HINDUISM ~ THE BRAHMAN GODS
There are two distinct classes of gods: the Vedic Gods and the Brahman Gods. The Brahman Gods appeared about fifteen centuries or more before the birth of Christ. Worship was similar to that of the Vedic Gods but with more refinement. There were several Brahman Gods but three main Gods form a trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
When worshipping the Gods or Goddesses it was thought best to go to the God representing what you needed assistance with ~ for example, if you were a scholar looking for good marks in school then you would ask Saraswati for her blessing and assistance in achieving them.
Brahma The Creator
The creator god of the Trinity appears seated on a lotus [a symbol of glorious existence]. He has four heads and hands ~ one hand is holding a sacrificial tool, another holds knowledge, a third holds a water pot and the fourth holds a rosary. His vehicle is a swan and is known for its judgment between good and bad.
Vishnu The Preserver
The preserver god of the Trinity has four hands. The first holds a conch shell [indicating spread of the divine sound "Ohm"]; one holds a discus [chakra ~ a reminder of the wheel of time and to lead a good life]; one holds a lotus [an example of glorious existence]; and the fourth hand holds a mace [indicating the power and the punishing capacity of the Lord if discipline in life is ignored]. The dark colour of Vishnu represents the passive and formless ether, a great quality for a pervading god. Vishnu rests on the bed of the powerful, coiled serpent who represents the sleeping universe. His vehicle is a swift flying bird that can spread knowledge with great courage. Vishnu is also known as Hari, the remover.
Shiva The Destroyer
Shiva appears in an ever happy posture, meditating. He has matted hair that holds the flowing Ganges river and a crescent moon. There is a serpent coiled around his neck, a trident in his one hand and ashes all over his body. Shiva's attributes represent his victory over the demonic activity and the calmness of human nature. He is known as the 'giver' god. Shiva temples have Shiva-Linga [said to be a sign of the Lord] as the main deity. His vehicle is a bull representing the symbol of happiness and strength.
Saraswati
She is the wife of Lord Brahma and possesses the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus [a symbol of true knowledge] in the second. With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on the violin. She is dressed in white [sign of purity] and rides on a white swan [goose].
Lakshmi
She is the wife of Lord Vishnu and is the goddess of prosperity, purity, chastity and generosity and her four hands represent the four spiritual virtues. She sits on a fully blossomed lotus ~ a seat of divine truth. Her personal charm is considered par excellence. An aura of divine happiness, mental and spiritual satisfaction, and prosperity always exist around her. Her palm is always extended to bless people. Ganesh adores her.
Parvati
She is the wife of Lord Shiva and she has a charming personality and is worshipped by married women for a happy married life. Parvati was called Sati in her previous divine incarnation and exists in various divine [both friendly and fearful] forms. Two of her fierce but very powerful forms are Durga [goddess beyond reach ~ she is depicted riding on a lion] and Kali [goddess of destruction ~ she is depicted riding on the corpse of a demon] ~ both have eight hands and great power and energy. The family of Shiva, Parvati and their sons [Ganesh and Kartikeya] is an ideal example of family unity and love.
Ganesh
Ganesh [Ganpati] is an elephant god and the oldest son of Shiva. He is the god of knowledge and the remover of obstacles and he is worshipped [or at least remembered] in the beginning of any auspicious performance for blessings and auspiciousness. He has an elephant's head, a big belly and four hands. In one hand he carries a rope [to carry devotees to the truth]; in another hand he carries an axe [to cut devotees' attachments]; the third hand holds a sweet dessert ball [to reward devotees for spiritual activity]; and his fourth hand's palm is always extended to bless people. His vehicle is a tiny mouse and the unique combination of his elephant-like head and quick moving tiny mouse represents tremendous wisdom, intelligence, and presence of mind. Ganesh is also called Vinayak [knowledgeable] or Vighneshwer [god to remove obstacles].
Hanuman
Hanumana is a monkey god. He is a noble hero and known as a provider of courage, hope, intellect, devotion and knowledge. He is pictured as a robust monkey holding a mace [indicating a sign of bravery] and he has a picture of Lord Rama tattooed on his chest [a sign of his devotion to Lord Rama of the Ramayana]. He is also called Mahaveera [the great hero] or Pavan-suta [son of air].
Krishna
Krishna is another of the most commonly worshipped deities in the Hindu faith and is best known because of his great godly power. He is known for his bravery in destroying evil powers throughout his life and is usually depicted as playing the flute ~ indicating spread of the melody of love to people. Krishna is also shown with his childhood devotee and girl companion, Radha, and is usually remembered and worshipped as Radha-Krishna ~ the pair symbolizes the eternal love between people and god. Krishna is also shown with his pet cow, his childhood favourite.
Copyright © 1994, Victoria Nelson
HINDUISM - The Vedic Gods
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