Deity Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ====Hinduism==== {{multiple image | align = right | image1 = Ganesha Basohli miniature circa 1730 Dubost p73.jpg | width1 = 157 | alt1 = | caption1 = | image2 = Saraswati.jpg | width2 = 133 | alt2 = | caption2 = | footer = Left: [[Ganesha]] god of new beginnings, remover of obstacle; Right: [[Saraswati]], goddess of knowledge and music }} {{Main|Hindu deities|Deva (Hinduism)|Devi|God in Hinduism|Ishvara|Bhagavan}} The concept of God varies in [[Hinduism]], it being a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning [[henotheism]], [[monotheism]], [[polytheism]], [[panentheism]], [[pantheism]] and [[monism]] among others.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lipner|first1=Julius|author-link=Julius J. Lipner|title=Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices|date=2010|publisher=Routledge|location=Abingdon, Oxon|isbn=978-0-415-45677-7|page=8|edition=2nd|quote=(...) one need not be religious in the minimal sense described to be accepted as a Hindu by Hindus, or describe oneself perfectly validly as Hindu. One may be polytheistic or monotheistic, monistic or pantheistic, even an agnostic, humanist or atheist, and still be considered a Hindu.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Chakravarti|first1=Sitansu S.|title=Hinduism, a Way of Life|date=1992|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishing|location=Delhi|isbn=978-81-208-0899-7|pages=71|edition=1st|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=J_-rASTgw8wC|page=71}}|access-date=28 June 2017|language=en}}</ref> In the ancient [[Vedas|Vedic]] texts of Hinduism, a deity is often referred to as [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]] (god) or [[Devi]] (goddess).<ref name="Monier-Williams"/>{{rp|496}}<ref name="Klostermaier"/> The root of these terms mean "heavenly, divine, anything of excellence".<ref name="Monier-Williams"/>{{rp|492}}<ref name="Klostermaier"/> Deva is masculine, and the related feminine equivalent is [[devi]]. In the earliest Vedic literature, all [[supernatural being]]s are called [[Asura]]s.<ref name=Hale/>{{rp|5β11, 22, 99β102}}<ref name="Monier-Williams"/>{{rp|121}} Over time, those with a benevolent nature become deities and are referred to as ''Sura'', Deva or Devi.<ref name=Hale/>{{rp|2β6}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gier|first1=Nicholas F.|title=Spiritual Titanism: Indian, Chinese, and Western Perspectives|date=2000|publisher=State University of New York Press|location=Albany, NY|isbn=978-0-7914-4528-0|pages=59β76}}</ref> Devas or deities in Hindu texts differ from Greek or Roman [[theodicy]], states Ray Billington, because many Hindu traditions believe that a human being has the potential to be reborn as a ''deva'' (or ''devi''), by living an ethical life and building up saintly ''[[karma]]''.<ref name="Billington">{{cite book|last1=Billington|first1=Ray|title=Understanding Eastern Philosophy|date=2002|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-79348-8|pages=42|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dACFAgAAQBAJ|access-date=28 June 2017|language=en|archive-date=11 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111055833/https://books.google.com/books?id=dACFAgAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Such a ''deva'' enjoys heavenly bliss, till the merit runs out, and then the [[soul]] (atma = gender female) is reborn again into [[SaαΉsΔra]]. Thus deities are henotheistic manifestations, embodiments and consequence of the virtuous, the noble, the saint-like living in many Hindu traditions.<ref name="Billington"/> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page