Hindu Theisms - Mono, Heno, Poly, Pan, Panen, etc.

[Poeticus]

... Inspired by this thread: http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/theism/164752-exploring-theisms-henotheism.html, but wanted to make one in the Hindu DIR to explore and discuss theisms found in the realm of Astika, specifically. Plus, it grants me a wonderful opportunity to provide strong support for polytheism, Dual-Ordinances, and ... the Shri Noble 33, the All-Gods.

So please be kind and discuss various theisms you find in the realm of Astika (Hindu Dharma).

 

[Kalidas]

I often wonder if I am. Henotheist or a polytheist. I do subsribe to the idea of their being one all pervading "power" (Brahman) the Gods included. BUT I do not view Brahman in the same way I do the Gods. Brahman is that formless power that is present in all, yet the Gods are that phyiscal and active aspect of this power. I guess you could say Brahman is the Universe and the Gods would be the inner workings that allow this universe to sustain life. Both are essentially the same thing yet the Gods have "form" and actions and all that fun stuff attributed to a God. Yet Brahman is that formless essence that flows through all.

So I am not sure what category I fit in.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Well, I confess to being outright confused by a lot of the terms. Henotheism is straight forward enough, and describes what I believe personally.

I have had the differences between Pantheism, Panenthiesm, Polytheism explained to me many times and I still walk away scratching my head as to why a distinction needs to be made. Also another one that I see a lot - "Monism", which I admittedly havn't even bothered to research but should try.

:camp:

 

[Kalidas]

Well, I confess to being outright confused by a lot of the terms. Henotheism is straight forward enough, and describes what I believe personally.

I have had the differences between Pantheism, Panenthiesm, Polytheism explained to me many times and I still walk away scratching my head as to why a distinction needs to be made. Also another one that I see a lot - "Monism", which I admittedly havn't even bothered to research but should try.

:camp:

Monism is a pretty popular theism in Hinduism. It is the idea that the ONLY thing that exists is God. It is different than pantheism in that in pantheism we are still seperate from God but live in God.Monism is advaita up and down.

While pantheism holds that the "universe" is God there are different things that are different from one another. So pantheism is pretty close to dvaita, assuming the dvaitan still subscribes to the Brahman concept.

 

[Vinayaka]

Well, I confess to being outright confused by a lot of the terms. Henotheism is straight forward enough, and describes what I believe personally.

I have had the differences between Pantheism, Panenthiesm, Polytheism explained to me many times and I still walk away scratching my head as to why a distinction needs to be made. Also another one that I see a lot - "Monism", which I admittedly havn't even bothered to research but should try.

:camp:

This is me. :yes:

I can't figure it out in these terms. I Know what I believe, but not in these western philosophical (I think) terms. So maybe if I say what I believe someone else can tell me, what that is, just as I can tell people what sect they likely are if they describe their Hindu beliefs.

So ... I believe in one Supreme God. I call Him Siva. He has three perfections. I also believe in two secondary Gods ... Ganesha and Murugan, who stand distinct from Siva, but were emanated from Siva. Beyond that, I believe in countless devas, unseen beings who are all over the place, helping here and there, old souls between births, specific ones attached to me or family, first world ones, and more. I also believe in Hanuman as a great deva, similar to Ganesha and Murugan , capable of performing certain specific tasks.

Alongside this, I believe in one underlying cause, an essential unity of all that exists ... Brahman, but I also call that Siva. (monism)

So young man with analytical categorisation skills, I beseech Ganesha, the Lord of Categories, and you, what am I?

Note ... I don't care, but it's fun.

 

[Kalidas]

Another fun one! Pretty similar to pantheism and monism is slopism the idea that I AM GOD and everyone/thing is projection of my imagination. The ONLY Hindu idea I know that even comes close to this, is Vishnu dreaming. I guess there is some idea or story that Vishnu is sleeping and we are all a part of his elaborate dream.

 

[Kalidas]

This is me. :yes:

I can't figure it out in these terms. I Know what I believe, but not in these western philosophical (I think) terms. So maybe if I say what I believe someone else can tell me, what that is, just as I can tell people what sect they likely are if they describe their Hindu beliefs.

So ... I believe in one Supreme God. I call Him Siva. He has three perfections. I also believe in two secondary Gods ... Ganesha and Murugan, who stand distinct from Siva, but were emanated from Siva. Beyond that, I believe in countless devas, unseen beings who are all over the place, helping here and there, old souls between births, specific ones attached to me or family, first world ones, and more. I also believe in Hanuman as a great deva, similar to Ganesha and Murugan , capable of performing certain specific tasks.

Alongside this, I believe in one underlying cause, an essential unity of all that exists ... Brahman, but I also call that Siva. (monism)

So young man with analytical categorisation skills, I beseech Ganesha, the Lord of Categories, and you, what am I?

Note ... I don't care, but it's fun.

Yay I'M USEFUL! LOL.

You sound henotheist. Which is polytheism with one God in particual that created all the other Gods. Yet you
have a monistic undertone that this God did not stop at making other Gods but spread out and made more,
and all that exists is this God. So your a monist that subscribes to hedotheistic deities.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram poeticus ji

... Inspired by this thread: http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/theism/164752-exploring-theisms-henotheism.html, but wanted to make one in the Hindu DIR to explore and discuss theisms found in the realm of Astika, specifically. Plus, it grants me a wonderful opportunity to provide strong support for polytheism, Dual-Ordinances, and ... the Shri Noble 33, the All-Gods.

So please be kind and discuss various theisms you find in the realm of Astika (Hindu Dharma).

not wishing to be difficult but I find it realy difficult to apply all these greek 'isms' to sanatana dharma ???

but many times I have heard it said that the greeks derived many of , if not all of their gods from the vedic partenon ???

so then polytheism would make sence to you in particular ,...

prehaps you could please explain how you see the vedic gods in relation to the supreme of the monotheists ?

I should love to hear about the ''Shree noble 33 gods'' , ..and why you say ''All-Gods''

 

[Vinayaka]

Yay I'M USEFUL! LOL.

You sound hedotheist. Which is polytheism with one God in particual that created all the other Gods. Yet you have a monistic undertone that this God did not stop at making other Gods but spread out and made more, and all that exists is this God. So your a monist that subscribes to hedotheistic deities.

Well I shall just go and meditate on that then. Maybe I'll ask Siva for clarification.

BTW, I'm with Ratikala.

 

[Kalidas]

Well I shall just go and meditate on that then. Maybe I'll ask Siva for clarification.

BTW, I'm with Ratikala.

I know lol, but you have to admit this is fun.

Though I do think these titles can be applied, its just a matter of SHOULD they be.

Its nice for categorization but ultimately unnecessary

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Oh, I didn't know we could get diagnosed! Me next!

Well, I believe in one ultimate reality or Brahman that we area all a part of. (Drops in an ocean). The various Gods are personifications of the reality, created to make it more relatedable. However, Lakshmi is the center of my focus, so for me Lakshmi is the name I give the ultimate reality we are all apart of and will one day return to.

Other deities are other people's "cup of tea" so I don't seem them as separate beings - they accomplish a similar thing for different people. (I believe when I am praying before a Rama murti for example, that Lakshmi has simply put on a different outfit.)

I like red, some people like blue or green - but they are all colors.

:camp:

 

[Kalidas]

Oh, I didn't know we could get diagnosed! Me next!

Well, I believe in one ultimate reality or Brahman that we area all a part of. (Drops in an ocean). The various Gods are personifications of the reality, created to make it more relatedable. However, Lakshmi is the center of my focus, so for me Lakshmi is the name I give the ultimate reality we are all apart of and will one day return to.

Other deities are other people's "cup of tea" so I don't seem them as separate beings - they accomplish a similar thing for different people. (I believe when I am praying before a Rama murti for example, that Lakshmi has simply put on a different outfit.)

I like red, some people like blue or green - but they are all colors.

:camp:

You my dear are a monotheistic monist. You sure love mono lol.

All that exists is God (monism yourself included. This God has a name Lakshmi and all other Gods are her with. a large costume closet.

 

[Vinayaka]

It's all Greek to me.

 

[ratikala]

jai jai , ...

Well, I confess to being outright confused by a lot of the terms. Henotheism is straight forward enough, and describes what I believe personally.

we are all as confused , ...wonderfull ....all I can say is mono is one , poly is many , ...panthiesm , everything being synonomous with the supreme rendering all as equaly divine divine , ...panenthiesm , that everything lay within god but that god expands beyond our known imperminent universe making god greater than any known universe or creation within it ....which If I have to put my self into any category it would be this . and explains why I dont get along with much advaitin thought ???

I have had the differences between Pantheism, Panenthiesm, Polytheism explained to me many times and I still walk away scratching my head as to why a distinction needs to be made. Also another one that I see a lot - "Monism", which I admittedly havn't even bothered to research but should try.

no I dont fuss about it too much either but it is there in the way we each are taught so it wouldnt harm to understand the differences , we would understand each other better , ...and who knows we may even learn something about our own deeply held beleifs ???

:camp:

jai jai , satsangha , in company of or looking for the higest truth

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

You my dear are a monotheistic monist. You sure love mono lol.

All that exists is God (monism yourself included. This God has a name Lakshmi and all other Gods are her with. a large costume closet.

Ah, man. But Monotheism is SO last millennium. I can't believe I'm such a conformist.

:camp:

 

[Poeticus]

namaskaram poeticus ji



not wishing to be difficult but I find it realy difficult to apply all these greek 'isms' to sanatana dharma ???

but many times I have heard it said that the greeks derived many of , if not all of their gods from the vedic partenon ???

so then polytheism would make sence to you in particular ,...

prehaps you could please explain how you see the vedic gods in relation to the supreme of the monotheists ?

I should love to hear about the ''Shree noble 33 gods'' , ..and why you say ''All-Gods''

Oye hoyee, Ratiben! What a lovely and extremely unique statement. It clearly abides by the Dharmic paradigm, especially that of the Astika, the notion that these "-isms" aren't really applicable to the Hindu views on God/gods. It is surely a first, but upon hearing - it has rattled my mind because it is originally so unique. For my whole life, I have always (and I'm sure many other Hindus have as well) tried to restrict Hindu views on God/gods to these "-isms", but your thought is so revolutionary, that I'm still in the honeymoon phase admiring it, hoping the happy buzz does not wear off any time soon.

But I can surely answer your inquiry on how I view the "Vedic gods" in relation to the Supreme of monotheists. I don't personally believe in the existence of an Absolute, but if it did exist ... it would have to be Shakti (and the Dual-Ordinance of Kali-Durga/Durga-Kali) since it is pure energy in its rudimentary form: the power is there ... always. But I view the Vishve-Devah (literally: the All-Gods, which I praise as the Shri Noble 33) through a certain pramANa: that of natural phenomena. The view that various Deva-s are representative of natural phenomena is a valid pramANa, and it is this view that I personally hold. And I view a force that even the Deva-s are subjected to as being interwoven in all and everything, which is Rta, the order of things and the truth of things that is respected and made evident through Satya. In my opinion, this verse to Lord Varuna from the Shri Rg illustrates more clearly:

That far off constellation set on high
That shows itself at night, where does it go by day?
Inviolable are the holy laws of Varuna,
The shining moon goes radiant by night. (R.V.1.24.10)​

 

[Kalidas]

Ah, man. But Monotheism is SO last millennium. I can't believe I'm such a conformist.

:camp:

If it makes you feel ANY better, you are borderlne henotheist

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

If it makes you feel ANY better, you are borderlne henotheist

All the cool kids are.

:camp:

 

[ratikala]

Oh, I didn't know we could get diagnosed! Me next!

Hee Hee, ... yes this is fun , Kalidas I must agree

I like red, some people like blue or green - but they are all colors.

:camp:

this is a nice analogy , ...I allways think of the principle of light ...pure light being white , but refracted it manifests an aray of colours .....

 

[Poeticus]

... ^ Lol @ Ratiben's reason for editing.