Trimurti
(Sanskrit: “Three Forms”), in Hinduism, a triad of the three great Gods, Brahm?, Vishnu, and Siva (Shiva). Scholars consider the Trimurti doctrine as an attempt to reconcile different monotheistic approaches with one another and with the philosophic doctrine of ultimate reality (Brahman). Although sometimes called the Hindu Trinity, Trimurti has little similarity to the Christian Trinity. The doctrine was given classical expression in K?lid?sa’s poem Kum?rasambhava (c. 4th–5th century).
Rama
One of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities, the embodiment of chivalry and virtue. Although there are three R?mas mentioned in Indian tradition (Parasur?ma, Balar?ma, and R?macandra), the name is specifically associated with R?macandra, the seventh incarnation (avat?ra) of Lord Vishnu. It is possible that R?ma was an actual historical figure, a tribal hero of ancient India who was later deified. His story is told briefly in the Mah?bh?rata (“Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty”) and at great length in the R?m?yana (q.v.; “Romance of R?ma”).
References to R?ma as an incarnation of Vishnu appear in the early centuries AD; there was, however, probably no special worship of him before the 11th century, and it was not until the 14th and 15th centuries that distinct sects appeared venerating him as the supreme God.
R?ma’s popularity was increased greatly by the retelling of the Sanskrit epics in the vernaculars, such as Tulsid?s‘ celebrated Hindi version, the R?mcaritm?nas (“Sacred Lake of the Acts of R?ma”).
Hanuman
In Hindu mythology, the divine monkey chief, a central figure in the great Hindu epic the R?m?yana (“Romance of R?ma”).
Hanum?n is the child of a nymph by the wind God; accompanied by a host of monkeys, he aided R?ma in recovering his wife, Sit?, from the demon R?vana. His heroic exploits are many.
He acted as R?ma’s spy in the midst of the demon’s kingdom; when he was discovered and his tail set on fire; he burnt down their city, Lank?.
Hanum?n flew to the Himalayas and carried back the mountain of medicinal herbs to restore the wounded among R?ma’s army. He crossed the strait between India and Sri Lanka in one leap.
A beneficent guardian spirit, he is worshiped in the form of a monkey with a red face, who stands erect like a human. Temples in his honor are numerous. In his devotion to R?ma, Hanum?n is upheld as a model for human devotion to God, an attitude depicted by South Indian bronze sculptors.
He is also a popular deity in Japan, where many temples are erected to his honor and districts of towns bear his name. The hanuman monkey (Presbytis entellus), one of the most common Indian monkeys, is named after the God and is thus generally looked upon as sacred.
Ganesha
Also spelled Ganesh, also called Ganapati is the elephant-headed Hindu God, who is the son of Lord Shiva and his wife, Parvati. He is also revered by Jains and important in the art, myth, and ritual of Buddhist Asia.
One account of his birth is that Parvati formed him from the rubbings of her body so that he might stand guard at the door while she bathed. When Shiva approached (unaware that this was Parvati’s son), he was enraged at being kept away from his wife and set his attendants against Ganesha, whose head was cut off in the battle. To ease Parvati’s grief, Shiva promised to cut off the head of the first creature that he came across and join it to the body. This was a baby elephant.
Krishna
Sanskrit Krsna one of the most widely revered and most popular of all Indian divinities, worshipped as the eighth incarnation (avatar, or avat?ra) of the Hindu God Vishnu and also as a supreme God in his own right.
Krishna became the focus of numerous bhakti (devotional) cults, which over the centuries have produced a wealth of religious poetry, music,and painting.
The basic sources of Krishna’s mythology are the epic Mah?bh?rata and its 5th-century-AD appendix, the Harivansa, and the Pur?nas, particularly Books 10 and 11 of the Bh?gavata- Pur?na .
Avatara
Sanskrit Avat?ra (“descent”), in Hinduism is the incarnation of a deity in human or animal form to counteract some particular evil in the world. The term usually refers to these 10 appearances of Vishnu:
- Matsya (fish)
- Kurma (tortoise)
- Var?ha (boar)
- Narasimha (half man, half lion)
- V?mana (dwarf)
- Parasur?ma (R?ma with the axe)
- R?ma (hero of the R?m?yana epic)
- Krishna (the divine cowherd)
- Buddha
- Kalkin (the incarnation yet to come).
The number of Vishnu’s avatars is sometimes extended or their identities changed, according to local preferences. Thus, Krishna is in some areas elevated to the rank of a deity, and his half brother, Balar?ma, included as an avatar. One formulation of the doctrine is given in the religious poem the Bhagavadgit?, when charioteer Lord Krishna tells Arjuna:
“Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and rise of unrighteousness then I send forth myself for the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of righteousness. I come into being from age to age.”
New Gods Every Day
“The adaptability of Hinduism to changing conditions is illustrated by the appearance in the Hindu pantheon of a new divinity, of special utility in an acquisitive society.
This is the Goddess Santosee Maataa, first worshipped widely by women in many cities of Uttar Pradesh and now worshipped throughout India, largely as the result of a popular mythological film about her birth and the origin of her worship.
The new Goddess was unheard-of a few years ago and has no basis in any Puraanic myth. Propitiated by comparatively simple and inexpensive rites performed in the home without the intervention of a priest, Santosee, it is believe, grants practical and obvious blessings, such as a promotion for a needy, overworked husband, a new radio, or even a refrigerator.” (p. 529)