| The goddess, or devi, has an important role in Hinduism. For some, she is the central deity. As such, she may be described as shakti, the strength and power behind all things in the universe, even the gods. In villages all over India, the devi is thought of as the protector of mothers and their children. Her shrine is frequently visited and offerings made to her. Among the most widely worshipped goddesses is Parvati, the wife of Shiva. Parvati is shown as the consort of Shiva, and is the Goddess referred to as Shakti, or energy. At times she can be beautiful and gentle. At other times she takes the form of the warrior goddess, Durga, who rides on the back of a lion and slays the evil buffalo demon. Durga is Parvati in the role of a warrior, and is shown holding many divine weapons. Sometimes she is Kali - ugly and terrifying, wearing a garland of human skulls around her neck, the bringer of human disease, strife and war. Shiva is the God seen in the role of the destroyer of the universe. He is shown sometimes as 'Nataraj' holding a drum as a symbol of destruction. Hinduism says that if God is the creator of the universe then God is the only one who can be the destroyer of it. Usually he is shown with a snake curled around his neck. Vishnu is the God seen in the role of the preserver of the universe. He is normally shown with four arms holding a lotus, mace, discus and conch. Vishnu's wife is Lakshmi, the goddess of good luck, wealth, beauty and good fortune. She is often shown seated on a lotus blossom with the elephants spraying water over her. She is shown wearing a red sari and offering gold coins to her devotees. |
| Brahma was once an important god, but his popularity has declined over the centuries. Still, he is often found among the many figures carved on a temple wall. He usually has four faces, and his vehicle is a swan. Brahma is the God seen in the role of the creator of the universe. He is shown with four heads looking in all four directions. He is sometimes shown holding scriptures, beads, and a water pot. The wife of Brahma is the beautiful goddess Saraswati, patron of art, music and literature. Her vehicle is also a swan and she carries a vina (musical instrument) and a book. Saraswati is shown wearing a white sari, and is referred to as the Goddess of all learning. Hanuman, the monkey god, is popular in cities and villages all over India. When Sita, wife of the god Rama, was kidnapped by an evil demon, Hanuman and his army of monkeys came to the rescue and helped Rama save her. In homage to Hanuman, monkeys are rarely harmed in India. Avatars, Gods descending to earth, like Rama and Krishna, are also forms of God Hindus like to worship. One of the most cheerful of Hindu deities is Ganesh, the elephant-headed god. His vehicle is a rat, although it is hard to imagine him riding on it. Ganesh is shown as a prosperous pot-bellied god, who often carries a bowl of sweets. He is the Lord of Obstacles and will remove any hurdles his worshippers may face. His help is often sought at the start of any important job. The first prayers in a puja (a short ritual, a form of worship) may be offered to him. He is interested in books and is the Lord of Grammarians. Many books printed in India have a small picture of him on the title page or the phrase 'Shri Ganehsa Namah' (reverence to Lord Ganesh). |
| 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 the 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'. Hinduism is the harmonious working together of these three worlds. The most prevalent expression of worship for the Hindu comes as the 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 hierachy 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 of man's mind onto an impersonal pure Beingness. Many Hindus have been told over and over that the Gods are not really beings, but merely symbols of spiritual matters, and unfortunately many have accepted this erroneous notion about the Gds. In reality, the Mahadevas are individual soul beings, and down through the ages ordinary men and women, great saints and sages, prophets and mystics in all cultures have inwardly seen, heard, and been profoundly influenced by these superconscious inner plane beings. Lord Ganesh is such a being. He can think just as we think. He can see and understand and make decisions, so vast their implications and complexity that we could never comprehend them with our human faculties and understanding. |
| Hindus belive that one can think of God as a person (with shape) or one can think of him not as a person (without shape). It is like the example of ice and water. Ice takes on a shape but water does not seem to have any shape, and yet they are both really the same thing. There is only one God but Hindus like to think of him/her in the form of their liking. It is easier to build a relationship with God if one thinks of him as a person. Some Hindus like to think of God as their real father in heaven. But why only as a father? Many Hindus like to think of God as their real 'mummy' in heaven. Hindus can choose the way they wish to think of God. The important thing is to love God. It makes no difference how one wishes to see Him. One is allowed |
| Gods and Goddesses |
| However, some Hindus do not think of God taking any form. How can one be without any shape? We all believe in truth, love and power. None of these have any shape, yet we still believe in them. Instead of a form, they use fire as a symbol to think of God. These are not the only ways one can think of God. Hindus say that there are many more ways. If we concentrate and find out who we truly are, we find that 'We are really God'. This is very difficult to believe, but Hindus say the 'real you' is called 'Atman' - God as your true self. That is why the greeting used by Hindus is, 'Namaste', which translates as 'I bow down to the God as 'you'. The highest worship of God is then thought to be 'Service to mankind'. Hurting any living thing is considered wrong because it is the same as hurting ourselves. |
| There are many different forms of God: |
| to pick and choose the way one thinks of God. Some Hindus like to think of God as a little child. They do not like to think of God as a grown up person. All these different ways to approach God are acceptable in Hinduism. There is only God in Hinduism, but one can choose how he/she looks. |
| For pictures, see Photo Gallery |
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