Ultimate Reality

Ultimate Reality

1. Brahman is used to describe God, it is a supreme, universal spirit that is eternal and unchanging. Holy books refer to Brahman as being present throughout the entire universe and all living beings carry a part of Brahman within them. The ultimate goal in life is to achieve spiritual union with Brahman.

2. Brahman is shown in the form of deities which help Hindus to understand Brahman’s vast nature, and help worshippers to focus on images or statues (murtis). This type of devotion is known as bhakti, it involves expressing love for the divine through adoration and rituals. Lord Krishna identified this in the Hindu text Bhagavad Gita as a way to achieve union with Brahman. Hindus believe that many spiritual realms exist beyond our own universe and that divine beings reside in them. Vaikuntha is the highest of these worlds, it is the home of Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi. The Rig Veda states that even the demigods hope to enter this spiritual place.

3. The three main male deities are the Trimurti, they represent the continuous cycle of samsara and link to three human qualities (gunas) which are tamas (ignorance), rajas (passion), and sattva (goodness). The three main female deities are the Trivedi.

4. Brahma is the father of creation, he has four heads and four arms. Vishnu incarnates in multiple forms, or avatars, to fulfil his role as protector of the universe. There are ten avatars of Vishnu and he has incarnated nine times, and the tenth avatar (Kalki) is yet to appear on Earth. Shiva is the Destroyer and the Transformer, his acts of destruction brings about rebirth and change. Shiva represents internal understanding or self-awareness, and is the god of yoga and Lord of Dance.

5. Saraswati is the goddess of learning, arts and music, she shows the power of knowledge and pure thought and is the wife of Brahma. Lakshmi is the goddess of good fortune and wealth, she is the wife of Vishnu and is his strength. Parvati is the wife of Shiva, she represents the continuity of life and is the mother of Ganesha, the god of good fortune and intelligence. Lord Shiva chopped off Ganesha's head. Parvati was devastated and Lord Shiva vowed to make Ganesha whole again but he could only find an elephant’s head. Ganesha was then reborn and became known as the god of good fortune.