World Religions

Introduction to World Religions Study Guide Hinduism is both pantheistic and polytheistic. It is pantheistic because it equates God with the universe, and it is considered polytheistic because there are gods and goddesses who personify different aspects of the one true God, Brahman. Individuals have numerous ways to worship depending on their family, location, and community. 3.1 Hindu Gods and Goddesses There are many Hindu gods and goddesses. Here is a just a few: Brahm , the creator There is a Hindu Trinity and the “Creator” of that Trinity is Brahma. He creates everything in the universe. The Hindus believe that everything is cyclical, and therefore, Brahma has to recreate aspects of the universe at times. The only aspects that do not have to be recreated are Brahman and certain Hindu scriptures. Certain things must be destroyed and recreated in order to be renewed in an ideal form. Vishnu, the preserver Vishnu is the second member of the Hindu Trinity. Brahma creates order and harmony, while Shiva destroys it to prepare for the next creation. Vishnu’s job is to maintain the order and harmony in the universe. Vishnu has several avatars (incarnations) and is worshipped in many forms. These avatars descend to earth to intervene to help restore moral order. Two of Vishnu’s avatars are: Rama Rama was a young prince who was exiled from his kingdom for 14 years. He is the embodiment of an ideal son, brother, husband, and king. He is the hero in the epic Ramayana, where he strictly follows the dharma. Krishna Probably the most well-known god in the Western world is Krishna. Krishna is the teacher of the sacred scripture, the Bhagavad Gita . In the epic of Mahabharata , Krishna is the friend and mentor of Prince Arjuna. Krishna is playful and prankish, but promises to return to earth whenever dharma declines. Saraswati, the goddess of learning Saraswati is the consort of Brahma, the Creator. Hindus seeking an education are encouraged to pray to her since she is the goddess of learning, wisdom, speech, and music. Those who are taking exams often pray to her. She is the daughter of Shiva and Durga. Lakshmi Lakshmi has many roles in the Hinduism. She is the goddess of good fortune, well-being, wealth, and is a consort to Vishnu. She is also Sita, the wife of Rama; Rukmini, the wife of Krishna and Dharani; the wife of Parashu Rama; and even an avatar of Vishnu. Durga Devi Durga is compassionate to her devotees, but is a powerful and frightening goddess who fights to restore moral order (dharma). ©2017 Achieve Test Prep Page 21 of 96