July 30, 2025

1. Brahma – The Creator

  • Member of the Trimurti (the Hindu trinity).
  • Created the universe and the Vedas.
  • Consort: Saraswati (goddess of knowledge).
  • Rarely worshipped today; very few temples dedicated to him.

2. Vishnu – The Preserver

  • Maintains cosmic order (dharma).
  • Takes various avatars (incarnations) to restore balance on Earth.
  • Consort: Lakshmi (goddess of wealth).
  • Worshipped widely across India.

Dashavatara – Ten Avatars of Vishnu

  1. Matsya – Fish who saved the first man and the Vedas from a great flood.
  2. Kurma – Tortoise who helped churn the ocean (Samudra Manthan).
  3. Varaha – Boar who rescued Earth goddess Bhudevi.
  4. Narasimha – Half-lion, half-man who destroyed the demon Hiranyakashipu.
  5. Vamana – Dwarf who humbled the demon king Bali.
  6. Parashurama – Warrior with an axe; destroyed corrupt Kshatriyas.
  7. Rama – Prince and hero of Ramayana, ideal king.
  8. Krishna – Divine strategist in Mahabharata, speaker of the Bhagavad Gita.
  9. Buddha – Some traditions include him as the 9th avatar (others debate this).
  10. Kalki – Future avatar, who will appear at the end of the current age (Kali Yuga) on a white horse.

3. Shiva – The Destroyer / Transformer

  • Destroys in order to recreate; ascetic and householder in one.
  • Worshipped as Mahadeva, Nataraja, Bhairava, etc.
  • Consort: Parvati (who also manifests as Durga and Kali).
  • Children: Ganesha and Kartikeya.

Major Goddesses (Shakti – the Divine Feminine)

4. Saraswati – Goddess of wisdom, arts, and learning.

5. Lakshmi – Goddess of wealth, fortune, and beauty.

6. Parvati / Durga / Kali – Multiple forms of the divine mother:

  • Parvati – Nurturing aspect.
  • Durga – Warrior goddess who slays demons like Mahishasura.
  • Kali – Fierce destroyer of evil and illusion.

Other Prominent Deities

7. Ganesha

  • Elephant-headed god of beginnings, wisdom, and removal of obstacles.
  • Widely worshipped before any undertaking.

8. Hanuman

  • Monkey god, devoted to Rama.
  • Symbol of strength, devotion, and celibacy.

9. Skanda / Kartikeya / Murugan

  • God of war and commander of divine armies.
  • Especially important in South India.

10. Surya

  • Sun god, giver of energy and health.
  • Worshipped with the Gayatri mantra.

Summary Table

DeityRoleAvatars or Forms
BrahmaCreatorNo major avatars
VishnuPreserver10 major avatars (Dashavatara incl. Rama, Krishna)
ShivaDestroyer / TransformerForms include Nataraja, Bhairava, Rudra, Ardhanarishvara
SaraswatiWisdom & Arts—
LakshmiWealth & Fortune—
ParvatiPower & LoveDurga, Kali, Annapurna, etc.
GaneshaBeginnings & Wisdom—
HanumanDevotion & Strength—
KartikeyaWar & Youth—
SuryaSun & Energy—

Final Note

Hinduism sees these deities as manifestations of a singular divine reality (Brahman). Some traditions (like Vedanta) view them symbolically, while others practice direct personal devotion (bhakti) to one or more of them.