundant celebration of joy, goodness and the season of spring. The day of Holi on Phalgun Purnima (full moon day) is observed as the birthday of Manu, the start of Sambat (first day in the Hindu calendar). Spiritually, it signifies light prevailing over darkness, fear and ignorance.

Holi is associated with mal utsav (smearing of colours) and the Holika bonfire in which dry sticks and cow dung are put to fire and corn seeds burnt to the point of losing their power to germinate. The fire represents the burning away of what is old and worn out. The festivities of Holi have a central message - let bygones be bygones, bury old hatchets and start anew in the spirit of spring.

(See also: Holi , 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: » Holi: Colourful Triumph of Good over Evil - about Holi  

This day, over 5,000 years ago, Krishna appeared on Earth as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki. Because of his human form and behaviour, not many knew He was God incarnate.

But while rendering advice to Arjuna at Kurukshetra, Krishna unabashedly reveals - in the Bhagavad Gita - that he is infinite, his vibhutis or divine manifestations and opulences being unlimited. No one, not even the gods, can know him completely. Krishna then proceeds to impart what he calls the most sovereign knowledge and profound mystery, contemplating on which alone one can attain moksha or liberation.

(See also: Gopala , 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: » Gopala: Gopala - Many Things To Many People  

A Hierarchy of Gods Guide Hinduism

 A unique and all-encompassing characteristic of Hinduism is that one devotee may be worshipping Ganesha while a friend worships Siva or Vishnu or Kali, yet both honor the other's choice and feel no sense of conflict. The Hindu religion brings us the gift of tolerance that allows for different stages of worship, different and personal expressions of devotion and even different Gods to guide our life on this earth.

Read more here: » Hinduism: A Hierarchy of Gods Guide in Hinduism

In the Jagannath Puri festival the king works as a sweeper, cleaning the pathway ahead of the chariot, denoting that no labour is insignificant if done for a higher cause. People from all communities get together to draw the chariots with great enthusiasm, upholding the spirit of celebration and exalting the concept of dignity of labour.

(See also: Puri festival , 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: » Puri festival: Lord of the Universe - Puri Jagannath - about Puri festival