What does each Hindu god represent?

Answer 1

There are over 1,000 Egyptian gods in the lives of ancient Egyptians. The gods helped the ancients explain the natural events around them. Nut the sky goddess of ancient Egypt provide a canopy for the Earth. Geb her brother/husband was the god of earth. Ra the sun god was the most important God in ancient Egypt, he was swallowed each night by Nut and reborn each morning. Osiris was the king of the underworld and resurrection. Anubis the jackal headed god was in charge of mummification and guiding the soul to judgment. These are a few of the more prominent gods.

Answer 2

THE RIGHT WAY TO UNDERSTAND HINDU GODS:

To understand the supreme Hindu god Brahman we must realize that 'I am the supreme god'. We can't understand it by believing that Brahman is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.

In the same way, to understand Hindu gods, who are manifestations of Brahman, we must believe that they are with in us and not outside us.

PURUSHA:

We can't understand Hindu gods without understanding Purusha.

All the skeletal muscles of our body can contract and relax as a single unit, which we can call Unified Skeletal Muscle or USM. In Hinduism it is known as Purusha or Cosmic Man.

The isometric contraction of Purusha (facilitating force of life) is what we call Saguna Brahman. The isometric relaxation of Purusha (retarding force of life) is what we call Nirguna Brahman.

Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman together form the supreme Hindu god, Brahman.

THE SEVEN BASIC HINDU GODS:

The USM can contract towards seven points in the mid line of our body.

They are,

1. Indra - Feet - god of dreaming

2. Shakti - Knees - god of illusion of movement

3. Brahma - Hip - god of creativity

4. Vishnu - god of stabilization

5. Shiva - god of determination

6. Shani - god of status alteration

7. Yama - god of compulsion.

Just like seven colors unite to form white light, the seven basic Hindu gods merge to form the supreme Hindu god Brahman.

In Brahman, the USM just expands and contracts uniformly in all directions and not towards any point. It should be mentioned here that the name Brahman is derived form the Sanskrit root, brh - to expand or grow.

THE ANTAGONISM AMONG BASIC HINDU GODS:

1. Yama favors our actions at all costs Indra opposes them at all costs.

2. Shakti alters our status to abolish any action, thus make us remain unmoved and emotionless. This enables us to display extra ordinary, but false, courage.

In marked contrast to this, Shani alters our status to ensure action.

3. Shiva favors one action, but without altering our status.

In contrast, Brahma favors one thought without altering our status.

4. Vishnu favors and retards all thoughts and action equally. Thus, Vishnu is the preserver.

While Vishnu allows small fluctuations in our life, the supreme god Brahman abolishes ups and downs in life completely.

It is this antagonism among the basic gods that enables Brahman to eradicate fluctuations in our life completely.

THE GODDESSES:

Every basic Hindu god has Saguna and Nirguna Brahman components.

The Nirguna Brahman component of gods is what we call goddesses. Thus, goddesses enable us to control gods.

CHILDREN OF GODS:

Children represent a part of the basic force. The best example is Ganesha, a part of Shiva force.

INCARNATIONS OF VISHNU:

Vishnu is symbolic of the status quo maintaining, wave like, Semi voluntary force. Each part of this wave symbolizes an incarnation of Vishnu.

The most famous are Rama (symbolizes negative attitude) and Krishna (symbolizes positive attitude).

THE SECONDARY GODS:

These gods have features of two or more basic gods. Aiyappan, Durga, Kali, etc are examples.