How can Hinduism be both polytheistic and monotheistic


In Hinduism a believer of religion indulging in rituals considers Hindu religion to be polytheistic. Whereas a traveler of spiritual path, follower of teachings contained in Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads considers Hinduism to be monotheistic. Both were correct in their perception.

 

One who finds self incapable of indulging in spirituality unable to follow teachings of Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita ritually goes to temples to pray to God. For such a one, myriads of statues of different gods and goddesses placed in temples represented the multi-varied position of god. Unable to comprehend God in its entirety, believers of various gods and goddesses always prayed to different manifestations of god.

 

One who desired wealth peace and prosperity worshipped Lord Ganesha. Those fearful of God, the controller of death prayed to Lord Shiva. Those with a materialistic bent of mind worshipped goddess Lakshmi. As the desire accordingly the attribute of God Almighty! For masses God was only an entity to seek something. People never prayed to God for the sake of welfare of mankind but for the individual self and the family.

 

Those desirous of welfare of entire mankind indulged in abstract form of god. Such seekers prayed to and believed in one and only god Brahman, the creator of entire cosmos. For every single seeker indulging in spirituality there was only one god. This is confirmed by Adi Shankaracharya in his doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. According to him other than God Almighty, Brahman nothing existed in cosmos.

 

Even Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita repeatedly says not to worship any attribute of God Almighty but Brahman himself. According to Lord Krishna every single prayer offered to different attributes of God Almighty, various gods and goddesses ultimately reaches Brahman. So why not directly pray to Brahman than his attributes.

 

Hinduism religion from the very beginning of life was flexible, prime reason why Hinduism religion is called a way of life. As the means available, accordingly the prayers offered. Those unable to go to a temple prayed to various rivers, mountains even trees and stones, considering them a symbol of god. As long as mankind failed to visualize the unity behind all attributes of God Almighty, believing in monotheistic concept of Hinduism was difficult.

 

The moment we start indulging in our true inner self existing in heart, we also start believing in monotheistic concept of Hinduism.

 

In the beginning of life on mother earth as per Hinduism scriptures religion was primarily polytheistic. None knew anything about God. For sunlight people prayed to Sun God, Surya Devta. For rains people prayed to Varun Devta, the God of rains. For air people prayed to Vayu Devta. The list was endless. Prime reason why Hinduism consists of hordes of gods totaling 330 million!

 

In present times when the human intellect has considerably evolved it is no more necessary to worship, pray to various attributes of God Almighty. We can directly address all our prayers to Brahman, the one and only creator of entire cosmos.

 

Going by absolute reality, none by the name of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu or Lord Shiva ever existed on mother earth. All the three Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are simply attributes of God Almighty. Shiva is also known as Mahesh. So why believe in attributes that existed only in doctrines, never in real life.

 

Foremost of all to realize entity of god we must believe in the spiritual consciousness existing in our heart as soul atman. Introspecting on self, contemplating on hidden values of life contained in scriptures of different religions of world we can reach our true inner self, realize self forever.

 

Only an enlightened one can truly know what Brahman was all about.

 

Going by the Anekantavada and Syadvada doctrines of Jainism we can confidently say that Hinduism is monotheistic also polytheistic, even pantheistic. As the perception, accordingly the interpretation!

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