Vishnu Purana

What is Hinduism ? . We have to clearly understand the pantheon of hindu gods to understand Hinduism . Even the most educated persons are confused about the hindu gods and as a result, there is not much prominence given to hindu religion . As a result the hindu religion is divided on different caste basis . Each caste catches hold of certain gods and have established their own path of tradition and worship . First confusion is introduced by the English translation of the word GOD . There is no equivalent of word GOD in any of the Indian languages . The Vedic word DEVATAS are referred to natural forces, divine powers and is not equivalent to word GOD . The word devatas AS MENTIONED IN THE VEDAS are referred to air (VAYU), fire (agni), water (aapah), earth (pruthivi), space (aakaash), twin gods ashwins (gods of health, beauty and balance), rudra (god of justice), wealth (Lakshmi devi), knowledge (devi Saraswathi), strength (pushan), death (yama), SUN (SURYA), INDRA (CHIEF OF GODS, who also causes rains), etc prajnya (Vishnu), prana (VITAL FORCE), ATMA (SOUL) . All these gods are who constitute this universe and who also constitute the bodies of living beings on earth . Subsequently any number of gods have come into worship depending on hopes, desires and fears of people . Contemplation and worship of these gods bring respective results over which they preside . The hindu religion is very clear that one and only supreme Power that is the source of all creation, even of gods or devatas, is PARAMATMA . This is emphatically declared in PURUSHA SUKTA IN ALL THE VEDAS . PARAMATMA, the unbounded eternal supreme power who is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient is called by many names such as SRI HARI, NARAYANA, PARAMATMA, BHAGAVANTHA, PARABRAHMA . PARAMATMA IS THE CONFLUENCE OF PRANA, PRAGNYA, KNOWLEDGE, BLISS (VITAL FOCE - CONSCIOUSNESS - KNOWLEDGE - BLISS), which no other god possess as its sole power . The spark of this supreme divine enters into human beings as SOUL . THIS SOUL IS ALSO CALLED ATMA .THIS ATMA WHEN UNBOUNDED AND IS SUPREMELY PURE IS PARAMATMA . This PARAMATMA the cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution is unknown, cannot be known by any means . This is ONE AND HAS NO SECOND SIMILAR . All the gods serve the supreme ATMA, at all levels . The aim of hindu religion is liberation, moksha, the release of ATMA which has entered the body as SOUL to return and merge with unbounded supremely pure PARAMATMA . The impurities that cause the ATMA to enter the body and be called the SOUL is due to ignorance (maya or illusion ) and attachment to the world of objects in the form of desire . Total devotion and surrender to the PARAMATMA by the EMBODIED SOUL brings out this liberation from embodiment and repeated births and deaths . This supreme Godhead PARAMATMA has three faces, the faces of creation BRAHMA, the face of support and sustenance of the world VISHNU and the face of dissolution MAHESHWARA . Brahma has no form and is only creative energy . Vishnu is the God that supports and makes the life what it is from birth to death . Vishnu takes many forms and is the god of consciousness that makes the illusory life appear real .Maheshwara is worshipped in the form of Linga, who is the source of peace and bliss that resembles only state of death . Shivas residence is verily cremation ground . It is Vishnu who has pervaded everywhere and makes the life joyful and helps liberation of embodied SOUL .