Hindu mythology has about 30 million gods.; However, not all enjoy the same popularity, as some of them are better known and have a greater number of believers, both in India and in other parts of the world.
Here is a list with top 10 best known hindu godsamong which are figures such as Krishna and Ganesha, who are among the most recognized deities in the West, where the predominant religions are Catholic and Christian.
1.Brahma
He is the supreme creator of the universe and therefore the first of the Hindu gods. He is responsible for having created everything known to man, symbolizes a source of wisdom and represents intelligence. He can inhabit both living beings and inanimate objects.
In the images he appears with four faces, which represent his great capacity for knowledge, and four hands, which symbolize the main aspects of the human personality: mind, intellect, ego and conscience.
2.Vishnu
Known as «the preserver», he is one of the most beautiful deities, and is highly appreciated by the Hindu community. He symbolizes order, peace and universal love, and his purpose is to maintain these values in the world. For this reason, he encourages his faithful to be compassionate and kind to their peers.
As in other religions such as Judeo-Christians, in Hinduism there is a main trilogy of deities, which is made up of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
3. Shiva
Known as «the destroyer», he is the polar opposite of Brahma and Vishnu. While the first is the beginning of life, the second preserves it and Shiva realizes the end. But it is not about an end with a negative perspective, but with the possibility that everything arises again, because for there to be life there must also be death, which in the end is a positive energy for the balance of the universe.
Shiva is also recognized as the god of dance, an art that for Hindus has great religious and spiritual significance. Also, the snake around his neck symbolizes life energy.
4.Lakshmi
She is considered the goddess of fortune and beauty and is the wife of Vishnu. Hindu mythology tells a magnificent love story between them in which, when one reincarnates, the other does the same to stay together.
In addition, it is one of the most revered deities in homes and businesses in India. She is usually depicted as a beautiful woman with four arms and rising on a lotus flower. She lives where there is industriousness, courage and virtue.
5.Krishna
Krishna is another of the most faithful Hindu gods in South Asia. In India you can find a large number of sculptures, images and works of art that present him in human form, usually accompanied by a flute, since he loves music.
According to mythology, his figure symbolizes a hero, leader, teacher and friend, and for this reason he is called the dweller of hearts. Furthermore, it is believed that he is endowed with love, and has the power to destroy pain and sins.
6.Ganesha
He is the son of Shiva and Parvati, and along with Krishna and Hanuman he is one of the most popular gods in India. He is characterized by having an elephant head and a human body, he is considered the destroyer of obstacles and an envoy of good news.
This god is related to art and science, and is considered the god of intelligence. On the other hand, one of the most frequent religious practices among the Hindu population is to pray to Ganesha before getting married or undertaking a project.
7. Branch
protagonist of Ramayana, one of the most famous works of Hindu literature, Rama represents an exemplary man with all his virtues: courage, kindness, devotion and piety. His function is to destroy evil and fight for good things.
It is the second most important avatar of Vishnu (avatar is the bodily manifestation of a deity, and the term comes from Sanskrit avatara, which means descent or incarnation of a god). The story of him has a background in the Indian tribal heroes that existed thousands of years ago, and besides being a god, he is considered a king.
8. Hanuman
He is known as the monkey king, due to his ape form. He represents a symbol of strength, perseverance, energy and courage, for which his believers invoke him when they have to face difficult times.
He is a very popular deity in India and his fame stems from his great loyalty to the god Rama, of whom he is a devotee and a fighting partner. He is also a scholar who knows the language and holy books well. But despite his great wisdom, his humility is such that he never boasts of his knowledge.
9.Saraswati
In the images and sculptures, she is represented as a beautiful woman who plays the zither on a lotus flower. Her clothes are modest, because beyond her appearance, for her the most important thing is knowledge and sensitivity.
This deity represents creativity, music and the arts, which is why she is known as the goddess of knowledge. Believers often invoke her to improve her understanding and learning ability in times of study.
10.kali
It symbolizes the balance between light and darkness. She possesses a dual nature and is shown as a destroyer of demons, appearing as a stocky woman wearing a necklace made from the skulls of enemies she has defeated in combat. Furthermore, she is said to symbolize the death of the ego and the temporary condition of the human body.
Compared to other Hindu gods who possess kindness and good values, she is believed to have been born out of Shiva’s anger and therefore represents a destructive force. For this reason, she is also known as «the dark mother».
With information from Psychology and Mind