Basics of Hinduism &
List of idols at Durga Bhawan
Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, according to many scholars, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. Today, with more than 1 billion followers,
Hinduism is the third-largest religion worldwide, after Christianity and Islam. Roughly 94 percent of the world’s Hindus live in India. Because the religion has no specific
founder, it’s difficult to trace its origins and history. Hinduism is unique in that it’s not a single religion but a compilation of many traditions and philosophies:
Hindus worship a number of different gods and minor deities, honor a range of symbols, respect several different holy books and celebrate with a wide variety of traditions,
holidays and customs. Though the caste system in India began with Hinduism, that system is no longer rigidly enforced. Today there are four major sects of Hinduism:
Shaivism, Vaishnava, Shaktism and Smarta, as well as a number of smaller sects with their own religious practices.
Hinduism Beliefs, Symbols
Some basic Hindu concepts include:
Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. For this reason, it’s sometimes referred to as a “way of life” or a “family of religions,” as opposed to a single, organized
religion. Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic, which means they worship a single deity, known as “Brahman,” but still recognize other gods and goddesses. Followers
believe there are multiple paths to reaching their god. Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous cycle of life, death, and reincarnation) and karma (the
universal law of cause and effect).
One of the key thoughts of Hinduism is “atman,” or the belief in soul. This philosophy holds that living creatures have a soul, and they’re all part of the supreme soul.
The goal is to achieve “moksha,” or salvation, which ends the cycle of rebirths to become part of the absolute soul.
One fundamental principle of the religion is the idea that people’s actions and thoughts directly determine their current life and future lives.
Hindus strive to achieve dharma, which is a code of living that emphasizes good conduct and morality. Hindus revere all living creatures and consider the cow a sacred
animal. Food is an important part of life for Hindus. Most don’t eat beef or pork, and many are vegetarians. Hinduism is closely related to other Indian religions,
including Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.
List of idols at Durga bhawan
ऊँ गं गणपतये नमः।। Ganesh (also spelled Ganesa or Ganesha and known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar) is the Lord of Good Fortune who provides
prosperity, fortune and success. He is the Lord of Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles of both material and spiritual kinds. Interestingly, he also places obstacles in
the path of those who need to be checked.
Because of these attributes, Ganesh is widely revered by almost all castes and in all parts of India, regardless of any other spiritual affiliations. His image is found
everywhere, in many different forms, and he is invoked before the undertaking of any task. Ganesh is also associated with the first Chakra, or energy wheel, which underpins
all of the other Chakras and represents conservation, survival and material well-being. He is considered to be a patron of the arts and sciences and of letters. Devotees
believe that if Ganesha is worshiped, he grants success, prosperity and protection against adversity. In a lesser known role, Ganesh is also the destroyer of vanity,
selfishness and pride.
ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः Goddess Durga symbolizes the divine forces (positive energy) known as divine shakti (feminine energy/ power) that is used against the
negative forces of evil and wickedness. She protects her devotees from evil powers and safeguards them. It is believed that Goddess Durga is the combined form of powers of
Goddesses Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati.
It is also believed that Goddess Durga was created by Lord Vishnu as a warrior goddess to protect good people (devas) for fighting the demon, Mahishasur.. Her divine shakti
contains the combined energies of all the gods in the form of weapons and emblems (mudras). Goddess Durga represents the power of the Supreme Being that preserves moral
order and righteousness in the creation. The Sanskrit word durga means fort or a place that is protected and thus difficult to reach. Durga, also called Divine Shakti,
protects mankind from evil and misery by destroying evil forces (negative energy and vices—arrogance, jealousy, prejudice, hatred, anger, greed and selfishness). Goddess
Durga is depicted as a warrior woman with eight hands carrying weapons of different kinds assuming mudras, (symbolic hand gestures) that represent her teachings.
ॐ नमः शिवाय The Hindu God Shiva (Sanskrit: Auspicious One), or Siva, is one of the main Deities of Hinduism, worshiped as the paramount lord by the Saivite
sects of India. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the
symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger.
The Hindu God Shiva was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity addressed only three times in the Rig Veda. He gained importance after absorbing some of the
characteristics of an earlier fertility god and became Shiva, part of the trinity, or trimurti, with Vishnu and Brahma. As the destroyer, Shiva is dark and terrible,
encircled with serpents and a crown of skulls. Shiva often holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. It is also said to represent
the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation, and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu. Shiva wears sacred Rudraksha beads,
perhaps a reference to his earlier name Rudra.
ॐ रां रामाय नमः॥ Lord Rama is the one of the commonly worshipped gods of the Hindu religion. Shri Ram is recognized as the seventh incarnation (Avatar) of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Universe. Lord Ram is known for his virtues. Ram is the great lord of Hanuman, the ultimate disciple. Sri Ram is also known as Maryada Purushottam Ram because he is the epitome of righteousness. Rama was born to Kaushalya and Dasharatha in Ayodhya, the capital of the Kingdom of Kosala. His siblings included Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. He married Sita. Though born in a royal family, Rama's life is described in the Hindu texts as one challenged by unexpected changes such as an exile into impoverished and difficult circumstances, ethical questions and moral dilemmas.[6] Of all his travails, the most notable is the kidnapping of Sita by demon-king Ravana, followed by the determined and epic efforts of Rama and Lakshmana to gain her freedom and destroy the evil Ravana against great odds. The entire life story of Rama, Sita and their companions allegorically discusses duties, rights and social responsibilities of an individual. It illustrates dharma and dharmic living through model characters.
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण, कृष्ण-कृष्ण हरे हरे। हरे राम हरे राम, राम-राम हरे हरे। Krishna, Sanskrit Kṛṣṇa, one of the most widely revered and most popular of all Indian divinities, worshipped as the eighth incarnation (avatar, or avatara) of the Hindu god Vishnu and also as a supreme god in his own right. Krishna became the focus of numerous bhakti (devotional) cults, which have over the centuries produced a wealth of religious poetry, music, and painting. The basic sources of Krishna’s mythology are the epic Mahabharata and its 5th-century-CE appendix, the Harivamsha, and the Puranas, particularly Books X and XI of the Bhagavata-purana. They relate how Krishna (literally “black,” or “dark as a cloud”) was born into the Yadava clan, the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, who was the sister of Kamsa, the wicked king of Mathura (in modern Uttar Pradesh). Kamsa, hearing a prophecy that he would be destroyed by Devaki’s child, tried to slay her children, but Krishna was smuggled across the Yamuna River to Gokula (or Vraja, modern Gokul), where he was raised by the leader of the cowherds, Nanda, and his wife Yashoda.
ऊं हं हनुमते नम: Hanuman is known as a popular devotee of Lord Rama. His help enabled Rama to rescue Sita Devi and then defeat Ravana in the war. Hanuman
is a symbol of success and fulfillment. One needs courage, strength, intelligence, commitment and purity to be successful. Hanuman gets courage from his father – Kesari
(Kesari means Lion), strength and Purity from his Father – Vayu. Intelligence from his mother – Anjana (Gurukripa) and Commitment from his Guru Surya – Come what may the
Sun rises every day in the morning. Hanuman is known by different names.
Lord Hanuman or Hanumanji is known by many names as Anjaneya, Anjaniputra or Anjaneyudu or Hanumanthudu (Telugu), Bajarangabali, Kesari Nandan (“son of Kesari”), Hanumanta,
Mahaveer, Maruti, Pavanputra etc. The name ‘Anjaneya’ was derived from his mother’s name ‘Anjana’, a female vanara. It is also believed that Hanuman is the incarnation of
Lord Shiva. So Hanuman is known as ‘Maharudhra’ too. Some believe that Hanuman is the son of ‘Vayu’, the God of wind, so is also known by the name ‘Pavan Putra’.
॥ ॐ साईं राम ॥ Shri Sai Baba is revered as one of the greatest saints ever seen in India, endowed with unprecedented powers, and is worshipped as a God incarnate. SAI means Sakshaat Ishwar (Supreme Godhead). Some of HIS Hindu and Muslim followers regard HIM as a Saint, some as an incarnation of Lord Shiva or Lord Dattatreya or Saint Kabir. Some believed HIM as a Satguru. However we treat HIM, it is true that, Shri Sai Baba is among the most influential spiritual gurus of India, who lived at a nondescript village of Shirdi in the state of Maharashtra, India. With HIS miraculous powers and captivating teachings, HE is been ruling the hearts of millions of HIS devotees, whose number is ever growing with each passing day.
ॐ आधार शक्तपे नम:, ओम कूमयि नम:, ओम अनन्तम नम:, पृथिव्यै नम:। Who is Vishwakarma?: He is considered as God of craftsmen & the labourers involved in the construction, carpentry related work, etc. He is the son of God Vastu and Goddess Angisri. As per the Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma was helped and assisted by Lord Vishwakarma to plan and create this entire universe. He is also the one who got involved in creating a map of this entire world. Dwaraka, the famous and holy city was also constructed by Lord Vishwakarma. Dwaraka was ruled by Lord Krishna, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna along with yadavas had left Mathura expecting a fearful attack from Jarasandh & Kaalayvan in Mathura. After leaving Mathura, they arrived at the coast of Saurashtra. To be in a safe place after reaching the coast, Lord Krishna worshipped Samudradev. Pleased with the prayers of Krishna, he granted land of size 12 yojanas. Lord Vishwakarma is believed to have built the city of Dwaraka in gold on this land.
“ओम नाथ नाथेश्वर बाबा बालकाय नम: ।।” Baba Balak Nath or Sidh Baba Balak Nath, also known as Paunahari or Dudhadhari is a Hindu deity worshipped in the northern Indian states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Baba Balak Nath is believed to be a reincarnation of Lord Kartikeya, son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, born in Satya Yuga to annihilate demon Tarkasur. He is dear to Goddess Ganga and came into his earthly abode as the son of a Pandit Vishnu and Lakshmi, in Kathiawad Junagadh, Gujarat. Baba Balaknath is said to birth in every age (yuga); he is also known as the son of Shiva. He appeared as ‘Skanda’ or ‘Subramanya’ in Satya Yuga, as ‘Kaul’ in the Treta Yuga, and as ‘Mahakaul’ in the Dvapara Yuga.
ॐ प्राँ प्रीं प्रौं सः शनैश्चराय नमः ॥ ” Shani Bhagwan (also known as Sani, Shani Dev, Sani Maharaj, and Chayyaputra) is one of the most popular deities in the traditional religion of Hinduism. Shani is the harbinger of bad luck and retribution, and practicing Hindus pray to Shani to ward off evil and remove personal obstacles. The name Shani comes from the root Sanaischara, meaning slow mover (in Sanskrit, "Shani" means "the planet Saturn" and "chara" means "movement"); and Shanivara is the Hindu name for Saturday, which is dedicated to Shani Baghwan.Shani is the son of Surya, the Hindu sun god, and Chaya ("Shade"), a servant of Surya who acted as surrogate mother for Surya's wife Swarna. While Shani was in Chaya's womb, she fasted and sat under the hot sun to impress Shiva, who intervened and nurtured Shani. As a result, Shani turned black in the womb, which is said to have enraged his father, Surya. When Shani opened his eyes as a baby for the very first time, the sun went into an eclipse: that is Shani turning his father (temporarily) black in a rage of his own.The elder brother of the Hindu god of death, Yama, Shani delivers justice while a person is alive and Yama serves justice after a person's death. Among Shani's other relatives are his sisters—the goddess Kali, destroyer of evil forces, and the goddess of the hunt Putri Bhadra. Shiva, married to Kali, is both his brother-in-law and his guru.
