All gods of ancient India. Volnaudachi: Indian deities

For a European, Hinduism seems to be something very complex, incomprehensible, alien. This is partly due to polytheism, which has reached incredible proportions. All those Indian perfumes. It seems that remembering their names and functions is simply impossible. However, as in any religion, along with many minor

small gods or saints is the so-called supreme pantheon. In Hinduism, as in Christianity, there is an idea of the trinity of the Almighty, but in a somewhat different aspect. There is a certain dynamism here - the creator-almighty-destroyer. Thus, the supreme Indian gods, whose names are Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, are considered not just supreme. They reflect the dynamism in the development of all things.

All Indian gods and demigods had wives. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva were no exception. Their companions were named, respectively, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvatti. These goddesses were also considered supreme and revered by the Hindus. They, along with their husbands, ruled the lives of people. So, Saraswati patronized music, art and literature. According to legend, it was she who invented Sanskrit, the oldest written language. Lakshmi was considered the goddess of love, family hearth, good luck. She embodies the wife of all incarnations of Vishnu. Parvatti is the wife of Shiva. In a negative aspect, she is revered under the name of Kali. In this case, she fully corresponds to her husband, as she personifies destruction. Kali is depicted as a terrible multi-armed woman in a necklace of skulls, with black flowing hair, bloody fangs.

There are other Indian gods, especially revered in India. For example, Ganesha

son of Parvatti and Shiva. He is depicted with and revered as the guardian of wealth, prosperity and happiness, the god who removes obstacles and the patron of sciences. Ganesha is also the leader of the servants of Shiva. He is often depicted dancing.

Indian - Kama - is similar to its antique "colleague". He is depicted as a handsome young man with a bow and arrows. Only his bow is made of reeds, and instead of arrows there are flowers.

Indian gods often lost their paramount importance, transforming into the rulers of the cardinal points. For example, Varuna is a god-judge, the embodiment of world order and justice. In addition, Varuna is the omnipotent of the world's waters and turbulent streams. He administered the highest court and punished sinners, but gradually lost his significance, transforming into the ruler of the west.

Indra - originally the god of war, battles, thunder and lightning, the king of all demigods. He had a lightning bolt in his hand, with which he punished enemies or brought warriors who fell in battle back to life. Also lost its original meaning, becoming the ruler of the east.

Surya is the all-seeing eye of the gods. His main task was to shed light. Surya walked across the sky, delimiting day and night. Some myths mention the seven horses on which he circled the sky. In this version, Surya has something in common with Helios. Over time, he became the ruler of the southeast.

Lord of the realm of the dead. His wife and companion - Yami - embodies his creative energy. Yama is said to be the brother of Manu, the first person to survive the Flood. And although Yama was originally a merciful god, over time, like many Indian gods, he acquired completely different qualities and began to be revered as a ferocious destructive force.

Avalokiteshvara ("the god of compassion", "the god who looks down", "the god of sight"), in Buddhist mythology, the personification of compassion, the bothisattva of the present age. He was usually depicted as a handsome man with several heads and arms. According to one of the myths, Avalokiteshvara looked at human suffering, and his heart broke from sorrow. Amitabha, from whom Avalokiteshvara descended, collected pieces of the heart and made nine new heads for the bodhisattva. Avalokiteshvara wanted to help all living beings, so he grew 1000 hands, and an eye appeared in the palm of each hand. "From his eyes the sun and the moon were formed, from his forehead - Maheshwara, from his shoulders - Brahma and other gods, from his heart - Narayana, from his hips - Saraswati, from his mouth - winds, from his feet - earth, from his stomach - Varuna. Avalokitesvara helped everyone who asked for help and preached Buddhist laws to those who reincarnated as insects or worms, protected people from diseases and blessed children. In China, Avalokiteshvara transformed into the goddess Guanyin, and in Japan - into Kannon, in Hinduism, he can act as Ganesha, Shiva or Vishnu.

Agni

Agni ("fire"), in Vedic and Hindu mythology, the god of fire in the hearth and sacrificial fire. Its main function is mediation between people and gods. Versions of the origin of Agni are very numerous: he was born in the waters, from himself, from the morning rays; he is the son of Daksha; a certain priest, etc. Agni was considered the main of the earthly gods, the embodiment of the sacred fire, which raised the victim to heaven with flames. According to myths, he is one (god) and multiple, because he was born in three places - in heaven, among people and in the waters, he has three dwellings, he has a threefold light, three lives, three heads, three powers, three languages. It was believed that Agni burns, shines, illuminates, has all the powers, fills the airspace, opens the doors of darkness, strengthens heaven and earth, protects them, ascends to heaven, gives birth to both worlds, lives in water, knows all the ways, all wisdom, everything worlds, all human secrets; observes everything in the world; rules by law; leads the gods to sacrifice; the ancients believed that Agni is friendly to people, to duty, unites spouses, brings wealth, patronizes singers, defeats enemies and darkness.

Brahma

Brahma, in Hindu mythology, the creator and ruler of the world, the father of gods and people; in classical Hinduism, he is included in the triad of supreme gods along with Vishnu and Shiva. The creator of the universe, he opposes Vishnu, who preserves it, and Shiva, who destroys it. According to one of the myths, Brahma created the goddess Satarupa from his body. She was so beautiful that he couldn't take his eyes off her. When Satarupa stepped aside, avoiding his gaze, he would have a new head turned in her direction. Finally, Brahma convinced the beauty to become his wife. They spent 100 sacred years in a secluded place, at the end of which Many, the first man, was born.

indian gods

In Hinduism, the mythological element recedes into the background: the center of gravity of the latter lies precisely in practical activity. The main philosophical views in Hindu theories often play a much more important role than ideas about the gods. Nevertheless, these views are in many respects of great interest. First of all, it must be said about the attitude of Hinduism to the former, Brahmanic, mythology.

Sikandra

Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds)

In the process of development of Hinduism, the Vedic pantheon gave way to a different hierarchy of gods of non-Aryan origin. Of the former gods, of course, there is none that at this later stage has the same character or the same meaning as he had earlier. Those gods who predominately played leading roles in the era of the Vedas now fade into the background, and vice versa, the gods who are less respected in the Vedas achieve the greatest honor. The most powerful deity of the Vedas, the king of the gods Indra, has not completely disappeared into Hinduism, but it has outlived itself. And let the memory of his former greatness still be preserved, and the beloved heroes of myths continue to bear the honorary name of “the son of Indra”, but the times of his real power are already in the past.

On the contrary, the goddess of the sun Suriya, apparently retained many adherents. Western India was generally characterized by the veneration of the sun. Some sects considered Suriya a man; he was worshiped, even as the main god, and identified with Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu.

These three deities made up trimurti- a triad that helped Ishvara to the one Supreme God, the symbol of Brahman, where the absolute manifests itself in Brahma as the creator, in Vishnu as the protector and in Shiva as the destroyer and renovator. With the Christian Trinity, this combination of gods has very little in common. The Trimurti has never been raised to the level of a dogma or a real theory, and neither for belief nor for speculation this image had any significance worthy of attention.

Apparently, this was a manifestation of Indian syncretism, the desire to unite and equalize cults, which we meet at every step in Hinduism. Another example of such syncretism was the simultaneous veneration and juxtaposition of Vishnu and Shiva as equals, which led to the frequent confusion of both cults and even to the union of both gods. So, they were honored together under the name of Hari-Hara (i.e. Vishnu-Shiva), and this combination of two gods finally merged into a double image, which was assigned its own special cult.

The actions of the Hindu trinity coincide with the three-beat rhythm of the world cycles. First they arise from Brahman; then they reach their full incarnation; then they are absorbed either by the Brahman or by the epoch followed by another age. The creation of the world, like history, is divided into cycles. There is no true beginning or end. The beginning is the end, and the end is the new beginning.

Supreme god of Brahmin time, himself Brahma, possessing the power of creation, gradually loses its significance. He continues to live in Prajapati, but his real functions have been taken over by others.

Brahma is more of an abstract deity. Nevertheless, he is often mentioned, and his image can often be found among the images of the gods. On one of them he stands directly on a flower; its body color is dark yellow; it has four faces or heads; the fifth was cut off from him by Shiva because he called himself the highest being and claimed that he created Shiva himself; strands of pearls are woven into the locks of his hair. Two of his hands are raised for prayer, the other two hold a pot and a rosary. Sometimes he is depicted riding a swan. Another common image - riding a lotus flower - symbolizes its unbornness and origin from itself. As already mentioned, almost no temples were built in honor of Brahma, and mentioning him in the first place when listing the great gods is only a tribute to tradition.

Shakti, Great Mother

It is important Saraswati, wife of Brahma. And although she is also not dedicated to a special cult, however, as the goddess of eloquence and learning, she occupies her definite place in the Hindu pantheon, there is even news of holidays in her honor.

Cult Vishnu as the supreme god arose, apparently, simultaneously with the emergence of Hinduism. He, the great guardian, was considered responsible for human destinies. As the supreme deity, Vishnu immediately took the place of both Brahma and Vishnu. At the same time, Vishnu, like Indra, is a living, active god who is the helper of people and in his bodily form is distinguished by certain features, some of which he inherited from Indra.

Vishnu in the form of a half-fish, half-man

His weapon is a disc (chakra) and fighting shell (sankha), and also a mace, on the fourth hand he has a ring, unless both upper hands are represented outstretched "for comfort and giving." The body color is often green or dark blue; he is magnificently dressed, hung with flowers and stands on a lotus flower. He is also depicted calmly lying on a thousand-headed world dragon, symbolizing chaos. At his feet sits his wife Lakshmi(the goddess of beauty and happiness), and from his navel a lotus flower grows on a long stem, on which a very small figure of Brahma is placed. Finally, Vishnu is depicted sitting on a bird Garuda, snake-killer, who is also worshiped, especially in the south, and who in this case is given a mixed appearance of a man and a bird.

Vishnu is characterized by constant favor, he is the personification of divine love, whose constant desire is to bring people various kinds of help, tell them the truth, protect them in danger, deliver from evil and take them to his sky, Vaikuntu, which looks like paradise. But the highest bliss is to become identical with Vishnu.

Vishnu as a half-man, half-lion

Vishnu's participation in the fate of people is carried out by him through his avatars, that is, incarnations, or, in fact, "descents", thanks to which he approaches people or becomes like them. In theology, these avatars appear in the form of a deep sacrament. Undoubtedly, both this mystical feature and the transformation of the divine into the sensual, which occurs during the incarnation, influenced the spread and establishment of religion among the people. Indeed, in avatars one can trace the entire religious and historical path traversed by the Vaishnavite cult: here we meet both Vedic experiences and images from the epic period, favorite features of local cults. Even the Buddha himself had to act as one of the manifestations of this god.

Cult Shiva, the third member of the trimurti, by all indications, has a very ancient character. In this deity, various opposites concentrated and merged into a single whole. In general, Shiva is an all-encompassing and all-pervading god, and as a result, according to Indian custom, all kinds of properties are attributed to him. There is no doubt that the many-sided image of Shiva arose through the mixing of many cults. Although the phallus (lingam) is considered to be his symbol and he is commonly identified with male power, Shiva is often portrayed as a perpetual virgin. At the same time, in most Shaivist temples, a prominent place is occupied by a statue of a bull, a common symbol of puberty.

Under the name of Shiva, his worshipers revere him as the highest of the gods. Hence his names such as Magadeva ("great god") and Ishvara ("master"). But it can be not only evil and destructive. Shiva is also a renewer and to the one who begs him, he can show himself to be a merciful and supportive deliverer and savior. The image of dancing Shiva is generally widespread. The dance symbolizes the rhythm of existence, desires and feelings are manifested in it, containing the conflict of knowledge and illusion. Shiva is also recognized as the god of writing and learning. Thus, he satisfies all sorts of requirements and has his fans in all walks of life.

The two sides of Shiva's character, harsh and merciful, are also reflected in his wife, who is always revered with him. Her names are different: Parvati and Durga(“inaccessible”) resemble a mountain deity; name Devi she is designated as a goddess, Kali- like black Shakti- as the magical power of Shiva. Kali is primarily a wild and cruel goddess, the goddess of destruction and death. The power and influence of this goddess originates in the pre-Aryan period. Perhaps the roots of Shaktism also lie there, which is characterized by the representation of the divine essence in female images and the veneration of the active feminine principle, which prevails over the passive, masculine expression of divinity.

Vishnu with the head of a horse, considered the god of learning

The images of Kali are characterized by paradoxical symbolism. On the one hand, there are elements of cruelty in it, identification with punishment and death - this is expressed in the very form of Kali, in her skirt from severed hands and jewelry from human skulls. At the same time, it is believed that this kind of goddess contributes to the attainment of peace by her followers, as it helps them overcome their fears. Kali symbolizes tranquility and personifies the night of rest at the turn of the cycles of world development. Due to these qualities, she is the object of zealous and passionate worship.

The veneration of his son is usually combined with the cult of Shiva. Ganesha, gods of wisdom. He is usually depicted as an elephant or with an elephant's head, as well as with one tusk, which testifies to the strength of this protector of human life. Ganesha is always invoked before any undertaking; this corresponds to his function as the god of writing and learning, therefore, at the beginning of many books, his name is mentioned with reverence. Some Hindu sects revere Ganesha as the supreme deity.

Krishna and his mother Yazoda

Puttaparthi and Prasanthi Nilayam

Kurma Avatar. Turtle Incarnation

The leader of the monkeys plays an important role in the South Indian epic poem "Ramayana". Hanuman, with large jaws. In the fight against the demon Ravana he helps the hero a lot frame, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, revered in many places as a god. It is no accident that Hanuman occupies a prominent position in the epic. In all likelihood, it was an ancient village god, revered in the form of a monkey (in general, in many countries monkeys are considered sacred; even in the Veda there are traces of the cult of monkeys). Thanks to the sacred epic, the power of Hanuman has increased significantly, and at present he is one of the most revered deities of India as a protector of people from evil spirits. His clumsy painting of a monkey, painted in oil and red ocher, is found by everyone who visits an Indian village. Shivaites and Vaishnavites equally revere Hanuman, and in temples you can often see him as the gatekeeper god, with the worship of which the daily worship begins.

Like Ganesha, Hanuman looks zoomorphic. In general, the veneration of animals (the cults of snakes, elephants, monkeys, possibly of totemic origin) in Hinduism has received a legalized form.

The cult of the cow deserves a separate discussion. Aryan tribes have long revered this animal. The cow is a living symbol of Mother Earth, who made humanity happy by the very existence of this animal. Even just feeding a cow is already an act of worship. And cow urine is considered sacred and is used, for example, in purification rituals.

In the eighth avatar we see Vishnu merged with God Krishna. The combination of these two deities was undoubtedly beneficial for the cult of both. Vishnu, formerly a purely Brahmanic god, thus became closer to the life of the people and acquired a solid ground for worship. On the other hand, Krishna, through his identification with the great god, rose to the rank of the highest deity. Probably, Krishna turned into a deity from the image of a hero.

Matsya Avatar. Incarnation as a fish

In the historical parts of the epic poem "Mahabharata", in particular in the "Bhagavad Gita", he is the charioteer of the king Arjuna and with his courage and cunning contributes to the victory Pandavas above Kauravas. His fate here was tragic: in retaliation for the cruelty with which he had previously destroyed his own family, he later turned into a gazelle and was killed by a hunter. It is said that Krishna was the son Vasudeva and Kids. his evil uncle Kamsa wanted to kill the child, so he had to run.

Goddess Kali

Krishna was brought up as a shepherd Nanda and his wife Yazoda. The young god spent a merry childhood cherished by shepherdesses and receiving gifts from the gods in the form of toys and jewelry.

Krishna child (balakrishna)- a favorite representation of the Hindus: in the form of small figures, it is depicted as he crawls around, playing with a ball. But the young shepherd soon discovered his divine power. When Indra, angry for worshiping Krishna, sent a violent thunderstorm on him and his playmates, a seven-year-old boy lifted a huge mountain Govardhan and kept it for seven days over the terrified shepherds as a form of protection.

It is also said that he once defeated the king of snakes, into whose pond he jumped, and triumphantly crushed his head; Krishna the snake-killer, playing the flute in a dancing position, is another favorite divine image of the Hindus.

There are also many stories about Krishna the seducer and his love affairs. There is an opinion that for his admirers he is a father, friend and elder brother, and for admirers he is also a lover and husband. The erotic depiction of union with Krishna serves as a symbol of closeness to God and is characteristic of strengthening the role of bhakti in Hinduism.

Ganesha

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Hinduism is one of the most unusual religions in the world, in which polytheism (polytheism) reaches incredible proportions. An innumerable number of gods and goddesses adorn the niches of the pantheon.

Three deities - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - are considered supreme.

They constitute the concept of Trimurti, i.e. a triple image that unites Brahma the creator, Vishnu the almighty and Shiva the destroyer.

In addition to the three Supreme Deities, Hindus worship many other gods, the most famous of which are as follows:

Indra - the god of war, the king of the demigods, the ruler of one of the lower heavens - Amaravati. It is believed that he guards the Eastern side of the world.

Varuna is the all-seeing god of the Vedas who descended from his heavenly palace to become the god of the waters. At the same time, he is the guardian of the Western part of the Universe.

Yama is the guardian of the South side, the god of death, ruling in Purgatory, where sinners are tormented until the next birth.

Kubera is the god of precious metals, stones, minerals and wealth in general, the ruler of the Northern side of the world. The beautiful city of Alaka, not far from Mount Kailash, is considered to be his place of residence. In his submission are innumerable armies of gnomes (guhyaka) and mountain spirits (yaksha).

Ganesha (Ganapati) - the god with the head of an elephant, the second son of Shiva and Parvati, the leader of the gans (semi-deities, servants of Shiva). He is the Remover of Obstacles and the patron of all who study various sciences. The most beloved deity of the Hindus, most often depicted in dance. His attributes are one broken tusk, a thick belly, he sits on a rat.

Hanuman is a monkey god, the son of Vayu (the god of the wind), a friend and faithful servant of Rama. Monkeys are considered sacred in his honor.

Kama is the Indian god of love. Like his European counterpart, he is depicted as a beautiful young man armed with a bow and arrows, with the only difference that his bow is made of sugar cane, and his arrows are flowers. Apsaras (nymphs) are in his service.

In addition, all gods and demigods had wives, who usually had the same names as male deities, only with feminine endings - for example, Indrani.

Like the three Supreme Deities, the wives of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the Supreme among the many female deities of the Indian pantheon and are highly revered by the Hindus:

Saraswati is the wife of God Brahma, the patroness of art, music and literature. She is depicted as a young beautiful fair-skinned woman with a wine (Indian lute) and a book in her hands, accompanied by a swan. According to legend, it was Saraswati who invented Sanskrit.

Lakshmi is the goddess of good luck and prosperity, the wife of God Vishnu. According to legend, she emerged from the waters of the plowed Causal Ocean. She is usually depicted as a blooming, beautiful woman seated or standing on a lotus, often with a lotus in her hand. It is believed that being the wife of Vishnu, she incarnates as the spouse of each of his incarnations. Thus, she is worshiped as the Goddess Sita, the consort of Rama (see below); Rukmini, the first queen of Krishna, and Radha, the eternal beloved of Lord Krishna.

Parvati is the wife of Lord Shiva in her benevolent aspect, but in her terrifying form she is worshiped as Durga or Kali. In a hostile aspect, Parvati is depicted as a terrible witch, multi-armed and armed with various types of weapons, with bared fangs, a bloody tongue and a necklace of skulls around her neck.

Vishnu

Usually Vishnu is depicted as a four-armed man with dark blue skin, with a crown on his head, holding symbolic attributes in his hands: a conch, a Sudarshana disk, a rod and a lotus; around his neck is the sacred jewel kaustubha. Vishnu flies astride Garuda - a gigantic eagle with a half-human face. Hindus revere Vishnu as a "comprehensive deity" in the sense that all other Gods are either his emanations or reflect some of his aspects.

According to the cosmogonic myth of Hinduism, Vishnu is the eternal ruler on the planets of the "spiritual sky" - Vaikuntha (here he is called Narayana). Sometimes the edge of the spiritual sky brahmajiyoti is covered with a spiritual cloud. This obscured part of it is called mahat-tattva.

Then Lord Narayana assumes the form of Maha-Vishnu and lies down on the waters of the Causal Ocean. At the same time, he remains in a meditational dream of yoga nidra. At the moment of exhalation of Maha-Vishnu, countless universes come out of his pores. They float on the surface of the Causal Ocean like bubbles of foam. All these universes exist only for one exhalation of Maha-Vishnu.

In each of the many universes the same Maha-Vishnu re-enters as Garbhodakasayi-Vishnu and lies down in the Garbha Ocean on the serpent Shesha, who is also one of the aspects of Narayana.

From the navel on the belly of Garbhodakasayi-Vishnu, a lotus stem grows, and on this lotus Brahma, the lord of this particular Universe, is born. Brahma creates various forms of living beings from his mind and body, which provide an opportunity for Individual Souls (atma) to manifest in the material world. He also creates the Sun, the Moon, all the planets of the "material sky" and various demigods who control these planets, i.e. actually creates its own universe.

The lifetime of the Universe is considered equal to the lifetime of Brahma and is 100 "years of Brahma", which just corresponds to the duration of the exhalation of Maha-Vishnu. When Maha-Vishnu takes a breath, all the myriad universes, each with its own Brahma, return to the unmanifested state and wait for a new breath of Maha-Vishnu.

The main cosmological cycle in Hinduism is considered to be kalpa - the "day of Brahma", which consists of 14 manvantaras, or secondary cycles, each lasting 306,720 thousand years, with large intervals between them. 360 such days and nights constitute the "year of Brahma". Every "cosmic day" Brahma creates the Universe and every "cosmic night" absorbs it, and while he sleeps, the whole Universe is in his body in the form of pure potency. Each manvantara contains 71 mahayuga, and each mahayuga, in turn, is divided into four yugas (epochs) - Krita (another name for Satya), Treta, Dvapara and Kali. Their duration is respectively:

Satya Yuga - 1,728 thousand human years,
Treta Yuga - 1,296 thousand years,
Dvapara South - 864 thousand years and
Kali Yuga - 432 thousand years.

Each Yuga represents a further decline in religiosity, morality, strength, growth and longevity of a person and his happiness compared to the previous ones. It is believed that we are currently in the age of Kali Yuga, which began about 5,000 years ago.

While all the many universes are in a manifested state, the Primordial Vishnu monitors the state of affairs in each of them and periodically incarnates in one place or another, in whole or in part, in order to restore order. According to the most common classification, 10 avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu visited our Earth.

Fish (matsya). When the Earth was flooded with the waters of the global flood, Vishnu took the form of a fish, which first warned Manu (the progenitor of mankind, the son of Brahma) of imminent danger, and then on a ship tied to a horn on her head, carried Manu, his family and seven great sages (rishis).
Turtle (kurma). During the flood, many divine treasures were lost, including ambrosia (amrita), with the help of which the gods kept eternal youth. Vishnu assumed the form of a gigantic tortoise and plunged to the bottom of the cosmic ocean. The gods placed Mount Mandara on his back and wrapped the divine serpent Vasuki around the mountain. Then they pulled the kite and thus spun the mountain, churning the ocean like an ordinary Indian milkman churns butter. Amrita and many other treasures, including the goddess Lakshmi, floated to the surface of the churning ocean.
Boar (varaha). The demon Hiranyaksha again plunged the Earth into the depths of the cosmic ocean. Vishnu assumed the form of a giant boar, slew the demon, and set the earth in place, lifting it up on his fang.
Lion Man (narasimha). Another demon, Hiranyakasipu, received a magical ability to become invulnerable as a gift from Brahma. Neither beast, nor man, nor god could kill him day or night. Taking advantage of his safety, he began to persecute the gods and people and even his pious son Prahlada. Then Prahlada turned to Vishnu for help. At sunset, i.e. neither day nor night, the god suddenly emerged from a pillar in the demon's palace in the guise of a half-lion half-man and killed Hiranyakashipu
Dwarf (vamana). A demon named Bali seized power over the world and, having performed a series of ascetic feats, achieved supernatural power and began to threaten even the gods. Vishnu appeared before him in the form of a dwarf and asked for as a gift as much land as he could measure in three steps. When the gift was promised, the god turned into a giant and took two steps with which he covered the earth, the sky and all the space between them, but generously refrained from the third step, leaving the underworld to the demon.
Parashurama ("Rama with an ax"). Vishnu took on a human form, having been born the son of the Brahmin Jamadagni. When the brahmin's father was robbed by the evil king Kartavirya, Parasurama killed him. The sons of Kartavirya, in turn, killed Jamadagni, after which the angry Parasurama exterminated all the men from the Kshatriya (warrior) class 21 times in a row.
Rama, prince of Ayodhya, hero of the epic drama Ramayana. Vishnu incarnated in his image to save the world from the oppression of the demon Ravana. Rama is usually depicted as a dark-skinned man, often armed with a bow and arrow. He is accompanied by his loving wife Sita - the embodiment of female fidelity, his three devoted brothers - Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna - and Hanuman, the king of monkeys, a faithful friend and companion. Rama is revered as the embodiment of an ideal husband, commander and monarch.
Krishna, the most significant of the incarnations of Vishnu.

The stories from the life of this deity are most often addressed in dance. Most of all, they like to portray either his childish pranks, such as stealing oil from Yasoda (his foster mother), or love affairs with gopis (shepherdesses), the most beloved of which was the beautiful Radha.

A detailed biography of the god Krishna is contained in the most famous epic work - the Mahabharata.

His brief history is as follows: Krishna was born in Mathura, in the Yadava tribe. His father was Vasudeva, his mother was Devaki, a cousin of the then reigning king of Kansa. There was a prophecy that Kansa would die at the hands of the eighth son of Devaki, so he set out to destroy all her children. But Krishna and his elder brother Balarama escaped the beating; they were adopted and raised by the cowherd Nanda and his wife Yasoda of Vrindavan. Kansa, having learned that the brothers had escaped the death prepared for them, made many attempts to destroy the children. But Krishna, being the incarnation of God, performed many miracles and feats: he killed the demons sent by Kansa, sheltered the inhabitants of Vrindavan from the storm, lifting Mount Govardhana above their heads on his little finger, etc. In his spare time for performing feats, he herded cows, played the flute for the gopis and indulged in his childish pranks.

When he grew up and said goodbye to his idyllic pastoral life, he went to Mathura to fight with his evil cousin uncle. He killed Kansa and became the ruler of the kingdom of Mathura, but, pressed on the one hand by Kansa's father-in-law, the ruler of Magadha, and on the other by the nameless king of the Yavanas of the northwest, he left the kingdom and founded a new capital at Dvaraka in Saurashtra. Here he married Rukmini and made her the chief of his wives, of whom he had 16,108 and bore him 180,000 sons. In the main legend of the Mahabharata throughout the history of the struggle of the royal families, he appears as a constant friend and adviser to the five Pandava brothers, and before the battle of Kurukshetra, which is the culmination of the Mahabharata epic, he, turning to Arjuna, one of the brothers, pronounces his great sermon in the Bhagavad Gita.

Buddha, the last incarnation of Vishnu in the past. According to the Gitagovinda by the great poet Jayadeva, Vishnu incarnated as a Buddha out of compassion for animals in order to put an end to bloody sacrifices.
Kalki is the future incarnation. Hindus believe that at the end of our dark era, Vishnu will appear in the form of a man riding a white horse, with a flaming sword in his hand. He will condemn the sinners, reward the virtuous and revive the Satya Yuga ("golden age").

It is impossible to understand and accept a country without contact with its religion, history, and culture. In this post, I would like to introduce you a little to the pantheon of Indian gods. I’ll make a reservation right away that I don’t pretend to have exhaustive academic knowledge in this matter, however, this will be enough for an introductory acquaintance. If someone wants to add or fix something - wellcome! So let's go.

Despite the fact that the official religion in Goa is Catholicism (Christianity), no one has canceled the ancient Hindu gods and. Hinduism, which in translation means “eternal path”, is a polytheistic religion, that is, they worship a whole pantheon of gods, and not just one, in other words, polytheism.

The main meaning and goal of Hinduism is unity with God through the realization of the unity of all things and the achievement of complete peace. Hinduism in the main mass does not in any way limit worldly pleasures, since in everything, even in self-destruction, one can see the divine manifestation. In addition, Hinduism prescribes to honor all living things, since it is possible for your own incarnation (avatar) in future lives.

The universal divine name in Hinduism, as well as the mantra (prayer) and symbol, is "Om" (sometimes the transcription "Aum" is found). Om is three literal symbols that personify the three main gods and their spheres of influence: Brahma - the Creator, Vishnu - the Almighty (supporter) and Shiva - the Destroyer. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are at the top of the Hindu Olympus and make up the Trimurti (trinity), all other gods somehow come from them.

According to one legend, Brahma is a primary being that does not initially have a form, the founder of all things. According to another, he was born in a lotus flower located in the navel of Vishnu. As I wrote above, Brahma is the creator god of all things in this and other worlds. But in general, everything is just as complicated here as it is with the Chinese. But for reference, according to one of the theories, humanity actually appeared as a result of incest - as the fruit of Brahma's passion for his divine daughter Vak, who is usually represented in temples in the form of a lioness. Brahma is the only one of all the gods of the supreme pantheon who is 100% masculine, the rest of the deities can be different incarnations.

He is red (not always, sometimes his skin is quite human in color) and many-sided (originally he had five faces, but due to force majeure circumstances there were only four of them left - Shiva incinerated one of them with his third eye, as he considered Brahma's appeal to him not respectful enough). In addition, Brahma has four hands in which he holds a scepter (sometimes instead of a scepter you can find a rosary), a bow (not the one that is, but the one from which to shoot), an alms bowl and a manuscript of the Vedas (most often Riveda). According to legend, he also has four legs, but usually two are depicted.

Vishnu is the main competitor of Brahma, one of the most popular and revered gods in Hinduism. In some regions of India, he is given the primary role of the creator and guardian of the universe.

The name Vishnu is derived from the word "vish" - to fill, i.e., Vishnu is in everything, he fills everything with himself. He keeps order in all universes and worlds, and periodically, if such a need arises, he fully or partially incarnates in one place or another to maintain order and bring forces to balance. According to Hindu myths and legends, in our world such a need has already arisen 9 times, that is how many times the incarnations of Vishnu appeared here. He can take on various forms, some of his avatars are animals, some are people. But it is already known what his next 10 essence will be and what he will have to do.

The first avatar is Matsya (fish):
During the global flood, when the whole earth was hidden by the carts of the great ocean, Vishnu turned into a fish and in this image warned the progenitor of mankind, the son of Brahma, about the impending danger and helped him, his family, as well as the 7 wise men (rishis) who helped Brahma with the creation of the universe, save yourself from imminent death.

The second avatar is Kurma (turtle):
As a result of the same great flood, many treasures were lost, including amrita (the Indian version of the divine ambrosia nectar), which helped the gods maintain youth and beauty. Then Vishnu turned into a giant tortoise and plunged to the bottom of the Cosmic Ocean, other gods piled Mount Mandara on his back, to which they tied the huge snake Vasuki. The gods then spun the mountain with a serpent, churning water like milk is churned to make butter. Eventually, the ocean churned and all the lost treasures and more floated to the surface. Including from the depths of the Cosmic Ocean, the goddess Lakshmi appeared - the faithful companion of Vishnu in all his incarnations.

The third avatar is Varaha (boar):
The demon Hiranyaksha once again drowned the earth in the depths of the cosmic ocean, Varaha killed him, and raised the earth from the deep sea on his fang.

The fourth avatar is Narasimha (lion-man):
The demon Hiranyakasipu did not properly dispose of the gift of the god Brahma - invulnerability. No one can kill him day or night. Having imagined himself omnipotent, he began to create multiple atrocities both among people and among the gods. Inherited from Hiranyakasipu and his own son, the pious Prahlad, because of which he was forced to call on the help of the god Vishnu. Vishnu appeared at sunset (i.e. neither day nor night, but during the period when one time of day replaces another) in the form of Narasimha, a half-man - half-lion, and killed the presumptuous demon.

The fifth avatar is Vamana (dwarf):
And again, there were demons. The demon Bali took over the world and reached such power that it became dangerous even to the gods. It was impossible to cope with him by force, then Vishnu was forced to use a trick. He appeared to Bali in the form of a dwarf and asked for as much land as he could measure in three steps. Bali was not stingy, especially since there the dwarf will measure his steps ☺, so he agreed. But Vaman deceived him: after the consent was received, he turned into a giant and in two steps covered the sky, the earth and everything in between. However, in response to the nobility of Bali, he did not take the third step and left him the underworld.

The sixth avatar is Parashurama (Rama with an ax):
Human avatar of Vishnu. He appeared on earth in the form of the son of the Brahmin Jamadagni. The greedy evil king Kartavirya robbed a brahmin, for which he was killed by Parashurama. The sons of Kartavirya killed Jamadagni in revenge. This infuriated Vishnu and he exterminated all the men from the Kshatriya (warrior) classes 21 times in a row.

The seventh avatar is Rama:
The hero of the famous Ramayana, which I already talked about in a post. His faithful companion Lakshmi is represented here as Sita. Rama is revered as a model of masculinity, male honor, a loving spouse, monarch and friend. In addition to Rama and Sita, his brothers Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatraghna, as well as Rama's friend and faithful assistant, the monkey king Hanuman, are involved in the story. "Ramayana" is one of the most beloved themes in the work of the peoples of Asia, it is especially popular in India, Sri Lanka and Bali.

The eighth avatar is Krishna:
The most popular deity in India, as well as in many other countries, today. Who among us has not heard the famous mantra "Hare Krishna" (हरे कृष्ण, Hare Kṛṣṇa). It is believed that listening to, and even more so, chanting this mantra elevates consciousness, opens the mind and, most importantly, frees from the consequences of karma.

The ninth avatar is the Buddha:
Yes, yes, the same founder of Buddhism. It is due to this avatar that the close interweaving of Buddhism with Hinduism and the logical inclusion and dissemination of its philosophy in India are achieved.

The tenth avatar is Kalki:
The coming incarnation of Vishnu. At the end of our era, Vishnu will appear in human form riding a white horse with a flaming sword in his hand. By the way, for fans of "Game of Thrones" and "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin, according to one, not the most, in my opinion, crazy theory, the legend of the 10th incarnation was put at the basis of the prophecy about Azor Ahaya Vishnu. So, when Kalki appears, he will condemn and punish the sinners, reward the righteous and there will be a general prosperity, until the next coming ☺.

Another very difficult character of the Indian pantheon is Shiva. He is at the same time the god of destruction, the god of dance, and also the guardian of people from illusions.

Shiva is usually depicted as a very pretty young blue man with four arms and three eyes, sometimes you can also find an image with four heads. The third eye, the one that all yogis and other “enlightened ones” dream of opening, is located in the center of the forehead and can truly have destructive consequences, do not forget what happened to one of the faces of Brahma. Sometimes it is drawn as an ordinary eye, and sometimes schematically in the form of three stripes. Admirers of Shiva also put a mark on their foreheads, symbolizing the third eye. It cannot be said that Shiva, like Vishnu, had many avatars, rather, he is presented in many forms, symbolizing his divine destiny.

Shiva god yogi, god ascetic:
He prefers solitude and sits alone on Mount Kailash (Kailash) in the Himalayas. He is usually dressed in a tiger skin, and snakes are wrapped around his neck (the number may vary). Accordingly, he in one way or another patronizes all who seek enlightenment, the development of the mind and awareness.

But as I said, Shiva is often called the destroyer god. In this incarnation, he has the name Bhairava - "the absorber of joy". Fulfilling this mission, he wanders around cemeteries and cremation grounds with a retinue of demons, a necklace of skulls adorns his neck, and snakes swarm in his hair.

Its other essence is dancer god Nataraja. In his magical dance, he stands on one leg, leaning on a tiny figurine of a dwarf demon lying on a lotus flower. This demon symbolizes human ignorance, which Shiva eradicates. with its dance, leading to wisdom and liberation from karma and the fetters of mortal life. The second leg of the god is bent and raised. In two hands he holds a drum and a flame (a symbol of his destructive nature), the third hand is folded in a blessing gesture, and the fourth is turned to a raised leg, thus granting liberation from illusions. Nataraja himself is surrounded by flames. Shiva's dance symbolizes the path to salvation, liberation from maya (illusions).

Also Shiva is Gangadhar- those who could hold the Ganges River. The following legend is connected with this incarnation of him. Once upon a time, the earth lacked not only water, but even moisture, all of it was dry and cracked and covered with ashes. The only thing that could save her was the waters of the great river Ganges, but they washed the divine worlds and flowed high in the heavens, and her power was so great that if you directed the entire stream to the earth, it simply destroyed it. Shiva came to the rescue - he put his head under the stream of water, which, entangled in his hair, turned into seven tributaries and watered the earth with life-giving moisture.

Shiva prefers to use the white bull Nandi for movement, which is why worshipers of Shiva are so reverent about cows. Nandi also cares for all four-legged creatures and becomes very sad when they are harmed.

In Shiva's personal life, everything is much more complicated than that of Vishnu. If you look at the list of Shiva's amorous adventures, somehow he does not really fit in with the image of an ascetic ☺. The stories of tender affections of all the gods of the Trimurti are quite interesting and worthy of attention, as well as some of their offspring. But I propose to talk about the female part of the supreme Hindu pantheon next time.