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In Hinduism the concept ofGod or Goddess is not like that ofmonotheistic religions. The Gods of mostcultures in Asia areicons of excellence. They may be questioned. Each represents a strength of humancharacter. InHinduism there are many beliefs about different gods. In most of them a god is in charge.Supreme divine power inHinduism is Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. the sole ultimate truth, anentity that exists and gives life to all things. It isformless and is referred to asVishnu or Narayana,Adi Parashakti/Shakti orDurga andShiva or Mahadeva in different sects of Hinduism. Different forms (Avatars) of the same entity or supreme Brahman areworshipped in the traditions andsects in Hinduism.
Hindus believe all it'sdevi-devas are different forms of that same formlessBrahman. Devi-Devas in Hinduism are thought as highly advancedspiritual beings and are oftenrepresented in human form or partially human and partially animal forms. Sometimes they are also represented as non-living things andplants.
The three gods who started creation:Vishnu,Brahma, andShiva are calledBhagwans (also known as Bhagavān).Yakshas are all male gods created by the three Bhagwans.
The main god in theVaishnavite sect of Hinduism isVishnu. Vishnu is revered as the supreme Paramatman in Vaishnava tradition.Shiva is the Supreme, inShaivite traditions while inShakti traditions,Adi Parashakti is supreme. Other names such as Ishvara, Bhagavan, Bhagvati, Parmeshwara and Paramatamana also means Hindu gods and all of them mainly denote Brahman.Vishnu,Shiva andBrahma are the major gods andLakshmi,Parvati andSaraswati are the major goddesses in Hinduism.[1] Many Hindus believe that Brahma is the Creator, Vishnu is the preserver and Shiva or Maheshwar is destroyer.[2]
The idea of a single, widely accepted supreme God in Hinduism is not uniform and varies across different traditions. Some followers worship specific deities as the supreme being, such asVishnu,Shakti, orShiva, while others have a moreabstract understanding of divinity. In some cases, all deities are seen asmanifestations of a single ultimate reality. The cultural andlinguistic diversity of India has influenced the varied interpretations of the concept of a supreme God within Hinduism.
Regional and family traditions can play a large part in influencing this choice.[3] There are four principal Hindu denominations —Vaishnavism,Shaktism,Shaivism, andSmartism. For Vaishnavites, GodVishnu is God Of Supreme, For Shaktas, GoddessShakti is supreme, For Shaivites, GodShiva is Supreme. For Smartas—who see all Deities as reflections of the One God—the choice of Deity is left to the devotee.
Most Hindus worship some form of a personal aspect of God, although they believe in the more abstract concept of a Supreme God as well. They generally choose one concept of God, and cultivate devotion to that chosen form, while at the same time respecting the chosen ideals of other people.[4] The many different names given to the Supreme God in Hinduism encourage many paths, as opposed to conformity to just one.
The unique understanding in Hinduism is that God is not far away, living in a remoteheaven, but is all-pervasive and energizes the entireuniverse. He is also inside eachsoul, waiting to be discovered. Knowing the one Supreme God in this intimate and experiential way is the goal of Hinduspirituality.
Hindus also believe in many Gods (Devas) who perform various functions, likeexecutives in a largecorporation. These should not be confused with the Supreme God. These deities are highly advanced beings who have specific duties and powers—not unlike the heavenlyspirits, overlords orarchangels in other faiths. Each denomination worships the Supreme God and its own set of divine beings.
Devas (also called Devatās) are an integral part of the colorful Hindu culture. These various forms of God are represented in innumerable paintings,statues,murals, andscriptural stories that can be found intemples, homes, businesses, and other places. In Hinduism thescriptures recommend that for the satisfaction of a particular material desire a person may worship a particulardeity. For example, shopkeepers frequently keep a statue or picture of thedeviLakshmi in their shops.
The concept of GoddessBhuvaneswari as the supreme goddess emerged in historical religious literature as a term to define the powerful and influential nature of female deities in India. Throughout history, goddesses have been portrayed as the mother of the universe, through whose powers the universe is created and destroyed. The gradual changes in belief through time shape the concept of Bhuvaneswari and express how the different Goddesses, though very different in personality, all carry the power of the universe on their shoulders.
