How many gods there are in Hinduism?

[Worshipper]

Thank you again, Suraj and want to be hindu, for these wonderful answers. This really helps me understand a lot more than what I can get by talking with (Western) professors and reading (Western) scholarly books on the matter. I wish I had the money to just go to India, spend some years there, and learn for myself. But since I don't have that kind of money, it's very helpful to get your insights. Thank you very much!

[zenzero]

Friend Worshipper,
By visiting India, it is not necessary you would find what you seek.
It is said that a master is a must for spiritual growth but before that one has to be ready to receive the master besides personally existence itself is the master which provides all the answers that crop up. Besides if any master has to come, let him come of his own accord; no need to go after him, as if he has to come he will surely come. That is the natural law.
Love & rgds

[Jack_Ripper]

What do you think about this?

"He is One, but the wise call Him by different names; such as, Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni,Divya - One who pervades all the luminous bodies, the source of light; Suparnaa - the Protector and Preserver of the Universe, Whose work are perfect; Matrishwaa - Powerful like wind; Garutmaan - Mighty by nature. " RIG VEDA MANDAL 1-22, 164.

[Don Penguinoini]

I think that is the most accepted view of God of Hinduism.

Being such a diverse religion, there must me a different interpretation.

[zenzero]

Freind Jack,
Whatever one perceives is perception and till the last frontier of all perceptions are dropped, enlightenment is not to be.
Love & rgds

[Aupmanyav]

Originally Posted by Jack_Ripper

What do you think about this?

"He is One, but the wise call Him by different names; such as, Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni,Divya - One who pervades all the luminous bodies, the source of light; Suparnaa - the Protector and Preserver of the Universe, Whose work are perfect; Matrishwaa - Powerful like wind; Garutmaan - Mighty by nature. " RIG VEDA MANDAL 1-22, 164.

Views of the writer of the hymn (other people may have different views).

[Aupmanyav]

Originally Posted by Worshipper

So, this sounds like the current situation among people who practice some form of the ancient folk religions of India (which the world calls Hinduism) might vary quite a bit from Vedic religion (which is how you identified Hinduism) and include a great deal of belief in multiple real gods. Would that be a fair assessment?

The Vedic view and the aboriginal view and all the views in between and which came up later are doing fine within hinduism. The number of gods and goddesses range from a legion to three or four (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti) to one to none. Hinduism does not fetter personal belief. Percentages are guesses and change frequently. Nobody stops a polytheist to become an atheist. Both are valid views and have their own explanations. Vedic views are not the totality of hinduism (even there you have multiplicity).

Indian farmboys are smart and it does not take much imagination to believe that all things are composed of one base element, only their form is different; be it humans, animals, vegetation, or non-living objects. After all, behind all this are just atoms, and as you know it all started with hydrogen atoms. That is why they say in Hindi 'kan kan mein Bhagawan', God in every grain of sand (Nowhere that He is absent - of course, that is a theistic explanation, and most hindus are theists).

I would like to recount the story of Prahlad, the most profound worshiper of Lord Vishnu, and a son of a demon named Hiranyakashipu. The demon asked whether Vishnu was present in a column of stone in his palace, Prahlad said yes. The demon broke the column and outcame the Man-lion avatara or Lord Vishnu, the Nrisimha Avatara, and destroyed him.

[Laremst]

Yes, I wouldn't refer to the figures as "Gods", because a God is all powerful. I would consider them Deities, because they all seem to govern their own area.

[Aupmanyav]

Laremst, You are an atheist and I am also an atheist. Your statement 'because a God is all powerful' is because of your Abrahamic background. In hinduism many Gods can be all powerful, for example, Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti (Durga), Rama, Krishna, Ganesha, etc. They can exist together sometimes even with stepping on each others toes. Then, the 'ishta' (chosen God) of the worshiper is the most powerful for him. Of course, there are other Devas also with limited functions.