Hinduism. Polytheistic or Monotheistic?

[Guest guest]

Hinduism, our profound religion and culture, being the world's 3rd largest religion which is considered to be one of the most philosophical, ethical, and peaceful religions has a lot of misconceptions.

 

There are many, many different concepts which are misunderstood by Hindu's themselves and others.

 

One of the biggest misconceptions is whether Hinduism is polytheistic (belief in many God’s) or monotheistic (belief in one God).

 

Westerns believe Hinduism and see Hinduism as the largest polytheistic religion, obviously because of the millions of Gods in Hinduism. Hinduism has over 330 MILLION different Gods and nearly 900 million followers, and not all Hindu’s worship the same God.

 

 

So, either Hinduism is polytheistic and the followers do worship many Gods or Hinduism is monotheistic and sees all 330 million as God but worships only one. If Hinduism is ‘monotheistic’ then out of the 330 million whose the “ONE GOD”?

 

Can Hinduism be both, polytheistic and monotheistic?

[Guest guest]

the term hinduism has been invented by people. the polythestic view has also been invented by people. because many "hindus" are just following blindly now and not using their intelligence to read what the scriptures or hear what bonofide gurus have to say.

 

There are so many scriptural references that point out the supremacy of Sri Krishna. However most hindu's these days seem to worship a number of the demi-gods too. Why... because this is what there parent/freinds/society has taught them. When you have blind the following the blind you are going to be misled. So use your intelligence and see what the authorities which are above human limitations have to say about who you should worship and why. The hopefully you will understand the original and eternal dharma is monotheistic.

 

Krishna is the original supreme personality of godhead.

 

Gauranga!!!

 

 

[kcp1982]

Hare Krishna.

 

This is a good question and it should be understood well by all. The Vedic scriptures clearly state that there is only ONE God, Lord Krishna who's incarnations include Lord Ram, and Lord Vishnu. It's because of so many bogus Gurus that the Vedic religion has become a minority in this age. Until 5000 years ago it was the only religion for millions of years. In the future it will once again become the only religion. With the creation of each new sect by bogus Gurus, the Vedic religion becomes diluted and diminishes. One should only follow the Vedic scriptures and not any man made or recent scriptures created by bogus Gurus.

 

Lord Brahma who is the first created living being states in Brahma Samhita:

 

“Krishna who is known as Govinda is the supreme godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and he is the prime cause of all causes.” (Brahma Samhita 5.1)

 

After Describing various incarnations of the Lord such as Rama, Balrama, Vamana, Nrsimha, and Vishnu, Sukadeva Goswami states:

 

“All of the above mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions of portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead” (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.28)

 

Lord Shiva in the Gita Mahatmya states:

 

“Only one God – Krishna, the son of Devaki (verse 7)

 

In the Padma Purana it is stated:

 

“By scrutinizingly reviewing all the revealed scriptures and judging them again and again, it is now concluded that Lord Narayana is the supreme absolute truth, and thus he alone should be worshipped”

 

In the Skanda Purana it states:

 

“In the material world, which is full of darkness and dangers, combined with birth and death and full of different anxieties, the only way to get out of the great entanglement is to accept loving transcendental devotional service to Lord Vasudeva.”

 

The position of Krishna as God is confirmed by great personalities like Narada, Asita, Devela, Parasara, Brahma, and Shiva.

 

Lord Krishna himself makes it clear that he is the only God in the Bhagavad-gita, the essense of all Vedic scriptures.

 

“Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way. I am the only enjoyer and master of all sacrifices. Therefore, those who do not recognize my true transcendental nature fall down”

(Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 9.24)

 

I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable OM. I am also the Rig, the Sama and the Yajur Vedas”. (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita. 9.17)

 

“The whole cosmic order is under me. Under my will it is automatically manifested again and again, and under my will it is annihilated at the end.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita. 9.8)

 

"I am the Supersoul, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings."

(Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 10.20)

 

"One can understand me as I am, as the supreme personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when, by such devotion, one is fully conscious of me, one can enter into the kingdom of God." (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 18.55)

 

"Fools deride me when I descend in the human form. They do not know my transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be."

(Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 9.11)

 

 

[Yogkriya]

Krsna wants us to come to HIM!! Even though we devout ourselves to demiGods, we do worship the Supreme personality of God in the end. But in a longer way.

It's for us to choose what way we want. But for short term gains, it is agreeable according to shastras, to worship the demiGods!!

Astu!