Explained: Why there are 330 Million gods in the Hindu religion?
The majority of religions preach about “one god”. The concept also makes sense because we are told from birth that “God” is the supreme entity. There is nothing beyond it. No one is equal to it. He/She is the one that cannot be compared with anyone else.
Now, saying there are multiple gods seems contradictory as there would be multiple supreme beings. The thought of multiple beings with equal powers makes them look like humans. Perhaps they are the family that created us in the way we humans create other things.
It is weird that in “Hinduism”, the number of Gods is not one, two, or dozen but in millions. Yes, in Hinduism there are about 330 million gods (maybe even more). Thus, God doesn’t have a family but there is a nation of gods where there are toddler gods, baby gods, kids as gods, teenager gods, and adult gods. This might look like sarcasm but it is true. All these kinds of gods are mentioned in various Hindu scriptures.
Does that mean Hinduism promotes multiple gods?
Yes. Hinduism promotes the concept of multiple gods and focuses that the god is one.
Wait! didn’t the first part of the sentence contradicts the second part.
It is confusing but not incorrect and the statements are not contradictory. Rather they are meant for different individuals.
The concept of god in Hinduism is very simple. God is the supreme consciousness & awareness. God is the energy, awareness, and consciousness that is present in every part of this universe. Each particle of the universe comprises god.
Now comes the play. Each being has a different level of consciousness and we keep on growing. We keep on learning, understanding, and gaining from our life experiences. Thus, the level of awareness keeps on rising.
In a certain timeline, some individuals have low consciousness and others have higher consciousness. The individuals of lower consciousness go to the individuals with higher consciousness to discuss their doubts and to increase their understanding.
Hinduism promotes learning by equating the individuals of higher consciousness with gods. Thus the individuals who have lower consciousness can believe in the words of mature and wise individuals and enhance their awareness. There is no compulsion on anyone. It is free will.
Thus, there are a lot of gods. There are gods for a home, a village, a city, and a district, and there are some gods that are recognized at the national level. People start respecting individuals who influenced their lives and gave them understanding.
The individuals pick their god based on their level of consciousness and once that rises, they pick the next god. No one discards the efforts of the previous teachers, and spiritual uplifters.
At the same time, the scriptures and these godly figures reinforce the concept of one god. The scriptures of the Hindu religion explicitly disclose: “Irrespective of which form you worship, you worship me because I am the final consciousness.”
Thus, there are gods for families. These are people who made difference in the life of the family members (they saved them from droughts, famines, wars, etc.). These individuals are worshipped for their contribution.
There are gods for villages, communities, and specific areas. These are the people that helped the entire villages or specific regions. Now people believe in them. They worship them to show their gratitude.
Some gods are related to supreme powers. The Fire god is known as “Agni dev”, the god of wind is “Pawan dev”, the god of strength is “Hanuman”, the goddess of money is “Lakhsmi Devi”, etc. People worship them for different reasons and to show their gratitude.
Then there is the final trinity of lords Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesha. Lord Brahma refers to the originator, Lord Vishnu refers to saviour, and lord Mahesha refers to the destroyer. It is said that lord Brahma created the consciousness, lord Vishnu helps in saving it, and lord Mahesha eventually ends it. This trinity is then said to culminate in one god and that is “Lord Shiva” who is the final god.
There are some variations in how people see it. Some worship lord Shiva as Lord Rama, or Lord Krishna. But the scriptures indicate that they are all one and the same.
Next time if you ever come across a Hindu who worships multiple gods. You might want to ask if they are their home god, village god, or the supreme gods.
