Gods And God-Men

Trimurti

(Sanskrit: “Three Forms”), in Hinduism, a triad of the three great Gods, Brahmǎ, 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 Kǎlidǎsa’s poem Kumǎrasambhava (c. 4th–5th century).

Rama

One of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities, the embodiment of chivalry and virtue. Although there are three Rǎmas mentioned in Indian tradition (Parasurǎma, Balarǎma, and Rǎmacandra), the name is specifically associated with Rǎmacandra, the seventh incarnation (avatǎra) of Lord Vishnu. It is possible that Rǎma was an actual historical figure, a tribal hero of ancient India who was later deified. His story is told briefly in the Mahǎbhǎrata (“Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty”) and at great length in the Rǎmǎyana (q.v.; “Romance of Rǎma”).

Rǎma’s popularity was increased greatly by the retelling of the Sanskrit epics in the vernaculars, such as Tulsidǎs‘ celebrated Hindi version, the Rǎmcaritmǎnas (“Sacred Lake of the Acts of Rǎma”).

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 avatǎra) 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 Mahǎbhǎrata and its 5th-century-AD appendix, the Harivansa, and the Purǎnas, particularly Books 10 and 11 of the Bhǎgavata- Purǎna .

Avatara

Sanskrit Avatǎra (“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:

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, Balarǎma, included as an avatar. One formulation of the doctrine is given in the religious poem the Bhagavadgitǎ, 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.”