Hinduism is one of the world's major polytheistic religions. It has a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses, each with their own mythology, role and sacred places of worship
The three primary Gods of the Hindu Religion or the "Trinity" are Brahma. The Creator, Vishnu. The Preserver and Shiva: The Destroyer. Together they maintain the balance of the universe, with Vishnu assuming various Avatars to protect humanity in times of crises.
The Divine Feminine or Female energy has a central role in Hinduism. All the Lords have their consorts, who are equally powerful. Brahma's consort is Saraswathi, the Goddess of Learning. Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi; the Goddess of wealth, and prosperity and Shiva's consort is Parvathi, who is revered as Shakti; The Goddess of Strength, and who is also worshipped as Kali and Durga.<> Apart from the Trinity, there are numerous deities who complete the Hindu Pantheon, like Ganesha the Lord of Auspicious Beginnings, the warlike Karthikeya, the unconquerable Hanuman, the Sun God Surya, Prithvi, the Earth Goddess and Indira, the King of the Devas, the leader of the Gods.
Life-giving rivers like the Ganges, Godavari, Cauvery, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati are also worshipped. The river Ganga or Ganga Ma is considered the most sacred and forms an integral part of all Hindu beliefs & rituals.
Across the length and breadth of India, there are holy places associated with particular Gods, epics or temples like Badrinath, Puri, Dwaraka, Ayodhya, Rameswaram, Varanasi, Rishikesh, Nasik Pushkar and Ujjain. Chief among these and the holiest of holy cities is Varanasi, on the banks of the River Ganga.
One important tenet of Hindu practice is the belief that all Hindus should visit Varanasi at least once in their lifetime and take a dip in the Ganges. This simple act absolves them of their sins of their present life and bestows blessings on the next generation and freedom from the endless cycle of rebirth.
Varanasi is also considered a gateway to heaven and many Hindus either cremate their dead here or scatter their ashes on the river Ganga, so that their souls go straight to heaven and they attain "Moksha" or liberation.
Varanasi is undoubtedly the spiritual capital of India. The city is home to over 3000 temples and shrines and has around 84 sacred Ghats that lead to the Ganga. It has historical architecture, sadhus, tantric practitioners, Sanskrit scholars, and pundits. Varanasi is the heart of Hinduism. Reading this book will help you understand its spiritual and historic roots.
Vedas (1182)
Upanishads (493)
Puranas (624)
Ramayana (741)
Mahabharata (354)
Dharmasastras (165)
Goddess (496)
Bhakti (242)
Saints (1503)
Gods (1290)
Shiva (370)
Journal (187)
Fiction (60)
Vedanta (362)
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