Hinduism, in its core philosophy, believes that there is one supreme being or god. https://spiritualray.com/list-of-hindu-gods-goddesses-their-powers Hope the article has intrigued you enough to read more about the wonderful religion of Hinduism. This is the reason why there are so many gods with so many qualities. The characters, philosophy and stories that make up ancient Vedic myths are indelibly linked with Hindu beliefs. He is considered to be the supreme being by one of the Hindu sects. He is worshiped for attaining knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Vayam Panchadhikam Shatam (Blood is thicker than water) ‘Vayam Panchadhikam Shatam’ is a story of Pandavas that demonstrates that ‘blood is thicker than water’. According to the scriptures, mostly Vishnu Purana, the universe came into being from his navel, and the first living being born was Brahma. In many ways, Shiva is a symbol for raw, undifferentiated consciousness. The Hindu scriptures are vast and very deep in meaning, hence, there are so many commentaries by many scholars. Shaivism is the worship of Shiva, Vaishnavism refers to the worship of Vishnu, and Shaktism is the worship of Shakti or Devi. Ganesh Chaturthi : Six Interesting stories of Ganesha Every year, Hindus across the country celebrate the birth of their beloved elephant-headed God Ganesh in the fourth day of Bhadrapada month of the Hindu calendar. Vishnu, by many sects in Hindus, is considered to be the supreme god. Kalki, the tenth avatar of Vishnu, is prophesied to be the man who ends the world, ending the kali yuga. Krishna is the god of ecstatic devotion, the ultimate playboy who lures the maidens of the world into his divine play with his spiritual wisdom and epic flute playing (think Russell Brand with blue skin). Surya is also known as Savitr before sunrise. Kurma – A tortoise avatar, Vishnu supports the celestial churning of the celestial milk to extract amrit, or the drink of immortality. The book signifies material knowledge and the lotus signifies actual knowledge―that is, the knowledge of the self. Shiva, as mentioned above, is one of the three primary gods in Hinduism. Krishna – He is known to be the most complete avatar of lord Vishnu. Up to meet a few? Krishna is commonly depicted as a statesman who changes the rules shrewdly. Takes this terrible avatar to kill the demon father of his ardent worshiper. Referred to as Sun-Gods, their twelve names are given in the Bhagavata Purana. The Ramayana states Rudras as the children of sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi, whose other children include Adityas, Ashvins, and Vasus. His vehicle is a mouse. Kali is the goddess of death, time, and change. (Bonus! If you ask a layman to approximate the number of gods in the Hindu religion, pat comes the parrot reply, ‘330 million’. Kali is wrathful to her enemies, and protective and fiercely loyal of her devotees. According to the Vedas, there are only 33 main deities and others are just their avatars and reincarnation. They are representative of the main elements of nature. Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! But Prahlada was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu and continued to pray Him despite getting repeated warnings from his father. He is the god of desire. In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that he appears on earth millennium after millennium to re-establish the principles of religion. It chronicles the life of Rama from his birth in the kingdom of Ayodhya to his decisive victory over his evil neme… #2. Parashuram – Popularly depicted with an ax that he is believed to have received from Shiva. Chandra – Symbolizing the Moon, he is also known as Soma. This is because, in her primordial form, she is the ‘Shakti’ of the Supreme God, that is Vishnu. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. There are more “religions” in India than in the rest of the world combined—and more than 300 million gods. The most popular of these poetic epics are the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Ganesha is the god of auspiciousness. Daksha is one of the creator-gods of the universe. He removes all evil from the world. | About Us | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy. Yajnavalkya would always keep an empty front seat in his classes, so that if Janaka came, he could sit there and listen to his teachings. She bestows wealth upon the deserving, and abandons the people who use money carelessly. Read more ». His other names include Skanda and Murugan. The first four appeared in Satya yuga, the next three in Treta yuga, the eighth and ninth incarnation was in Dwapara yuga, and the tenth will appear at the end of Kali yuga. Surya – The Sun god. Different scriptures call Rudras by different names. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. They are associated with lord Shiva, known to be the gods of storm, and worshiped to gain virility. Source Interesting Lord Krishna Facts #1. Hinduism in India. These epics were written in Sanskrit and in their essence described the power of the Hindu gods in poetic verse. This way, he takes the first step of realization of the Supreme. Susna is also associated with drought. He is worshiped in South India. The image at the head of the article is Hanuman, the monkey god of devotion and the central hero of the Hindu epic the Ramayana, the Star Wars of ancient Vedic culture.). All these avatars have specific qualities, powers, and roles in the working of the universe. She holds a book in one of the hands and a lotus in another. He is a form of Vishnu (or Krishna). He is usually depicted with having four heads. Lord Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiv and Goddess Parvati. And as he is the source of all knowledge in the universe, Saraswati is the embodiment of knowledge itself. They are two Vedic gods, depicted as horsemen. He is the god of oaths and friendship. He is worshiped in many parts of eastern and north-eastern India and by Hindus in Bangladesh. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. When all else fails, call on the Wrathful Mother. One of the most interesting facts about Hindu Gods is that they are unbelievably larger in number. Copyright © Spiritual Ray & Buzzle.com, Inc. People should try to live good lives as part of the reincarnation process. Bhagavad Gita, the holy book of Hindus comprises his conversation with Arjuna. Lord Shiva took the form of ‘Nataraja’ and performed his dance of destruction, also known as Tandava, and crushed the arrogant Apasmara under his right foot. He is seen as the giver of strength and courage, and is very benevolent to true devotees. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. But material wealth is just the tip of the iceberg—Lakshmi seeks to give spiritual wealth and the true blessings of inner realization, worth more than all of the transient, intangible and ultimately meaningless wealth in the world. Buddha – Founder of Buddhism who preached ahimsa. Shiva is the Lord of Yoga—not only did he invent the art of yoga, he is also the world’s best practitioner. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)...right to your inbox. They symbolize the sunrise and the sunset. Appropriately so, because India is their birthplace. The planets included are Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn represented by Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, and Shani respectively. Thanks for the A2A Satej One story that immediately comes to mind is that of the Hinglaj Mata Temple in Baluchistan, Pakistan. Here’s an Awesome Map of the Gods & Goddesses of Hinduism, Here’s an Awesome Map of the Evolution of World Religions, The Psychonaut Field Manual: A Cartoon Guide to Chaos Magick, 6 Spellbinding Stories of Heroism From Celtic Mythology, Introduction to Chaos Magick: Master Your Reality, Hardcore Meditation: The 8 Limbs of Raja Yoga, Advanced Chaos Magick: The Far Reaches of Sorcery, Master the Tarot: Unlock Your Destiny With the Cards, Introduction to Astral Projection: Explore the Astral Plane. The stories of Hindu gods tell the tales of good versus evil, light versus dark, power, balance, and virtue. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. He is the god of war. Agni deva is the fire god and acceptor of sacrifices. Powerful Mantras for Love and Relationships, Meditative Exercises to Strengthen Your Mind. He restored Indra’s rule on the three worlds. They list many gods and goddesses in their various manifestations. He also takes a variety of other forms due to the many stories surrounding him. 10 of the Most Important Hindu Gods Ganesha. Is the bosom friend, and is invoked during oath-taking ceremonies. He is one of the most recognizable Hindu deities, and is very popular among all Hindus. Prithvi – She is mother earth and the carrier of all beings. Brahma is also said to be reciting the Vedas continuously and simultaneously from each of his four mouths. At that time, Shiva was meditating in Mount Mandara. He is the god of wisdom. (Krishna might be seen as the aspect of god that “gets you high.”) To get a sense of what devotion to Krishna and the other gods is like, try some music from the incredible Krishna Das. RELATED: Here’s an Awesome Map of the Gods & Goddesses of Hinduism. He is the lord of bhakti or devotional yoga, and his devotees can often be seen playing music, singing, dancing or chanting in order to get closer to Krishna—and become intoxicated by his presence. She has been worshiped in many forms throughout India for millennia. In the Vedas, Agni is the second-most important deva after Devapati Indra. Mangala – Also known as Bhauma, he is considered as the son of Bhumi or Earth. Parvati is said to convert to the fierce avatar when she is angry. We’re talking about Lord Ganesh stories for kids today! Goddess Laxmi is exclusively worshiped during the festivals of Diwali, Navratri, and Kojagiri Poornima. Guru – Also known by the name Brihaspati, he is believed to be the guru of gods. They are ten in number and collectively known as Dashavatara meaning dasa (ten) avatar (incarnations). It is said in the Hindu scriptures that there are 33 Crore which is equal to 330 million gods. Kalki – Final incarnation of Vishnu and the bringer of Armageddon, where he is prophesied to destroy all the unrighteous people in the world at the end of kali yuga. He is depicted in the form of Trimurti, with Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva together. Prahlada’s faith in God. Required fields are marked *, © 2012-2018 Ultraculture Incorporated. She is usually shown playing the sitar, sitting in a lotus. Varaha – Vishnu takes the avatar of a boar to defeat a horrible demon named Hiranyaksha. Parvati has infinite power, and is even respected by the Trimurti. Ganesha is one of the most popular Gods in Hindu mythology. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. There are infinite manifestations of the supreme being according to Vedic scriptures, and the numbers 33 million or 330 million are just the way of signifying that the one god has infinite manifestations. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati. All the other deities are manifestations or avatars. He is depicted as dark. He is seen as the Preserver (or maintainer) of the universe. Dhuti is the demigod of health and magic. Jason Louv is the editor-in-chief of Ultraculture and has written for Boing Boing, VICE News, Motherboard and more. He is also the ashta-dikapala (guardians of the directions) of the southeast direction. Your email address will not be published. He sits in his abode on Mount Kailash where he enjoys yogic bliss, playing his divine games (lila) with his son Ganesh and wife Parvati, and the occasional joint (no joke). Shiva's bull, the protector of all the animals, who calmed down the Angry Shiva. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. She is also often depicted severing the head of Shiva, because her traditional role is to slay humanity’s greatest enemy—the ego. One of the holy trinity in Hinduism, Brahma is the Creator of the universe. The reason people have the misconception that the Hindu religion is polytheistic, is because of the sheer number of gods and demigods narrated in the Vedic scriptures. This beloved Hindu god is the destroyer of sins and an embodiment of joy, happiness, and love. In Hinduism there are three main sects – Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. To get there, deity worship may be required and personalize may be needed. In Dattatreya Purana, he is considered as the incarnation of the trinity and hence believed to be all-powerful. Kali has either black or blue skin, depending on which stories you read, and she carries weapons in each of her multiple hands along with the severed head of a demon. Lakshmi is a perpetually popular goddess, as she rules money and wealth. Laxmi is the eternal consort of Vishnu, and is also the goddess of wealth. SpiritualRay lists the important Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism, along with their powers. Today, Hinduism has three major traditions whose followers each have their own supreme deity, Shiva, Vishnu or Shakti. […] RELATED: 7 Hindu Gods That Will Blow Your Mind […], Your email address will not be published. Meet a Few of the Psychedelic Hindu Gods and Goddesses, the Lords of India. His mount is … Agni: The Fire God Read More » Kamadhenu, the mother of all the cows, started giving birth to … This might seem unreal, but the fact is in India, people worship 330 million Gods and Goddesses. The Ramayana is a magnificent narration of the story of Rama. The 12 Sun-Gods are Dhata (creates living beings), Aryama (is in the wind), Mitra (is in the moon and the oceans), Varuna (is in the waters), Indra (destroys enemies of Gods), Vivasvan (is in the fire), Tvashtha, Vishnu (head of all Sun-Gods, destroys God’s enemies), Amshuman (wind), Bhaga (distributor of wealth), Pushya, and Parjanya (brings rains). His books include John Dee and the Empire of Angels, Ultraculture Journal, Queen Valentine, Thee Psychick Bible and Generation Hex. That Will Blow Your Mind [ … ], Your email address Will not published... And reincarnation name Brihaspati, he is the reason why there are more “ religions ” in India than the. 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