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Hinduism

Hinduism. One God Or Many Gods?. The Divine Reality The Brahman. The Brahman. The one Divine Reality Eternal Creator of all things The Vedas say, “God is One. Men call Him by various names.”. Nirguna Brahman. Absolute Reality Indestructible

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Hinduism

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  1. Hinduism One God Or Many Gods?

  2. The Divine RealityThe Brahman

  3. The Brahman • The one Divine Reality • Eternal • Creator of all things • The Vedas say, “God is One. Men call Him by various names.”

  4. Nirguna Brahman • Absolute Reality • Indestructible • Beyond the grasp of human imagination

  5. Saguna Brahman • One’s personal God • The form in which God appears to you • Examples: Shiva, Jesus, Jupiter, Isis, Pele Most humans need to worship God through one of these forms because we cannot relate to or comprehend Nirguna Brahman = The Divine Reality

  6. Gods and Goddesses:Aspects of The Divine

  7. Hindu Mythology Like all mythology, it teaches us something about: • The attributes of the God • How God interacts with humanity • How we should live • How we should relate to God They are not meant to be taken literally

  8. Hindu Gods

  9. The Trimurti • Trimurti – three aspects of The Brahman • Brahma = the Creator • Vishnu = the Preserver • Shiva = the Destroyer • Each is a different aspect of Brahman • Most Hindus worship one of these gods

  10. Brahma – The Creator • Created by Brahman and the female energy known as Prakriti • Created the universe • Depicted with four heads – each recites from one of the Vedas • Is not popular in modern India and few worship him

  11. Vishnu – the Preserver • Maintains law and order in the universe • Incarnates himself to protect humanity • Avatars = incarnations • Most important: Krishna and Rama • Many Hindus consider the Buddha and Jesus to be avatars of Vishnu

  12. Krishna • Avatar of Vishnu • Hero of the Bhagavad-Gita • Was most likely an actual person who was later worshipped as a god • Advocates dharma – one must always do one’s duty • Bhakti = love; devotion – the worship Krishna asks for. It does not demand knowledge.

  13. Rama • Avatar of Vishnu • Hero of the Ramayana • Saved humanity from the demon Ravenna • Example of dharma – doing one’s duty no matter what the consequences

  14. Shiva • The Destroyer and Liberator • One of the oldest of the Hindu deities • Ascetic • Meditation • The Ganges River originates in Shiva

  15. Shiva - Nataraj • Shiva as “Lord of the Dance” • His dance keeps the universe going • When Shiva stops dancing, the universe will be destroyed and then re-created

  16. Ganesh • The son of Shiva and Parvati • God of prosperity, good luck and wisdom • The Elephant head replaced his own after Shiva accidentally killed him – symbol of self sacrifice and love

  17. The Goddesses

  18. Hinduism believes that the Divine is neither male nor female, so Hindus worship the female essence of the Deity through the goddesses. • The feminine power of the Divine is called Shakti. • Each of the gods of the Trimurti has a female consort = the Tridevi

  19. Tridevi

  20. Sarasvati • Wife of Brahma, the Creator • Goddess of knowledge and inspiration • Patroness of artists • In her four hands she holds a book for knowledge, a Hindu rosary for the spiritual knowledge, and a musical instrument

  21. Lakshmi • The wife of Vishnu • Goddess of wealth and prosperity • Provides Vishnu with the resources he needs to keep the universe running • Incarnates herself whenever Vishnu does (Krishna’s lover Radha; Rama’s wife Sita)

  22. Krishna and Radha Rama and Sita

  23. Parvati • Wife of Shiva • Shows that union with God comes both through meditation and doing good works

  24. Durga • A manifestation of Parvati • Warrior Goddess who fights evil • She helps us to fight our own negative qualities

  25. Religious Symbolism

  26. Shiva Nataraj • Four arms = mastery of the four directions of the universe • Ring of flame & water = universe • Drum = creation • Flame (in Shiva’s hand) = destructive energy

  27. Snake – mastery over all creation • Hand pointing down – release from ignorance and salvation • Crescent moon – seasons and changes in life

  28. The Lingam and Yoni • Symbols of Shiva as creator • Lingam – male creative power • Yoni – female creative power • Probably the oldest symbols in Hinduism

  29. Shiva Symbols • Trident – destroys evil • Cobra – control over death • Tiger skin (he sits on) – Lord over forces of nature • Drum – creation • Lines on forehead – ability to see past, present and future

  30. Shiva and Nandi • Most gods and goddesses have a “vehicle” = a sacred or mythical animal that transports them • Nandi – the sacred bull • Represents faith, strength and constancy of belief

  31. Vishnu • Conch – water from which all life flows; power to maintain universe • Lotus –Divine truth • Chakra (discus) – conquering evil and ignorance

  32. Mace – power of knowledge conquering evil • “U” on forehead – Vishnu’s sacred footprint • Vehicle – Garuda the eagle

  33. The Lotus • Symbol of purity, fertility, plenty. • Associated with many deities, but mostly with the goddesses Lakshmi and Sarasvati who are often depicted sitting on one

  34. Om (Aum) • The first sound made in Creation • Symbol of Brahman – the Divine Reality • The main symbol of Hinduism

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