Examples of Hindu deities (from top): Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Krishna, Durga, Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati.

Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. Deities in Hinduism are as diverse as its traditions, and a Hindu can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, or even agnostic, atheistic or humanistic.[1][2][3] The terms and epithets for deities within the diverse traditions of Hinduism vary, and include Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Ishvari, Bhagavān and Bhagavati.[4][5][note 1]

The deities of Hinduism have evolved from the Vedic era (2nd millennium BCE) through the medieval era (first millennium CE), regionally within Nepal, Pakistan, India and in Southeast Asia, and across Hinduism's diverse traditions.[6][7] The Hindu deity concept varies from a personal god as in Yoga school of Hindu philosophy,[8][9] to thirty-three major deities in the Vedas,[10] to hundreds of deities mentioned in the Puranas of Hinduism.[11] Examples of modern major deities include Vishnu, Shiva and Devi.[12] These deities have distinct and complex personalities, yet are often viewed as aspects of the same Ultimate Reality called Brahman.[13][note 2] From ancient times, the idea of equivalence has been cherished for all Hindus, in its texts and in early first-millennium sculpture with concepts such as Harihara (Half Vishnu, Half Shiva)[14] and Ardhanārīshvara (half Shiva, half Parvati),[15] with myths and temples that feature them together, declaring they are the same.[16][17][18] Major deities have inspired their own Hindu traditions, such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism, but with shared mythology, ritual grammar, theosophy, axiology and polycentrism.[19][20][21] Some Hindu traditions, such as Smartism from the mid 1st millennium CE, have included multiple major deities as henotheistic manifestations of Saguna Brahman, and as a means to realizing Nirguna Brahman.[22][23][24] In Samkhya philosophy, Devata or deities are considered as "natural sources of energy" who have Sattva as the dominant Guna.[25]

Hindu deities are represented with various icons and anicons in sculptures and paintings, called Murtis and Pratimas.[26][27][28] Some Hindu traditions, such as ancient Charvakas, rejected all deities and concept of god or goddess,[29][30][31] while 19th-century British colonial era movements such as the Arya Samaj and Brahmo Samaj rejected deities and adopted monotheistic concepts similar to Abrahamic religions.[32][33] Hindu deities have been adopted in other religions such as Jainism,[34] and in regions outside India, such as predominantly Buddhist Thailand and Japan, where they continue to be revered in regional temples or arts.[35][36][37]

In ancient and medieval era texts of Hinduism, the human body is described as a temple,[38][39] and deities are described to be parts residing within it,[40][41] while the Brahman (Absolute Reality, God)[22][42] is described to be the same, or of similar nature, as the Atman (Self), which Hindus believe is eternal and within every living being.[43][44][45]

Devas and devis

Goddess Durga and a pantheon of other gods and goddesses being worshipped during Durga Puja Festival in Kolkata.

Deities in Hinduism are referred to as Deva (masculine) and Devi (feminine).[46][47][48] The root of these terms means "heavenly, divine, anything of excellence".[49]

In the earliest Vedic literature, all supernatural beings are called Asuras.[50][51] By the late Vedic period (c. 500 BCE), benevolent supernatural beings are referred to as Deva-Asuras. In post-Vedic texts, such as the Puranas and the Itihasas of Hinduism, the Devas represent the good, and the Asuras the bad.[6][7] In some medieval Indian literature, Devas are also referred to as Suras and contrasted with their equally powerful, but malevolent counterparts referred to as the Asuras.[52]

Hindu deities are part of Hindu mythology, both Devas and Devis feature in one of many cosmological theories in Hinduism.[53][54]

Characteristics of Vedic-era deities

In Vedic literature, Devas and Devis represent the forces of nature and some represent moral values (such as the Adityas, Varuna, and Mitra), each symbolizing the epitome of specialized knowledge, creative energy, exalted and magical powers (Siddhis).[55][56]

Vedic era deities evolved. Rudra (left) is represented in Vedic literature, is shown as Shiva-Rudra 2nd-century sculpture (middle), and as Shiva (meaning kind) in 13th-century artwork (right). The iconography evolved, retaining some symbolic elements such as trident, axe, or antelope.[57][58]

The most referred to Devas in the Rigveda are Indra, Agni (fire) and Soma, with "fire deity" called the friend of all humanity. Indra and Soma are two celebrated in a yajna fire ritual that marks major Hindu ceremonies. Savitr, Vishnu, Rudra (later given the exclusive epithet of Shiva), and Prajapati (later Brahma) are gods and hence Devas.[35]

The Vedas describes a number of significant Devis such as Ushas (dawn), Prithvi (earth), Aditi (cosmic moral order), Saraswati (river, knowledge), Vāc (sound), Nirṛti (destruction), Ratri (night), Aranyani (forest), and bounty goddesses such as Dinsana, Raka, Puramdhi, Parendi, Bharati, Mahi, among others, mentioned in the Rigveda.[59] Sri, also called Lakshmi, appears in late Vedic texts dated to be pre-Buddhist, but verses dedicated to her do not suggest that her characteristics were fully developed in the Vedic era.[60] All gods and goddesses are distinguished in the Vedic times, but in the post-Vedic texts (c. 500 BCE to 200 CE), and particularly in the early medieval era literature, they are ultimately seen as aspects or manifestations of one Brahman, the Supreme power.[60][61]

Ananda Coomaraswamy states that Devas and Asuras in the Vedic lore are similar to Angels-Theoi-Gods and Titans of Greek mythology, both are powerful but have different orientations and inclinations, the Devas representing the powers of Light and the Asuras representing the powers of Darkness in Hindu mythology.[62][63] According to Coomaraswamy's interpretation of Devas and Asuras, both these natures exist in each human being, the tyrant and the angel is within each being, the best and the worst within each person struggles before choices and one's nature, and the Hindu formulation of Devas and Asuras is an eternal dance between these within each person.[64][65]