Hindu God Names: A Simplified Summary of Hindu Deities
About Hindu deities, we usually hear that Hindus worship 333 or 330 million gods. So, is it true? Who are the Hindu gods?
Some Hindu scholars explain that the big number should be interpreted as a symbolism. That is, the symbolism of the 333 or 330 million represents the Brahman, which has various names, forms, activities, attributes, and powers owing to differences of function.
It must be noted that Hinduism affirms that all animate and inanimate being, and those yet to appear, are nothing but manifestations of Brahman.
Hinduism, nonetheless, has major deities. Brahman normally takes the form of one of the three main Hindu deities which compose the so-called Hindu “trinity,” or trimurti:
(a) Brahmā,
(b) Vishnu, and
(c) Shiva.
Brahmā (“The Creator”) is the creative spirit from which the universe originates.He is the source, the seed, and the creator of all beings in this world.He is depicted as having four heads, from which the four Vedas are believed to have come.
On the other hand, Vishnu (“The Pervader”) is the preserver and protector of the universe. He returns to the earth in troubled times to reinstate its balance.
Vishnu has been incarnated nine times so far, appearing in the form of his avatars, some of which are Rāma of the Rāmāyana (ideal person), Krishna (all-attractive perfect person), and Buddha (the enlightened). Take note that in Hinduism, ‘Buddha’ is (just) one of Vishnu’s avatars.
Finally, Shiva (“The Auspicious One”) is the deity who has the role of destroying the universe in order to re-create it. He is the force which brings a cycle to a destruction which serves as a prelude to transformation, leaving pure consciousness from which the universe is reborn after destruction.
Hindus traditionally choose a personal deity, a form of Brahman with whom they can feel a direct personal connection. Devotion to this deity includes prayer, ceremonial worship, chanting of the deity’s name, and pilgrimage to sites sacred to the deity.
Notice that this somewhat corresponds to Catholics’ religious approach of selecting a particular saint to venerate and call upon.
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Copyright © by Jens Micah De Guzman
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