I want to learn more about Hinduism.

[YeshuaRedeemed]

I am specifically wondering if Hindus can be monotheistic? If this is the wrong section to ask, I am sorry. Just tell me to stop, and I will. Love you.

 

[Vinayaka]

I am specifically wondering if Hindus can be monotheistic? If this is the wrong section to ask, I am sorry. Just tell me to stop, and I will. Love you.

Yes some are. Within the umbrella known as Hinduism there are monotheists, polytheists, henotheists, atheists, and probably more. But those 4 pretty much cover most of it.

 

[YeshuaRedeemed]

Yes some are. Within the umbrella known as Hinduism there are monotheists, polytheists, henotheists, atheists, and probably more. But those 4 pretty much cover most of it.

Which one are you, if I may ask? I used to be a panentheist until I was 15. Now I am a monotheist.

 

[ajay0]

I am specifically wondering if Hindus can be monotheistic? If this is the wrong section to ask, I am sorry. Just tell me to stop, and I will. Love you.

Yes, Hindus can be monotheistic.

The Lingayats, Brahmo Samajis, Arya Samajis and Prajapita Brahmakumaris are monotheistic sects of Hinduism which consider God as incorporeal.

 

[Vinayaka]

Which one are you, if I may ask? I used to be a panentheist until I was 15. Now I am a monotheist.

I'm a henotheist. (God and Gods) or one Supreme God along with many other 'helper' Gods.

 

[Shantanu]

I am specifically wondering if Hindus can be monotheistic? If this is the wrong section to ask, I am sorry. Just tell me to stop, and I will. Love you.

Hindus can be anything that takes their fancy. But the truth is that the Spirit is known by different names to represent different gunas, and one transcends the gunas to find the Supreme God, until one is fed up with God and becomes an atheist advaitist like @Aupmanyav. Ultimately there is only Consciousness that is manifested in these conceptual forms of the Ultimate Reality where God and gods are redundant as are the concepts that describe the structure of the visible reality. God is of no use to anyone whatsoever. Through satya-advaita all these stages in the search of the truth is determined.

 

[Terese]

I don't think there are any 'truly' monotheistic Hindus in the definition of believing in only one supernatural entity in existence. There are a great many number of incorporeal and corporeal entities in Hindu scripture like Devas and Asuras to great personalities like Sri Narada Muni

I am a henotheist who believes in one Supreme God Sriman Narayana and many other entities existing.

 

[YmirGF]

I am a henotheist who believes in one Supreme God Sriman Narayana and many other entities existing.

You always did have good taste.

 

[Jainarayan]

Fwiw I'm pretty much a henotheist also, with Vishnu as supreme, primus inter pares, if you will.. "first among equals". Therefore I don't accept the "Shiva is the greatest devotee of Vishnu" business, making Shiva somehow subservient to Vishnu. It should be understood as mutual respect, since they are both God, as is Devi.

 

[LuisDantas]

A slightly related question: what can you tell me about the practical consequences of changing one's mind among monotheism, atheism, henotheism and polytheism in Hinduism? Are there Sampradayas that expect some specific stance (or avoid any)? What is expected to happen if one changes one's mind after choosing his or her Sampradaya?

Similarly for changing one's own understanding about how Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna and Devi relate to each other.

Is it, can it, or should it be a private matter that does not require changing one's practice or Sampradaya?

Also, how involved is it to change Sampradayas? How unusual would it be to participate on two or more at the same time?

And how unusual, if at all, would it be for a Hindu to adhere to a Sampradaya and then to a different one out of spur of the moment preference, say, on a weekly basis?

 

[Jainarayan]

Similarly for changing one's own understanding about how Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna and Devi relate to each other.

Is it, can it, or should it be a private matter that does not require changing one's practice or Sampradaya?

I'm not qualified or educated enough to answer your other questions, but this one I can from a personal pov because I have changed my understanding, or beliefs. As others have said, the -theisms in Hinduism run the gamut. There is soft polytheism and hard polytheism. There was a time I was pretty much a hard polytheist but that caused me problems. I've since become what I might consider a soft polytheist. This came about largely from getting a little more into the Bhagavad Gita, specifically chapters 9, 10 and 11 in which Krishna describes all his attributes and shows Arjuna his cosmic divine form. He says he is the only one who grants requests, even though they may have been made to another god or goddess, because he is everything and everyone. So, to pray to another deity is OK, but one must remember that they are in truth praying to Krishna. Other deities are just other forms of him. Therefore, they don't get jealous. How can God be jealous of God? That's a far cry from my former beliefs that if I didn't make offerings or prayers to all the deities, I was slighting them.

 

[Aupmanyav]

- A slightly related question: what can you tell me about the practical consequences of changing one's mind among monotheism, atheism, henotheism and polytheism in Hinduism? Are there Sampradayas that expect some specific stance (or avoid any)? What is expected to happen if one changes one's mind after choosing his or her Sampradaya?
- Similarly for changing one's own understanding about how Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna and Devi relate to each other.
- Is it, can it, or should it be a private matter that does not require changing one's practice or Sampradaya?
- Also, how involved is it to change Sampradayas? How unusual would it be to participate on two or more at the same time?
- And how unusual, if at all, would it be for a Hindu to adhere to a Sampradaya and then to a different one out of spur of the moment preference, say, on a weekly basis?

- Nice questions. There is no stigma attached to changing one's mind. Yes, Sampradayas expect you to follow their particular line, but one can reject one Sampradaya and join another anytime if one wishes to. Nothing happens, one follows the new way.
- Changing one's understanding, again welcome. No stigma. However, the Sampradyas will have their own way. Rather than defending your new thought all the time within a society which has different view, one just abandons it. But not all Hindus belong to any particular Sampradaya. That is not a requirement. Half of them are free birds, as a member here used to say 'village Hindus', going about in their own ways.
- Change of Sampradaya, it is like choosing another brand of cigarette. However, one may have problems with the family. One person has changed his/her views but others remain wedded to the old viow. Such cases could generate interesting debates and sometimes some friction also. Take my example. I am an atheist Hindu, but all the rest in my family are theists. So, some adjustment is required. The saving grace is that I still love and respect the Hindu Gods and Goddesses, though I consider them as fictitious characters, like Herakles, Athena or Dionysus.
- That would be strange, changing one's mind every week. That would show the immaturity of the person and others would laugh about it. However, showing respect to other Sampradayas is quite in line. If I go to a Hare-Krishna gathering, I will go momentarily as a Hare-Krishna, join their rituals and song if not dancing. After all, whomsoever they are worshiping, they are worshiping Hindu deities only.

 

[Vinayaka]

A slightly related question: what can you tell me about the practical consequences of changing one's mind among monotheism, atheism, henotheism and polytheism in Hinduism? Are there Sampradayas that expect some specific stance (or avoid any)? What is expected to happen if one changes one's mind after choosing his or her Sampradaya?

Similarly for changing one's own understanding about how Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna and Devi relate to each other.

Is it, can it, or should it be a private matter that does not require changing one's practice or Sampradaya?

Also, how involved is it to change Sampradayas? How unusual would it be to participate on two or more at the same time?

And how unusual, if at all, would it be for a Hindu to adhere to a Sampradaya and then to a different one out of spur of the moment preference, say, on a weekly basis?

Depends on the sampradaya and what kind of loyalty is suggested. Most people are born into a caste/lineage/sampradaya so there isn't much movement. Often there is formal initiation into it, and in that case it's like a marriage ... a lifetime commitment. It's mostly searching westerners who jump around a lot, and that extends out beyond Hinduism.

For me it boils down to being loyal, and asking if there is anything I'm missing. (which there isn't)

 

[Aupmanyav]

Vinayaka, that is because you belong to a sampradaya. Caste or lineage does not mean following one particular way. And to belong to a sampradaya is not a necessity and many Hindus are not attached to any sampradaya. The Sampradaya thing is stronger in South India. An initiation is a binding, just like baptism. Just as baptized Christians may turn out to be atheists, even after initiation, the person may change his/her views. Sure, the person may face resistance from other members of the family.

 

[Vinayaka]

Vinayaka, that is because you belong to a sampradaya. Caste or lineage does not mean following one particular way. And to belong to a sampradaya is not a necessity and many Hindus are not attached to any sampradaya. The Sampradaya thing is stronger in South India. An initiation is a binding, just like baptism. Just as baptized Christians may turn out to be atheists, even after initiation, the person may change his/her views. Sure, the person may face resistance from other members of the family.

I agree.

 

[ajay0]

A slightly related question: what can you tell me about the practical consequences of changing one's mind among monotheism, atheism, henotheism and polytheism in Hinduism? Are there Sampradayas that expect some specific stance (or avoid any)? What is expected to happen if one changes one's mind after choosing his or her Sampradaya?

All sampradayas or Hindu religious traditions deal with the expansion of consciousness through cultivation of an equanimous mind. They do this through bhakti or jnana or raja yoga or karma yoga or a synthesis of these.

If one is established in a sampradaya , one ought to adhere to it for a considerable span of time with dedication to reap its practical benefits. If one keeps on changing sampradayas, it will not yield results.

It is like digging a well for water. It is better to dig a 20 metre well at a place for water, then digging ten 2 metre deep wells here and there .

And how unusual, if at all, would it be for a Hindu to adhere to a Sampradaya and then to a different one out of spur of the moment preference, say, on a weekly basis?

There maybe such Hindus who are on an experimental mode in the beginning, trying to find out that which fits their temperament the most. But there is freedom of choice for most Hindus.

 

[Shantanu]

One must use all sources of knowledge to develop oneself: restriction to a sampradaya especially for extended periods of time gives tunnel vision which may be in all likelihood totally wrong. The true path to knowledge is given by satya-advaita and it is a continuous process of truth accommodation.

 

[Vinayaka]

I am specifically wondering if Hindus can be monotheistic? If this is the wrong section to ask, I am sorry. Just tell me to stop, and I will. Love you.

So have we helped at all?

 

[YeshuaRedeemed]

So have we helped at all?

Yes. You have. I am sorry for taking so long to respond.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes. You have. I am sorry for taking so long to respond.

Not a problem. I'm just often curious to whether or not a poster gets anything out of such question. So often there is one post, and then nothing. So yeah, good.