Hindu Deities and HeroesHimavath Jois

Trimurti – Brahma

“The Creator”

Has four heads

Few people worship him – due to curse from his wife

Trimurti – Shiva

“The Destroyer”

Rides the bull Nandi

When third eye opens, universe is destroyed and regenerated

Carries a trident

Trimurti – Vishnu

“The Preserver”

Descends to Earth as an “avatar” when the universe needs preserving

Sits on the snake Shesha with goddess Parvati

Holds a conch, mace, and lotus

Ganesha

Elephant headed son of Shiva

Rides a mouse

Parvati creates Ganesha after scrubbing saffron off of her

Head was cut off by Shiva, replaced with an elephant head

Worshipped for removal of life’s obstacles

Avatars - Rama

Son of Dasharatha and Kaushalya

Royal prince forced to live in exile

Uses exile to kill the demon Ravana and preserves the world from destruction

Avatars - Krishna

Vishnu uses two hairs from him to impregnate Devaki, a prince’s wife on Earth

Krishna is born (rain story)

Krishna kills demon Kamsa

Serves as charioteer for Arjuna, recites the Bhagavad Gita

Indra

King of the Gods

God of rain, thunder, and lightning, wields thunderbolt – Vajra

Defeats the dragon Vritra

Lakshmi

Goddess of wealth

Sits on lotus flower next to Vishnu

Appears in avatars as well

Epitome of female beauty

Parvati

Shiva’s consort, has many incarnations

Durga – rides a lion, carries many weapons

Kali – demon slayer, Shiva postrates himself before her, turning her into Parvati

Hanuman

“The monkey god” – Vanara

Son of wind god Vaayu and Anjana

As a child, swallows the sun and is cursed by Indra

Vaayu refuses to breathe air into the world, Indra therefore apologizes

Serves next to Rama during his exile period

Agni

God of fire

In Mahabharata, his grandfather is a great sage serving Krishna

Agni burns the Khandav forest during the epic

Arjuna

Chief hero in Mahabharata, a fight between cousins (good vs. evil)

The son of Indra

Krishna preaches to him in Bhagavad Gita to be devoted and fight for a just cause