The Hindu Pantheon Explained

Hindu Gods and Goddesses and Their Powers

The Hindu scriptures are vast and very deep in meaning, hence, there are so many commentaries by many scholars. 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. All these avatars have specific qualities, powers, and roles in the working 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. But this is not so. In the end, the bottom line of every scripture states that the final goal of spirituality is that of realization of the One God. To get there, deity worship may be required and personalize may be needed. This is the reason why there are so many gods with so many qualities. One person may take a liking to one quality of a god and then worship him/her. This way, he takes the first step of realization of the Supreme.

In Hinduism there are three main sects – Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism. Shaivism is the worship of Shiva, Vaishnavism refers to the worship of Vishnu, and Shaktism is the worship of Shakti or Devi. Smartism is a modern tradition that believes in the worship of more than one Gods, including Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti, Ganesha, and Surya.

The Trinity

Vishnu, by many sects in Hindus, is considered to be the supreme god. In a normal and general perspective, he is one of the Trimurti, along with Brahma and Shiva. He is seen as the Preserver (or maintainer) of the universe. According to the scriptures, mostly Vishnu Purana, the universe came into being from his navel, and the first living being born was Brahma.

Shiva, as mentioned above, is one of the three primary gods in Hinduism. He is considered to be the supreme being by one of the Hindu sects. He is seen as the Destroyer (or transformer) of the universe. He is one of the most recognizable Hindu deities, and is very popular among all Hindus.

One of the holy trinity in Hinduism, Brahma is the Creator of the universe. He is usually depicted with having four heads. He is seen sitting in a lotus, meditating. In Vedic philosophy, Brahma is the embodiment of intellect, and is present as intellect in all human beings. Brahma is the creator of the Vedas. There are four Vedas, and it is said that each one of them came from one of his heads. Brahma is also said to be reciting the Vedas continuously and simultaneously from each of his four mouths. He is all knowledgeable, and is the creator of all beings in the universe.

The  Trinity Of Goddesses

Laxmi is another popular goddess in Indian households, and is widely worshiped. Laxmi is the eternal consort of Vishnu, and is also the goddess of wealth. This is not only material wealth but also the spiritual aspect of it. She endows with wealth whoever worships her. Goddess Laxmi is exclusively worshiped during the festivals of Diwali, Navratri, and Kojagiri Poornima. She bestows wealth upon the deserving, and abandons the people who use money carelessly. She also grants worshipers with spiritual and intellectual advancement.

Parvati is the wife of Shiva and his eternal consort. She is considered to be the ‘Adi Shakti’ or the primordial force that keeps the universe together. She is seen as a benevolent mother among the Hindus. But in the scriptures, in certain instances, she has taken the form of Kali and Durga, who are chastisers. Parvati is said to convert to the fierce avatar when she is angry.
Parvati has infinite power, and is even respected by the Trimurti. She is also considered to be the sister of Vishnu. This is because, in her primordial form, she is the ‘Shakti’ of the Supreme God, that is Vishnu.

Goddess Saraswati is the eternal consort of Brahma, the creator of the world. And as he is the source of all knowledge in the universe, Saraswati is the embodiment of knowledge itself. She is usually shown playing the sitar, sitting in a lotus.
She holds a book in one of the hands and a lotus in another. The book signifies material knowledge and the lotus signifies actual knowledge―that is, the knowledge of the self. She is the giver of speech, wisdom, and learning. She is also the supreme knower of fine arts like music, arts, and literature.