Hinduism Chapter 2 Summary

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Chapter 2: The Different Aspects of Hinduism
The Gods and Goddesses
Since Hindus generally believe in the existence of Brahman, or the supreme creator, and other minor divinities, Hinduism cannot be considered as a religion based on polytheism. Believers claim that the gods and goddesses in this world (e.g. Lakshmi, Indra, Vishnu, Mitra, Varuna, Siva, Saraswathi, Brahma, Parvathi, etc.) are just manifestations of Brahman, which is the highest god. In addition, these gods are commonly worshipped as individual deities. These divinities are the forms that Brahman uses to implement his tasks and plans as the creator of the entire universe. According to Hindu writings, Brahman is both spiritual and immortal. In his ultimate form, he is considered …show more content…

Hindus worship her so that she will make them rich. Laxmi Pujan, one of the grandest Hindu festivals, is celebrated just for this goddess.
The gods of the Hindus:
1. Shiva – He is known as the destroyer. Believers call him the “God of Gods”.
2. Vishnu – This god is known as the protector.
3. Brahma – He created the entire universe. Similar to Indra, Hindus do not worship him as an individual god because of his behavior. Instead, he is worshipped as an important member of the Trinity (together with Vishnu and Shiva).
4. Dattatreya – He is the most powerful god in Hinduism. According to Hindu teachings, he is the combination of the three major deities (e.g. Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma).
5. Ganesha – The son of Parvati and Shiva. Hindus depict him as a god with an elephant’s head and a human’s body.
6. Krishna – The killer of demons. He is the god who told the divine song (Bhagavad Gita) to Arjuna.
7. Narshimha – He is often depicted as a god with a lion’s head and a human’s body. He is one of Vishnu’s forms. According to an ancient tale, he killed Hiranyakashyapu, the demon king.
8. Hanuman – He is referred to as the monkey god. Hindus believe that he is immortal and that he still lives during the present

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