Gods and Goddesses
the god of creation
Brahma
this god has an elephant head
Ganesha
the ritual act of worship or prayer
puja
the supreme force which permeates all things
Brahman
this god is known for his great loyalty to Rama; he is also part of the monkey army
Hanuman
the god of destruction
Shiva
this god is sometimes pictured as a mischevious child
Krishna
auspicious sight of the deity
darshan
another name for a temple
mandir
this avatar of Vishnu came in the form of a turtle
Kurma
the god of preservation
Vishnu
this goddes is the consort (partner) of Shiva
Parvati
cycles of reincarnation
samsara
the bit of the divine in every person
atman
this god of war is the first son of Shiva and Parvati
Skanda
this goddess is a popular with musicians
Saraswati
this goddess is often seen with a bowl of coins in front of her
Lakshmi
the concept that every action has a consequence
karma
the act of circling a lamp or light at the foot of the deity during puja
aarati
this avatar of Vishnu rescued the Earth from the cosmic ocean
Varaha
this goddess killed the demon Raktabija
Kali
this avatar of Vishnu has not yet appeared on earth
the act of offering food to the deity
prasad
moksha
this is the Hindu deity of death
Yama