Many are led to believe that the multiplicity of Deities makes Hindu religion polytheistic. Such a belief is nothing short of mistaking the wood for the tree. What the multiplicity of deities [Gods?] does indicate is Hinduism's spiritual hospitality as evidenced by two characteristically Hindu doctrines: The Doctrine of Spiritual Competence (Adhikãra) and The Doctrine of the Chosen Deity (Ishhta Devata). The doctrine of spiritual competence requires that the spiritual practices prescribed to a person should correspond to his (or her) spiritual competence. It is counter-productive to teach abstract philosophical concepts to a person whose heart hungers for faith in a higher power and vice versa.

The doctrine of the chosen deity, or Ishta-devata gives a person the freedom to choose one form of Parabrahmam that satisfies his spiritual cravings and to make it the object of his worship. Notice that both doctrines are consistent with the assertion by Hindu religion that the unchanging Immanent reality is present in everything, even in the transcendent. Most Hindus with their limitations in their knowledge are given the option to offer their prayers to any one aspect of the Supreme. Often a person is expected to concentrate on one of such manifestations as the Ishta-devata or a personal God to offer all their devotion and prayers.

Vaishnavite Saints like Sri Rãmãnuja, Sri Mãdhva, Sri Vallabha and Sri Chaitanya gave us the paths of devotion, love and surrender to various forms. The devotional part of the Religious practice is offered at four levels depending on the educational level of the person and the depth of knowledge and understanding of their faith. From a blind faith of prayers to the Moorthis and visit to the Holy places at the lowest level of Bhaya-bhakti, a devotee gets elevated to a level of exclusive devotion in Anyãya-bhakti and then to a higher level where every thing appears as a part of this Divine glory of his Ishta-devata in Ekãnta-bhakti. The highest educated Yogi who is able to comprehend the philosophy with Parã-bhakti can go beyond the manifestations or Avathãrãs and consider God as He is, without any problem. Why should the pathway to spirituality be exceptionally homogeneous? The subtlety in Hinduism is that worship of a deity of one's own choosing and more importantly, steadfastness in individual faith is key to realizing the Supreme Truth in its splendor.

The Vedas and Hindu philosophy with their path of knowledge [jñãna Yoga] has been very difficult to understand and follow for the illiterate mass. The Devotional path of surrender [Bhakti Yoga], with prayers and music in local languages along with the stories of Ithihãsãs and Puranãs [ancient history? or Mythology?] came to the rescue to explain the practice to the common devotees. Here the Supreme God takes the forms and interact with the devotees to protect the righteous to be happy, to destroy the anger, confusion and sorrow and to establish the tranquility and peace of mind in each individual as He sets the world right. Here the expression of one's attachment and surrender of the individual soul with ignorance [jiva] to Paramãtma is established through "Bhãvas" creating a strong feeling of identity of the self with that of the Divine.

The great Yogis and Jñãnis with their Divine knowledge and total surrender are able to identify self with the Supreme, the Formless God. Some devotee may consider himself or herself as a child attached to God as a Mother with pure love. This is the Sakthi form of worship. The Supreme God appears as a Master to some devotees who serves God as a humble Servant in Dãsya bhava. The same Divine appears as a dear friend and companion to one in Sakhya bhava. The devotee may consider God as a Child and worship with all devotion and love like a mother in Vãtsalya bhava. In other instances of intense devotion, the devotee considers the self [both men and women] as a young girl who is in Divine love with the Supreme as she is with the man she loves, with a playmate or with her husband as in Mãdhurya bhava and Kãnta bhava.

In all these total surrender with all love and affection without the sensuality is expressed. It is pure friendship without degenerating into familiarity. Here the supreme Lord takes all these manifestations, as is His choice sport, to bless the devotees. The Divine Grace will elevate the individual soul and wash off the effects of karma as the Jiva discards all the Upãdhis of ignorance covering them. These are explained in the "stories" of Ithihãsãs and Purãnas. Whether all these stories appear as factual narration of histories of remote past or a pure fictional stories of one's imagination, it gives us the message to get a better understanding of the faith and its principles in simple words with anecdotes as philosophy explained through the manifestations.

Each one of the Deities or Moorthis Hindus worship, like Siva, Rãma or Ganesha, is individual and separate representing the various aspects of the Divine sport or action. It must be clearly understood by every Hindu devotee that each and every form of the Deity is a manifestation of the Supreme God as Paramãtma who Himself creates these forms for His own pleasure and sport [Lilã] and for the various activities of the universe. There are also other forms as Celestial forces, like the nine planets and like Indra, Agni and Varuna who are also worshipped as divine and Holy. In addition, these celestial forces are created for the purpose of upholding the rules of Dharma, the governing natural law of all creations. There are many elevated Souls, Mahãtmas, and Saints who are worthy of our veneration, devotion and prayers. These show that every individual soul is capable of elevation to the higher level for worship. One may not realize the Absolute or attain Its level unless and until the deity form - which is necessitated for initial convenience - gives way to the Formless Divinity.

A good understanding of the faith and the concept of the Supreme God, Paramãtma, in Hindu religion will create a good foundation and a stronger faith in the teachings, to be proud of our Heritage. At the same time one should also get a respect for other cultures and traditions for their faiths and beliefs. This may all look like a grandiose imagination to a non-believer. There is no need to compare or analyze the teachings or look for scientific proofs. Pure scientific analysis of our perceived knowledge alone is not enough. The scope of perception with analysis and reasoning is very limited. One will have to obtain true Divine knowledge through spiritual insight or intuition to understand the concept of this reality.

While Vijñãna or science is the knowledge of the phenomenal Universe of the manifest forms God, Jñãna is the realization of the formless Immanent Supreme. The concept of the Supreme God, we call Paramãtma, with all the manifestations are in the Fourth and Fifth dimension and beyond, while we are living in this three dimensional appearance of the universe. This is like looking at a three dimensional object in a two dimensional picture on a piece of paper or TV screen. How can you explain to any one that the picture has a depth unless they wear the special 3-D glasses? We have to share this knowledge, trust the words of our Gurus and their experience, without blindly following a dogma but with wisdom and intuition. We will discuss more about this at another time.