For Hindus only: Are you a Shaivaite or a Vaishavite?

Question

Hi! I'm from the US, and I've just been reading a little about Hinduism. Which deities do you worship the most? What is it about these deities that draws you to them?

Answer 1

I worship in Saivite Temples here in Sydney, Australia because we only have 2 Shiva Temples in this city. They are called Sydney Murugan Temple and Shri Shiva Mandir. My philosophy and metaphysics are an amalgam of Kashmir Shaivism and Hindu Tantrism. I would say I am predominantly Tantric but Tantra has a foundation derived from Shiva worship and the worship of his consort Shakti (divine power). I worship Shankar Bhagavan (Lord Shiva) because he is my Ishta-Deva (Chosen personal God). I worship his consort or wife Parvati in her ferocious manifestations of Durga and Kali because my father is from Kolkota (derived from the word Kalighat a Shakti temple) hence she is my Kula-Devi (the family goddess). This explains why my faith is influenced by Tantra. Hindus usually begin worship of any deity with the elder (n South India at least since in the North he is younger) son of the divine couple Sri Ganapati (Lord Ganesha). I also worship the Hindu God of War Sri Shanmukhanath (Lord Murugan) because he is the patron deity of Tamils in South India. He is the second son and presiding deity of the largest Shiva temple in this city, Sydney Murugan Temple.

Answer 2

Hinduism is a philosophy of life, where as Shaivaite or Vaishavite are form of worshiping a GOd. So dont be confused form of worship with way of life. Thats why it would be very difficult to other religious people to understand the content of Hinduism.

Answer 3

In contemporary Hinduism, it is immaterial if one is a Shavite or Vaishnavite. Vashnavites usually worship the God in the form of Lord Vishnu and/or his ten avatars. Shavites worship God in the form of Lord Shiva. But nowadays, the difference is marginal and you can find both Shavites and Vaishnavites praying both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. There used to be another branch of Hinduism called Shakism who worship God in the form of goddess Shakti.

Answer 4

Tangerine: I want to tell you that I´m from México, in my country hinduism is really unknown, but for very strange circumstances I love Shiva Lord. I got in contact with this divinity and from a long time I have been studying about him although it is not easy to do rigth here in my country, I try my best. All of the forms of this god are beautiful. What about you?
contact: [e-mail]

Answer 5

Hi,
Shaivaite is the name given to the devotees of shiva and vaishavite is the name given to the devotees of vishnu. They never said, that you have to pray them only. Remember the name is to refer the devotie.
Both the gods are fine with me. I pray both. No difference. Any god loves the way of affection you have with them. No difference and partialilty here.
The way fo these deities draws me to " how the way they expressed the affection of god in different ways in there poems..".
adorable once when you read it.

You can about the devoties here . As i am from southindia (tamil),
I could give the link of devoties...

http://www.shaivam.org/adiyaar.html (shivam)

http://www.ramanuja.org/ (vishnavam).

Answer 6

In Hinduism, Trinity symbolises God's power of creation ,sustenance and destruction.(Brahma,Vishnu,Mah...
1.Brahma's consort being Saraswati(Knowledge):Knowledge is necessary for creation.Without knowledge one cannot create.
2.Vishnu's consort is Laxmi(Wealth):Wealth is necessary for sustaining.Without wealth one cannot sustain.
3.Maheshwar's consort being Shakti(Power):Power is necessary for destruction.Without power one cannot destroy.

1.The 3 horizontal lines on the forehead indicate the "lines of Wisdom''(they are ruled more by their head/reason)

2.The U shape in between the eyebrows symbolise ''Deep Devotion''(they are ruled more by their heart/emotion)

3.The round/elongated bindi at the root of the nose(in between the eyebrows)is symbolic of the 3rd eye of the yogi(ajna chakra)

Real practitioners of the above have these lines formed naturally in their skin as wrinkles(lines of wisdom....) Noticed?
Have you observed old people having them naturally as depressions of skin, some have both of them .
But the 3rd one is the inner vision of the inner eye which is invisible.

All these are symbolic reminders of spiritual facts of life .Cannot be gained by just physical drawing of Tilaks.Have to be experienced in real life,so that they are drawn by nature permanently on your forehead manifesting your true inner qualities of Spirituality.

Answer 7

Neither. I believe in God, i don't discriminate. :) I don't mind either Vishnu or Shiva.

Catty - shiva is the destroyer
vishnu is the protecter
brahma is the creator..... you are confused!

But, she is right, we don't discriminate.....all three are different forms of ONE God.

Answer 8

hey! we DONT DISCRIMINATE!!! for us all hindu gods r just the SAME...ha ha ha fancy u saying who u believe in? they were all the same... u know...
shiva --- was the protector
vishnu----was the umm...manager
brahma---creator...and one cant do without the other.... hahaha

Answer 9

lord Shiva, thanks for reading about Hinduism, which is the mother of all religions.

Answer 10

we had three supeeriors in god are BRAMPA VISHNU SIVA they are equl and represent as BORN LIVE END