Published by The Hindu religion is rich in art and some of the paintings and statues that outsiders see conjure up something mysterious and exotic. This is not an easy religion for the outsider to understand, but my own view of the gods of Hindu is based on a comparative study of religion gleaned from books, videos, and conversations with followers of that religion.
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In devout Hindu homes there is always a small shrine with images of the household’s chosen gods. There seem to be thousands to choose from, but each family has its own favourites. The two main gods are Shiva and Vishnu and the big Hindu temples tend to belong to the cult of Shaiva which worships Shiva, or Vaishnava which worships Vishnu.
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Shiva represents violence and his wild dancing within a ring of fire, represents the eternal cycle of creation and destruction. Shiva has a blue neck because his throat holds poison which legend says, was thrown up when the oceans rose up and threatened to destroy mankind. His consort, Kali, a fierce, blood-drinking goddess, is a leading deity and is worshipped by most Hindus.
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Image via Wikipedia
Vishnu, the preserver, protects those who worship him, brings back good health and keeps away bad luck. Hindu’s believe that Vishnu comes down to earth as an avatar, an incarnation which helps mankind in difficult times. His consort is called Lakshmi and she is the goddess of good luck and fortune.
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Other major gods include Brahma who is the creator of all things and his consort, Sarasvati who is goddess of the arts and all learning. Shiva’s sons, Ganesh and Karttikeya, are the elephant god and the bringer of good luck. Karttikeya is shown in Hindu art as having six heads and twelve arms which is a sign of great strength and power.
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Mothers pray to Sitala for protection from disease for their children. Rama is the god of reason, virtue and bravery, while Hanuman, the monkey god is a guardian spirit.
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Image via Wikipedia
These are just a few of the thousands of gods the Hindu faith worships. This is a very rich religion steeped in beautiful art and artefacts and enriched by legend and lore. Hinduism is the European name for the ‘Sanatana Dharma’, which is the ‘Eternal Law’. The name Hindu comes originally from Sanskrit text and was written as ‘sindhu’ which means ‘river’. Around 1500 BC Persian settlers moved into the main river valley in Pakistan (as it is called today) and they used the word ‘Hind’ from Sanskrit, to describe the area. The land beyond the river became known as ‘Hind’ and this is where India got its name from. The people who lived there became known as Hindus.
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The earliest Hindu text called the ‘Rig Veda’ dates from before 1000BC but the best known texts are the Upanishads, Brahmanas and Puranas, which form the ‘Veda’ or ‘Knowledge’. The ‘Bhagavad-Gita’ is perhaps the best know text in the western world. There are about 700 million Hindus in India and in Indian communities all over the world who practise this religion.
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Image via Wikipedia
That was interesting, it is always good to learn about different religions.
Interesting piece.
Thanks,
Clay
I enjoy learning about other cultures. Thanks for the info, Louie.
Excellent article, Louie.
Very enjoyable. This is a religion (collection of religions?) which you could (and many do) spend a lifetime studying. Nice overview.
Very interesting piece.
Such lovely and wonderfully crafted pictures.
Very interesting piece, great pics and information.
a very good article with awesome pictures.
Interestingly presented.