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Hindu Gods and Goddesses
Hindus believe in the attainment of salvation by leading a religious and balanced life. The major cults of Hinduism focus on three main deities: Shiva, Vishnu, and the great goddess known as Devi. According to Hindu belief, a worshipper will reach the ultimate goal no matter which of these deities he or she focuses on. The concept of a trinity consisting of Brahma as Creator, Vishnu as Protector, and Shiva as Destroyer also exists. Devi (or the Great Goddess), at once the alluring maiden and the fierce hag, is another principal Hindu deity. Like the other deities mentioned above, she appears in many forms.
Interaction between the images of deities and devotees is integral to worship. Traditionally, Hindu ritual images of the divine are bathed and lustrated with water, clarified butter, honey, and other liquids. Whether an image is venerated at a huge temple complex or a simple roadside stand, its eyes are considered one of its most powerful elements, serving as a link between the god and the devotee. Once a divine image’s eyes have been ritually opened, it is imbued with spiritual power.
In Nepal, Hinduism is the state religion, but Buddhism is also practiced and the two faiths coexist and share many similar rites and rituals. In Southeast Asia, Hinduism has maintained a strong presence for centuries, even as Buddhism is predominant in many places. For example, Hinduism has influenced the arts, rites and festivals in Thailand, a Buddhist country. In Cambodia the worship of Shiva once dominated to such an extent that in the early seventh century King Isanavarman I (“Protected by Shiva”) renamed the capital Isanapura, which means the “city of Shiva.”
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Shiva as Lord of the Dance (Shiva Nataraja) The dance of Shiva plays a major part in his mythology. Shiva’s dance of bliss is the catalyst for the destruction of one universe and the creation of a new cosmos. The Cholas, who were in power in South India from the late ninth century to the late thirteenth century, were Hindus and great patrons of the arts. They chose Shiva as the primary focus of their worship and revered Shiva in his role of Lord of the Dance as their guardian deity. |
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Shiva This four-armed representation of the Hindu god Shiva has a third eye in the middle of his forehead that was likely a later addition. The abraded image in the center of the figure’s headdress appears to have once been a stupa or a seated buddha, emblems particular to the Buddhist bodhisattvas. This suggests that this was once a Buddhist sculpture that was recarved for use as a Hindu image. The rulers of Angkor developed a cult that saw a tutelary deity protecting the kingdom through the intermediary of the king. Shiva and Vishnu were the most important deities in this cult. |
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Parvati Parvati, one of the forms of Devi (or the Great Goddess), is the daughter of the Himalayan Mountains and is worshiped both on her own and as Shiva’s consort. This sculpture was likely once part of a set in which Parvati accompanied Shiva in one of his manifestations. Her triple-bend (tribhanga) pose and hand gestures are commonly seen when she is shown together with Shiva as Lord of the Dance. |
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Shiva and Parvati (Uma-Maheshvara) This stone carving shows Shiva and his family in their heavenly home on Mount Kailasa. Shiva lifts a lock of his hair, which he offers to the goddess Ganga who flies above his right shoulder. This refers to the tale in which Shiva used his hair to soften the flow of the mighty river Ganga when it cascaded from the heavens onto the earth. Such family tableaux were very popular in Nepal. This may be identified as a celebratory scene of the birth of Shiva and Parvati’s son Karttikeya, depicted here as a small boy seated on Shiva’s bull. |
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Vishnu with lion and boar heads The Hindu god Vishnu appears on earth in many forms, including those of a giant man-lion and a giant boar. The animal heads on this sculpture symbolize these two forms, which both embody Vishnu’s function as a preserver of individuals, the world, and the cosmos. In his man-lion form Vishnu is said to have saved his devotee Prahalda from the wrath of her father, who worshiped Shiva. In the form of the boar, Vishnu rescued the earth from a great flood. |
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Head of Vishnu A temple dedicated to Vishnu was established as early as the eighth or ninth century in Thailand, close to the time that this sculpture was carved. Throughout South and Southeast Asia, Vishnu is often depicted wearing a high headdress known as a kiritamukuta, as seen here. The very slightly flared shape of this crown, with edges of Vishnu’s hairline shown beneath, along with the full features of the face, however, characterize the sculpture as the production of the central part of the Thai/Malay peninsula. |
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Vishnu This sculpture of the Hindu god Vishnu has been associated with the rule of King Adityasena, a member of the Late Gupta dynasty that ruled parts of northern and northeastern India in the third quarter of the seventh century. Adityasena and his family are recorded as having built a temple dedicated to Vishnu. The quality of this sculpture suggests that it once may have graced this temple or another municipal prominent site. |