Devakatharasa

From The Jacket

The Hindus speak of the three great Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. These form, what is often spoken of as the Hindu Triad. In this work I have tried to give stories behind the different epithets used for these three Gods and three Main Goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati and Durga. The work starts with Ganesh, the most popular and the foremost - God of the Hindus. Epithets in Sanskrit, are not mere name, these always carry some story behind it. Different Puranas give different stories for the same epithet. While dealing with the epithets stories behind incarnations and their form is also taken into account.

About The Author

Dr. Vijayshree born 23rd Dec., 1944, Delhi. M. A. (Sanskrit), Delhi University; Ph. D. (Sanskrit), Banaras Hindu University.
Topic For Ph. D.: A Critical Appreciation of Adhyatma Ramayana
Publication Book: Adhyatma Ramayana A Critical Appreciation, Dev Katha Rasa
Articles: Nau-Ka Anka, Kalpavriksha, Deepawali Tithi Panchak, Nari-Ek Adhyayana, Nari-Ek Asmita, Mahabharat Mein Nari, Vedic Mathematics An-Introduction. Rudraksha, carriers for Women.
Working As: Reader in Janki Devi Memorial College New Delhi

Preface

Devakatharasa is an endeavour towards popularization of trust worthy Mythological stories behind different attributes of the Hindu Gods.

All existing beings, subtle or gross, life within the three spheres of Agni, within three worlds. The Gods are the powers, that rule these three worlds. There are therefore three kinds of Gods. And the Gods are said to be ruled by the number '3'. This is why they are symbolically represented by the multiples of the number '3'. Their main epithet is the thirty (tridasha), though there number is taken as a symbolic expression representing a particular aspect of the Pantheon. Actually there can be no limit to the number of the Gods. Each aspect of manifestation is a channel through which man can reach the Divine. The number of the Hindu Gods is therefore the same as the possible aspects of Manifestations, created or potential. It is, in later Hinduism, "represented by the symbolic number of thirty three crores. (330,000,000)

Hinduism of today is broadly based on the two great epics - the Ramayana, the Mahabaharata and the Puranas. Each of these books is of immense bulk and the same stories reappear in them again and again. Yet to this day they retain a firm hold of the faith and veneration of the mass of the people of India. The Puranas are considerably later, then the two great Epics, is evident from the fact that many who are described in the Epics as men and heroes only, in the Puranas are said to be divine beings. These books differ largely from the Vedas in this respect, that the Vedas treat the religion common to the Hindus of that period, all of whom worshipped the same deities, each Purana is concerned with some one God whose excellences are extolled, whilst others are spoken of in a depreciatory manner, but a certain measure of respect is shown to all the Gods of the Pantheon. So the Puranas may be classified as follows.

1. Those which are devoted to the praise of Brahma; Brahma, Brahmanda, Brahmvaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavishya and Vaman.
2. Those which relate to Vishnu; viz. Vishnu, Bhagvat Nardiya, Garuda, Padma and Varah.
3. Those which are chiefly connected with Shiva; viz. Shiva, Linga, Skanda, Agni, Matsva and Kurma.
These Puranas are the authority for nearly the whole of the Popular Hinduism of the present day.
In describing the Hindu deities, I shall follow the common order. The Hindus speak of the three great Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. These form, what is often spoken of as the Hindu Triad. In this work I have tried to give stories behind the different epithets used for these three Gods and three Main Goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati and Durga. The work starts with Ganesh, the most popular and the foremost - God of the Hindus. Epithets in Sanskrit, are not mere names, these always carry some story behind it. Different Puranas give different stories for the same epithet. While dealing with the epithets stories behind incarnations and their form is also taken into account.

I hope readers will like my this small endeavor towards popularization of Hindu Mythology. I really want to thank my son Anirudh for encouraging to do this study.