Why does Hinduism worship 28 million Gods?

[Murad]

28 million Gods

Thats a rough estimate on how many hindu Gods were created since the dawn of hinduism.

My questions to shubhamgarg1993 & any other hindu's is simple.

1) How can you possibly believe in 28 million Gods. If you dont, does that make you more or less of a hindu?
2) Are they not all images drawn by man? Like Zeus & Thor etc...
3) What logic is there to hinduism that non-hindu's do not understand.

If you could reply with text written personally it would be appreciated.

[Murad]

Wait a minute...Muhammad had wives?!?!? Laughing

Suprisingly yes! I know it would be difficult to know this as its not brought up much in debates

I think it's (33M) just symbolic, a convention.

Do hindu's believe that?

Doesn't Islam have similar things? I have no idea or opinion on any metaphysics that might be involved.

Nope, Islam is very strict in monotheism, similarly to Judaism(1 perfect entity of God)

But as a consolation prize, consider this:
- catholic saints are sorta like that, but the stricter monotheism (or trinitarianism which is understood as monotheism) is maintained while having local and partial quasi-magical beings to protect, intercede, hear prayer, etc. And they are also said to be souls that went to god. Similar.

Yep im aware of the details of catholicism.
But even that isn't a good analogy, numerous factors conflict with hinduism.

- and hinduism is sort of like the utimate works righteousness (trying to be good enough), except it's really about a transformation (much like christianity and islam)

What do you mean by 'transformation'. Like a personal 'transformation' in the perception of the world?

- christianity and buddhism are both "impatient" religions, they both looked at the demands of jewish law and hindu many lifetimes and looked for a faster way out.

Yep, although im a firm believe in the cliche: "Patience is a virtue"

[shubhamgarg1993]

...

""i see most of us swayed from topic ""
coming back to it...


He is One and only One, Sustains entire universe, Omnipresent, Formless, All-Powerful, Perfect, Omniscient, Unborn, Eternal and supports us always.
He alone should be worshipped. (Yajurveda 40.8)

so the above verse it seems clears and leaves no area for debating that hinuduism believes only in god with hands and having images..

Yajurveda is one of the 4 vedas which forms the basis of hinduism ...
the 33M gods is those personalities who attained a high place in eyes of society ,
and were so high in their virtues . They are considered as Role Models... and since they followed Vedas so we try to follow them.. they have attained a high place equal to god in eyes of people. these are the souls which are so enlightened that , they attained MOKSHA the perfect state where soul return back to where its originated to Him .and merges in it.

i recommend anyone trying to learn about Hinduism before going to read any of other scriptures must once go through the Vedas...Hinduism was still there even before the birth of Rama and birth of Krishna.. .
Gita itself is the elaboration and description of 40th chapter of Yajurveda.

[Murad]

...
He is One and only One, Sustains entire universe, Omnipresent, Formless, All-Powerful, Perfect, Omniscient, Unborn, Eternal and supports us always.
He alone should be worshipped. (Yajurveda 40.8)


so the above verse it seems clears and leaves no area for debating that hinuduism believes only in god with hands and having images..

Actually it doesn't. There is still Hanuman, Krishna, Ganesh.... They are worshipped seperately
This undeniable fact contradicts the verse you quoted from: He alone should be worshipped.

Does hinduism worship 1 God or 33 million Gods? It can't be both.

the 33M gods is those personalities who attained a high place in eyes of society ,
and were so high in their virtues . They are considered as Role Models... and since they followed Vedas so we try to follow them..

Wait im confused.
First you call them "Gods" then you call them "role models"

these are the souls which are so enlightened that , they attained MOKSHA the perfect state where soul return back to where its originated to Him .and merges in it.

Interesting, you taught me something new

[Goat]

...
He is One and only One, Sustains entire universe, Omnipresent, Formless, All-Powerful, Perfect, Omniscient, Unborn, Eternal and supports us always.
He alone should be worshipped. (Yajurveda 40.8)


so the above verse it seems clears and leaves no area for debating that hinuduism believes only in god with hands and having images..

Actually it doesn't. There is still Hanuman, Krishna, Ganesh.... They are worshipped seperately
This undeniable fact contradicts the verse you quoted from: He alone should be worshipped.

Does hinduism worship 1 God or 33 million Gods? It can't be both.

Seems to me that Hinduism has taken the position that they various names are different aspects of a single Divinity/God. It might not make sense to you, but that is their position.

[shubhamgarg1993]

Actually it doesn't. There is still Hanuman, Krishna, Ganesh.... They are worshipped seperately
This undeniable fact contradicts the verse you quoted from: He alone should be worshipped.

you must note what i say... whenever and whereever hindus worship God in any form as krishna and Rama see the prayers we do to them and try to understand how we worship them...

lets say i pray to Krishna
"i believe that you are the same formless and shapeless, the ultimate godhead and have taken a form out of mercy on me,and o the creator of universe i bow low to you... and worship thee the creator of me "

so in a way we pray not that person Krishna but the ultimate godhead who is hidden in all but appears promimently in only a few who are enlightened as in Lord Krishna and in Lord Rama and Lord Buddha.... and i think i need not to tell that we Hindus regard every human to be having a part of divinity of Him for he is himself out of which the soul emerges.

and now we keep their life stories and histories as a sacred text for the reason that they are our role models , now what do Hindus pray to Rama
"Lord may i get power to face difficulties like you and not be afraid from the difficulties i face in life."
to Krishna i pray
"may i get power to leave everything behind as you left your homeland on path of duty."
so praying like this i consider them my role models as i say.. so we try to follow the path of Vedas as they did follow.

NOW WHILE PRAYING WHAT DOES A HINDU THINK THAT A PERSON LIVING ON EARTH WOULD COMPLETE THESE , NO WE THINK THAT THE FORMLESS GOD WHO IS ABOVE ALL AND CREATOR WILL GIVE ME POWER..so by saying this we are worshipping the ultimate God.. only thats why see any literature Puranas (shiva,vishnu etc.) they all say in just begining that this is about ultimate god who is formless and colorless and without any shape. it is written before any purana or ramayana and Bhagwata also.


Namaste means :: Divinty in me salutes the Divinity in you..

Hope you learned something new..

and that is for the fact we worship only one formless god...the Shiv Purana says you are the ultimate lord, and similarly Vishnu Purana says You are ultimate lord..

and people tend to think that they are aying vishnu as ultimate lord or shiva as ultimate lord...while thats not the thing ,, that is for what i recommend to read Vedas after that you will find it easy to understand hindu literatures which otherwise may appear contradictory .

[sickles]

NO , you must know Hinduism is oldest religion of world and was started from the starting of civilized humans..

the several millions of decades and centuries various people who were capable and emminent enough attained the title of God. many among them are Kings, many are the sages, many are the great Yogis, etc. in this way you see Hinduism gets so many Gods.

Learn about Hindusim here..[/quote]

You forget, my friend, that mankind is older than civilization itself. And before civilization, there was ANIMISM. I would contend that Hinduism is not the oldest religion in the world. Animism was the religion of those of us that first learned to speak, love, and revere nature. And it is likely that animism was practiced by those that came before us (neanderthal, cro-magnon, and others).

Hinduism and Animism have much in common. For instance, Native Americans believed in diety called the "breath giver". Hindu's believe in Brahman. Native americans believed in the hero twins, while Hindus believe in krishna and vishnu. They both have a respect for balance, and all life.

They differ in the afterlife though. Reincarnation for Hindus, and joining your ancestors in the spirit world after jumping of the edge of the world and passing the tests for Native Americans