Breif description of Hindu GODS

VEDIC CENTER

Brief introduction to Hindu Gods

[Brahma ji] [Vishnu ji] [Mahesh(Shiv) ji] [Rama ji] [Krishna ji] [Hanuman ji] [Ganesh ji]

Lord Bhrama

The God of creation is represented as having four faces and four hands. He sits on the lotus and his sawari is a swan. The four faces of Brahma represent Four Vedas. Brahma originally had five heads but once in a quarrel with Shiva, Shiva plucked his fifth head with his nail. Shiva then had the demerit of Brahmahatya, which followed him. Shiva, in expiation, had to travel errand begging with a skull bowl in his hand, and it was only in the vicinity of Kasi that Shiva could get rid of the begging bowl. This Tirtha at Kasi is therefore known as Kapala Mochana Tirtha. The fact that even Rudra could not escape Brahmahatya establishes the supremacy of the ethical principles.

The consort of Brahma is Savitri. At Pushkar, Brahma resolved to perform a sacred Yajna. Brahma was to perform it with his wife Savitri. At the appointed hour of the Yajna, Savitri was late as she was waiting for her female friends. The hour was so auspicious that Brahma would not let the moment pass without the intended Yajna. He therefore asked Indra to find a suitable girl for him to sit by his side as his wife for the Yajna. Indra secured a Kanya. She was called Gayatri. Brahma married her and kept his time. At this moment Savitri came and saw Gayatri in her place and was highly enraged. Savitri cursed Brahma by saying that none would worship him. Savitri then went away to a hill to the south of Pushkar where there is still a temple dedicated to her.

Brahma, the one sole, self existing supreme self, the only real existing eternal essence, who exercises itself in infinite expansion, in infinite manifestations of itself, in infinite creation, dissolution, re-creation, through infinite varieties and diversities of operation. The old supreme principle of the Vedas, was developed into the outer God in this secondary ‘Hindu Trinity’, Brahma still remains devoid of cult and schematic representation. The highest human manifestation of the eternal Brahma were called Brahmins, whose condition could not be changed and who sink or rise according to their actions in this life to their next birth. The Brahmins attributed all visible forms on earth, stones, mountains, rivers, plants, trees, animals, man and his emanation, to be emanations from this one entity Brahma. Between human beings and Brahma stood Demigods, supernatural beings, inferior gods and superior gods.

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LORD SHIVA

SHIVA

The third in the trinity is Shiva, also known as Maheshwar (the great Lord), Mahadeva (the great God), Shambhu, Harihara (in union with Vishnu), Pinaakdhari (bearer of the axe), Mritunjaya (conquerer of death) and represents distruction and is also considered the god of death

His name Shiva represents one of the most prominent deities of Hinduism. Shiva is also the master of all beings of the underworld including demons (bhutas ), ghosts (pretas), and pishachas (flesh eaters) but his destructive activities are compensated by his attitude of favors to his devotees. He is originator of music and dance (Nataraja - the Dancing Shiva is the symbolism of the dance called Tandava), creator of grammar (vyaakrana), inventor of Yoga & a perfect householder as well as ascetic. Shiva is often shown sitting as a sadhu on a tiger skin. On his matted hairs is a crescent moon (Chandra shekhar), from this flows the mighty river Ganga . Shiva is shown with a third eye in the centre of his forehead-depicting the omniscient, all-kindly nature. The throat is depicted blue due to his having drunk the poison (halaa-hal) during the time of churning of the ocean by the gods this is why he is called Neel-kantha also. Around his neck is a coiled serpant representing kundalini, the spiritual energy within life. He wears a garland of skulls and is also known as the Lord of cremation ground. He also wears the rudraksha beads sacred to him. His body is smeared with ash, as that is all which remains at the dissolution of the universe, which he presides over. Shiva’s sawari is a bull called Nandi and Shiva is also adored in the form of lingam. The word Linga means a symbol or manifestation which points to that is formless as well as with form.

The consort of Shiva is Parwati, the Goddess of Shakti (which in violent form is represented as Goddesses Durga and Kaali & in mild forms is represented as Uma & Parwati. Their sons are Ganesha and Kartikeya Ganesha has an elephant head, generally four arms and a pot-belly. His sawari is a rat and he is one of the most popular gods and is called the remover of obstacles (vighna-harta). Kartikeya is the god of war and general of the army of the gods. He is usually depicted as having six heads. In one hand he carries a spear called Shakti and with his other hand he always blesses devotees. His sawari is the peacock.

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Lord Vishnu

V i s h n u

Vishnu, preserver of human life is one of the three gods of the Trimurti. He is a generous God and known as being ‘Sattvaguna’ (kind and merciful). Vishnu is the only God of the Trimurti who is reborn whenever there is a crisis on earth. If ‘Dharma’ (righteousness) is disturbed, Vishnu descends to earth as an avatar (a human form) to fight the forces of evil.

The Puranas list the Dasavatars’, ten avatars, Vishnu took on to sustain the cosmos. Seen in order, they represent the evolution of mankind from the fish stage to ‘Purusha’ (man).

These avatars were Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar ), Nara-simha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf), Parashurama (a powerful warrior), Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki (white horse).

A romantic aspect of the myths, is that whenever Vishnu descends to earth he marries Lakshmi (his Goddess wife). They are destined to marry on earth as in heaven. When Vishnu is Rama,
Lakshmi is born as Sita. As Krishna he marries her as Rukmani.

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Lord Ram

LORD RAM

Lord Rama on the left with his devotee Shree Hanuman.

            Lord Ram was the seventh Avatar of Lord Vishnu.He was born as Ramachandra the eldest son to King Dashratha, who ruled the kingdom of Ayodhya in north India. Early in his life, a sage called Vishwamitra recognised Rama as an avatar of Vishnu and sought his help in the slaying of a female demon, Taraka. Right from his fight against evil Rama was victorious. This victory foreshadowed the great battle with the demon, Ravana.
            The life of Rama, ideal man and great warrior is the story of India’s second epic, ‘The Ramayana.’ The seventh avatar of Vishnu Rama brings to life a quality known as ‘Maryada Purush’ ideal man. In the 3rd century BC, Valmiki wrote the epic ‘Ramayana’, immortalising the life of Rama. However his step mother Kaikeyi obstructed his path to the throne. She wanted her son, Bharat to inherit the kingdom and conspired against Rama. Rama was sent into exile for fourteen years.
           Sita and Lakshmana (Rama's brother), went with him into the forest where trouble soon followedduring their stay in forest. Ravana was the ten headed demon King of Lanka, As wily as he was vicious, Ravana tricked Rama and Lakshmana and kidnapped Sita.To rescue Sita a bridge was built to reach Ravana’s kingdom. Rama, Lakshmana, Hanuman and an army of warriors crossed the bridge and flooded into Lanka. In the war between good and evil, all the demons were killed. Ravana was killed by Rama and Sita was rescued. Together Ram, Sita and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya. Rama was crowned king and the era when he governed was called ‘Ramrajya’ in recognition of a time when democracy was given the highest dignity

Lord Rama, the most famous incarnation of God, appeared on Rama-navami (Chaitra 9). He is known as Maryada Purusottama and is the emblem righteousness. His life and teachings of morality in office are as relevant for us today as when He appeared nearly 20 million years ago:

"The emperor [Dasaratha] held his four mighty sons, who had issued from his body, as dear as his own arms. Of the four, Lord Rama was the king's most beloved son, and like a Brahma He excelled all others in virtue. Indeed, He was the eternal Lord Sri Vishnu, and had advented Himself in the world of men on behalf of the Devas, who desired the slaying of Ravana."

"He was a son unequalled in the world, and resembled Dasaratha in the possession of good qualities. He never spoke an untruth, He offered all respect to the learned and the elderly; the people adored Him, and He loved the people. His transcendental body was free from disease and the influence of old age. He was eloquent, beautiful, and adaptable to circumstances. He knew the heart of every man on earth [being omniscient], and He alone was aloof from the world of matter. He alone was possessed of all conceivable qualities who was the king's son, and was as dear to the people as their own hearts."

"He was loved by His father's subjects, and ever increased His sire's delight. Lord Rama was endowed with dazzling transcendental qualities, and He was haloed as if by the rays of the sun. The earth personified adored Him who was possessed of such virtues, who was unconquerable, who was courageous, and who was the unequalled Lord of all."

These wonderful qualities of Rama are described in Ayodhya khanda of Ramayana. (translated by Karnamrta dasa)
To hear about and see the pastimes of Lord Rama, follow the links below to a number of very interesting websites:

The Ramayana, text and summary:

Original Sanskrit Ramayana [ITRANS/postscript]

Ramayana summary

Ramayana--re-told for children: Hanuman - The Web Site!

The Ramayana in translation: Ayodhya khanda by Karnamrta dasa

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LordKrishna

Lord Krishna appeared over five thousand years ago in Mathura, India to Devaki and Vasudeva in the jail cell of the tyrant Kamsa. The place of His birth is known as Sri Krishna Janmasthana. He appeared with His brother Balarama in response to the demigods' prayers for protection from the widespread influence of demonic administration on earth.

Previously, the demigods and demons had been at war in the heavens. When the demons were defeated by the demigods, they decided to instead attack this planet earth. Thus, they invaded the earth by discretely taking birth as princes in powerful royal families of the time.

And as the earth became overrun by militaristic activities of these kingly demons, the demigods including the Earth goddess earnestly sought Lord Visnu's protection. Seeing the deteriorating social and political conditions and hearing the prayers of the demigods, the all-compassionate Supreme Lord Sri Krishna decided to descend for the benefit of all.

The Supreme Lord descends from time to time in this material world to reestablish the teachings of the Vedas. In His Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna promises: "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself. To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear milleniumm after millenium."

Although eternal the Lord appears in specific circumstances out of mercy for His devotees. In fact, His principal biography, the Srimad Bhagavatam states, "the learned men describe the births and activities of the Unborn and Inactive." Therefore, although He appears within the material dimensions of time and space, He is most definitely not of it.

Historically, Lord Krishna appeared on the midnight of the 8th day of the dark half of the month of Sravana. This corresponds to July 19th 3228 BC. He exhibited His pastimes for a little over 125 years and dissappeared on February 18th 3102 BC on the new moon night of Phalguna. (His departure marks the beginning of the current age of corruption known as Kali.)

The great scholar Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti neatly outlines Lord Krishna's activities in this way: the first three years and four months were spent in Gokula, then equal lengths of time in Vmdavana and Nandagram, eighteen years and four months in Mathura, and finally ninety-six years and eight months in Dvaraka totalling 125 years of manifest pastimes. See the Krishna-lila chart.

Lord Krishna's early pastimes are briefly summarized at the website Krishna's Adventures in Vraja"During this childhood time , He grew up as the son of His foster parents Nanda and Yasoda in the midst of the idyllic beauty of Gokula, Vrindavana, and Nandagram. Not only did He destroy numerous demons, but also performed His famous rasa dance.

Krishna enjoyed the dance of love (rasa-lila) with the gopis many of whom are expansions of His own internal energies. The supreme gopi known as Srimati Radharani is the object of Krishna's highest devotion. This beautiful dance would occur in the autumn season at night under a full moon when Lord Krsna would captivate the young gopis with the extraordinary music of His flute . These esoteric pastimes constitute the most confidential expression of divinity ever revealed.

Usually the conception of sprirtual perfection consists of overwhelming feelings only of awe and reverence at God's majesty. However, in these pastimes each devotee loves God either as a master, a best freind, a mischievous son, or even as an intimate lover, thus revealing the infinite possibilities of divine love. These early pastimes of Lord Krsna in Vrindavana illustrate the extraordinary intimacy that one can have with God. These pastimes are described in detail by Sri Visvantha Chakravarti in his Sri Krishna Bhavanamrta Mahakavya

When Krsna and Balarama were older, They were invited to Mathura, where Karnsa, Their demonic uncle, was planning Their death in a wrestling match against two large and powerful wrestlers. When Kamsa saw his wrestlers defeated, he ordered his friends to drive the brothers out of Mathura, plunder the riches of Their cowherd friends, and kill Their fathers, Nanda and Vasudeva. However, Krishna immediately killed Kamsa and Balarama killed his eight brothers. Lord Krishna then established the pious King Ugrasena as the emperor of several kingdoms.

In Mathura, both Krishna and Balarama were initiated by Gargamuni in the Gayatri mantra> Later They went to live under the care of Sandipani Muni who instructed Them in all the Vedic arts and sciences in sixty-four days and nights especially in military science, politics and spirituality. As an offering (guru-daksina) to Their teacher, They recovered his son from death. Although God does not need instruction from anyone else, Lord Krsna and His brother set the perfect example : one must accept instruction from and serve a bona-fide spiritual master to advance in spiritual life.

For the next eighteen years, They continued to live in Mathura halting the impending threat of many demonic kings. Later in Their pastimes Lord Balarama married a princess named Revati. Lord Krsna married many queens, the foremost among them being the extraordinarily beautiftil Queen Rukmini. (See Sri Rukmini website for the story of Their marriage). Both Krishna and Balarama established Their palaces in Dvaraka off the coast of western India, where They enjoyed married life for many years. Although They were married, Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama exhibited the quality of detachment from material life perfectly.

When They were about ninety years old, the great world war of Kuruksetra took place. This climactic battle brought together all the major world leaders. Lord Krsna took the role of a charioteer on the side of the pious Pandavas, while Lord Balarama refusing to participate went on a pilgrimage tour thereby blessing the entire land of India.

At the start of the war, Lord Krishna displayed His stupendous Universal Form delivered His famous message known as the Bhagavad-gita, literally the Song of God. This Song contains the essence of all knowledge having been spoken by the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Himself. This war concluded with the destruction of the demonic kings and the reinstatement of the righteous Pandava princes.

Having completed Their mission, Balarama and Krsna resumed Their life in Dvaraka where They spent some thirty-five more years before ending Their earthly manifest activities The foremost description of Lord Krishna's activities occurs in the Srimad Bhagavatam, literally "the Beautiful Book of God

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LORD GANESH

All rituals (samskaras), begin with the worship of Ganesha. His image invokes the universe, his head signifies wisdom and his body is globular, Vishwaroopa. Ganesha represents the majesty of the animal kingdom with his head and his vehicle the mouse shows subjugation of pestilent rats. .

His trunk is twisted into an embodiment of ‘Om’, the syllable that created the world. To combat evil, he carries weapons the discus, trident, sword and shield. A broken tusk is a reminder of his battle with a demon, and the fight with the forces of evil. Yet, the same tusk is used by him in the writing of the epic, the Mahabharata. When Vyasa wanted to compose the Mahabharata, Brahama suggested Ganesha be his scribe. Vyasa agreed and Ganesha brought his broken tusk to writing quill. Vyasa dictated the entire epic in verse. Ganesha recorded every word for Gods and men alike.

He carries a modak (sweet dumpling) in one hand, for his appetite is insatiable, and conscious of his role the other hand shows in the ‘abhaya mudra’(do not fear, I am here to protect). Ganesha straddles the divide between the believers of Shiva and Vishnu. Ganesh idols are worshipped both by Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Ganesha temples are seen in almost every village in India. Chubby and gleeful and elephant headed, Ganesha easily finds his place in the hearts of Gods and people

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Hanumanji

Shree Hanumanjee

Shri Hanuman Ji taught the lesson of philanthropy to the entire world by his actions empowered by the unstinted and unparalleled devotion of Shri Ram Chandra Ji, the affectionate of devotees and also performed the welfare of humanbeings through his unperishable abstinence (Brahmcharya

he supermost devotee Shri Hanuman Ji is an ever-young and immortal entity. He has gained immortality in Tretayuga itself and has done many important deeds in Dwaparyuga and ultimately has laid himself in Prayag near the fort to show his existence in kaliyuga.

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