Hinduism has concept of trinity but because of numerous manifestation and incarnations (अवतार – Avatar) of supreme cosmic energy, there are many Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism. In India, as the majority of population is its follower, it is a way of life.
It is interesting to note that the goddesses and animals are well considered and associated with the gods. In my personal opinion, this was done so as to put the women on par with men in ancient times. The animals, small or large alike, were and are still considered sacred which made the conservation of animal life, a possibility. This might have led the Hindus to considered vegetarian lifestyle.
Languages and culture of India are greatly influenced by this religion and hence, it is reasonable to know about it to understand the culture of Hindi speakers. Considering this, I have made this post to introduce you to some of the prominent Gods and Goddess in Hindu mythology.
1. शिव (Shiva)
Lord Shiva is considered as the destroyer or transformer according to Hindu mythology. He is mostly depicts in the form of meditating sage (ऋषि – Krshi) or in cosmic dance form (नटराज – Natra ja). He has supreme authority over death, rebirth and immortality and has no birth or death maybe that’s why he is depicts in youthful form. He is the father of Hindu lord Ganesha. Out of three trinity gods, one finds more references of him in the historical artifacts. For many Hindus, he is the supreme god and the only creator, preserver, destroyer, revealer and concealer.
Lord Shiva Sculpture at Rishikesh, India
2. विष्णु (Vishnu)
Lord Vishnu is the preserver all living essence of the universe. He has a supreme authority on past, present and future. He is described with the four arms holding a lotus, a mace, Shankha (conch) and Chakra (wheel). He has some characteristics like Omniscience as he has the power to know about all beings simultaneously, Sovereignty to have an unchallenged rule over all, Energy to make the impossible possible, Strength to support everything by will and without any fatigue, Vigor to retain immateriality as the supreme being. His reincarnated as lordराम (Ram) and क&# 2371;ष्ण (Krishna) . According to Hindu philosophy, he will reincarnate to defend and destroy the evil forces so as to maintain and preserve the universal order. Many followers of Hinduism hold a belief that Vishnu is a Supreme God.
Lord Vishnu
3. गणेश (Ganesha)
Ganesha also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh which is considered before commencing any new work. He is son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. He is worshipped in all sects of Hinduism in India and Nepal.
Sculpture of Lord Ganesha
4. पार्वती (Parvati)
Parvati is a Hindu goddess and wife of Lord Shiva. She is considered as the Supreme Power (शक्ति – Shakti). She has numerous manifestation such as Goddess दुर्गा (Durga), काली (Kali), शेरावाली (Sheravali), मीनाक्षी (Meenaksi) and etc.
Goddess Parvati as Meenakshi
5. लक्ष्मी (Lakshmi)
Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, prosperity (both material and spiritual), and fortune as per Hinduism. She is the consort of the god Vishnu. She is worshipped by Hindus and Jain. When she manifests herself into Mahalakshmi, she is believed to bring good fortunes and is believed to protect her devotees from all kinds of misery.
Depiction of Goddess Lakshmi
6. सरस्वती (Saraswati)
Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts and science in Hinduism. She is the consort of Brahma. All traditional education systems such as classical music, dance, education etc start with a prayer to Goddess Saraswati.
