9/10/2015

HinduDeities&TheirMeanings

Hindu Deities & Their Meanings

Images of Hindu Deities & their meanings

Contrary to popular belief in the West, Hindu deities are not "individual gods", indicating a polytheistic faith. They
are, rather, different representations of particular aspects of the one god, the source, known as Brahman. The
"human" or physical representation of Brahman's aspects or attributes in the form of deities is a vehicle for the
devotee to focus his or her attention, devotion or meditation on that particular aspect or attribute in a form more
easily visualized and held in the mind.
The many deities of Hinduism, which may be seen as reflecting different aspects of Brahman, are represented by
images. Use is made of such features as posture, dress, multiple arms and symbolic objects to represent each deity. It
should be noted, however, that there may be a range of different ways of representing a particular deity, particularly
when the deity is seen to represent several different qualities. In some cases, symbols are used to show that a deity
belongs to a particular 'family', e.g. there is a range of deities associated with Vishnu. In addition some symbols
belong to the common heritage of Hinduism or more generally of India.
Images may be made from metal, stone, wood or plastic. The images found in temples will tend to be much more
majestic than those found in Hindu homes. The image only becomes a "murti", an embodiment of Brahman,
through a special act of consecration when it is installed in the temple or home. It then becomes a focal point for
worship. Some images are consecrated on a 'permanent' basis and will continue to be used on the temple or home
shrine unless they become damaged. Broken or damaged images are discarded as they no longer fulfill their purpose
of representing the deity. Sometimes an image will only be consecrated for a specific period of time, e.g. a festival,
after which it will be destroyed, perhaps as part of the concluding ritual of the festival.
Each deity is associated with a 'vehicle', a bird or animal on which it travels. The vehicles are used in Indian religious
art to reflect and at times to extend the powers or qualities of the deity with which it is associated. These are often
better expressed by an animal than by a human being. The vehicle also represents the close relationship between all
living things.
There is a range of views within Hinduism about images of the deities. Most accept that within the context of
worship they mediate the presence of Brahman/the particular deity and help the worshipper to visualize the deity. To
those outsiders who find it difficult to empathize with the brightly colored plastic images which feature in many
Hindu homes, some Hindu writers point to the very 'concrete' mental images of God held by many worshippers in
other traditions, e.g. God as 'an old man in the sky'. Perhaps the very fact that there are so many images makes the
point that each can tell only a very small part of the whole story.
You may view them in order by scrolling down,
or jump to the ones you'd like to see by clicking on the names in the index below:
Page 1: Brahma - Durga - Ganesha
Page 2: Hanuman - Kali - Krishna - Krishna as a baby
Page 3: Lakshmana - Lakshmi - Parvati - Krishna & Radha - Radha
Page 4: Rama - Ramdarbar - Ravana - Sarasvati
Page 5: Shiva - Shiva Nataraj (Nataraja)
Page 6: Sita & Rama - Sita - Trimurti - Vishnu
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6: Sita & Rama - Sita - Trimurti - Vishnu
The Goddess as Knowledge

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Brahma
As the creator of the world whose four heads and four
arms represent the four points of the compass, it may
be thought that Brahma would have a dominant role
within Hinduism. Though he represents one of the
three main forms of Brahman, he is very much
subordinated to Vishnu, who represents the sustaining
aspect of Brahman and Shiva who represents the
destructive aspect. In fact, one story tells of Brahma's
fifth head being burnt up by Shiva's third eye.
He may be shown holding a vase of water, symbolizing
the water from which the universe evolved, a rosary for
counting the passage of time, a sacrificial spoon linking
him with the Brahmin priests and their traditional role
in the offering of sacrifices and the four Vedas, ancient
sacred books of the Hindus. He is also at times shown
with a disc and an alms bowl. He may be depicted on a
lotus throne. He is often bearded, and may wear a black
or white garment.
His consort (wife/partner) is Sarasvati, goddess of
wisdom and music and his vehicle is a swan or a goose.
As creation is the work of the mind and the
intellect, Lord Brahma symbolizes the Universal
Mind. From the standpoint of an individual,
Brahma symbolizes one's own mind and intellect.
Since an individual is naturally gifted with the mind and intellect, he or she may be said to have already
realized Brahma. For this reason the worship of Brahma is not very popular among all Hindus. He is,
however, worshipped by seekers of knowledge, such as students, teachers, scholars and scientists.

Durga
The name 'Durga' means 'Inaccessible' and this may reflect something of
the mystery at the heart of this deity. Though loving and kind to those
who worship her, as the consort (wife/partner) of Shiva in her warrior
form, she symbolizes the violent and destructive qualities of the
Mother Goddess (Shakti). These qualities are explained by a story from
the Hindu tradition according to which she was born fully grown from
flames which issued from the mouths of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and
other lesser deities who created her for the purpose of destroying the
buffalo demon, symbol of death.
The weapons which she holds which may include Shiva's trident,
Vishnu's discus, a bow and arrow, a sword and shield, and a javelin are
for the destruction of evil and the protection of good.
The eight arms with which she is at times shown have been
interpreted as representing health, education, wealth, organization,
unity, fame, courage and truth. Other images show Durga with ten arms. Her vehicle is a lion or tiger which
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further emphasizes her violent and aggressive qualities. As a figure of power, she has been likened to a sort of
feminine St George.
Durga, also called Divine Mother, protects mankind from evil and misery by destroying evil forces such as
selfishness, jealousy, prejudice, hatred, anger, and ego. For example, selfishness must be destroyed by
detachment, jealousy by desirelessness, prejudice by self-knowledge, and ego by discrimination.

Ganesha
The image of Ganesha is one of the most
distinctive ones within Hinduism. The image has
an elephant's head and a large human body
usually colored pink or yellow. The elephant's
head symbolizes the gaining of knowledge
through listening (ears) and reflection (large
head). The two tusks, one whole and the other
broken, reflect the existence of perfection and
imperfection in the physical world. There is a
wealth of symbolism associated with his 'pot
belly'. It has been interpreted as reflecting an
ability to digest whatever experiences life brings.
Or, to draw on another motif to be found in
Hinduism, that in some sense the whole universe
is contained inside him. It may also be seen as a
sign of well-being and of his role as a provider of
earthly riches. Ganesha is shown with one leg
on the ground and the other one folded as if
he were meditating. This reflects a balance
between the practical and spiritual life, a
theme which is repeated in the symbolism of
some of the objects associated with him.
In his hands he holds such objects as a rope or
noose, to trap the things which attract the mind
to the world, and a goad or iron hook, to represent the need to control desires. But he is also typically shown with a
bowl of sweetmeats representing earthly prosperity and well-being. He may also be shown with an axe or trident,
both of which link him with Shiva. Other symbolic objects which may be associated with Ganesha are a shell, water
lily, mace and discus.
He is pictured with four arms symbolizing such aspects of Hinduism as the four Vedas (ancient sacred books), the
four aims of Hinduism and the four stages of life.
His vehicle is a rat or a mouse as these creatures are known for their ability to gnaw through barriers. The
combination of the elephant and the rat or mouse ensures that all obstacles, of whatever size, are removed. The fact
that a rat/mouse and food are often shown around or under his feet has also been interpreted as reflecting the idea
that desires and wealth are both under his control.
Ganesha is worshipped as the deity who removes barriers and bestows wisdom and good fortune. Many
Hindus have an image of Ganesha on their shrines and pray to him before they begin their worship of other deities.
He is also worshipped at the beginning of any new venture such as a wedding or the building of a new
house. Ganesha is often shown with an open hand, palms upturned, sometimes holding a gift to show him
granting favors to his devotees.
As god of wisdom he is invoked at the beginning of books and may be shown holding a tusk as a pen since he is
regarded as the writer of the scriptures and hence the patron of schools and of the written word.
In Hindu mythology Ganesha is identified as the son of Shiva and Parvati. The custom of placing an image of
Ganesha at doorways recalls the story of his courage in defending his mother. The stories about the loss of his head
all tend to agree that it was replaced by that of the first living animal that came along, which was an elephant.

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