With the ever increasing number of Indian writers writing in English language and their plots embracing the true nature of the stories of the civilisation, a cheat sheet introducing the non-Indians to the Indian gods and their significance in the culture may help to understand an Indian story better. Here is a list of Indian gods and what they stand for.
Lord Krishna, worshipped as the Supreme God by the majority, spoke the Bhagavad Gita to His friend and devotee Arjuna in the great battle of Kurukshetra in Mahabharata. He appeared to kill the miscreants and protect His devotees. He is the lord of maintenance and manifests Himself in ten different prominent incarnations namely Matsya ( fish incarnation), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (Boar), Vamana (dwarf), Narasimha (half man, half lion), Parasurama, Rama, Balarama, Buddha, and Kalki. He is also referred to as Lord Vishnu in His another expanded form. His eternal abode is called Vaikunta and His worshippers are called Vaishnavas.
Lord Shiva is the lord of destruction. He lives in Kailash and performs his thandava dance, the final dance of destruction at the end of creation. He is worshipped as Nataraja, the dancing form and the Shiva Linga, a peculiar deity form. His worshipers are called Shavaites.
Lord Brahma is the Lord of creation. He has four heads and is in charge of creating the material universe. He resides in Brahma Loka, the highest planet in material creation.
Lakshmi is the consort of Lord Vishnu. She is the goddess of wealth and there is no Indian who does not worship her.
Shakti is the consort of Lord Shiva. She has a great following in every part of the country and when writers want show female power, they invariably refer to Shakti. Her worshippers are called Shaktas. She is referred to by more than thousand names, few being Durga, Parvati, Iswari and Vaishnnavo Devi.
Saraswati is the goddess of learning. She is shown as playing the Veena (a stringed instrument) and is the consort of Lord Brahma. Children are made to worship her to be able to perform well in their studies.
Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and he has a head of an elephant and the body of god. His temples are seen on every street across the country for he is prayed to get rid of obstacles in one's life. His other names are Vinayaka, Ganapathi, and Gajamukha.
Kartikeya is the brother of Ganesha. He is mostly worshipped in south India. He is known as the army general of the gods.
Yamaraj - god of death
Kuvera - treasurer of the Gods
Indra - god of thunderstorms
Chandra - moon God
Surya - sun god
Kamadeva - Cupid
The above is a basic list of Hindu gods that are often referred to by authors.
Lord Krishna, worshipped as the Supreme God by the majority, spoke the Bhagavad Gita to His friend and devotee Arjuna in the great battle of Kurukshetra in Mahabharata. He appeared to kill the miscreants and protect His devotees. He is the lord of maintenance and manifests Himself in ten different prominent incarnations namely Matsya ( fish incarnation), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (Boar), Vamana (dwarf), Narasimha (half man, half lion), Parasurama, Rama, Balarama, Buddha, and Kalki. He is also referred to as Lord Vishnu in His another expanded form. His eternal abode is called Vaikunta and His worshippers are called Vaishnavas.
Lord Shiva is the lord of destruction. He lives in Kailash and performs his thandava dance, the final dance of destruction at the end of creation. He is worshipped as Nataraja, the dancing form and the Shiva Linga, a peculiar deity form. His worshipers are called Shavaites.
Lord Brahma is the Lord of creation. He has four heads and is in charge of creating the material universe. He resides in Brahma Loka, the highest planet in material creation.
Lakshmi is the consort of Lord Vishnu. She is the goddess of wealth and there is no Indian who does not worship her.
Shakti is the consort of Lord Shiva. She has a great following in every part of the country and when writers want show female power, they invariably refer to Shakti. Her worshippers are called Shaktas. She is referred to by more than thousand names, few being Durga, Parvati, Iswari and Vaishnnavo Devi.
Saraswati is the goddess of learning. She is shown as playing the Veena (a stringed instrument) and is the consort of Lord Brahma. Children are made to worship her to be able to perform well in their studies.
Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and he has a head of an elephant and the body of god. His temples are seen on every street across the country for he is prayed to get rid of obstacles in one's life. His other names are Vinayaka, Ganapathi, and Gajamukha.
Kartikeya is the brother of Ganesha. He is mostly worshipped in south India. He is known as the army general of the gods.
Yamaraj - god of death
Kuvera - treasurer of the Gods
Indra - god of thunderstorms
Chandra - moon God
Surya - sun god
Kamadeva - Cupid
The above is a basic list of Hindu gods that are often referred to by authors.
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