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Hindu pantheon
Sujala Yayıncılık <sujalayayincilik@gmail.com> 14 Ocak 2019 17:03
Alıcı: Sujala Yayıncılık <sujalayayincilik@gmail.com>

Hindu pantheon is very complex, organized and hierarchical. Without

proper introduction into Hinduism, it is very difficult to understand the
complexity surrounding the Hindu gods and goddesses and make sense of
their numerous names, aspects, emanations and manifestations. The gods
and goddesses belong to one large family of gods, headed by Supreme
Brahman on one side as Purusha or Isvara and Para Shakti or Mother
Goddess as His dependent or independent aspect on the other.

Overtime, the pantheon of gods and goddesses underwent many changes,

additions and deletions, resulting in further complexity. In the early Vedic
period, the Vedic gods occupied a place of prominence, with Agni, Indra,
Vayu, Soma, Varuna, Adityas, Maruts, Visvadevas, Brahma, Prajapati,
Pusan, Asvins etc. playing a central role in the sacrificial rituals.

The Brahmanas, Kshatriya, Vaisyas, who formed the original divisions of

Vedic society, worshipped their own classes of gods. Individually, when the
Brahmanas performed sacrifices for themselves in the domestic rites etc.
they made offerings to their own gods. But when they officiated for the
sacrifices where the Kshatriyas and Vaisyas were patrons or hosts of
sacrifices (yajamanas) they made offerings to the gods their patrons
worshipped. Thus in the Vedas you find invocations to numerous deities.

The Kshatriyas worshipped gods of kshatra power, namely Indra, Varuna,

Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, and Isana. The Brahmanas worshipped
gods of Sattvic nature, namely Agni and Surya and later Adityas, or aspects
of the Sun, chief among whom were Savitr and later Vishnu.

The Vaisyas worshipped the gods of vis or commonality, namely Vasus,

Rudras, Visvadevas and Maruts. The sudras worshipped, Pusan, an Aditya,
and several local and village deities some of whom were outside the pale of
Vedic tradition.

These divisions of gods are stated in the Chandogya Upanishad (1.4.11-

13). With the decline of the original Kshatriya clans, probably due to wars
and internal squabbles, the worship of their gods declined and were
replaced by the deities worshipped by a new class of rulers such as the
Nandas, Mauryas, Sakas, Kushanas, Pahlavas, Barashivas, Kanvas etc.
They hailed from different social and caste backgrounds, and worshipped
different gods, some of whom were unknown to the early Vedic people and
never mentioned in the early Vedic literature.

Presently we have many gods and goddesses in Hinduism. Although

numerically they were said to be hundreds and thousands, Hindus worship
chiefly a few gods namely Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Sarasvathi, Lakshmi,
Parvathi, their manifestations, incarnations and emanations.

Chief among the incarnations of Vishnu are Rama, Krishna, and

Narasimha. His prominent image formations (arcavataras) are Lord
Venkateswara, Ranganatha, Pandarinatha, Vittalnatha and Jagannatha.
Prominent manifestations of Siva are Dakshinamurthy and nine Jyotirlingas.
The goddesses also have various aspects.

Prominent among the attendant deities are Lord Ganesha, Kumara, Nandi,
Hanuman, Garuda. Apart from them, Hindus also worship many saintly
persons such as Dattatreya, Chaitanya, Mantralaya Raghavendra Swami
and Shirid Baba.

Although Hindus worship many gods and goddess, strictly speaking

Hinduism is not a polytheistic religion. Hinduism has elements of both
monotheism, polytheism and sometimes classified as "henotheism or
kathenotheism - a belief in single gods, each in turn standing out as the
highest."1

This is well illustrated in a conversation between Yajnavalkya and Vidagdha

Sakalya as quoted in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3:9). When Sakalya
asks how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya begins the conversation
saying, "as many as mentioned in the offerings made to the gods of the
universe, namely three hundred and three, three thousand and three."
When Sakalya keeps on asking the same question, Yajnavalkya reduces
the number to thirty three, then to six, then to three, then to two, then to one
and half and finally to one. When asked who is the one, he replies that he is
the immortal person (Self) who is in the body. Thus, in Hinduism the
concept of one God acting as many or manifesting as many dates back to
early Vedic period. One God manifests as many. He is the sum total of all
things in the universe.

That highest God of Hinduism is known as Brahman who is extolled in the

Vedas as the Supreme Universal Self. He is both manifested and
unmanifested, Being and Non-Being, Existence (sat) and non-existence
(asat).

According to the Paingala Upanishad, His reflection in the quality of sattva

is considered Isvara, in Rajas Hiranyagarbha and in tamas Viraj. These
three aspects, Isvara, Hiranyagarbha and Viraj are also identified with
Vishnu, Brahma and Siva respectively in their roles as the preserver,
creator and destroyer respectively. In the early Upanishads, such as
Chandogya, Viraj is often described Death, for whom the entire creation is
food.

All the numerous gods and goddesses are the eyes, ears, hands and feet of
Brahman only. In their individual aspects they represent diversity and His
numerous duties (dharmas); but in their unified and highest aspect they
represent Brahman, the Supreme Self.

Thus Hinduism is neither monotheistic nor polytheistic, but represents

elements of both. The following is a brief description of the numerous gods
and goddesses of Hinduism, followed by a list of internal links that point to
numerous articles explaining their significance and symbolism in Hinduism.

Atman and Brahman

Atman and Brahman represent two eternal realities ever present in

existence. Their relationships is the subject matter of discussions in
numerous schools of Hinduism. Following is a brief description of the two.

Brahman: As stated already, Brahman is the highest God of Hinduism. He

is supreme, universal Self who is eternal, indestructible and infinite, who is
described in the Vedas as both manifested and unmanifested, and Being
and Non-Being. He has numerous aspects. In the early Vedic descriptions
He is often symbolized as the Sun. Those who attain liberation reach His
world and become immortal by the northern path (Uttarayana). For more
information on Brahman please check the links to Brahman found in the
section on Brahman. For further information, you may also read my book
Brahman. Brahman is not worshipped in temples or public places, but only
internally.

Atman: Atman is the individual Self. He is the lord of the microcosm (body).
He is described in the Upanishads as the immortal, transcendental,
imperishable Self, who cannot be reached through senses or the mind, but
only in a non-dual state of self-absorption. Like Brahman, Atman is not
worshipped in temples or public places, but only internally through
concentration and meditation.

The highest gods of Hinduism

Brahman, Vishnu and Shiva are the highest gods of Hinduism. These gods
do not form part of the early Vedic pantheon. They rose to prominence
subsequently, during the eastern and southern expansion of the Vedic
religion in the Indian subcontinent. A brief description of the three deities is
presented below.

Brahma: Brahma is the creator god. He is originally known as Prajapati. He

is the first born, father of the gods, humans and demons. He is also their
teacher, who taught them about the nature of Self and the importance of
virtue. He is also the revealer of the Vedas to the mankind. He has several
mind born sons. In the early Upanishads and Vedic hymns he is credited
with incarnations and described as the Cosmic Person (Purusha) as well as
Isvara, Hiranyagarbha and Viraj. In some verses, he is also described as
Prakriti or Nature. Brahma enjoyed an exalted position in ancient times,
when the original Kshatriyas ruled the land. With their decline, his popularity
declined. He is presently worshipped only in a few temples, mostly located
in the areas, adjoining or forming part of the ancient Sindhu Saraswathi
region, where the Kshatriyas ruled in ancient times. His abode is called
Brahmaloka.

Vishnu: He is currently the most popular god of Hinduism. Vaishnavism is

also currently the most popular and dominant sect of Hinduism, with several
sub sects and independent teacher traditions. Devotees of Vishnu worship
Him as the highest supreme Brahman. In popular Hinduism he is
considered the preserver responsible for the preservation and maintenance
of creation. He goes by several names, such as Narayana, Adita,
Padmanabha, Ananatasayana etc. He has also manifested upon earth as
incarnations (avataras), manifestations (vyuhas), partial incarnations
(amsavataras) and aspects such as Jagannatha, Panduranga, Ranganatha,
Varadaraja, Venkateswara etc. India is dotted with numerous temples of
Vishnu and His numerous aspects and incarnations. His abode is known as
Vaikuntha.

Shiva: In ancient times, Shiva was the most popular deity of Hinduism,
worshipped in numerous form and diverse communities throughout the
Indian subcontinent and even outside. While Saivism lost ground to
Vaishnavism in the last century, it is still a very popular sect of Hinduism
with dedicated followers. As in case of Vaishnavism, Saivism has several
sects and sub sects. Followers of Siva worship Him as the Supreme
Brahman who is responsible for the creation, preservation, and destruction
of the worlds, besides delusion and liberation of the beings. In popular
Hinduism he is considered the destroyer. He goes by several names such
as Rudra, Ardhanariswara, Mahadev, Mahesvara, Isvara etc. He has also
several aspects, manifestations, emanations and attendant deities. His
abode is called Kailās. He is worshipped in the temples and households in
his anthromorphic form and in the form of Sivalinga. In Tantra, he is also
worshipped in the form of symbols. For more information on Shiva, please
check our section on Shiva or visit our website Saivism.net as well as
Allsaivism.com.

Trimurthis: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are considered the Trimurthis, often
translated into English as the Trinity of Hindu gods. In reality, they represent
the triple functions of Brahman in creation. In their highest aspect, they are
said to be the same, but different in their functional aspect, each ruling over
a particular sphere and participating in creation along with their attendant
deities. They are often compared to the Isvara, Hiranyagarbha and Viraj
aspects of Brahman. Brahma is the reflection of Brahman in rajas, Vishnu in
sattva and Siva in tamas. To know about their symbolism please check the
links below.

The main goddesses of Hinduism

Shakti: The practice of worshipping Mother Goddess was in vogue in

Indian since the Indus valley civilization. Shakti means energy. Hindus
worship Shakti, also known as Mother Goddess, Divine Mother, Prakriti,
Maya and various other names. In creation she represents the materiality
and objectivity. Hence she is also known as the Field (kshetra). In the
beings, she represents the mind and body. If Brahman is the instrumental
cause of creation, Shakti is the material cause. If Brahman represents the
will and consciousness, Shakti represents the numerous objects, worlds
and beings in which the will and consciousness of Brahman remains
hidden. In the Tantra tradition, Shakti is considered the highest supreme
reality itself, with Brahman remaining in the background as the passive
witness consciousness. In Vedic tradition she is a dependent reality, but in
tantra she is independent. As the companion of Shiva, Shakti is worshipped
in numerous temples across India.

Saraswathi: Saraswathi is the goddess of knowledge and learning. She

symbolizes our knowledge, virtue and creative intelligence. She is the
consort of Brahma. As the source of knowledge, she is also the cause of
knowledge, wisdom and liberation among the intelligent beings. She is
responsible for refinement in speech, all artistic expressions and civilized
behavior. Saraswathi means the flowing one. A river which flowed in the
ancient past in the northwestern India is extolled frequently as Saraswathi.
The civilization that thrived on the banks of the river and adjoining areas is
known as Sindhu-Saraswathi civilization. The goddess is responsible for
many crafts and skills. Some descriptions suggest hamsa or swan as her
vehicle, while some mention peacock. She is usually depicted carrying a
vina, an Indian musical instrument.

Lakshmi: Lakshmi is the goddess of abundance who is responsible for

health, wealth, luck and happiness. She is the consort of Vishnu. She was
born in milky oceans during the churning of the oceans and gifted to
Vishnu. She is usually depicted with four or two hands, either alone or in the
company of Vishnu. When alone she is shown either seated in a lotus or
standing in it, with elephants in the background. She goes by many names,
the most popular being Sri. She incarnated several times upon earth along
with Vishnu and participated in his duties as the preserver. Owl is described
as her vehicle. She has numerous forms. Worship of eight forms of
Lakshmi, known as ashta-lakshmis is a very popular Hindu tradition.

Parvathi: Parvathi is the consort of Shiva and goddess of love, devotion,

and destruction. She personifies numerous aspects of Mother Goddess and
even equated with her in her role as the Mother of the Universe. She also
figures prominently as Uma Haimavathi in the Kena Upanishad. She is also
considered the second incarnation of Mother Goddess after the self-
immolation of her first incarnation as Dakshayani or Sati. There are
numerous shakti pithas installed in various parts of India to worship Sati.
She goes by several names such as Haimavathi, Girija, Uma, Lalitha,
Durga, Rudrani. She has both pleasant and fierce aspects. In some
Puranas, she is described as the sister of Vishnu. In the images, she is
depicted either alone or in the company of Shiva. In the Arthanariswra form,
as Prakriti she is represented as one half of Siva, the Purusha.

Vedic gods and goddesses

The Samhita portion of the Vedas contain hymns addressed to various

gods, which are described below.
Indra: Indra is the leader of gods, the lord of the heaven and the chief deity
who figures prominently in the Vedas, with a quarter of the Rig-Veda
Samhita devoted to his praise. The hymns extol him as a great warrior who
slew his enemies including the demon Vrata and clipped the wings of
mountains with his mighty weapon the thunderbolt. He is depicted in the
Upanishads as the student of Brahma and teacher of Prataradana son of
Divodasa. The white elephant Airavat is his vehicle and Indrani is his
consort. By the time the Puranas were composed, this mighty god of the
early Vedic period lost his prominence and was relegated to an inferior
position.

Agni: Agni figures prominently in the Rig-Veda, with the highest number of
hymns addressed to him. They describe him as the highest god, priest,
messenger, master of wealth, minister of sacrifice, dispeller of night and
provider of wealth and progeny to the worshippers, who brings the gods to
the sacrificial place. He manifests are fire upon earth, lightning in the mid-
region and the sun in the highest realm. In the images he is depicted as an
old man with two heads, three legs, a red body, pot belly, seven tongues,
four horns and seven arms, each holding different objects with his consorts
Svaha and Svadha on either side. The ram is his vehicle. In the body he
personifies the digestive power.

Vayu: Vayu is the wind god who is described in the Vedas as the lord of the
mid-region and a great absorber. In the body he represents the breath. He
rides upon a chariot drawn by a large number of horses, depending the
upon and the intensity with which he blows. As an invisible deity he forms
part of the subtle realm. He figures prominently in the hymns regarding
Soma sacrifice. They describe him as a drinker of Soma and friend of Indra.
In the images he is depicted as a blue colored god with four hands.

Surya: Surya is the sun god, and one of the solar deities (Adityas). He is
described in the Vedic hymns as the foreseeing one, a flying bird, a jewel in
the sky, and the giver of light, with radiant hair who knows all that lives and
who traverses the sky and the mid-region seeing all things that have birth,
riding on a chariot driven by seven horses. He is also praised as a healer
who cures the diseases of the heart and takes away the yellow hue. Savitr,
to whom the Gayatri mantra is addressed, is an aspect of the sun before
sunrise. In some hymns he is also addressed as Pusan.

Varuna: Varuna is described in the Vedas as the god of rains, clouds,

water, rivers and oceans. Some hymns beseech him for protection and
forgiveness since he is the king and guardian of moral laws who keeps a
close watch on the people and their actions with a thousand eyes. He
knows the ways of men as well as the ways of gods. Some hymns also
elevate him as the highest God who sustains the Asvattha tree whose roots
are in heaven and branches below and who created a wide pathway for the
sun to traverse the sky. In some hymns he is associated with Indra as
Indra-Varuna, the guardian of men and in some with Mitra as Varuna-Mitra.
In the images he is depicted as riding a crocodile or seven swans with four
hands holding a conch, a vessel of precious stones, lotus and noose.

Soma: Soma or Soma Pavamana is an important Vedic deity who is

extolled in several hymns. The entire ninth mandala of Rig-Veda is
dedicated to him. He is associated with Soma juice, which was extracted by
the Vedic priests ritually during Soma sacrifices from an unknown plant. It
was evidently an intoxicating drink used in the rituals to enter into
communion with gods and ancestors. The hymns describe him as wise,
king, lord of heroes, lord of speech, pure energy, lord of plants, leader who
leads the ancestors along a straight path and who makes mortal wise
sages. He was instrumental in the slaying of vrata by Indra

Asvins: Asvins are twin gods who are well known for their healing ability
and who are invariably invoked during sacrificial ceremonies since they
always strive to do good to others. They are described in the hymns as
divine physicians and surgeons well versed in the art of healing, surgery
and even organ transplantation. They are rich in treasure, lords of splendor,
having nimble hands, heroes, wonder workers and full of pleasantness, who
bestow boons upon those who worship them and seek their protection.

Aditi: Aditi is the prima mother of gods, especially the twelve solar deities
known as Adityas, of whom Vishnu is one. She is a prototype of Mother
Goddess or Prakriti, who is often compared in the Vedas to the sky and the
space. The hymns suggest that she was born to Daksha and Daksha in turn
was born to her. Although no specific hymns is addressed to her in the
Vedas, she is mentioned in several hymns along with other gods as the
might Aditi having the ability to grant the grace of Rudra. One hymn in
particular describes Aditi as the heaven, the mid-region, the mother, the
sons, all gods, five divisions of men and all that was born and shall be born.
The Puranas describe her as the wife of sage Kashyapa and the mother of
the Aditya, Indra and Vamana.

Adityas: The Adityas are solar deities and sons of Aditi who figure in the
hymns addressed to Visvadevas, Rhbus, Agni etc., and mentioned along
with Maruts, Vasus, Rudras and other gods of commonality. They are
described in the Rig-Veda as pure gods, lords of liberal gifts, free from
blemish, who help the worshippers in prosperity, providing shelter, showing
the way and in defeating their enemies. Surya is an Aditya but he does not
figure in the list of Adityas. The Adityas were most likely aspects of the
same sun, or the different suns who appear in the sky during the different
hours of the day and given different names or identified with different
deities. Many hymns of the Rig-Veda mention them collectively as Aditya
without specifying their names. Some hymns even distinguish them from
Indra, Vayu, Brihaspati, Mitra, Agni, Surya, Vishnu, Pusan, and Bhaga. In
the Puranas their number went up from eight to twelve probably due to the
division of time into twelve hours instead of seven or eight. The Vishnu
Puranas lists the following 12 Aditya: Amsa, Aryaman, Bhaga, Dhuti, Mitra,
Pusan, Sakra, Savitr, Tvstr, Varuna, Vishnu, Vivsvat.

Usha: Usha is described in the Rig-Veda as the goddess of dawn, daughter

of the sky, heaven's radiant daughter, auspicious goddess, opulent, and
lady of the light with resplendent rays, who dawns upon people with
prosperity and who graciously answers to the prayers with abundance and
with brilliant light. Such descriptions suggest she may be even a precursor
to Lakshmi, who also rises from the ocean like Usha. The Rig-Veda also
describes her as the brightest and fairest, the sister of Savitr who wakes up
people with sounds of joy and sends them great riches, who brings forth all
the gods from the heaven so that they may drink the Soma.

Yama: Yama means restraining one. According to the legends, he was the
first to die and depart to the heaven. Subsequently, he became the lord of
the underworld, Yamaloka. He is assisted in his duties by two fierce dogs
with four eyes and wide nostrils who guard the path that lead the departed
to his world. The Puranas describe him as the god death, and the ruler of
southern quarter, who is known for his knowledge, judgment and fairness in
punishing the sinners. They also describe the different kinds of
punishments meted out to the sinner in his world according to the list of sins
recorded by his assistant and record-keeper Chitragupta.

Pusan: The Chandogya Upanishad describes Pusan as the god of the

Sudras. In the Rig-Veda he is portrayed as a solar deity and a guardian of
the world, who shines brightly in the sky, showing the way to people on
earth as well as to the departing souls who are on their way to the other
world. He is the wonder worker, who has goats for his steeds, who drives
away from the path wolves, robbers, the wicked and the like, the lord of all
prosperity and wielder of golden sword, who leads people to meadows rich
in grass. Pusan is also associated with livestock as the vigorous one, who
invigorates them by leading them to green pastures and protects them by
helping men to find their lost cattle. In the Puranas he is described as one
of the Adityas.

Visvadevas: The Visvadevas are gods of commonality. According to the

Chandogya Upanishad (1.24.1), the evening extractions of the Soma juice
are offered to Adityas and Visvadevas. Adityas dwell in the heaven and
Visvadevas in our world. As the name suggests they are guardian deities of
the world. Several hymns are addressed to them in the Rig-Veda, in which
they are addressed variously as Indra, Vayu, Brihaspati, Mitra, Agni, Pusan,
Bhaga, Adityas and Maruts. Most likely Visvadevas is a generic name given
to all the gods of heaven when they are invoked collectively rather than
individually and their blessings and help are sought jointly for the common
good. However, the Puranas list ten Visvadevas, namely Vasu, Satya,
Kratu, Daksa, Kala, Kama, Dhriti, Kuru, Pururavas, and Madravas

Rudras: Rudra is the god of storms, who howls and roars, with shining
body and braided hair, and wields the thunderbolt, bow and arrow. Although
fearsome to look and wrathful, he is a benevolent god, repels the anger of
gods and helps the worshippers. The Rig-Veda describes him as strong,
bounteous, most excellent, and wise, with braided hair, who is the lord of
heroes and ruler of valiant men, and who shines in splendor like the sun.
He is an excellent physician and healer with thousands of medicines with
which he cures the sickness of humans. He is often equated with Agni and
later with Shiva. The Rudras are his attendant deities, whose number is
mentioned as eleven in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. In the body, they
are equated to the breaths and the mind. The Puranas mention eight
Rudras, namely Bhava, Sarva, Isana, Pasupati, Bhima, Ugra, Mahadeva
and Rudra.

Maruts: Like the Rudras, the Maruts are also storm or wind deities of the
mid-region who are often invoked along with Agni in the sacrifices to come
together. They are described as the sons of Rudra and attendants and
companions of Indra, who sit as deities in heaven above the mid-region's
luminous sphere, and scatter the clouds. The Rig-Veda describes them as
violent and aggressive with golden weapons, sons of Prisni, self-luminous,
born together, bearers of spears, swords and glittering ornaments, fiercely
vigorous and strong, who shake the heaven and earth like a garment. Their
number vary fro 27 to 60. It appears that they were also invoked during war
times to create unfavorable weather conditions and discourage the enemies
from moving forward.

Brihaspati: Brihaspati is the teacher of gods and a planetary deity equated

with Jupiter among the planets. In the Vedas the role of teacher is originally
ascribed to Prajapati, who is the teacher of not only gods, but also humans
and demons. Hence, more likely Brihaspati may be an aspect of Prajapati in
his role as a teacher. He is also often equated with Ganapati and
Brahmanaspati. He is described in the Rig-Veda as the son of Angiras,
sweet-tongued, mighty, leader of Samans, resplendent, whom both God
and mortal listen and whose Samans pervade the earth and heaven.
According to the Puranas, he was appointed as the teacher of gods by
Shiva. He has rivalry with Shukracarya, the teacher of demons. He has
three brothers and three wives. The three wives bore him nine daughters
and nine sons.

Vasus: According to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the Vasus are eight in

number. They are fire, earth, air, the mid-region, the sun, heaven, the moon
and stars. They are so called because they the dwelling places for
practically everything in creation. The Mahabharata mention the eight
Vasus with their specific names: Dhara (the earth), Anala (fire), Apa (water),
Anila (wind), Dhruva (the polestar), Soma (moon), Prabhasa (dawn) and
Pratyusha (light). According to the Mahabharata due to a curse delivered by
sage Vashista, the Vasus were born as the sons of Ganga. Of them due to
the same curse, seven died instantly, while the last one survived and
became renowned as Bhishma.

Other gods: The other deities mentioned in the Vedas include Rtu, Savitr,
Apris, Svanaya, Rbhus, Mitra, Bhavyaya, Aryaman, Indri, Saraswathi, and
Brahmanaspati. Of them Saraswathi is the most important deity, who is
mentioned frequently in the Rig-Veda and whom we have already described
under the Shaktis as the consort of Brahma.

Attendant deities of Vishnu

Two gods figure prominently in Hindu pantheon as attendant deities of

Vishnu, Garuda, Adisesha. To them we may also add Hanuman who played
a prominent role in during the incarnation of Rama. Their importance is
described below.

Garuda: The Eagle shaped god, Garuda or Garutmanta, is the vehicle of

Vishnu, whose images are found in Vaishnava temples as an associate
deity of Vishnu or his aspects near or opposite the sanctum sanctorum.
According to the Puranas, he is described as the son of Kashyapa and
Vinata and brother of Aruna, the charioteer of Surya. Vishnu accepted him
as his vehicle, impressed by his act of bringing the pot of nectar from
Indra's heaven. In the images he is show part human and part bird with
feature of both. He has a human body with wings and the head of an eagle.
Garuda personifies humility, devotion and knowledge.

Adishesha: Adishesha, is the serpent king who is also known as Shesha

and Anantashesa. He is generally described as many thousand hooded
serpent with a mass of coils floating in the waters of creation, upon which
rests Vishnu and Lakshmi. In some images, he is also found with five or
seven heads. Symbolically, he represents the materiality of creation. Since
Vishnu rests upon him before, during and after creation, he is considered
indestructible. According to the Mahabharata he was born to Kashyapa and
his wife Kadri. He performed penances and earned the right to stay in the
underworld (Patala) perennially to provide support to the earth. However, it
is possible that this Shesha described in the Mahabharata, may be an
aspect of the eternal Adisesha who carries Vishnu all the time.

Hanuman: Hanuman is one of the most popular gods of Hinduism today.

He is the son of Vayu, born with the powers and blessings of Shiva. He
played a vital role in the Ramayana, assisting Rama in finding Sita and
fighting on his behalf with the demons of Ravana. He has the features of a
monkey, with a strong human body and heart of gold. He is known for his
exemplary devotion to Rama and Sita. He also served as an emblem for the
Pandavas during the Mahabharata war. He is worshipped in numerous
temples across India and elsewhere. Hanuman Chalisa is the most popular
prayer of Hanuman which are sung in millions of Hindu households and
temples to invoke Hanuman and seek his blessings.

Incarnations of Vishnu

One of the important beliefs of Hinduism is the incarnation of God in a

mortal form upon earth from time to time to restore order and regularity. The
duty of such incarnations falls upon Vishnu, who is the preserver. According
to the Puranas, he has so far incarnated upon earth nine times and this
tenth incarnation is yet to happen. The list of the nine incarnations vary. The
following is the widely accepted list of Vishnu's incarnations upon earth.
Each of these gods have different forms, characteristic features and
temples and followers of them. Of them Rama and Krishna are the most
popular and the incarnation of Buddha is a negative incarnation.

Matsya. This is the incarnation of Vishnu as a mighty fish (matsya), in the

Satya Yuga or the Age of Truth to save Manu, the father of mankind, the
sages and the knowledge of the Vedas for the renewal of life upon earth,
following a great flood.

Kurma. This is the incarnation of Vishnu as a tortoise (kurma), in the Satya

Yuga to support the mountain Mandhara and prevent it from sinking, when it
was used by gods and demons to churn the oceans to obtain Amrita or the
elixir of life.

Varaha. This is the incarnation Vishnu as a boar, again in the Satya Yuga to
save the earth from destruction when the demon Hiranyaksha submerged it
under an ocean. Assuming the form of a boar, Vishnu lifted the earth and
saved the mankind.

Narasimha. In this incarnation, which also happened in the Satya Yuga,

Vishnu assumed the fierce form of a man-lion with a human body but the
head of a lion, to save Prahlada, his devotee, from the oppression of his
father Hiranyakasipu who was displeased with son's devotion for Vishnu.

Vamana. In this incarnation which happened in the Treta Yuga, Vishnu

assumed the form of a dwarfish Brahman boy to slay Bali, a noble but
demonic king, who defeated Indra and occupied the heaven. After obtaining
permission from Bali to secure a space equal to three steps for himself, with
two strides he covered the whole universe and with the third he pushed Bali
into the underworld.

Parashurama. In this incarnation during Treta Yuga, Vishnu was born as

the son of Brahmana couple, Jamadagni and Renuka, but assumed the
duties of a warrior to destroy the entire Kshatriya race as they had become
tyrannical and fallen into sinful ways. This incident probably alludes to a
conflict between Kshatriya and Brahmanas, and the subsequent decline of
the Kshatriyas, which was discussed before.
Rama: In this incarnation again during Treta Yuga, which is well described
in the epic Ramayana, Vishnu was born as the warrior prince Rama with a
specific purpose to slay the ten-headed demon king Ravana, who had
become invincible due to a boon obtained by him from Shiva. In this
incarnation he was assisted by his brother Lakshmana, who is considered
an incarnation of Adisesha, and by Hanuman, the son of Vayu.

Krishna. In this incarnation which happened in Dwapara Yuga, Vishnu was

born as the younger brother of Balarama, who is also described in some
accounts as an incarnation of Vishnu to restore order as the earth was
troubled by numerous demons and evil beings. He played a key role in the
Mahabharata war and because a household name for his exploits and his
teaching of the Bhagavadgita, which he delivered to Arjuna in the middle of
the battlefield.

Buddha. The incarnation of Buddha figures only in certain accounts. In

others it is ascribed to Balarama. Where it is included, it is described in
negative terms. According to one version, in this incarnation which
happened during Kali Yuga, Vishnu was born as Buddha, with a specific
mission to mislead the demons who were born as atheists and non-
believers and cause their downfall and destruction by preaching them the
philosophy of no-soul and no God.

Kalki. In this incarnation, which is expected to happen at the end of Kali

Yuga or the Age of Darkness, Vishnu will incarnate as a fierce warrior.
Riding upon the back of a white horse and carrying a sword, he will destroy
the sinners and the wicked ones to restore Dharma and herald the dawn of
a new golden age.

Minor incarnation of Vishnu

The minor or partial incarnations of Vishnu are known as amsavataras,

meaning only specific aspects of Vishnu manifest in the deities who appear
upon earth to perform certain specific tasks as part of preservation and
continuation of creation and dharma. Sometimes, going by the definition,
the incarnations of Balarama and even Rama are included in this list. The
most notable among the partial incarnations of Vishnu are Dattatreya,
Dhanvantari, Hayagriva, Kapila, Mohini, Nara-Narayana, Vyasa and Yajna.
A brief description of each is provided below.

Dattatreya: Born to Atri and his wife Anasuya, Dattatrreya is regarded as a

human manifestation of the combined power of the trinity, teacher of non-
Vedic people and originator of certain magical rites and Soma rituals. He is
always accompanied by four dogs, which represent the four Vedas.

Dhanvantari: Dhanvantari manifested from the waters during the churning

of the oceans, holding the pot of Amrita. He is credited with the knowledge
of the medical sciences and healing among the gods. Subsequently, he was
born as a king of Kasi and reintroduced the same knowledge to the people
of the earth.

Hayagriva. He is associated with the knowledge of Yajurveda, which he

received rom Surya, after performing a severe penance. The knowledge he
gained thus forms part of the Vajasaneyi Samhita. According to some
version, Lord Vishnu was born as Hayagriva to rescue the Vedas from two
demons, Madhu and Kaitabha when they stole them. In the images, he is
shown with the head of a horse, having four or eight arms, holding several
weapons and objects in them.

Kapila: He is credited with the authorship of Kapila Sutras and the founding
of the Samkhya school of philosophy. According to the Puranas, he was
instrumental in the coming down of the Ganga from heaven to the earth,
since it was he reduced the children of Sagara to ashes, where upon
Bhagiratha performed a great penance to bring them back to life. He is said
to be the son of Kardama and Devahuti. In the images he is depicted as an
ascetic with knotted hair, long beard and four arms.

Mohini: During the churning of the oceans, when the pot of elixir finally
manifested, it became necessary for Vishnu, at the behest of gods, to
appear as a beautiful maiden and delude the demons to prevent them from
partaking the elixir and instead opt for an intoxicating drink. So beautiful
was the form of Mohini that even Shiva was overcame with feelings of love
and infatuation.

Nara-Narayana: Nara and Narayana are described as two sages who were
born to Dharma and Ahimsa. They performed a great penance to destroy
Sahasrakavaca, the demon of a thousand armors. Later they said to have
taken birth as Arjuna and Krishna respectively. According to another
version, at the end of the incarnation of Narasihma, his body was split into
two. The human part became Nara and the lion part became Narayana.
Then they performed a great penance, during which Indra sent celestial
nymphs to tempt them. Narayana then produced Urvasi from his thigh, who
was much more beautiful than all of them. Symbolically, Nara-Narayana
represent the relationship between man and God.

Vyasa: Sage Vyasa, also known as Krishna-Dvaipayana, is credited with

the authorship of several scriptures, which include the Vedas, the
Mahabharata, all the Puranas and the Brahmasutras. He is also credited
with the composition of the Bhagavadgita since it forms part of the
Mahabharata. He was said to be the son of sage Parasara. In the images
he is depicted as a sage with long hair knotted into a crown and long beard
with his four disciples by his side.

Yajnesa: Yajna, Yajnesa or Yajnesvara is the lord of the sacrifice. The

whole manifestation happened because of a sacrifice and Vishnu is its
sacrificer, sacrificed and object of sacrifice. Hence, the various limbs of the
deity are compared to various parts of a sacrifice. According to the
Puranas, Yajnesa was born to Ruci and Akuti. In his images he is shown
with two heads, seven hands, three legs and four horns, suggesting his
affinity with Agni. His hands hold various objects used in a sacrifice.

Vyuhas - Emanations of Vishnu

According to Vaishnava tradition, five classes of manifestations are

attributed to Vishnu, namely transcendental (para), emanating (vyuha),
incarnating (vibhava), the hidden (antaryami) and image forms (arca).

Of these we have already discussed the transcendental and incarnating

aspects of Vishnu. Of the remaining, the hidden aspect is considered the
Supreme Self who resides in the heart of a being, apart from the individual
Self, as its eternal companion.

Arca constitute the living and breathing images and sacred symbols which
embody of Vishnu and which are used in human worship.

Finally, the Vyuhas are the emanations of Vishnu, which are four. Together
they are called caturvyuhas or caturmurthis. They are usually associated
with Krishna who is also known as Vasudeva.

Of the four, the first one emanates from the transcendental Vishnu. The
second one from the first, the third one from second and so on. The four
deities also undergo change from epoch (yuga) to epoch as indicated by
the changes in their colors.

Symbolically the four emanations represent the internal organ. Vasudeva

represents the consciousness (citta). Samkarshana stands for ego.
Pradyumna for intelligence, and Aniruddha for the mind (manas). They also
represent the fours state of consciousness, wakefulness, dream state, deep
sleep state and transcendental state.

In some accounts, Vasudeva is equated with Vishnu or Para Vasudeva,

since both possess six qualities, and the Vyuhas are counted as three. The
four Vyuhas are described below.

Vasudeva: He is identified with Sri Krishna, endowed with six supreme

qualities, namely knowledge (jnana), power (Shakti), strength (bala),
lordship (aisvarya), virility (virya) and light (tejas). Those who attain
liberation are able to enter into his presence and experience supreme bliss
at the mere sight of him.

Samkarshana: He emnates from Vasudeva and is endowed with

knowledge and strength. He introduces the knowledge of the scriptures and
destroys the universe in the end. He is also identified with Balarama.

Pradyumna: He represents strength and lordship. He is the creator who

manifests the universe and the Dharma.
Aniruddha: He represents virility and light. He is protector of the world and
exponent of dharma.

Vyuhantaras: The four emanations later manifest as 12 further emanations

called Vyuhantaras, three from each Vyuha. They are: Kesava, Madhava
and Narayana from Vasudeva; Govindha, Vishnu and Madhusudhana from
Samkarshana; Trivikrama, Vamana and Sridhara from Pradymna; and
Hrisikesa, Padmanabha and Damodara from Aniruddha. Each of these
deities, just as the Vyuhas are used in meditation by the devotees of
Vasudeva.

Arcavataras or Vishnu in Image form

According to Vaishnava tradition, Vishnu also manifested in the mortal world

in the form of images and symbols called Arcavataras. They are the living
images of God. Unlike the incarnations, which happened once and the
Vyuhas which are abstract and beyond the reach of the perceptual world,
the Arcas are the permanent incarnations of Vishnu which are within the
reach of the senses and part of our existence. Since the transcendental
power of God manifests in these objects of Nature, they carry a powerful
presence of God having the ability to fulfill the wishes of His devotees. The
Arcavataras are divided into four kinds: self-manifested (svayamvyakta),
established by divine beings (divya), installed by seers and sages (arsha),
and installed by human beings (manusa). Of them the first category are the
most potent. The images installed in the temples at Srirangam, Tirupathi,
Puri, Kanci etc. come under the first category. In the last category are the
images installed in households and numerous local temples. These images
gain mystic powers to the extent they are worshipped and made offerings.
Worship of the images is considered equal to the worship of God since they
embody the presence of God and are considered the living and breathing
images of God. Hence, in the temples they are served with utmost
devotions with honors due to a king or a person of great importance.

Aspects of Shiva
Although in popular Hinduism, Shiva is considered the destroyer and part of
the Trimurthis, in Saiva tradition he is considered the highest Supreme Self
and Brahman Himself. As the lord of the universe (Isvara) He assumes
numerous forms. He also goes by numerous names, some representing
Shiva himself and some his manifestations. Although, in Saivism there is no
concept of incarnation, Saivaites recognize numerous aspects of Siva,
some of which are his functional aspects and some represent his
independent manifestations. As the lord of the universe, Siva carries out
five different functions: creation, preservation, concealment, revelation and
destruction. Each of these are represented as a deity. Apart from them
there are several other aspects of Shiva which are principally categorized
into pleasant, (saumya), fierce (ugra), dancing (nrtta or tandava) etc., which
will be discussed below. The following are important aspects of Shiva.

Pancanana: As stated before, Siva carries out five specific functions in

creation. Each of his functional aspects manifests as an independent deity.
The five gods associated with his five functions are Sadyojata, Vamadeva,
Tatpurusha, Aghora and Isana. Sadyojata is the creator who brings forth the
world and beings. He is comparable to Brahma. Vamadeva is the upholder
and preserver of the worlds whose functions are similar to that of Vishnu.
Tatpurusha is the lord of concealment who obscures the reality of existence.
He is responsible for the darkness, ignorance and delusion of beings.
Aghora represents the destructive nature of Shiva. He participates in the
destruction and renewal of objects and worlds. Isana is also known as
Sadasiva. He is the liberator. in the images the pancanana Shivas are
depicted together, each deity facing a particular direction. Thus Sadyojata
faces west, Vamadeva north, Tatpurusha east, Aghora south and Isana,
either sky or northeast.

Saumya murthi: Shiva has several pleasant aspects, in which he showers

grace upon his devotees and grants them boons. They include those forms
in which he offered protection (abhaya) or fulfilled the wishes of his
devotees in the past, such as Ravana, Candesa, Amba, Nandisvara and
Vighneswara. He is usually found in these forms in the presence of his
consort Parvathi, Ganesha, Kumara, and Nandi and when he appears
before his closest and dearest devotees who perform penances for him and
show exemplary devotion.

Ugra murthi : Usually, Shiva assumes terrible forms to slay the

troublesome demons or restore order. The demons he slew in the past
include those to whom he might have granted boons in his pleasant mood.
Since, he cannot slew his own devotees in a pleasant form, he assumes
fierce forms to accomplish the duty. His fierce forms include Bhairava,
Veerabhadra, Gajasuravadha-murthi, Tripurantaka-murthi, Sarabha, Kalari-
murthi, Kamantaka-murthi etc.

Nritta-murthi: Shiva is a master of dance and originator of 108 dance

forms. He dances in order to relieve the beings from suffering and to ensure
the order and regularity of the world. Through his dance he sets in motion
numerous vibrations which are vital to the continuation of the worlds. The
dance also symbolizes his role as the destroyer of the world. Among his
dance forms, Nataraja is the most well known. with great symbolic
significance. His other dancing aspects mentioned in the Agamas are
Ananda Tandava Murthi which he manifests when he dances with ecstasy,
Uma Tandava Murthi which appears when dances with his consort and
Tripura Tandava Murthi which appeared when he was engaged in fierce
battle with Tripurasura.

Other aspects: Shiva is also revered as the master of yoga (Yogisvara),

Hari-Hara also known as Haryardhamurthi, Ardhanarisvara, universal
teacher (Dakshinamurthy), wandering ascetic (Bhikshatanamurthi), and he
who manifested from the linga (lingodvhavamurthi) to prove his superiority
in a contest with Brahma and Vishnu. Of these Ardhanariswara (half man
and half woman) represent Purusha (Shiva) and Prakriti (Parvathi) as the
dualities or twin realities of Shiva in his role as the lord of the universe. In
the images, Parvathi appears on the left side and Shiva on the right side.

Attendant gods of Shiva

Ganesha: He is the son of Shiva and lord of obstacles, who goes by

several names such as Ganapati, Vinayaka, Gajanana, Vighnaraja,
Vakratunda etc. He is one of the most popular gods of the Hindu pantheon,
who is invariably worshipped in all rituals before offerings are made to other
deities. He enjoys this exalted position because he is considered the leader
of the gods and the first among them. He has a rather unusual forms due to
the circumstances related to his origin. He has an elephant head with a
rather oversized human body, with four or more hands. He is considered
god of knowledge and wisdom and often equated with Brihaspati or
Bahmanspati, the teacher of gods, mentioned in the Vedas. There is a sect
of Hinduism, called Ganapatya sect, in which he is worshipped as Brahman
himself. He has numerous aspects, some pleasant and some fierce.
Sometimes, he is shown in the company of his consorts, Riddhi and Siddhi
and sometime in the company of Lakshmi as Lakshmi Ganapati. There are
numerous temples built in his honor in various parts of India.

Kumara: He is the eldest son of Shiva, who goes by different names as

Kumara Swamy, Mallikarjuna, Kartikeya, Shaktidhari, and Muruga. He is
much older deity than Ganesha and depicted in some of the ancient coins
of the Kushanas. He was born with a specific purpose to slay the demon
Tarakasura. A number of legends are associated with his birth and early
exploits. He was brought up by six mothers. When he grew up, he became
the commander-in-chief of the Siva ganas. Peacock is his vehicle and
sword is his weapon with which he slew Tarakasura. Valli and Devasena,
the daughter of Indra, are his consorts. He is also a god of virtue, who
practices celibacy, likes the company of Brahmanas and helps people grow
spiritually. In the images he is depicted in the company of his vehicle
peacock usually with one head and two arms and at times with six heads
and twelve arms.

Ayyappa: He is also known as Sasta, Arya and Hariharaputra and in some

versions considered Kumaraswamy or an aspect of him. According to one
legend, he was born to Shiva and Hari, when the latter assumed the form of
Mohini and Shiva became infatuated with her. According to another version,
after the death of Mahisasura, his wife Mahisi obtained a boon from Brahma
which made her invincible. Shiva and Vishnu then came together to create
her destroyer in the form of a baby. He was brought up a king named
Rajasekhara in Kerala, who named him Manikanthan. When he attained the
age of 12, he killed Mahisi. Later he said to have disappeared after advising
his father to build, which subsequently became renowned as Sabarimalai
temple. It is currently one of the popular pilgrim places of Hindus. Devotees
who want to visit the temple on a ritual pilgrimage observe 41 days of
penance before paying him a visit.

Nandi: Nandi serves as the vehicle of Shiva and occupies an important

place in the Saiva Pantheon, next only to Ganesha and Kumara. Although
he has the form of a bull, he is a god of knowledge and wisdom, born by the
grace of Shiva to Silada, who later gifted him to Shiva. He served as the
teacher of 18 adepts (siddhas) including Patanjali and Thirumular. He also
participated in several wars along with Shiva or on his own, mostly to help
the gods and save them from demons. The images of Nandi are invariably
found in all Shiva temples. His anthromorphic forms are also found in some
temples. There are several temples, which are solely built for him. Large
Nandi statues are found at several places in India such as Lepakshi in
Andhra Pradesh and the one on Chamundi Hill near Mysore, in Karnataka.
He is worshipped in some places as a fertility god. In Saiva temples, his
images are usually installed in front of sanctum sanctorum within the visual
range so that deities can see Shiva directly by looking over his head just as
he would appear to him.

Bhringi: He is a sage who is described as one of the most ardent devotees

of Shiva, who upon achieving liberation became a part of Shiva's retinue.
He is so single-minded in his devotion to Shiva that once when he saw
Shiva and Parvathi together in the form of Arthanariswara, he became a
bee and tried to circle around Shiva only by trying to bore through the
middle of their joint form, much to the annoyance of Parvathi who cursed
him to become deprived of flesh and blood whereby he became a mere
skeleton without flesh and blood and unable to stand. Shiva took pity on
him and gave him a third leg. Bhringi then realized his mistake and decided
to worship them both. In the images, Bhringi is shown as having three legs
usually in the company of Shiva or Parvathi. His images are found only in a
few temples. He and Nandi are often shown as doorkeepers
(dwarapalakas) in Shiva temples.

Chandesvara: He is another important devotee of Shiva who invariably

appears in the north eastern corner of Shiva temples as an attendant deity.
Since he is considered a messenger and mediator who can plead with
Shiva on behalf the devotees who approach him, devotees go to him with
their prayers and supplications. Unlike Bhringi, he is a fierce deity, who
holds various weapons in his hands suggestive of his warrior background.

Aspects of Devi or Shakti

As stated already, Shakti is the materiality of the universe. She is the Isvari
principle, which is eternal, independent and dynamic. In some traditions she
is depicted as a dependent reality. Symbolically, she represents the field of
experience, objectivity, Nature and its aspects, and manifestation itself. She
has both gross and subtle aspects. She is inseparable from Purusha and
well represented in the Ardhanariswara as an equal and supreme aspect of
existence. Like Brahman, she has both manifested and unmanifested
aspects. Even modern science acknowledges that the universe can be
boiled down to eternal and indestructible principles, space and energy. In
Hinduism pure consciousness objectified as space represents Purusha and
energy objectified as matter and materiality represents Shakti. Their
combination is Brahman, existence itself.

Just as the highest gods of Hinduism manifest variously and just as they
are worshipped numerously, Shakti or Mother Goddess has also numerous
aspects and is worshipped in various ways. One of the earliest references
to energy manifesting itself variously is be found in the Mundaka Upanishad
which distinguishes seven kinds of flaming fire and refers to them as "Kali,
Karali, Manojava, Sulohita, Sudhumravarna, Sphulingini, and Visvaruci."
Some of these names later appear as manifestation of Shakti.

In the mortal world, the primal Mother manifests as Maha Shakti. She in
turn manifests as three distinct functional deities, Maha Saraswathi, Maha
Lakshmi and Maha Devi. The names I have used to identify them are not
universal. People use different names to identify them. What is important is
to know that these four aspects exist, just as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva
represent the functional aspects of Isvara. Each of these deities in turn
manifest numerously. Collectively, these goddesses are not only
responsible for the modifications in the Field of our experience and the
resultant bondage to the cycle of births and deaths, but also for our self-
transformation and liberation. Following are some of the important aspects
of Shakti

Aspects of Saraswathi: Although Saraswathi is one of the oldest deities of

Hinduism, we do not have much information about her aspect. In the
Rigveda she was worshipped as a river goddess. But she became more
popular as the goddess of learning. She has numerous names, such as
Sarada, Bharati, Brahmi, Vidyadhari, Vedavathi and in all these her
association with various branches and aspect of learning is self-evident. We
may symbolically say that just as there are numerous branches of
knowledge and forms of learning, Saraswathi also has numersou aspects.
However we have no information that she was worshipped in all those
forms. As the Mother of all knowledge and as an aspect of Maya, she has
three basic forms. As the reflection in tamas, she manifests as Avidya
(ignorance). As the reflection in rajas, she manifests as Vidya (lower
knowledge of worldly knowledge), and as the reflection in sattva, she
manifests in us as Paravidya (transcendental knowledge).

Aspects of Maha Lakshmi: Just as abundance has various forms, Maha

Lakshmi has several names and aspects. As the Mother of all abundance
and consort of Vishnu, she also manifests variously in creation, sometimes
as part of Vishnu's duties as preserver and sometimes on her own. Of her
numerous forms eight are the most prominent, known as Ashta Lakshmis,
namely Adi Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Dhairya Lakshmi or Sahasa
Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, Santana Lakshm, Vijaya Lakshmi, Vidya Lakshmi,
and Dhana Lakshmi. Apart from these, Lakshmi also manifests in either
other forms as the corresponding eight aspects of Vishnu. They are:
Sridevi, Bhudevi, Sarasvathi, Priti, Kirti, Santi, Tusti and Pusti. They
represent the eight supreme abundancew of Vishnu as Bhagavan. Lakshmi
also has an opposite aspect or a negative aspect, called Alakshmi, who is
sometimes mentioned as Bhudevi or Jyesthadevi, the goddess of suffering,
adversity and forbearance. While Alakhmi may not give you wealth, if you
pray to her, she gives you the fortitude to bear with pain and suffering. In
addition to these, Lakshmi also has incarnated upon earth in the past as
part of Vishnu's incarnations. Of them Varahi, Narasimhi, Sita and Rukmini
are the most popular.

Aspects of Maha Devi: Parvathi, the consort of Shiva, also has numerous
aspects both as Maha Devi (or Parvathi) and as Isvari, or the Divine Mother.
Just as the seven forms of fire mentioned before, the Devi appears in
creation as seven mothers (sapta matrikas), namely Brahmi, Mahesvari,
Kaumari, Vaisnavi, Varahi, Narasimhi (or Chamundesvari) and Aindri. As
the names suggest these deities are the corresponding energies of
Brahma, Shiva, Kumara, Vishnu, Varaha, Narasimha and Indra. Just as
theri names, in the images they bear the same distiguishing features as
their male counterparts, carrying similar weapons and objects in their hands
and using the same vehicles. They also have a symbolic significance in the
spiritual realm, since each of them represents a particular spiritual aspect of
the Devi and facilitates the self-transformation and spiritual growth of a
devotee in different stages.

The Tantras mention ten aspects of Devi, called Dasamavidyas. Vidya

means knowledge. Hence, as the name suggests, they represent ten
different types of liberating knowledge and the power that acts as their
source. They are, Kali, Tara, Sodasi, Bhuvanesvari, Bhairavi, Cinnamasta,
Dhumavathi, Bagala, Matangi, and Kamala. Of these some are pleasant
forms and some very fierce and destructive. Some have altenate names
and are identified with other goddesses. For example, Dhuma is identified
with Alakshmi and Kamala with Lakshmi.

Apart from Parvathi manifests in other forms, namely Durga, Mahisasura-

Mardini, Mahakali and Lalitha. Foremost among them is Durga, who is
prominently described in the Devibhagavatam and who goes by different
names as Chandi, Devi, Yogini, Vindhyavasini, Bhramari etc. She rides a
lion or a tiger as her vehicle and has both pleasant and fierce forms. In
Hindu pantheon, she is as popular as the main aspects of Shakti.
Mahisasura-Mardini manifested from the combined power of Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva to slay the demon Mahisasura. She personifies numerous
perfections. The same Devi manifested again as Kausiki Durga who
became popular as Kali or Mahakali. She is the embodiment of Parvathi in
Tamas. She slew several demons and restored order. She is of fierce form
and worshipped in numerous temples according to both Vedic and Agamic
traditions. Lalita or Lalita Tripurasundari is another famous aspect of
Parvathi, who is worshipped in several parts of India, especially south.
Devotee worship her extolling her virtues and chanting her numerous
names, using prayers such as Lalita-Sahasra- Namam, Khadga-Mala-
Stotram, Lalita-Tristari-Naman, Panca-Dasa-Akshari, Lalita-Pratastavam
etc. They also worship her using her graphic representation (yantra) called
Sricakra.

The Devi has too many aspects to specify in this general presentation.
There are numerous temples, sacred places, and village deities in India
who are identified and worshipped as aspects of Devi. We will end this
section by naming a few of her remaining aspects, which may be
categorized as minor aspects. They are Annapurna, Aparajita, Aparna,
Bala, Bhadrakali, Brahmini, Bhutamata, Camunda, Gayatri, Indrakshi,
Jagadhatri, Kamesvari, Kanaka Paramesvari, Katyayani, Manonmani,
Rajarajesvari, Sivaduti, Tripuresvari, Yogini etc.

Other gods of Hindusim

Hindus also worship planetary gods called Grahas and rules of directions
called Dikpalas. Their details are mentioned below.

Navagrahas: Hinduism believes in both free will and fate. While the
individuals are responsible and accountable for their actions, they are also
subject to chance, the actions of others, Nature and God. One of the beliefs
in Hinduism, which is central to Vedic astrology is the belief in the influence
of planets, according to which the arrangement of planets and their position
at the time of birth and also during the course of one's life carry a great
influence in shaping that person's life. Hinduism recognizes nine planetary
gods, called Navagrahas, namely Surya, Soma or Chandra, Mangala,
Budha, Guru, Sukra, Sani, Rahu and Ketu. Of them the first seven are
gods, while last two are demons, who along with Sani cast a negative
influence upon people when the planetary gods are not properly aligned.
The seven days in a week in the Hindu calendar. are also named after the
seven gods. Although these gods not exactly the same as the planets in the
Solar systems, they are identified with some planets. Thus Surya is the
Sun, Soma is the Moon, Mangala is Mercury, Budha is Mars, Guru is
Jupiter, Sukra is Vensu, Sani is Saturn. Each of these gods have their own
distinguishing features, vehicles, weapons and significance in Hindu
pantheon. The images and statues of the nine gods are installed together in
most of the Hindu temples on raised platforms, which people circle while
praying to them. There are also some temples exclusively dedicated to
them.

Ashta Dikpalas: The Dikpalas are rulers of directions (dik). Directions play
a prominent role in Vedic tradition, since they denote the infinity and extent
of the Cosmic Self, Purusha who is spread in all directions. In the body the
legs personify direction. The eight directions of the Cosmic being, who is
usually described as four footed are mentioned in several hymns and
verses of the Upanishads. For example one verse in the Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad (1.2.3) compares the head of four footed Brahman in the form of
a hores with the eastern direction, arms with northeast and south east, tail
with western direction, two legs with southwest and northwest, sides with
southern and norther directions, with the sky as his back, the mid region as
his belly and the earth as his chest. The directions also play a vital role in
the journey of the departed souls after they die. The directions assumed
greater importance in the later Vedic period with the emergence of temple
building and Vastu sastra. It was believed that each direction in the space
was ruled by a particular Vedic deity, who was originally identified as a god
of Kshatra power. Thus in Hinduism, eight rulers of space or directions are
identified, four for the main directions and four for the intermediary
directions. Indra, Varuna, Kubera and Yama are the rulers of the four main
directions, namely east, west, north and south respectively. Agni, Niruthi,
Isana and Vayu are the rulers of intermediary directions, namely south-east,
south-west, north-east and north-west respectively. The importance of
these deities has already been explained under the section Vedic deities
except for Kubera, who is an Yaksha and god of wealth and Niruthi, the
chief of demons, with certain divine qualities.

Lesser divinities

Apart from the main deities and minor deities, Hindus also worship several
local deities, village deities, serpents, trees, rivers, mountains, animals,
spirits, ancestors.

Serpent worship: Serpent worship is very common in various parts of

India. Images of serpents are found in most Hindu temples. Women
worship both live serpents located in their natural habitats in sacred places
or under sacred trees or they worship images and status of serpents in
temple premises, seeking boons, to ward off evil or for children.

Tree worship: Among the trees Hindus consider Banyan tree, Pipal tree
and Bulrush tree worthy of worship. The older the tree the greater the faith.
Their location is also important. Trees that are located on the banks of
sacred rivers and streams or located in temples or near the images of
imporant deities attract wider attention.

River worship: Hindus also worship many rives. Rivers such as

Saraswathi, Ganga, Yamuna, Narmada, Kshipra, Brahmaputra, Godavari,
Krishna and Kavery are considered sacred and worshipped on auspicious
occasions. It is also customary for people take a dip in these rives and
make offerings to gods and ancestors using the river water either standing
in the river or on the banks of the such rivers.
Mountain worship: Worshipping mountains and hills is a very ancient
practice in Hinduism. Many Hindu temples are located on the hill tops and
in the mountain ranges. Most well known among them are the Tirumala
hills, Arunacala Hill, Chamundi Hill, Mount Kailash etc. People worship
them either by making a parikrama (circumambulation) around them,
offering prayers to their presiding deities or by visiting the temples located
on them.

Worship of ancestors: Currently ancestral worship is practiced only on a

limited scale in certain communities located in parts of Kerala, Tamilnadu
and Bali in Indonesia. However, Hindus make offerings ritually as per
tradition on memorial days to their ancestors to ensure their continuity and
wellbeing in the ancestral world. It was customary in the past for the Rajput
princely families in central and western India to build temples for their
ancestors and worship them. Some of these temples can still be found in
places like Indore and Jaipur.

Worship of saints and seers: In Hinduism a liberated person (jivanmukta)

is equal to a god or divinity. An enlightened person is God in human form
and worthy of worship. Since ancient times, Hindus have been worshipped
saints and seers who achieve liberation or spent their lives in the service of
God. Most prominent among them are Alvars and Nayanars, several
teachers such as Valmiki, Patanjali, Vyasa, Agastya, Sankaracharya,
Ramanujacharya, Gorakshanatha, Basavanna, Mirabai and Sri
Raghavendra of Mantralayam. Mention may also made of Ramakrishna
Paramahansa, Ramana Maharshi, Shirdi Saibaba, Paramahansa
Yogananda, Swami Sivananda Saraswathi and Bhagavan Nityananda (of
Siddha Yoga Tradition). These gurus may not be worshipped by everyone,
but their close followers and those who believe in them worship them with
great faith.

Worship of symbols and sacred objects: Several Hindu gods are not
only worshipped in their anthropomorphic form but also as objects and
symbols. We have already explained the importance of image as a living
symbol of God in Hinduism. Some of the important symbols and objects
worshipped by Hindus on specific occasions or part of their rituals offerings
include, Poorna Kalasa which symbolizes fertility, auspiciousness and
Divine Mother, Shivalinga which symbolizes Shiva and Parvathi in close
embrace, Salagrama which symbolizes Vishnu, images of footprints
attributed to deities or saintly persons, ornaments adorning the deities in
temples, vehicles of gods and goddesses, domestic animals, chariots used
in the temple rituals, elephants associated with temples, sacred diagrams
(yantras) drawn on the temples walls or on the ground, conches, and
objects temporarily made of sandal paste, clay or balls of rice.

Conclusion

Thus one can see that Hindus worship literally everything, from heaven to
earth, the sun, moon, stars, the five elements, the human body, the sacred
Self and practically the entire universe. Hindus venerate the entire creation
as one and many. They acknowledge not only its diversity and duality but
also its unity. The numerous divinites worshipped in Hinduism are the
manifestations of one Supreme Self. The same God finds Himself in the
numerous forms and modifications of Prakriti. Every deity worshipped in
Hinduism is an aspect of Brahman and represent Brahman only in its
ultimate aspect. The same approach justifies the fundamental belief of
Hinduism that one can reach God through any deity and any path one may
chose, as long as the goal is to reach Brahman only or the highest
supreme, indivisible and indestructible reality.

Related resources

The following internal links provide information on various popular gods and
goddess of Hinduism. The articles on Vishnu and avataras explain the
significance of reincarnation of gods and why gods reincarnates upon earth
from time to time.

The article on Vedic pantheon provide brief descriptions of popular Vedic

gods and goddesses such as Indra, Varuna, Agni, mitra and Soma.

In the Hindu pantheon FAQ you will find the reasons why Hindus worship
 popular gods and goddesses, how they are worshipped and whether idol
worship, which a popular practice among the Hindus, is justified.

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