DEVATA
An illustrated book on Hindu Gods & Goddesses Claudia Stephanie
TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents INTRODUCTION - The Vedas
4 6
CHAPTER I: Hindu Trinity
10
Vishnu
16
Brahma
12
Siva
20
CHAPTER II: Avatars of Vishnu
24
Kurma
30
Matsya Varaha
Narasimha Vamana Parashurama Rama Krishna Buddha Kalki
26 34 38 42 46 50 54 58 62
CHAPTER III: Lesser Devas
66
Lakhsmi
72
Parvati
76
Durga
80
Ganesha
84
Kartikeya
88
GENERAL REMARKS
92
Sarasvati
68
THE VEDAS
Before speaking of the Vedic Deities, it is necessary that something be said
concerning the Vedas themselves, the source of our information concerning them. The root of the word is vid, “to know;” hence the term Veda signifies knowledge; and as these books were not written for centuries after they were originally composed, it signifies knowledge that was heard, or orally communicated. The Vedas are not the work of a single person, but, according to popular belief, were communicated to a number of Rishis or saints, who in their turn transmitted them to their disciples. The Seer Vyāsa is styled the arranger, or, as we should now say, the editor, of these works.
The instruction contained in these writings is said to have been breathed
forth by God Himself. Other writers teach that it issued from Him like smoke from fire. Sometimes the Vedas are said to have sprung from the elements. The accounts of their origin, though differing in form, agree in teaching that they were the direct gift of God to man; and hence they are regarded with the greatest veneration. They are the special property of the Brāhmans. As early as Manu, the nominal author or compiler of a law book probably not more than two or three centuries later than the
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Vedas, though some suppose it to have been no earlier than A.D. 500, it was regarded as a grave offence for a single word of these divinely given books to be heard by a man of a lower caste.
The Vedas are four in number; of these the Rig-Veda is the oldest, next in
order was the Yajur-Veda, then the Sama-Veda, and last of all the Atharva-Veda. Each of these Vedas consists of two main parts: a Sanhita, or collection of mantras or hymns; and a Brāhmana, containing ritualistic precept and illustration, which stands in somewhat the same relation to the Sanhita as the Talmud to the Law. In these are found instructions to the priests who conduct the worship of the gods addressed in. the hymns. Attached to each Brāhmana is an Upanishad, containing secret or mystical doctrine. These are regarded as of lesser authority than the Mantras and Brāhmanas. For whilst they are spoken of as Sruti, i.e. heard, the Upanishads are Smriti, learned. Though based on the older compositions, if there is any discrepancy between them, the teaching of the later ones is rejected. The Sanhita and Brāhmana are for the Brāhmans generally; the Upanishads for philosophical inquirers. Yet, strange to say, whereas the older portions had, until recent years, been almost entirely neglected,
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with some parts of the Upanishads there was considerable acquaintance amongst the learned pundits of Benares and other places. In many parts of India not a man could be found able to read and interpret them. Of the Sanhitas, the “Rig-Veda Sanhita— containing one thousand and seventeen hymns—is by far the most important; whilst the Atharva-Veda-Sanhita, though generally held to be the most recent, is perhaps the most interesting. Moreover, these are the only two Vedic hymn-books worthy of being called separate original collections;” the others being almost entirely made up of extracts from the Rig-Veda. Between the time of the composition of the Rig-Veda and that of the Atharva, considerable changes in the religious faith of the people had come about. The childlike trust of the earlier hymns has disappeared, and the deities now seem more cruel, and there is greater need of propitiatory offerings. Probably the old religion of the people whom they had conquered had begun to tell on that of the Aryans.
The Sanhitas of three of the Vedas are said to have some peculiarity. “If
a mantra is metrical, and intended for loud recitation, it is called Rich (from rich, praise) whence the name Rig Veda; i.e. the Veda containing such praises. If it is prose
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(and then it must be muttered inaudibly), it is called Yajus (yaj, sacrifice, hence, literally, the means by which sacrifice is effected); therefore Yajur-Veda signifies the Veda containing such yajus. And if it is metrical, and intended for chanting, it is called Sāman [equal]; hence Sāman Veda means the Veda containing such Samans.
The author of the Mantra, or as the Hindus would say, the inspired ‘Seer,’
who received it from the Deity, is termed its Rishi; and the object with which it is concerned is its devata—a word which generally means a ‘deity,’ but the meaning of which, in its reference to mantras, must not always be taken literally, as there are hymns in which not gods nor deified beings, but, for instance, a sacrificial post, weapons, etc., invoked, are considered as the devata. It should, however, be noticed that the deifying of a “sacrificial post” or a “weapon” is in perfect harmony with the general pantheistic notions which prevailed amongst the people then as now: so that there is nothing unnatural according to their religious ideas in speaking even of inanimate objects as deities. There is little doubt that the Brāhmanas are more recent than the Sanhitas.
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CHAPTER I Hindu Trinity
BRAHMA |ˈbrɑːmə|
Brahma is regarded as the Supreme Being, the God of gods; of whom Brahmā, Vishnu, and Siva are manifestations. It is true that, in some verses of the Vedas, attributes ascribed to him are also ascribed to other deities, and in some of the Purānas various gods are said to be identical with the supreme Brahm a; nevertheless Brahma is regarded by the Hindus as the Supreme God—the origin of all the others, and of whom they are manifestations.
The Infinite Being Brāhman derived from the root brih, ‘to expand,’ and denoting the universally expanding essence, or universally diffused substance of the universe. Brāhman, in the neuter, being ‘simple, infinite being’—the only real eternal essence. According to
Brahma generated the gods, Brahma (generated) this
Taittiriya Brāhmana entire world. Within him are all these worlds. Within him is this entire universe. It is Brahma who is the
greatest of beings. Who can vie with him? In Brahma, the thirty-three gods; in Brahma, Indra and Prajāpati; in Brahma all things are contained as in a ship. According to
Vishnu Purana
Brahma is translated as “abstract supreme spirit”. The essential properties of existent things are objects of observation, of which no foreknowledge is attainable; and creation and hundreds of properties belong to Brahma as inseparable, parts of his essence, as heat is inherent in fire.
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In the Vishnu Purana, it said:
“
Glory to Brahma, who is addressed by that mystic word
(Om), associated eternally with the triple universe (earth, sky, and heaven), and who is one with the four Vedas. Glory to Brahma, who alike in the destruction and
renovation of the world is called the great and mysterious cause of the intellectual principle; who is without limit in time or space, and exempt from diminution and decay.
All the gods are in (Brahma) as cows in a cow-house. In the beginning Brahma was this [universe]. He created gods. Having created gods, he placed them in these worlds, viz. Agni in this world, VÄ yu in the atmosphere, and Surya in the sky. And in the worlds which are yet higher, he placed the gods which are still higher. Then Brahma proceeded to the higher sphere [which is explained by the commentator to mean the Satyaloka, the most excellent and limit of all the worlds]. The gods were originally mortal; but when they were pervaded by Brahma, they became immortal.
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VISHNU |ˈvɪʃnuː|
Vishnu is called the second person of the Hindu Trimurti, or Triad: but though called second, it must not be supposed that he is regarded as in any way inferior to Brahmā. In some books Brahmā is said to be the first cause of all things, in others it is as strongly asserted that Vishnu has this honour; while in others it is claimed for Siva. As Brahmā’s special work is creation, that of Vishnu is preservation.
The Preserver Of all the deities now reverenced in India, Vishnu in his many forms has perhaps the largest number of worshippers; and the account of his life and the praises presented to him occupy a very large portion of the later Hindu scriptures. Whenever any great calamity occurred
Some PurÄ nas describe ten AvatÄ ras, as
in the world, or the wickedness of any
they are called; some mention twenty-
of its inhabitants proved an unbearable
four; and sometimes declare that they
nuisance to the gods, Vishnu, as
are innumerable. Ten is the commonly
Preserver,
his
received number, and these are the most
invisibility, come to earth in some form,
important ones. They will be considered
generally human, and, when his work
in due order. Of these ten, nine have
was done, he returned again to the skies.
already been accomplished; one, the
There is no certainty as to the number
Kalki, is still future.
had
to
lay
aside
of times he has become incarnate.
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The word Vishnu in the Purānas is generally said to be derived from the root vis (to enter); entering in or pervading the universe, agreeably to the text of the Vedas: ‘Having created that (world), he then afterwards enters into it. According to the ‘Matsya Purāna,’ the name alludes to his entering into the
In the Purana, it said:
mundane egg; according to the ‘Padma Purāna,’ it refers to his entering into or combining with Prakriti as spirit. In pictures Vishnu is represented as a
“
The supreme Vishnu is propitiated by a
man who observes the institutions of caste,
order, and purificatory practices; no other
path is the way to please him. He who
black man with four arms: in one hand
offers sacrifices, sacrifices to him; he who
he holds a club; in another a shell; in a
murmurs prayer, prays to him; he who
third a discus with which he slew his
injures living creatures, injures him: for
enemies; and in the fourth a lotus.
Hari is all things.
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SIVA |ˈ ʃɪvə|
Siva is the third person of the Hindu Triad. As Brahmā was Creator, Vishnu Preserver, in order to complete the system, as all things are subject to decay, a Destroyer was necessary. According to the teaching of Hinduism, death is not death in the sense of passing into nonexistence, but simply a change into a new form of life. He who destroys, therefore, causes beings to assume new phases of existence—the Destroyer is really a re-Creator.
The Destroyer In the later Hinduism, as taught in the Epics and Purānas, Siva plays a most important part, several books having been written for the purpose of celebrating his praise; yet his name as that of a god does not occur in the Vedas. Siva adopted the garb, and lived the
as a white bull on which he rides, a
life of an ascetic. Though generally
trident, tiger’s skin, elephant’s skin,
worshipped under the form of the linga,
rattle, noose, etc. He has three eyes, one
he “is represented in human form, living
being in his forehead, in allusion either
in the Himālayas along with Pārvati,
to the three Vedas, or time past, present
sometimes in the act of trampling on or
and future. He has a crescent on his
destroying demons, wearing round his
forehead, the moon having been given
black neck a serpent, and a necklace
to him as his share of the products of
of skulls, and furnished with a whole
the churning of the ocean.
apparatus of external emblems, such
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According to
Yajur Veda
The name Siva may have been connected with Rudra, wherein Rudra is thus addressed: “Thou art gracious (Siva) by name.Shine upon us, dweller in the mountain, with that blessed body of thine which is auspicious. ... Reverence to the blue-necked, to the thousand-eyed, to the bountiful, and to the lord of spirits, and to the lord of thieves.”
According to
Vishnu Pu rana
Siva adopted the dress and habits of a religious mendicant. Siva said to Brahmā, “Say, O lord? how earnest thou hither, and by whom wert thou created?” Brahmā asks in return, “And where have you come from?” The result is a terrible quarrel, in which Siva, inflamed with anger, cut off the fifth head of Brahmā. But when Siva tried to throw the head to the ground it would not fall, but instead it remained in his hand.
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CHAPTER II Vishnu Avatars
MATSYA |ˈmʌtʃʌ|
Matsya, also known as Malsya, is the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu in the form of a fish. Often listed as the first avatar in the lists of the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, Matsya is described to have rescued the first man, Manu, from a great deluge. Matsya may be depicted as a giant fish, or anthropomorphically with a human torso connected to the rear half of a fish.
The Great Deluge Matsya is depicted in two forms: as a zoomorphic fish or in an anthropomorphic form. In the latter form, the upper half is that of the four-armed man and the lower half is a fish.
According to
Bhagavata
The king said, “Salutation and praise to thee, O first male, the lord of creation, of preservation, of destruction! Thou art the highest object, the supreme ruler, of us thy adorers, who piously seek thee. ... yet I am anxious to know for what cause that shape has been assumed by thee.”
According to
Matsya Purana
“Desiring the preservation of herds, Brāhmans, genii, and virtuous men—of the Vedas, of law, and of precious things—the Lord of the Universe assumes many bodily shapes; but though he pervades, like the air, a variety of beings, yet he is himself unvaried, since he has no qualities subject to change.”
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Early accounts of the Deluge equate Matsya with the Vedic deity Prajapati (who was identified with the creator god Brahma in post-Vedic era). The Shatapatha Brahmana is the earliest extant text to mention Matsya and the flood myth in Hinduism. It identifies the fish with Prajapati-Brahma. The central characters are the fish (Matsya) and Vaivasvata Manu or Satyavrata who
In the Purana, it said:
becomes the progenitor of mankind.
“
In this version, Vaivasvata Manu, the legislator and the ancestor of two mythical royal dynasties and who later become the
O thou tamer of enemies! the three worlds
will be plunged in an ocean of death; but, in the midst of the destroying waves, a
large vessel sent by me for thy use shall stand before thee.
progenitor of mankind.
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KURMA |ˈkʊrːmə|
Kurma, like other avatars of Vishnu, Kurma appears at a time of crisis to restore the cosmic equilibrium. Sage Durvasa had cursed the Devas (gods) to be mortal and fade away. The gods needed nectar of immortality (amrit) to overcome this curse, and they make a pact with the asuras (demons) to churn the cosmic ocean of milk. Kurma, the creative problem solving Vishnu avatar in the form of a tortoise or turtle, appears to support as the foundation for the cosmos and the cosmic churning stick (Mount Mandara).
The Churning of the Ocean This incarnation was necessitated by
additional particulars will be found in
the fact that the gods were in danger of
the following extract from the Vishnu
losing their authority over the demons.
Purana.
In their distress they applied to Vishnu
In the Vishnu Purana it is mentioned
for help, who told them to churn the
regarding the legend:
sea of milk that they might procure the
“Hari having been entreated to help the
Amrita, or water of life, by which they
gods, thus spoke: ‘Let all the gods and
would be made strong, and promised
asuras cast all sorts of medicinal herbs
to become the tortoise on which the
into the sea of milk, and together churn
mountain Mandara as a churning
the ocean for ambrosia, depending on
stick should rest. As a full account
my aid. . . . they shall become mighty
of this operation has been already
and immortal. I will take care that the
given when describing Lakshmi, who
enemies of the gods shall not partake
was one of its chief products, there is
of the precious draught; they shall only
no necessity to repeat it here. A few
share in the labour.’”
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The gods entered into an arrangement with the asuras, and together they made the necessary preparations. In the midst of the milky sea, Hari himself, in the form of a tortoise, served as a pivot for the mountain, as it was whirled around. The holder of the mace and discus was present in other forms amongst the gods and demons, and assisted to drag the monarch of the serpent race; and in another vast body sat upon the summit of the mountain. With one portion of his energy, unseen by gods and demons,
Satapatha Brāhmana:
“
Having assumed the form of a tortoise, Prajāpati (Brahmā) created offspring. That
which he created, he made; “hence the word Kūrma. Kasyapa means tortoise; hence
he sustained the serpent king; and with
men say, “All creatures are descendants of
another infused vigour unto the gods.”
Kasyapa. This tortoise is the same as Aditya.”
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VARAHA |ˈvʌrʌhʌ|
Varaha is the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu in the form of a boar. Varaha is listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. When the demon Hiranyaksha stole the earth (personified as the goddess Bhudevi) and hid her in the primordial waters, Vishnu appeared as Varaha to rescue her. Varaha slew the demon and retrieved the Earth from the ocean, lifting it on his tusks, and restored Bhudevi to her place in the universe.
The Raising of Earth The earliest versions of the Varaha legend are found in the Taittiriya Aranyaka and the Shatapatha Brahmana. They narrate that the universe was filled with the primordial waters. The god Prajapati in the form of a boar (Varaha) plunges into the waters and brings the earth out. He also marries the earth thereafter. According to
‘How shall this universe be developed?’ He beheld a
Taittiriya Brāhmana lotus leaf. He thought, ‘There is something on which this rests.’ He as a boar—having assumed that form—
plunged beneath towards it. He found the earth down below. Breaking off her, he rose to the surface.” According to
Vayu Purana
The Vayu says, “The boar was ten yojanas in breadth, and a thousand yojanas in height; his colour was like a dark cloud, and his roar like thunder. His bulk was vast as a mountain; his tusks were white, sharp, and fearful; fire flashed from his eyes like lightning, and he was radiant as the sun.”
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In the Vishnu Purana, it said:
“
Triumph, lord of lords, supreme! Kesava, sovereign of the earth . . . cause of production, destruction and existence.
Thou art, O god! there is none other supreme condition than thou. Thou, lord, art the person of the sacrifice; thy
feet are the Vedas; thy tusks are the stake to which the victim is bound; thy teeth are the offerings; thy mouth is the altar; thy tongue is the fire; and the hairs of thy body are the sacrificial grass.
In the anthropomorphic form, Varaha often has a stylized boar face, like the zoomorphic models. The snout may be shorter. The position and size of the tusks may also be altered. The ears, cheeks and eyes are generally based on human ones. While some sculptures show a mane, it is dropped and replaced by a high conical crown - typical of Vishnu iconography - in others. Varaha sculptures generally look up to the right; there are very rare instances of left-facing Varaha depictions. Varaha may be depicted with all of Vishnu’a attributes in his four hands: the Sudarshana chakra, the shankha, the gada and the lotus.
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NARASIMHA |ˈnʌrʌsiːmhə|
Narasimha is one of many legendary avatars of the Hindu god Vishnu, one who incarnates in the form of part lion and part man to destroy an evil, end religious persecution and calamity on earth, thereby restoring Dharma Narasimha iconography shows him with a human torso and lower body, with a lion face and claws, typically with a demon Hiranyakashipu in his lap whom he is in the process of killing. The demon is powerful brother of evil Hiranyaksha who had been previously killed by Vishnu, who hated Vishnu for killing his brother.
The Man Lion In the account of the preceding
The story of the demon’s hatred of the
incarnation, it was stated that Vishnu
deity, because in a former incarnation
slew a demon named Hiranyāksha.
he had slain his brother, teaches the
This daitya had a brother named
wonderful efficacy of Vishnu’s worship,
Hiranyakasipu, who had obtained a
it is given at some length.
boon from Brahmā, that he should
Narasimha is significant iconic symbol
not be slain by any created being, excepting Vishnu. When therefore his pride, fostered by his supposed immunity from danger, had led him to great excesses, so that his death was
of creative resistance, hope against odds, victory over persecution and destruction of evil. He signifies not only external evil, but as an idea that
desired both by gods and men, Vishnu
destroys one’s own inner evil of “body,
descended in the form of a living being,
speech and mind” states Pratapaditya
half-man and half-lion, and so neither man nor animal, and slew him.
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Pal. Narasimha is worshipped across
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh States in numerous forms. Although, it is common that each of the temples contain depictions of Narasimha in more than one form, Ahobilam contains nine temples of
In the Vishnu Purana:
Narasimha dedicated to the nine forms of Narasimha. It is also notable that the central aspect of Narasimha incarnation
“
is killing the demon Hiranyakasipu,
Why, if Vishnu is everywhere, is he not
visible in this pillar?’ Being told that Vishnu, though unseen, was really present there, he
struck the pillar, saying, Then I will kill him.’ Immediately Vishnu, in the form of a being
however, that image of Narasimha is
half-man and half-lion, came forth from the
not commonly worshipped in temples,
pillar, laid hold of Hiranyakasipu by the thighs
although it is depicted.
with his teeth, and tore him up the middle.
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VAMANA |ˈvʌmʌnə|
Vamana is the fifth avatar of Hindu god Vishnu. He incarnates in a time of crisis and to restore cosmic balance by creatively defeating the asura king Bali with disproportionate powers over the universe. According to Hindu mythology, the demon king after his exploits and conquest of the universe sponsors a sacrifice and gift giving ceremony to consolidate his power. Vishnu appears at this ceremony as a dwarf mendicant Brahmin called Vamana.
Three Great Steps The legend of Vishnu covering the universe in three steps is found in Vedic texts. For example, hymns of the Rigveda describe Vishnu as that bountiful, kind, just god in three steps defined all there is in the universe.
According to
Rig Veda
“Vishnu strode over this universe in three places he planted his step.” This passage is interpreted in various ways. One taught “that the triple manifestation of the god in the form of fire on earth, of lightning in the atmosphere, and of the solar slight in the sky, was intended in this hymn.”
According to
Satapatha
The gods said, ‘Put us with yourselves in possession of this earth; let us have a share of it.’ The asuras grudgingly said, ‘We will give you as much as this Vishnu can lie upon.’ Now Vishnu was a dwarf. The gods did not reject this offer. They placed Agni in the East, and thus they went on toiling and worshipping. By this means they acquired the whole earth.”
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This incarnation was undertaken to recover heaven for the gods. Bali, a demon, grandson of Prahlāda whose story has just been given, was king over the three worlds—heaven, earth and sky. In the form of a Brāhman dwarf, Vishnu appears, and asks, as a gift, all he could cross over in three steps. This the king grants. Immediately the pigmy becomes a giant, and with one step strides over heaven, and with the second over the earth, and thus fulfils his
In the Purana, it said:
“
purpose. According to Nanditha Krishna,
Thus addressed by the gods, Vishnu took the form of a dwarf, and, approaching
the son of Virochana, begged three of his own paces. Having obtained three paces,
a simpler form of this legend is found in
Vishnu assumed a miraculous form, and
with three paces took possession of the
the Rigveda and the Vedic text Shatapatha
world. With one step he occupied the
Brahmana where a solar deity is described
whole earth; with a second, the eternal
with powers of Vishnu.
atmosphere; and with a third, the sky.
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PARASHURAMA |ˈpʌrʌʃʊ.rʌmə|
Parashurama is the sixth avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. Like other avatars of Vishnu, he appears at a time when overwhelming evil prevailed on earth. The warrior class, with weapons and power, had begun to abuse their power, take what belonged to others by force and tyrannize people. Parashurama corrects the cosmic equilibrium by destroying these evil warriors. He is also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya and Rama Bhargava in some texts.
The Axe Warrior Parashurama is not found in Vedic
Rama Jamadagnya.
literature, and the earliest mention of his
Parashurama is born to sage Jamadagni
character is found in the Mahabharata
and his wife Renuka, living in a hut.
but with different names. There he
They have a celestial cow called
is represented as an accomplished
Surabhi who produces all they desire.
warrior-Brahmin, a sage and teacher
A king named Arjuna Kartavirya – not
of martial arts, but there is no mention
to be confused with Arjuna Pandava –
of him being an avatar of Vishnu. He
learns about it and wants it. He asks
evolves into an avatar in the Puranas.
Jamadagni to give it to him, but the
According to Adalbert Gail, the word
sage refuses. While Parashurama is
Parasurama is also missing in the
away from the hut, the king takes it
Indian epics and Kalidasa’s works,
by force. Parashurama learns about
and appears for the first time in Indian
this crime, and is upset. With his axe
literature around 500 CE. Before then,
in his hand, he challenges the king
he is known by other names such as
to battle. They fight, and Parushama
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kills the king, according to the Hindu mythology. The warrior class challenges him, and he kills all his challengers. The legend, states James Lochtefeld, likely has roots in the ancient conflict between the Brahmin caste with religious duties and the Kshatriya caste with warrior and enforcement role. However, the Hindu texts are not consistent, and there has been a dispute on whether he was a Kshatriya or a Brahmin. Parasurama legends are notable for their discussion of violence, the cycles of retaliations, the impulse of
According to Biardeau:
“
krodha (anger), the inappropriateness of
The violent Brahmin is condemned, ultimately transformed (Jamadagni [his father] rids
himself of anger and is slain without resisting; Rama [Parashurama] retires, his mind at peace, to his mountain refuge)
krodha, and repentance.
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RAMA |ˈrɑːmə|
Rama is the seventh avatar of Vishnu. Rama was born to Kaushalya and Dasharatha in Ayodhya, the ruler of the Kingdom of Kosala. His siblings included Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. He married Sita. Though born in a royal family, their life is described in the Hindu texts as one challenged by unexpected changes such as an exile into impoverished and difficult circumstances, ethical questions and moral dilemmas.
Prince of Ayodhya In Northern India this is perhaps the most popular of all the incarnations of Vishnu, and certainly the Rāmāyana, in which his history is found, contains some of the most beautiful legends in the whole of the sacred writings of the Hindus. Rama iconography shares elements
part of the iconography, Lakshamana
of Vishnu avatars, but has several
is on his left side while Sita always
distinctive elements. It never has
on the right of Rama, both of golden-
more than two hands, he holds (or has
yellow complexion. As a person, Rama
nearby) a bana (arrow) in his right
personifies the characteristics of an ideal
hand, while he holds the dhanus (bow)
person (purushottama), He had within
in his left. The most recommended icon
him all the desirable virtues that any
for him is that he be shown standing
individual would seek to aspire, and he
in tribhanga pose (thrice bent “S”
fulfils all his moral obligations. Rama is
shape). He is shown black, blue or dark
considered a maryada purushottama or
color, typically wearing reddish color
the best of upholders of Dharma.
clothes. If his wife and brother are a
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According to
Ramayana
The primary source of the life of Rama is the Sanskrit epic Ramayana composed by Rishi Valmiki. The epic had many versions across India’s regions. The followers of Madhvacharya believe that an older version of the Ramayana, the mula-Ramayana, previously existed. The Madhva tradition considers it to have been more authoritative than the version by Valmiki.
According to
Yoga Vasistha
The Yoga Vasistha text consists of six books. The first book presents Rama’s frustration with the nature of life, human suffering and disdain for the world. The second describes the desire for liberation and the nature of those who seek such liberation. The third and fourth books assert that liberation comes through a spiritual life. The fifth book discusses meditation and its powers in liberating the individual, while the last book describes the state of an enlightened and blissful Rama.
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KRISHNA |ˈkrɪʃnə|
Krishna is the god of compassion, tenderness, and love in Hinduism. He is one of the most widely revered and popular Indian divinities, worshipped as the eighth incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. rishna Leela. He is a central character in the Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana and the Bhagavad Gita, and is mentioned in many Hindu philosophical, theological, and mythological texts.
The God of Compassion In
the
Mah훮bh훮rata,
is
supreme deity; but there are other
sometimes represented as rendering
passages, again, in the Mah훮bh훮rata
homage
therefore
in which the same claim of Siva is
acknowledging his own inferiority
admitted, and an attempt is made
to that deity, or as recommending the
at compromising their rival claims,
worship of lima, the consort of Siva,
by declaring both deities one and
and as receiving boons from both these
the same. Krishna is often depicted
deities. In some passages, again, he
wearing a peacock-feather wreath or
bears merely the character of a hero
crown, and playing the bansuri (Indian
endowed with extraordinary powers,
flute). In this form, he is usually shown
and in others his divine nature is even
standing with one leg bent in front of
disputed or denied by adversaries,
the other in the Tribhanga posture. He
though they are eventually punished
is sometimes accompanied by cows
for this unbelief. As the intimate ally
or a calf, which symbolise the divine
of Arjuna, he claims the rank of the
herdsman Govinda.
to
Siva,
Krishna
and
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Krishna becomes Arjuna’s charioteer for the Kurukshetra War, but on the condition that he personally will not raise any weapon. Upon arrival at the battlefield, and seeing that the enemies are his family and loved ones, Arjuna is moved and says his heart will not allow him to fight and kill others. Krishna then advises him about the nature of life, ethics, and morality when one is faced with a war between good and evil, the permanence of the soul and the good, the nature of true peace
In the Purana, it said:
“
and bliss how to reach this state of bliss
Krishna was the incarnation of “a part of a
part of the supreme being.” When entreated to become incarnate, “the supreme lord plucked off two hairs, one white and one black, and
said, ‘These my hairs shall descend upon the
and inner liberation. This conversation
earth, and shall relieve her of the burden of her
between Krishna and Arjuna is presented
distress!’” The white hair was impersonated
as a discourse called the Bhagavad Gita.
as Balarāma, and the black as Krishna.
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BUDDHA |ˈbʊdə|
Gautama Buddha, of Buddhism fame, is one of the avatars of the god Vishnu in Vaishnava Hinduism. Of the ten major Vishnu avatars, he is considered as the ninth incarnation. His portrayal in Hinduism varies. In some texts such as the Puranas, he is portrayed as an avatar born to mislead those who deny the Vedic knowledge. In others such as Gitagovinda, Vishnu incarnates as the Buddha to teach and end animal slaughter.
Buddha in Hinduism The legend of Vishnu covering the universe in three steps is found in Vedic texts. For example, hymns of the Rigveda describe Vishnu as that bountiful, kind, just god in three steps defined all there is in the universe.
According to
Bhagavata
“At the commencement of the Kāli-yuga will Vishnu become incarnate in Kikata, under the name of Buddha, the son of Jina, for the purpose of deluding the enemies of the gods.” “Praise to the pure Buddha, the deluder of the Daityas and the Dānavas.” “By his words, as Buddha, Vishnu deludes the heretics.”
According to
Skanda Purana
Buddha taught that “the universe was without a creator; it is false therefore to assert that there is one universal and Supreme Spirit, for Brahmā, Vishnu, Rudra, and the rest are names of mere corporeal beings like ourselves. Death is a peaceful sleep: why fear it?” He further taught that “we should guard as our own life the life of another”.
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The Buddha has been important to Hinduism since the ancient times, given his teachings and royal support. The Hindu views (Brahmanical tradition) for the Buddha have neither been consistent nor constant. They have ranged from actively contesting the Buddhist premises and theology to sharing or adopting terminology, concepts as well as more recently, the persona of the Siddhartha as someone who was born in and matured into the Buddha in a Brahmanical system. One such integration is through its
In the Dashavatara:
“
mythology, where in Vaishnava Puranas,
O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O
Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Buddha! All glories to You! O Buddha
of compassionate heart, you decry the
the Buddha is adopted as the ninth avatar
slaughtering of poor animals performed according to the rules of Vedic sacrifice.
of Vishnu.
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KALKI |ˈkɑːlkɪ|
Kalki is the tenth avatar of the god Vishnu in the current Mahayuga, foretold to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, the current epoch. The Purana scriptures foretell that Kalki will be atop a white horse with a drawn blazing sword. He is the harbinger of the end time in Hindu eschatology, after which he will usher in Satya Yuga. The name Kalki is derived from the Sanskrit word, kalā which means any practical, mechanical or fine art. The name may also be a metaphor for eternity or time.
The Last Avatara This incarnation, unlike those already described, has yet to be made. It is the hope of the Hindus, that he who has so frequently visited the earth to restore order and happiness will come yet again to inaugurate a reign of universal goodness, peace, and prosperity. When Vishnu in the form of Krishna
First or Kritā Yuga—the age of Truth.
reascended to heaven, the Fourth or
These four ages, in the same order and
Kāli Yuga commenced, which, as its
with similar characteristics, will again
name implies, is an age of strife and
and again be experienced until the final
dissension. In the “Vishnu Purāna” the
end of all things shall come. In the
character of this age is vividly described
descriptions of Kalki, and in pictures,
in words that seem prophetic. At its
he is represented as a man riding upon
termination Vishnu is expected to come
or bowing down before a white horse,
again, bearing the name Kalki, to put
and with a sword in his hand: he is the
an end to wickedness, and establish a
purifier of the present degenerate age,
kingdom of righteousness similar to the
and the restorer of purity and goodness.
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According to
Vishnu Purana
“When the practices taught by the Vedas and the institutes of law shall nearly have ceased, and the close of the Kāli Age shall be nigh, a portion of that divine being who exists of his own spiritual nature in the character of Brahmā,... will be born in the family of Vishnuyasas, an eminent Brāhman of Sambhal village, as Kalki, endowed with the eight superhuman faculties. By his irresistible might he will destroy all the Mlechchhas (outcasts), thieves, and all whose minds are devoted to iniquity.
According to
Bagavata
At the end of Kali Yuga, when there exist no topics on the subject of God, even at the residences of so-called saints and respectable gentlemen, and when the power of government is transferred to the hands of ministers elected from the evil men, and when nothing is known of the techniques of sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser.
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CHAPTER III Lesser Devas
SARASVATI |ˈsʌrʌsvʌtɪ|
Sarasvati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom, and learning worshipped throughout Nepal and India. She is a part of the trinity (Tridevi) of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. All the three forms help the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to create, maintain and regenerate-recycle the Universe respectively. Saraswati who is revered as a goddess of knowledge, music and arts is also found outside India,Bali (Indonesia) and Myanmar.
Mother of the Vedas Brahmā’s wife is Sarasvati, the goddess of wisdom and science, the mother of the Vedas, and the inventor of the Devanagari letters. She is represented as a fair young woman, with four arms. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a goddess is in the Rigveda. According to
Mahabharata
In the Mahābhārata she is called the mother of the Vedas, and the same is said of Vāch in the Taittariya Brāhmana where she is said to be the wife of Indra, to contain within herself all worlds, and to have been sought after by the Rishis who composed the Vedic hymns, as well as by the gods through austerity.”
According to
Matsya Purana
It gives authority for the belief that one goddess only is intended, though she is called by several names: “Brahmā next formed from his own immaculate substance a female, who is celebrated under the names of Savitri, Sarasvati, Gāyatri, and Brāhmani.”
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In the Skanda Purana, it said:
“
Listen, O Devi, and I will tell you how Savitri forsook
Brahmā, and he in consequence espoused Gāyatri. The
Vedas have declared the great advantages which are derived from sacrifice, by which the gods are delighted,
and therefore bestow rain upon the earth. . . . To secure therefore the verdure and vitality of the three worlds, I perform sacrifices; and, in imitation of me, sacrifices are performed by gods and men.
Sarasvati is a goddess of some, and is celebrated both as a river and a goddess. She was primarily a river deity, as her name, ‘the watery,’ clearly denotes; and in this capacity she is celebrated in a few separate passages. Allusion is made in the hymns, as well as in the Brāhmanas, to sacrifices being performed on the banks of this river, and of the adjoining Drishadvati; and the Sarasvati in particular seems to have been associated with the reputation for sanctity which was ascribed to the whole region called Brahmāvartta, lying between these two small streams, and situated immediately to the westward of the Jumnā.
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LAKSHMI |ˈlɑːkʃmɪ|
Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, health, fortune and prosperity. She is the wife and shakti (energy) of Vishnu, a major god in Hinduism. Lakshmi is also an important deity in Jainism and found in Jain temples. In Hindu religion, she was born from the churning of the primordial ocean (Samudra manthan) and she chose Vishnu as her eternal consort. When Vishnu descended on the Earth as the avatars Rama and Krishna, Lakshmi descended as his respective consort.
Goddess of Beauty Lakshmi is depicted as an elegantly dressed, prosperity-showering golden-coloured woman with owl as her vehicle, signifying the importance of economic activity in maintenance of life, her ability to move, work and prevail in confusing darkness.
According to
Vishnu Purana
“Sri, the bride of Vishnu, the mother of the world, is eternal, imperishable; as he is all-pervading, so she is omnipresent. Vishnu is meaning, she is speech; Hari is polity, she is prudence; Vishnu is understanding, she is intellect; he is righteousness, she is devotion; Sri is the earth, Hari is its support.
According to
Upanishads
Shakta Upanishads are dedicated to the trinity of goddesses. Saubhagyalakshmi Upanishad, describes the qualities, characteristics and powers of Lakshmi. In the second part of the Upanishad, the emphasis shifts to the use of yoga and transcendence from material craving in order to achieve spiritual knowledge and self-realisation, the true wealth.
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Inside temples, Lakshmi is often shown together with Vishnu. In certain parts of India, Lakshmi plays a special role as the mediator between her husband Vishnu and his worldly devotees. When asking Vishnu for grace or forgiveness, the devotees often approach Him through the intermediary presence of Lakshmi. She is also the personification of spiritual fulfillment. Lakshmi embodies the spiritual world, also known as Vaikunta, the abode of LakshmiNarayana or what would be considered
In the Vishnu Purana:
“
heaven in Vaishnavism. Lakshmi is the
In a word, of gods, animals, and men, Hari is all that is called male; Lakshmi is
all that is termed female; there is nothing else than they. Her first birth was as the
daughter of Bhrigu and KhyÄ ti; it was at a
embodiment of the creative energy of
subsequent period that she was produced
Vishnu, and primordial Prakriti who creates
from the sea, at the churning of the ocean
the universe
by the demons and the gods.
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PARVATI
|ˈpʌrvɑːtɪ|
Parvati is the Hindu goddess of fertility, love and devotion; as well as of divine strength and power. Known by many other names, she is the gentle and nurturing aspect of the Hindu goddess Shakti and one of the central deities of the Goddess-oriented Shakta sect. She is the mother goddess in Hinduism, and has many attributes and aspects. Along with Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and learning), she forms the trinity of Hindu goddesses (Tridevi).
She From the Mountains The goddess in this form is the constant companion of her husband, but few independent actions are ascribed to her. In the Purānas, Siva and Pārvati are generally represented as engaged in making love to each other, or (rather a singular change) as seated on Mount Kailāsa discussing the most abstruse questions of Hindu philosophy. According to
Skanda Purana
Parvati assumes the form of a warrior-goddess and defeats a demon called Durg who assumes the form of a buffalo. In this aspect, she is known by the name Durga. Although Parvati is considered another aspect of Sakti, Durga, Gauri, and others, many of these “forms” originated from regional legends and traditions.
According to
Vaivarta Purana
Sati thus addressed Siva: ‘Be firm, O Mahādeva! lord of my soul! In whatever state of my being I may exist, I shall never be separated from my lord; and now have I been born the daughter of Himavat in order to become again thy wife.
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In the Vaivarta Purana:
“
Sati was born as the daughter of Menā, excelling in
beauty and virtue all created beings, and she grew up in her mountain home like the young moon increasing to its full splendour. Whilst still a girl, she heard a voice from
heaven saying, ‘Perform a severe course of austerity, in order to obtain Siva for a husband, as he cannot otherwise
be obtained.’ Pārvati, proud of her youth, smiling disdainfully at this instruction.
The Puranas tell the tale of Sati’s marriage to Shiva against her father Daksha’s wishes. The conflict between Daksha and Shiva gets to a point where Daksha does not invite Shiva to his yagna (fire-sacrifice). Daksha insults Shiva, when Sati comes on her own. She immolates herself at the ceremony. This shocks Shiva, who is so grief-stricken that he loses interest in worldly affairs, retires and isolates himself in the mountains, in meditation and austerity. Sati is then reborn as Parvati, the daughter of Himavat and Mainavati, and is named Parvati or “she from the mountains”, after her father Himavant who is also called king Parvat.
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DURGA |ˈdʊrgə|
Durga, also known as Devi, Shakti and by numerous other names, is a principal and popular form of Hindu goddess. She is the warrior goddess, whose mythology centers around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity and dharma of the good. She is the fierce form of the protective mother goddess, willing to unleash her anger against wrong, violence for liberation and destruction to empower creation.
Goddess of War The consort of Siva now assumes a very
forms the most popular of all the Hindu
different character from that in which
festivals; it continues for three days, and
she has so far been represented. In those
is the great holiday of the year. At this
incarnations, though the wife of Siva,
season, as at Christmas in England, the
she acted as an ordinary woman, and
members of the family whom business
manifested womanly virtues; as Durgā
detains from home during the year
she was a most powerful warrior, and
return; and with the worship of Durgā is
appeared on earth, under many names,
associated all that is bright and cheerful.
for the destruction of demons who
Sacrifices of buffaloes and goats are made
were obnoxious to the gods and men.
to her; feasting, singing, and dancing are
She obtained the name Durgā because
continued through the greater part of the
she slew an asura named Durgā, the
night. Though her chief festival is in the
name of the goddess being the feminine
autumn, she is also worshipped, though
form of the demon’s name.
not so generally, in the spring.
In Bengal the worship of this goddess
The reason of this as taught in a Bengali
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account is as follows:—Rāvana was a devout worshipper of Durgā, and had the Chandi (an extract from one of the Purānas) read daily. When, therefore, Rāma attacked him, the goddess assisted her servant. It was in the spring that Rāvana observed her festival. Rāma, seeing the help his enemy received from this goddess, began himself to worship her. This was in the autumn. Durgā was delighted with the devotion of Rāma, and
In the Skanda Purana:
“
Durgā himself then hurled a flaming dart at
the goddess, which she turned aside. ... He next aimed an arrow at Pārvati’s breast; this too she repelled, and two other weapons,
at once transferred her aid to him. Durgā
a club and a pike. At last coming to close
is said to have assumed ten forms for the
quarters, Pārvati seized Durgā and set her
destruction of two giants, Sumbha and
left foot on his breast, but he, managing to disengage himself, renewed the fight.
Nisumbha.
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GANESHA
|ˈ gəˈneɪʃə |
Ganesha, also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Binayak, is one of the best-known and most worshiped deities in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains and Buddhists.
Ganesha the Wise Ganesha is usually regarded as the elder son of Siva and Pārvati, but the Purānas differ very considerably in their accounts of his origin. Sir W. Jones says that “ Ganesa, the Indian god of Wisdom, has the same characteristics as Janus of the Latins.” Ganesa has only one tusk, and hence
recognizing it as his father’s weapon,
is called Ekadanta. The reason of this
Siva having given it to Parasurāma—
is as follows:Parasurāma, who was
received it with all humility upon one of
a favourite disciple of Siva, went to
his tusks, which it immediately severed,
Kailasa to visit his master. On arriving
and hence Ganesa has but one tusk.
at the inner apartment, his entrance was
Pārvati was highly incensed at this, and
opposed by Ganesa, as his father was
was about to curse Rāma, when Krishna,
asleep. Parasurāma nevertheless urged
of whom he was a worshipper, appeared
his way, and, after a long dialogue, the
as a boy and appeased her indignation.
two came to blows. Ganesa had at first
Brahmā is said to have promised that
the advantage, seizing Parasurāma in
her son should be worshipped before
his trunk, and giving him a twirl that left
the other gods. This result of his contest
him sick and senseless. On recovering,
with Rāma was in consequence of a
Rāma threw his axe at Ganesa, who,
curse pronounced upon him.
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Although he is known by many attributes, Ganesha’s elephant head makes him easy to identify.Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles,the patron of arts and sciences and the deva of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rites and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions. Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography. Ganesha
Ganapati Upanishad:
“
emerged as a distinct deity in the 4th and
Praise to thee, O Ganesa! Thou art manifestly the truth; thou art undoubtedly the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, the
Supreme Brahma, the eternal Spirit. ... Thou art BrahmÄ , Vishnu, and Rudra. We
5th centuries AD, during the Gupta period,
acknowledge thy divinity, O Ekadanta!
although he inherited traits from Vedic and
and
pre-Vedic precursors.
meditate
on
thy
countenance;
enlighten, therefore, our understanding.
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KARTIKEYA |ˈkʌrtikeɪˈʌ|
Kartikeya, also known as Murugan, Skanda, Kumara, and Subrahmanya, is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, brother of Ganesha, and a god whose life story has many versions in Hinduism. An important deity found all over the Indian subcontinent in its history, Kartikeya is particularly popular in South India, such as among the Tamil people. He is found in many medieval temples all over India, such as at the Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves.
The God of War Kartikeya, the god of war, and generalissimo of the armies of the gods, though called the younger son of Siva and Parvati, according to most of the Puranic legends, is their son only in the sense that they formed him. According to
Ramayana
While Siva was performing austerities, the other deities went to Brahmā and asked for a general in the room of Mahādeva. He (Mahādeva), is now performing great austerities, along with Umā.’ Brahmā says that in consequence of the curse of Umā no son could be born of any wives of the gods, but that Agni should have a son by the river Gangā, who should be their general.”
According to
Mahabharata
Brāhmans called Agni Rudra, consequently he (Kartikeya) is the son of Rudra. Having seen him thus honoured by Rudra, all the deities consequently call him, who is the most excellent of the gifted, the son of Rudra. For this child was produced by Rudra when he entered into fire.
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In the Purana, it said:
“
Kartikeya marries Devasenā. The six Rishis’ wives, his mothers, afterwards come to him, complaining that they had been abandoned
by their husbands, and degraded from their
former positions, and asking him to secure their admission into paradise (Swarga).
A story is told showing how Kartikeya was outwitted by his brother Ganesa. As the two brothers fell in love with two ladies named Siddhi and Buddhi, it was agreed that whoever first travelled round the world should have them. Ganesa proved by his logical talents and aptness at quotation that he had done this, and obtained the prize long before his brother returned from his weary pilgrimage. Kartikeya is better known in South India under the name of Subramanya. The “Skanda Purāna” gives a full account of his war with Sura, and relates how he was sent by his father to interrupt Daksha’s sacrifice; and how, at the instigation of the latter, he was delayed on his journey by beautiful damsels, who entertained him with dance and song.
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GENERAL REMARKS
The Hindus have from time immemorial believed in the existence of one
supreme Being, in the immateriality and immortality of the soul, and in a future state of reward and punishment: but, in their opinion respecting the nature of the supreme Being, they are unquestionably pantheists. Numerous passages, however, occuring Sanscrit works, and various expressions are in familiar use among the Hindus, which apparently convey the most exalted ideas of God, as perfectly distinct from the universe which he has created : but when such passages and expressions are closely examined, and compared with other descriptions of the Deity, their pantheistic tendency becomes evident.
It hence seems probable that the Hindus originally entertained correct notions
respecting the nature of God; but subsequently, finding it impossible to understand how spirit could produce and act upon matter, they either identified the two together, or denied the real existence of matter. tisthislattersystemwhichnowprevailsin India, and which also appears to be the doctrine of the Vedas from the following verse quoted by Mr. Colebrooke:—“ Originally this (universe) was indeed soul only; nothing else whatever existed, active (or in active). It will be sufficient here to premise, that the inextricable difficulties attending the vulgar notion of material substances, concerning which induced many of the wisest among the ancients, and
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some of the most enlightened among the modems, to believe, that the whole creation was rather an energy than a work, by which the infinite Being, who is present at all times and in all places, exhibits to his creatures a set of perceptions, -like a wonderful picture or piece of music, always varied, yet always uniform; so that all bodies and their qualities exist, indeed, to every wise and useful purpose, but exist only as far as they are perceived, a theory no less pious than sublime, and as different from any principle of atheism, as the brightest sunshine differs from the blackest midnight. This illusive operation of the Deity the Hindu philosophers (and all classes of Hindus) called Maya, or deception.
But, although matter has only an apparent existence in the actual forms of
which this universe is composed, still the perceptions which they cause proceed not from the mere volition of the Deity, but from a positive manifestation of his own divine essence under these illusive appearances. The soul also of the percipient has a real existence, and the great object therefore, which is prescribed to the Hindu, as the only means by which he can obtain final beatitude, is the acquisition of the knowledge that quality (that is matter and spirit) does not exist, and that there is in reality nothing but one self-existent, infinite, and all pervading spirit, of which he is himself an undivided part.
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