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Hinduism: Gods
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In spite of its diversity, Hinduism reveals a number of common themes. Some of these include pantheism (the belief that all is God, God is all), polytheism (a belief in many lesser gods), and a reliance upon occult ritual and practices.
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Vegetarianism is strictly recommended in Hinduism, for the simple fact that to harm an animal , a creation of God, for taste and self gratification only brings bad results. It is naive to think that because one kills in the name of God/Allah the fruits of such an act is forgiven. If Allah or Jesus were co kind would they slaughter a cow for consumption ? The rule is steadfast, one must suffer the consequence of it. Just think of the basis on which a Muslim will not eat pork and a Hindu will not eat beef. One , Islam's refusal of pork is based on hate for the animal and a Hindu's avoidance of beef is based on kindness and respect for an animal. The basic difference is hate versus love and respect.
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It is different in classical Hinduism. The triad of the three highest gods of classical Hinduism are Brahma the creator, who allegedly has made at least ten appearances or incarnations as avatars, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. Vishnu and Shiva apparently are worshipped. Shiva and his followers could be very violent, as the Srimad-Bhagavatam fourth cantu 2.48 to 7.17 shows. Shiva is the one famous for the pictures of him with his many arms dancing on the back of what looks like a small baby. One Hinduism explanation is that the Baby is really a dwarf.
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The Bhagavad Gita, usually considered part of the sixth book of the Mahabharata (dating from about 400 or 300 B.C.), is a central text of Hinduism, a philosphical dialog between the god Krishna and the warrior Arjuna. This is one of the most popular and accessible of all Hindu scriptures, required reading for anyone interested in Hinduism. The Gita discusses selflessness, duty, devotion, and meditation, integrating many different threads of Hindu philosophy.
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Most urban Hindus follow one of two major divisions within Hinduism. Vaishnavaism generally regards Vishnu as the ultimate deity while Shivaism generally regards Shiva as the ultimate deity. In India, many rural Hindus worship their own village goddess or an earth goddess.
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Shiva is a form of Ishvara or God in the later Vedic scriptures of Hinduism. Adi Sankara interprets the name Shiva to mean "One who purifies everyone by the utterance of His name" or the Pure One. That is, Shiva is unaffected by the three gunas (characteristics) of Prakrti (matter): Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas.
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