Hinduism - Deities - A Brief Introduction to Hinduism

Hindu Deities

Although it would be impossible to list all 330 million Hindu deities, here is a review of the most-renowned gods and goddesses in Hindu theology.

Brahman

An Artist's Rendering of Brahman

Although the spellings are similar, Brahman and Brahma are not similar things. Brahman is the highest and most holy of all Hindu gods. He is the creator and origin of all things, and has no beginning and end. He is indescribable and blissfully immersed within himself. In fact, Brahman is considered the essence of the universe, its origin, and its entirety. Brahman is the unity of all things. Though some call Brahman a god, he/she occupies a position of far greater importance than most other Hindu gods. The goal of Hinduism, moksha, is to achieve unity with this divine essence, transcending the self.

Professor Jeaneane Fowler of the University of Wales College, Newport describes Brahman through the metaphor of the sun: "The relationship between the many manifest deities and the unmanifest Brahman is rather like that between the sun and its rays. We cannot experience the sun itself but we can experience its rays and the qualities, which those rays have. And, although the sun’s rays are many, ultimately, there is only one source, one sun. So the Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism amount to thousands, all representing the many aspects of Brahman."

The Tri Murti

The Tri Murti is the combination of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. It represents the cycle of creation, protection, and destruction of the universe.

Brahma

In the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, Brahma is the creator. He has four heads and grew out of a lotus in Vishnu’s belly while he was sleeping. The changes of day and night are contributed to Brahma.

In contrast to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic worship of a creator god, Brahma is not similarly revered in Hinduism. Brahma is actually considered to be a rather impersonal god, as his role was to create the universe, and then leave and allow Vishnu and Shiva to continue the cycle.

Vishnu

The Ten Avatars of Vishnu

Vishnu is the preserver and protector of creation. He embodies goodness and mercy. Vishnu preserves the universe and maintains dharma. Vishnu is usually seen with four weapons. He has ten incarnations (or avatars) with which he fights the forces of evil.

The ten incarnations of Vishnu are Lord Matsya, a fish; Lord Kurma, a tortoise; Lord Varaha, a boar; Lord Nrhsimhhadeva, a man-lion; Lord Vamana, a dwarf Brahmin; Lord Parashurama, a Kshatriya; Lord Rama; Lord Krishna and his brother Lord Balarama; Lord Buddha; and Lord Kalki, the ultimate destroyer. Vishnu has not yet incarnated as Lord Kalki.

The Two Most Revered Avatars of Vishnu

Rama is the 7th incarnation of Vishnu, and the central figure of the Ramayana Epic. Rama was created to free earth from the cruelty and sins of the King Ravana. Rama took human form in order to defeat Ravana who had immunity from being killed by gods.

Krishna is the 8th avatar of Vishnu, the embodiment of joy and love, and the protector of sacred utterances and cows. He is the instigator of all forms of knowledge and represents the personal side of Hinduism. Along with Arjuna, he is one of the main characters in the Bhagavad Gita. He is often pictured playing a flute, which is said to "make the souls come running."

Shiva

Shiva is the destroyer of the world. At the same time Shiva is the god of yoga, deliberate and celibate. Shiva is responsible for changes through death and destructions, but also for positive changes such as destruction of the ego. Shiva is often pictured as performing the dance of the universe, as to the right. To learn more about the symbolism of this pose, visit the page on the Shiva Nataraja.

Ganesha

Ganesha is the god of all spiritual and tantric worship, and also the god of beginnings and success. There are many different stories on how Ganesha got his elephant head. The most prevalent says he got it when the Goddess Parvati asked him to guard her quarters. When he would not allow Shiva in, Shiva cut his head off. Shiva then returned him to life but gave him an elephant’s head.

Lakshmi

Lakshmi is the goddess of light, beauty, good fortune, and wealth. As soon as the gods saw her, they fell in love with her. Shiva tried to claim her as his wife, but she was given to Vishnu, whom she preferred. Since she is the consort of Vishnu, she embodies love and grace. While Lakshmi is generally worshiped to achieve success, she does not reside long with anyone who is lazy or desires her only for her wealth.
Lakshmi is associated with the Diwali festival.

Hanuman

Hanuman is the monkey deity renowned for his courage, power, and faithful selfless service. Hanuman was born as the son of the King and Queen of Monkeys. In the Ramayana Epic, Hanuman is depicted as being cunning in his escape from the demon king’s troops.

Surya

Surya is the most visible deity of Hinduism; he is the sun and, at the same time, the sun god. He was once ranked along with Brahma, Vishnu and Krishna as one of the most important Hindu gods. There are many temples dedicated to Surya in Northern India.

Indra

Indra is the king of gods. He is also a great warrior and is a symbol of strength and courage. Indra is as quick as the wind and carries a wide variety of weapons. Also, Indra has a legendary love for the drug Soma.

While Indra used to be the primary god of Hinduism, as time went on he became less and less important. Currently, he has been replaced in popularity with Vishnu.

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