Showing posts with label Gods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gods. Show all posts

Monday, October 12, 2026

How old are some of the Hindu gods?

 

The Rig Vedic period is between 1,500 and 500 BC, though if we take oral tradition into consideration they are still older.

The Rig Vedic gods are actually parts of a mechanism that automatically detect and solve problems. There were no temples, idols, and rituals for these gods.

The Puranic Hindu gods are belong to a period between 500 BCE and 500 ACE.

The gods keep evolving continuously and it is not possible to fix an exact period.

Some of the Puranic gods like Indra, Yama, etc. are also Vedic gods. It is difficult to associate some of the Puranic gods with Vedic gods with same or similar name.

It is to be realized that Hindu gods are based on seven stage muscle tone based human thinking mechanism.

It has to be realized that Hindu gods symbolize the seven stages of the seven stage muscle tone based human thinking mechanism. The nature of these gods and the ways to appease them were understood in the Vedic and Puranic periods. Before this period Hindus used to have blind faith in gods. It is for this reason that Hindu gods are supposed to be universal and eternal.

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Why are there three Gods (Brahma-Vishnu-Shiv) if there is only one God, as stated in the Vedas or Puranas?

 Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!

The answer is given in the Vishnu Purana.

ParaBrahman creates through Lord Brahma, maintains through Lord Vishnu, and destroys through Lord Shiva.

srishtisthithyanthakaraneem brahmavishnushivaathmikaam sa sajnaam yaathi bhagavaan eka eva janaardhanaha

Translation:

“In order to handle creation, sustenance, and destruction, the one and only Janaardhana takes the names of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheswara.” - Vishnu Purana 1.2.66

The term ‘Trimurti’ literally means ‘three forms’ and refers to them being the three guna-avataras (i.e., the three expansions that oversee the cycle of creation, maintenance, and destruction).

Hence, in this context, they are qualitatively nondifferent from one another.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
ahaṁ brahmā ca śarvaś ca jagataḥ kāraṇaṁ param ātmeśvara upadraṣṭā svayan-dṛg aviśeṣaṇaḥ

Translation:

“Lord Viṣṇu replied: Brahmā, Lord Śiva and I are the supreme cause of the material manifestation. I am the Supersoul, the self-sufficient witness. But impersonally there is no difference between Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Me.” - Srimad Bhagavatam 4.7.50

The reason the Trimurti exists is because it is believed that ParaBrahman never directly associates with the material realm to create, maintain, and destroy and acts indirectly through His expansions.

This is stated by Lord Brahma:

māyayāramamāṇasya na viyogas tayā saha

Translation:

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead never consorts with His illusory energy. Still, her connection is not entirely cut off from the Absolute Truth.” - Brahma Samhita 5.7

This is stated by Lord Vishnu:

ātma-māyāṁ samāviśya so ’haṁ guṇamayīṁ dvija sṛjan rakṣan haran viśvaṁ dadhre saṁjñāṁ kriyocitām

Translation:

“My dear Dakṣa Dvija, I am the original Personality of Godhead, but in order to create, maintain and annihilate this cosmic manifestation, I act through My material energy, and according to the different grades of activity, My representations are differently named.” - Srimad Bhagavatam 4.7.51

This is stated by Lord Shiva:

yam āhur asya sthiti-janma-saṁyamaṁ tribhir vihīnaṁ yam anantam ṛṣayaḥ

Translation:

“All the great sages accept the Lord as the source of creation, maintenance and destruction, although He actually has nothing to do with these activities. Therefore the Lord is called unlimited.” - Srimad Bhagavatam 5.17.21

Hare Krishna

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Who are the main Gods in Hinduism? Are there any other important deities besides Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara?

 Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!

Beyond the Trimurti (i.e., Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara), there is ParaBrahman (i.e., ParaVasudeva of the Vaishnavas, Nirguna Brahman of the Advaitins/Smartas, ParaShiva of the Shaivas, or Adi ParaShakti of the Shaktas).

ParaBrahman is the source of this universe and countless others.

janmādy asya yataḥ

Translation:

“(ParaBrahman) is He from Whom everything emanates.” - Brahma Sutras 1.1.2

ParaBrahman is the Lord of all beings and the source of devi-devatas’ names, roles, and powers.

yo naḥ pitā janitā yo vidhātā dhāmāni veda bhuvanāni viśvā
yo devānāṃ nāmadhā eka eva taṃ sampraśnam bhuvanā yanty anyā

Translation:

“He (i.e., ParaBrahman) who is our preserver, our parent, the creator, who knows our abodes and knows all beings, who is the name-giver and name-bearer of the devas – He is one; other beings come to Him to enquire." - Rig Veda 10.82.3

The devi-devatas represent the different aspects of ParaBrahman’s shakti, and they are part and parcel of ParaBrahman.

indram mitraṃ varuṇam agnim āhur atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān
ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadanty agniṃ yamam mātariśvānam āhuḥ

Translation:

“They have styled Him (i.e., ParaBrahman), Surya, Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni, and He is the celestial, well-winged Garuda, for learned priests call one by many names as they speak of Agni, Yama, Mātariśvan.” - Rig Veda 1.164.46

ParaBrahman is also known as being ‘purna’ (‘complete’ or ‘full’ of transcendental essence/quality).

oṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate

Translation:

“The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.” - Isha/Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Introductory Invocation

ParaBrahman cannot be known through our five bodily senses.

tadvā etadakśaraṃ gārgyadṛṣṭaṃ draṣṭṛ aśrutaṃ śrottṛ amataṃ mantṛ avijñātaṃ vijñātṛ nānyadato'sti draṣṭṛ nānyadato'sti śrotṛ nānyadato'sti mantṛ nānyadato'sti vijñātṛ etasminnu khalvakśare gārgyākāśa otaśca protaśceti

Translation:

“This Immutable, O Gārgī, is never seen but is the Witness; It is never heard, but is the Hearer; It is never thought but is the Thinker; It is never known, but is the Knower. There is no other witness but This, no other hearer but This, no other thinker but This, no other knower but This. By this Immutable, O Gārgī, is the space pervaded.” - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.8.11

ParaBrahman can only be known from the authorities of scripture.

śāstra-yonitvāt

Translation:

“Because He (i.e., ParaBrahman) may only be known by the Vedic scriptures.” - Brahma Sutras 1.1.3

The nature of ParaBrahman is nirguna (i.e., devoid of and beyond material qualities) and saguna (i.e., of transcendental quality).

tam īśvarāṇāṃ paramaṃ maheśvaraṃ taṃ devatānāṃ paramaṃ ca daivataṃ
patiṃ patīnāṃ paramaṃ parastād vidāma devaṃ bhuvaneśam īḍyam
na tasya kāryaṃ karaṇaṃ ca vidyate na tatsamaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñānabalakriyā ca
na tasya kaścit patir asti loke na ceśitā naiva ca tasya liṅgaṃ
sa kāraṇaṃ karaṇādhipādhipo na cāsya kaścij janitā na cādhipaḥ

Translation:

“We know Him who is the Supreme Lord of lords, the Supreme Deity of deities, the Ruler of rulers; who is higher than the imperishable prakriti and is the self-luminous, adorable Lord of the world. He is without a body or organs; none like unto Him is seen, or better than He. The Vedas speak of His exalted power, which is innate and capable of producing diverse effects, and also of His omniscience and might. He has no master in the world, no ruler, nor is there even a sign of Him by which He can be inferred. He is the cause, the Lord of the lord of the organs; and He is without progenitor or controller.” - Svetasvatara Upanishad 6.7–9

ParaBrahman is transpersonal (i.e., beyond personality) with both impersonal (i.e., Brahman) and personal aspects (i.e., Bhagavan), as well as an immanent aspect (i.e., Paramatma).

vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate

Translation:

“Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.” - Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.11

The ways of ParaBrahman are seemingly contradictory.

tad ejati tan naijati tad dūre tad v antike tad antar asya sarvasya tad u sarvasyāsya bāhyataḥ

Translation:

“The Supreme Lord walks and does not walk. He is far away, but He is very near as well. He is within everything, and yet He is outside of everything.” - Isha Upanishad 5

ParaBrahman is represented by the sound/mantra/symbol ‘Om’.

sarve vedā yatpadamāmananti tapām̐si sarvāṇi ca yadvadanti yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti tatte padm̐ saṃgraheṇa bravīmyomityetat etaddhyevākśaraṃ brahma etaddhyevākśaraṃ param etaddhyevākśaraṃ jñātvā yo yadicchati tasya tat

Translation:

“The goal which all the Vedas uniformly extol, which all acts of tapas speak of, and wishing for which men lead the life of a Brahmacharin, that goal I tell you briefly — It is this — Om. This word is, indeed, Brahman, this word is, in deed, the highest; whoso knows this word obtains, indeed, whatever he wishes for.” - Katha Upanishad 1.2.15–16

Hare Krishna

Friday, August 7, 2026

Who is the biggest god among gods?

 Param Shiva Supreme god with supreme Shivling

Agni Shivling

Vayu ling check Sanatan Shiv Dharma

All tantrik breadth practice done under Vayu ling
All kundalini practice done under shiva

b

Param shiva is shunya 🕉 beginning of Universe.

Shivling : All soul born by Shivling Shakti.

We all human being carbon copy of Shiva.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Is there a hierarchy of respect among Hindu Gods, with Lord Shiva possibly respecting some more than others?

 It's a matter of their humility, not necessarily hierarchy..

If we inspect Dron parva, when Brahma was about to destroy universe, because he was angry with overpopulation, shiv pleaded him to spare his own creation.. we can see there's immense respect and reverence towards Brahma here.

"Rudra said, 'Be inclined to grace. O lord of the universe, cherish not the wrath for the destruction of creatures. No more let creatures, immobile and mobile, be destroyed. Through thy grace, O illustrious one, let the threefold universe, viz., the Future, the Past, and the Present exist.

Thou, O Lord, hadst blazed up with wrath. From that wrath of thine, a substance like fire sprang into existence, That fire is even now blasting rocks and trees and rivers, and all kinds of herbs and grass. Indeed, that fire is exterminating the immobile and the mobile universe.

The mobile and the immobile universe is being reduced to ashes. Be inclined to grace, O illustrious one! Do not give way to wrath. Even this is the boon I solicit, All created things, O divine Being, belonging to thee, are being destroyed.

Therefore, let thy wrath be appeased. Let it be annihilated in thy own self. Cast thy eye on thy creatures, inspired with the desire of doing them good. Do that by which creatures endued with life may not cease to be. Let not these creatures, with their productive powers weakened be exterminated.

O Creator of the worlds, thou hast appointed me their Protector, O Lord of the universe, let not the mobile and the immobile universe to be destroyed. Thou art inclined to grace, and it is for this that I say these words unto thee.'

Same is the case with Brahma for shiv too. He appealed to shiv to destroy The Tripura forts, which only shiv was capable of .

Brahman then offered his adorations, unto Sankara, and said these words for the benefit of the universe, 'Through thy favour, O Lord of all, the Lordship of all creatures is mine. Occupying that rank, I have given a great boon to the Danavas.

It behoveth none else, save thee, O Lord of the Past and the Future, to destroy those wicked wights that show no regard for any one. Thou O god, art the only person competent to slay the foes of these denizens of heaven that have sought thy protection and that solicit thee. O lord of all the gods, show favour to these.

Slay the Danavas, O wielder of the trident. O giver of honours, let the universe, through thy grace, obtain happiness. O Lord of all the worlds, thou art the one whose shelter should be sought. We all seek thy shelter.'

Brahma also respects all beings irrespective of their nature, Dev's, Asura, Yaksha gandharva or humans, and other beings.

And all the dwellers in heaven repairing thither behold the Supreme Deity when they please, and worshipping him with a bow of their head return whence they came.

And, O king of men, the Grandsire of all created beings, the Soul of the universe, the Self create Brahma of immeasurable intelligence and glory, equally kind unto all creatures, honoureth as they deserve, and gratifieth with sweet speech and gift of wealth and other enjoyable articles, the gods, the Daityas, the Nagas, the Brahmanas, the Yakshas, the Birds, the Kaleyas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, and all other exalted beings that came to him as his guests.

Brahma also treats other gods like Indra , Agni and Vishnu too with great reverence.

Fact is this doesn't necessarily create a hierarchy of honour. But reflects on the great nature of these gods.

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Do gods still come to Earth these days?

 

" yamaha " is one of the magnificent names in the * Vishnu Sahasranama * (The Thousand Names of Vishnu). Adi Shankara, in his commentary, interpreted "Yama" as " He who guides from within "

Alternatively, one may conceive of Him as " He who resides within and provides guidance ". Residing in close proximity to the spine within the physical body, Lord Yama continuously records the karmic consequences of the soul (*Jiva*). This constitutes His subtle body.

"Yama" also signifies "He who restrains" — the One who ensures that all things remain in their proper order.

" yah prithivIm antarO yamayati......" — *Brihadaranyaka Upanishad*. This verse declares that He who resides within the Earth and restrains the Earth; who resides within Fire and restrains Fire; and who resides within the Wind and restrains the Wind—He is Yama.

He establishes rules; should they be defied, He exercises His power of restraint.

Yama is *Samavarti*—the Impartial Judge. He is the very embodiment of serenity; to those who perform virtuous deeds, He appears in this benevolent form. Yama reveals Himself to the soul just prior to the moment of death. However, to sinners, He appears in a terrifying guise—with blazing red eyes, protruding fangs, a long nose, and wielding a noose (*Pasha*). The sinner is struck with abject terror.

The * kaThOpanishad * presents the profound dialogue between Yama and Nachiketa. This Upanishad offers a magnificent exposition on the true nature of the Soul (*Atman*).

Yama is one of the divine entities who constantly observe and witness our karmic actions.

The *Garuda Purana* affirms this truth, stating: "The Sun (*Aditya*), the Moon (*Chandra*), the Wind (*Anila*), Fire (*Anala*), the Earth (*Bhumi*), Water (*Apa*), the Heart (*Hridaya*), Yama, Day (*Ahas*), Night (*Ratri*), the two Twilights (*Sandhyas*), and *Dharma*—these are the witnesses who observe and know the conduct of every human being." All these entities serve as witnesses, constantly observing the actions of living beings.

These witnesses report matters exactly as they are; they take note of every deed—whether performed knowingly or unknowingly. One can safeguard oneself by cultivating a favorable relationship with them.

How?

Through " vrataiScha dAnaiScha satyam......"—that is, through the observance of vows and acts of charity. If these practices are performed consistently, all these witnesses become pleased. Consequently, they will bear favorable testimony.

Among these witnesses resides the Heart—the Inner Self. We are, in fact, fully aware of our own actions; yet, the veil of *Maya* (illusion) often obscures this awareness.

Gods will not come at times, they stay with us always, observe our actions and guide us.

Best example is Sun. He, in the form of his rays, always touches us.

Subhamastu

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Which Hindu goddess holds the Sudarshan Chakra?

 No Hindu goddess holds Sudarshana Chakra since it is the weapon of Lord Shiva which he created from his left toe for killing Jalandhara as per Padma Purana. He also asked Vishwakarma to infuse the brilliance of divine craftsmanship into Sudarshan Chakra (therefore in Vishnu Purana it is mentioned as also being created by Vishwakarma) his very own weapon. Much later, when Lord Vishnu, the lord of the devas, prayed to him for a lethal divine weapon of unmatched brilliance, Lord Shiva bestowed Sudarshana Chakra as a divine benediction to Lord Vishnu.

Padma Purana mentions how Lord Shiva created his discus weapon Sudarsana Chakra for the destruction of Jalandhara.

Then jumping over the lustre, Lord Siva danced by roving in all directions with the hinder part of his left foot. Then gods like Indra and others, seeing Siva dancing over the lustre, joyfully sounded musical instruments. Since then, in dances roving in all directions is practised. Then due to the crushing caused by Siva's dance, a disc was produced, which had three lakhs of spokes, and which was full of a crore of bones. Due to being crushed by the foot of Siva, particles went out from the lustre.

  • Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 9

Padma Purana and Shiva Purana describes the killing of demon Jalandhara by Lord Shiva.

Its brilliance was like that of a crore of suns and it was swallowing (the world including) the mobile and the immobile. With that disc the head of Jalandhara was cut off (by Siva).

  • Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda, chapter 18

On hearing the inauspicious words of the Daitya, lord Siva laughed mockingly and became furious. Siva held in his hand the wheel Sudarsana which he had made with his toe and got ready to kill him. Lord Siva hurled the discus Sudarsana which resembled a crore suns and the fire of dissolution. Blazing the heaven and the earth, the discus hit Jalandhara and severed his head with wide gaping eyes. The body of the son of the ocean fell on the ground from the chariot making the earth resonant. The head too fell. There was a great hue and cry. His body fell in two halves like the mountain of collyrium split by the thunderbolt and hurled in the ocean.

  • Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita, Yuddha Khanda, Chapter 24

Many other Puranas including Mahabharata mentions of Sudarshan Chakra which was bestowed by Lord Shiva to Lord Vishnu.

The holy centre famous as Cakratirtha destroys sins of brahmin-slaughter etc. because it was here that lord Hari obtained his discus. The place where Lord Visnu stood and worshipped Sankara for the sake of discus is mentioned as Cakratirtha. By merely listening to it one is freed from all sins.

  • Brahma Purana, Gautami Mahatmya, Chapter 39

It was by performing a very severe penance here that the Sudarsana discus that causes the destruction of all Daityas, was acquired by Krsna (Visnu) of unmeasured radiance.

  • Skanda Purana, Prabhasa Kshetra Mahatmya, Chapter 155

When (the heap of) a thousand lotuses was short by one, the enemy of the Daityas (i.e. Visnu) concluded (your) worship with one of his eyes (as the wanting one-thousandth lotus). O Trident-bearing Lord, you gave him the discus Sudarsana and satisfied him.

  • Skanda Purana, Arunachala Khanda Chapter 16

Salutations to that Rudra whose feet were worshipped by the flower of Visnu's eyes and who being pleased gave him the holy Chakra.

  • Atharva Veda, Sharabha Upanishad

Thou (Shiva) art he unto whom Vishnu paid his adorations for obtaining his celebrated discus.

  • Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva, Anusasanika Parva, Chapter 17

O Kesava! Lord Sankara had given you the Chakra, that weapon as bright as fire was created by Lord Vrisadhvaja himself and given to you, that weapon is full of amazing brilliance and has great strength.

  • Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva, Danadharma Parva, Chapter 14

Sambhu has a shrine called Panchatapa, where the Visnu worshiped Sankara to obtain Chakra.

  • Kurma Purana, Purva Bhaga, Chapter 42

The place where Sri Hari worshiped Jagdisvara Siva for many days with lotuses, and also with his eyes, he received Sudarsan Chakra from him.

  • Harivamsha, Bhavishya Parva, Chapter 84

Satisfied, Mahadeva gave Visnu the divine Sudarsan Chakra with supreme direct radiance. That Chakra was similar to the Kalachakra, which is terrifying for all living beings, was handed over to Visnu.

  • Vamana Purana, chapter 82

That supreme Mahesha who gave me (Vishnu) Discus, Sudarsana is the cause of the great power in me, capable of protecting the three worlds. Formerly, Hara created a Cakra arising out of the lines at the tip of the big toe and slew the Daitya Jalandhara who made even me tremble. That Cakra has been obtained by me by adoring the Lord with the lotus-like eye. This Cakra named Sudarsana suppresses hosts of Daityas.

  • Skanda Purana, Kashi Khanda, Purvardha, chapter 21

Then, while worshipping Lord Siva, one of those thousand lotuses was missing and Lord Visnu became restless. He started thinking in his mind, 'Where did one lotus go? If it is gone, let it go. Is my eye not like a lotus?' Thinking in this way, Visnu took out one of his eyes and worshipped Lord Siva with devotion and praised him with the same hymn. Then the pleased Siva gave that Sudarsan Chakra to Visnu, which was as powerful as millions of Suns, was born from his feet and destroyed the enemies. At that time Visnu also turned towards north and after completing his rituals properly accepted that Chakra and again bowed to Mahadeva.

  • Shiva Purana, Kotirudra Samhita, chapter 36

After seeing Lord Visnu, who was praying after receiving his darshan, Lord Siva, said to him - O Madhusudan! I give you the Divya Sudarsan Chakra of amazing form. O Visnu! According to my command, you should kill the demons by its virtues. After saying this, Lord Siva gave Visnu that Chakra with light equal to ten thousand suns. Due to Lord Siva's boon, Visnu became famous in the entire world as Pundarikaksha.

  • Saura Purana, chapter 41

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