The Religions Book

115

See also: Sacrifice and blood offerings 40–45 ■ Living the Way of the Gods 82–85 ■ The Protestant Reformation 230–37
■ Devotion to the Sweet Lord 322

HINDUISM

Through puja, people can both pay
respects to the gods and ask favors
of them. Hindu gods are frequently
referred to according to the tasks
they perform, such as “Ganesh,
remover of obstacles.” This enables
Hindus to choose the goddess or
god most appropriate to the help
they need, and to ask them for it
through puja. However, puja is not
always connected with personal

requests and thanksgiving. It may

be performed by a large gathering

of people at a festival, such as the

Durga Puja. This annual, nine-day

celebration of the goddess Durga,

who embodies the female aspect

of divine power, commemorates her

slaying of Mahishasura, the terrible

buffalo-demon. Devotees make

offerings, say prayers, sing hymns,

dance, fast, and feast in her honor.

Divine love

In worship, the god or goddess

(made visible in his or her image,

or murti) is seen as a person with

whom the worshipper can have

a relationship. Through bhakti,

the devotee develops an intense

emotional bond with a chosen

deity; the divine is then seen

as dwelling within the heart of the

devotee. Bhakti came to dominate

Hinduism by the 12th century:

temple worship involved singing

and dancing, and the relationship

between the devotee and his or

her god or goddess was likened

to a relationship between lovers.

Although practiced widely,

many forms of bhakti were

particularly focused on the god

Vishnu (see below left), who is

depicted in the great epics of the

Ramayana and Mahabharata as

coming down to earth to help

humankind in the guise of one of

his many avatars (embodiments

of a god). The eighth avatar of

Vishnu is Krishna, whose followers

see bhakti as the highest path

toward liberation. ■

Vishnu’s nine forms of worship

In the Ramayana, Vishnu, in the

form of Rama, describes nine

modes of bhakti “guaranteed

to reach and please me.” “First

is satsang, or association with

love-intoxicated devotees. The

second is to develop a taste for

hearing my nectarlike stories.

The third is service to the guru.

Fourth is to sing my communal

chorus. Japa or repetition of my

Holy name and chanting my

bhajans are the fifth expression.

To follow scriptural injunctions

always, to practice control of

the senses, nobility of character,

and selfless service, these are

expressions of the sixth mode

of bhakti. Seeing me manifested

everywhere in this world and

worshipping my saints more

than myself is the seventh.

To find no fault with anyone

and to be contented with one’s

lot is the eighth. Unreserved

surrender with total faith in

my strength is the ninth and

highest stage.”

Through devotion and

offerings, we can develop

personal relationships

with the gods.

But it is possible to speak

to the gods directly, without

recourse to a priest.

The Vedas said that the

rituals performed by

brahmins were important to

maintain the world order.

We speak to the gods

through daily rituals.

With hearts filled with

love...all should satisfy me

frequently with tears of love

flowing from their eyes and

with voices choked with

feelings and with dancing,

music, and singing.

The Devi-Gita