How does Hinduism have so many Gods yet insist there is only one God?
2007-01-13 15:47:56 · 6 answers · asked by huong t 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Hinduism has only one Supreme God. Brahman or Aum. In Hinduism God has two aspects, transcendent (impersonal) and immanent (personal). In the impersonal aspect Brahman is without attributes (nirguna Brahman). In personal aspect (saguna Brahman) the God is creator, preserver and controller of the universe.
Saguna Brahman is worshipped in male and female form. Each person worships God as per his/her understanding and temperament.
The people who worship God in the personal form believe that the supreme consciousness manifests as a trinity of Brahmaa (creator), Vishnu (preserver) and Shiva(destroyer). They represent:
* Three Faces of Divine
* Three Cosmic Functions of the Supreme Lord
* Creation + Preservation + Dissolution
* Generator + Operator + Destroyer = GOD
The will power of the these 3 gods is called shakti.
Followers of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) believe that our universe is alive with beneficent beings, called devas (angels) in the ancient Sanskrit language. These devas, however, are all servants of the one Supreme Lord, and are never to be mistakenly confused with the Supreme Lord.
Many of these "gods" are actually the life supporting powers. Demi-Gods or angels would be more appropriate to describe them. For example Sun (Surya), Water (Varuna), and Air (Vayu) without which the life cannot exist. In Hinduism these elements which make the life possible are praised along with the Very Essential God. While followers of Sanatana Dharma respect these devas, and even propitiate them in times of need, we also readily acknowledge that these devas, too, have their origin and sustenance in the one Supreme Lord.
Each hindu worships ONE God only but in different form...some worship him as Vishnu, some as Shiva and some as Shakti (eternal energy)...but they all mean one supreme God.
2007-01-14 15:13:49 · answer #1 · answered by rav142857 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first commandment says:
"Thou shall have no other gods before me" Me, being the one true God. If we analyze that statement, we could deduce that it doesn't mean you can't have other gods under God -- for example, your President, Thor, Mother Nature, The Queen, Buddha, etc. so long as they are not placed in a position higher than GOD.
It is illegal to fly any flag above the United States Flag but other flags can be flown below it. Catholics actually pray to Mary, Mother of God, and Protestants have Jesus. However, God demands that God be the supreme being and that he would be (above) the head of all Gods.
A study of religions in the world show that most believe in a supreme being. We simply worship in different ways. What divides us also unites us and if we spent more time analyzing both, we might find out that we really could live in peace and that we really do all have God in common -- just called by different names.
2007-01-13 16:01:27 · answer #2 · answered by MH/Citizens Protecting Rights! 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
they dont insist that there is only one god, but they insist that different types of hindus have different (main)gods that they worship more than others
2007-01-17 02:06:45 · answer #3 · answered by jerry 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
they dont insist that there is only one god, but they insist that different types of hindus have different (main)gods that they worship more than others
2007-01-13 15:52:13 · answer #4 · answered by da ndn dude 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
well there is just one god, brahma. the supreme force or power.
we give others like rama, ganesh, krishna the title god because they lived saintly lives like god. similar to jesus. we would maybe call him god as well, but we dont mean he created the universe.
2007-01-16 22:31:13 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try posting this under the 'Religion' section instead of the 'Government' section for better answers.
2007-01-13 15:55:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋