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Overview:
Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic religions. They recognize a single deity, and view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God. Henotheistic and polytheistic religions have traditionally been among the world's most religiously tolerant faiths. As a result, India has traditionally been one of the most religiously tolerant in the world.
With the rise of Shaivism and Vaishnavism during the first millennium of the Common Era, Hinduism became essentially monotheistic, with a virtual consensus that there is a supreme, absolute, and omnipresent divine entity. Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism each regard only one specific Indic deity (Shiva, Vishnu, or Shakti) as the supreme being and principal object of worship, whereas all other divinities are considered merely "sub-gods" or manifestations of it.
See also Basics of Hinduism - God - HimalayanAcademy.com
Dities: The earliest Vedas dating back to 1200 BC had Indra the storm god, Varuna, god of the ocean, Agni, god of fire, Surya, the sun god, and Yama, god of death. "By the time that the Mahabharata was written (300 BC - 300 AD), other gods who played only minor roles in the Vedas have become popular. Three gods in particular came to be known as the Trimurti: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer and creator?.
There are similar images of all three and it is hard to tell which is which. See Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva - A Clearer Understanding of the Hindu Trinity | BLISS OF HINDUISM
Brahma the creator:
You will see images of Brahma with 3, 4 or 5 heads. |
Vishnu the preserver: Vishnu is typically shown with four arms. The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. His physical existence is represented by the two arms in the front, while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world (Wikipedia).
He is the Supreme God of Vaishnavism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism. He is also known as Lord Narayana, the Supreme God and also known as Lord Hari. |
Shiva (Mahesh) the destroyer: Lord Shiva, has many forms. See Western Hindu.org
A common image of shiva is this.
Shiva at shivalaya.vnc.in says, Of all the aspects of Lord Shiva, one as destructor is perhaps most popular and confusing. To maintain the equilibrium, destruction is as important an aspect as creation and sustenance. Lord Shiva, incarnated as Rudra, to complement Brahma (The Creator) and Vishnu (The Protector), to assume the role of Destructor. Mahadeva Panchanana Nataraja Bhairava - fierce form Great God Five Faces or heads Lord of the dance The annihilator of evilShiva is sometimes depicted with 4 arms like Vishnu. See Panchanana Shiva: Five Aspects of Lord Shiva
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