Hindu Gods

Kurma

2nd avatar of Vishnu; a turtle (remember Vishnu's avatars go from lower to higher life forms). Will be carrying a conch and a disk as well as maybe a mace (club).

Brahma

A Hindu god considered the creator of the world; but he's a pedo so we don't see him much. Ways to recognize him: four faces... that's it. (if he is with another god he is coming out of a lotus flower)

Shiva

A Hindu god considered the destroyer of the world. Ways to recognize him: trident and a tiny drum with a tassel (if the drum stops then the world ends) sometimes is wearing leopard and a crescent moon in the hair. one more, ONE snake will be wrapped around his neck or trident.

Vishnu

A Hindu god considered the preserver of the world; sustains the world we know. Ways to recognize him: has a conch shell and disk as his weapons, rides on the cosmic serpent, if there are snakes there are a LOT of them. Has 10 avatars

Trimurti

Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva

Nandi

Bull; mount of Shiva or vahana (vehicle). Recognizable by: He's a bull and is fully devoted to Shiva and Shiva only.

Devi

Goddess in Hinduism

Saraswati

Goddess of Knowledge, Music, Art; the essence of self. she is the wife of Lord Brahma.

Ganesh

Hindu elephant headed deity of wisdom; Shiva and Parvarti's son. He gets his head from his father cutting his head off not realizing he is his son. Parvarti told him the next animal that passes will be the head of their son. If you have a big test you pray to Ganesh for wisdom. he rides a mouse.

Kali

Parvarti in her angry state. You usually pray to her if someone is sick or if someone is dying. She will release her rage on the bad in your life. Has multiple arms and wears a necklace of heads. The only way for her to stop is for Shiva to get on the floor in front of her.

Parvarti

Shiva's wife, female counterpart.

Ardhanarishvara (two gods in one body)

Usually Shiva Shakti; him and his female counterpart Parvarti or when she is Kail.

Garuda

an eagle man god the "vehicle" (vahana) for Vishnu and ALL of his avatars.

Varaha

boar incarnation of Vishnu; usually seen with Bhudevi, mother earth, after saving her from the ocean (sustaining the earth). in the context of the class this is Vishnu's 3rd avatar.

Shiva Linga

can either be considered Shiva Shakti or Shiva and Parvarti; earliest representation of Shiva, a vertical rock; it is a man rock phallic. The base is a flat rock that represents his female counterpart, Parvarti.

Shiva lord of the Dance

destructive but creative; dances on the dwarf of ignorance in a fire ring because of destruction. Points his foot at liberation and holds the drum of the cosmos (the small drum). ALMOST always will have a crescent moon in his hair with serpents in it also.

Kalki

final avatar of Vishnu, always rides a white horse, has not yet come. When he does it means this age of the world must be destroyed to start anew.

Matsya

first avatar of Vishnu; the fish

Parasurama

literally means Rama with an axe. Rama is the 7th avatar of Vishnu (this can get confusing because) the 6th avatar of Vishnu.

Durga

manifestation of the fear and anger of the gods. She has replicas of the gods weapons to fight Mahnisma (water boar), she rides a tiger or a lion and has 8-10 arms.

Shiva and Vishnu in one body

they spilt the body in half they seamlessly form together as one until the headdress they also have their OWN weapons this helps identify who is in the picture/ statue