1. Polytheism: This is the belief in multiple Supreme Gods. This is the level of the lower most form of the Faith as followed by people with least understanding of the philosophy, those with Tamasika Bhakthi among Hindus. Many illiterate and primitive tribes and villagers around the world, in Africa and Europe as well as in India practiced this form of beliefs for a long time. This is similar to the beliefs of Hellenic faiths [Greek], Druids and Pagans. Many World religions, even those that profess in One God, in a way profess multiple gods or multiple focus of worship, one denying the other or one superior to the other. This is also similar to the followers of Hindu Dharma as practiced according to Agamas and Temple worship where, they see "God" as in several forms to serve different purposes as the need may be and believe in different Gods. Here Hindu Dharma Faith differs in that as we evolve in our thoughts, the different "Gods" slowly merge in to different aspects of One Supreme.

Note: Polytheism is not just having multiple gods. It has more to do with there being multiple ways to achieve salvation. Thus, Hinduism says that each person has to create his own spiritual experience. A guru is only a guide, but ultimately the person takes responsibility for the path chosen. The guru cannot be expected to know the sum total of the environment of his shishya. What the guru says may well have to be modified to one's situation. In a way, it is the multiple expression of Monotheism with variations according to individual Spiritual aspiration, realization and the needs.

2. Henotheism: This is the practice that came as a natural evolution out of the Polytheism. Here the practice consists of elevating one Deity as a "Superior" for a particular ritual while keeping other forms at a lower level and at another ritual or function raising another one as the main or superior Deity. Many Hindu Vedic ritual practices perform rituals of the similar type. Ancient European Religions and Egyptian faiths used this method and also had such practices of worship.

3. Monotheism: The faith of One God, who is Superior to all His creations and creates, protects and dissolves the entire universe and all the created beings. Here the "God" is different from the Human Soul. Visishta-adhvaita and Dvaitha follow this path. Here the Divine Soul - "Paramaatma" is identified as separate from the Human Soul - "Jivatma". Smartha Sampradhaya practice has a combination of all the four forms explained here but mostly it claims itself to be Monotheism. Advaitha beleifs starts as Monotheism but ultimately matures into Monism. Most Western Faiths which claim to be part of Monotheism, at least among some followers, who often profess the idea of "My God" and "Your God" and denying all other Gods, ends up more like Henotheism and, in a way, a concept of multiple gods, one better than the other.

4. Monism: This is the ultimate faith of a Yogi who has understood the true Nature of the Supreme and the true Philosophy of Hindu Dharma. Here the "God" is indifferent from the Human Soul. Here, the Paramatma and Jivatma appear as the two aspects of the One and the Same Supreme Truth and are Non-differentiated. They appear in their intuitive mind as just two aspects of One Supreme, just as all His Avatharas, Manifestations and Creations and also of all the worlds in the Universe are different aspects of the same Self in various forms.To a large extent, Advaitha follows this path, in that, here the Jivatma is a part of the Divine Soul or Paramatma and is capable of a merger with the Divine ultimately, so it is understood with full spiritual realization as Monism or Advaitha.