GODS

Surya Panchayatana with Surya in the middle
 Shakti in North West, Vishnu in South West, Shiva in North East and Ganesha in South East

Ganesha

Lord Ganesha, also popularly called   Gajaanana, Ganapati, Vighneswara, and Vinyaka is the son of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. He is the god of wisdom and remover of obstacles, who is invoked and worshipped at commencement of religious ceremonies and at the beginning of important undertakings. Even the other gods worship him. All Hindu temples have this deity installed, irrespective of the form of the main deity. Besides, there are temples dedicated to Ganesha. Ganesha also means the lord of ‘Ganas’. Ganas are the spirits presiding over the five elements constituting the world.

There is an interesting story about his birth. Parvati wanted to bathe, but could find no one to guard the bathing place. She then created a person by her divine will, and out of the scurf (outer layer of skin) of her body. When he was obeying his mother’s instructions, to not let anybody in, walks in Shiva who is promptly challenged.  Out of rage, Shiva chops off the head of Ganapati. To pacify Parvati, Shiva replaces the head with that of  an elephant, that was first sighted.

  Ganesha is depicted with a potbelly, sitting on a mouse, with a snake tied round his waist. His belly symbolizes cosmos and the snake, cosmic energy. The elephant head is symbolic of majesty and wisdom.

The fourth day of the month of Bhadrapad in the Hindu calendar, is designated as Ganesha Chaturthi. This is celebrated on a grand scale in parts of India, such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamilnad. Also the devout worship Ganesha every month on a particular day in the second half of the Hindu calendar month designated as ‘Sankashta Hara Ganapati’ day.

Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah

Vishnu

  Maha Vishnu is the second god of the Hindu triad. He is the preserver.  Vishnu means the Great omnipresent. He is depicted as reclining on the great serpent ‘Adi Sesha” in the middle of the ocean of milk. His color is blue like the sky symbolizing infinitude. Brahma the creator, is shown as emanating from Vishnu’s navel. His wife is Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and fortune. His abode is the heaven, ‘Vaikunta’.  The bird ‘Garuda’ is his vehicle. He has four hands in which he carries Shanka (conch shell),

Chakra (discus), Gada (a club called Kaumodaki) and Padma (lotus). He wears jewels named Kaustubha and Syamantaka. The Mahabharata gives the supreme status to Vishnu, and says that Shiva was born from his forehead. The ‘Shaiva puranas’ make Shiva supreme and show Vishnu as paying homage to him.

  The preserving power of Vishnu manifests in this world, in a variety of forms called the "Avataras". These are ten in number and called the 'Dashavatara", Dasha meaning ten. In chronological order these are, Matsya (fish), Koorma (tortoise), Varaha (wild boar), Narasimha (half man and half lion), Vamana (dwarf man), Parashurama (Rama with the Axe), Sri Rama, Sri Krishna and Kalki (yet to arrive). 

As preserver Vishnu is the most popular deity, and worshipped in many forms such as, Satyanarayana, Venkateswara (Balaji), Srinivasa, Rama and Krishna.

Om Namo Narayanaya

Shiva

Shiva also known as Ishwara, Mahadeva, Rudra, Shankara, and Neela Kantha (blue necked, as he drank poison generated during churning of the oceans at the time of creation), Mrutyunjaya (eternal), Shoolapani (trident holder), Gangadhara (upholder of the holy river Ganges), Nataraja (king of dance), Trayambaka ( sweet scented), Trilochana (three eyed) and so on, is the third god of the Hindu triad. He is the redeeming power.

His wife is Parvati, one of the manifestations of Shakti. His abode is the heaven "Kailasa". Ganesha and Subrahmanya are his sons. His vehicle is Nandi (bull).

His devotees celebrate the fourteenth day (Chaturdashi) in the second fortnight (Krishna paksha) falling in the eleventh month of the Hindu Lunar calendar (month of Magha), as Shivaratri (night of Shiva).

Om Namah Shivaya

Shakti

Shakti is the wife of Shiva. She represents the female energy. She has two sides, one soft and gentle and the other fierce. She takes on the fierce form to destroy evil and is called Chandi, Chamundi, Durga, Kali and so on. It is in these forms that she is worshipped as Shakti. The Devi Mahatmya (the greatness of Devi) a poem of seven thousand verses celebrates the triumphs of Devi over many demons. It is "the book" for Devi worshippers and recited daily in temples.

Durga pooja is celebrated on a grand scale during the Navaratri (Dasara festival) commencing on the first day of "Ashwayuja", the seventh month of Hindu Lunar calendar usually falling in the month of October. The Kali (black goddess) temple at Dakshineswar near Calcutta is the most prominent temple for Shakti worship.

In gentle form she is known as Amba, Girija, Lalitha, Parvati, Hymavathi and Dakshayani (daughter of Daksha), Uma (light and beautiful), Gowri (yellow hued) and so on. South Indians celebrate Gowri festival along with Ganesha festival.

Om Sri Durgayai Namah