Study time: 15 minutes. Last Updated on: October 4th, 2023

Does Hinduism teach Polytheism (multiple Gods), Monotheism (One God) or something else? Let’s first understand what Hinduism is.

What’s Hinduism?

Hinduism is a set of eternal (Sanātana) social/religious/spiritual principles/practices (Dharma), cradled in and currently practiced largely in the Indian Subcontinent in recent millennia, but practiced in a much larger area in really old times. It is thus known technically as Sanātana Dharma (Eternal Truth/Principles/Practice).

What’s its foundation?

Veda (The Word/Revelation, eternal knowledge passed down by ancient sages) is the preeminent foundation of Hindu spiritual and religious thought for a vast majority of Hindus.

The first part of the Veda called Karma Kanda details various rituals/sacrifices/rites for various materialistic ends, both terrestrial (of this earth) and celestial (i.e., enjoyments in Svarga, the heaven in the higher world still within the material realm).

The latter part of the Veda called Brahma Kanda (or Vedānta/Upanishads) deals with the spiritual science that one would delve into once one becomes tired of the enjoyments in the material realm and begins to wonder about who they are, where they are from, etc., i.e., the true nature of things (Tattva), the ultimate goal (Purushārtha) and the means to reach the goal (Hitha).

The meaning/sense of the Veda is to be understood via Purāṇās (narratives of aeonic cosmic and geological events), Itihāsās (particular events/Avatārās narrated in greater detail in the great epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata), Smriti (moral codes), etc., which together with Veda constitute the Vedic Corpus.

What does Vedānta teach?

Vedānta explains three entities: Chit (souls, sentient beings), Achit (matter, which is non-sentient) and Brahman/Īśvara (God/Owner/Controller of Chit and Achit). Drawing from the same Vedānta texts (a.k.a. Upanishads, etc.) the different Vedānta schools understand the inter-relationship among these 3 entities differently. Below is an example of the contrasts among the Advaita (Monism), Dvaita (Dualism) and Vishishta-Advaita (Qualified Monism) schools:

1. The existence of one absolute entity called Brahman (God), which when taken by itself (i.e., in isolation) or with exclusive/primary importance, would result in an understanding of Advaita (non-secondness/non-dualism/Monism), with notions of Chit (souls) and Achit (Matter) being an appearance/illusion superimposed on the One Brahman because of avidya (ignorance) that has somehow come upon the One Brahman. This school holds that the world that we see around us and in us, including the notion of the self (i.e, “I”) is ultimately illusory, with the One Brahman being the only absolute reality.[1][2][3]
2. The existence of real (i.e., NOT illusory) Chit (sentient beings, eternal souls) and Achit (matter/non-sentient) as distinct and separate from and owned/controlled by the One Brahman (God), which understanding when taken by itself (i.e., in isolation) or with exclusive/primary importance, would result in an understanding of Dvaita (Dualism). This school holds the world of souls (Chit) and matter (Achit) as real entities existing along with but dependent on the One Brahman.
3. The existence of the One Brahman (God) with Chit (sentient beings, souls) and Achit (matter) constituting Its real and inseparable body/modes, thus, in a way, reconciling the previous 2 understandings. This syncretic understanding of Vedānta has been called Vishista-advaita (Qualified-Monism, Monotheism or specifically a kind of Panentheism). This school thus advocates a Monism qualified by the infinite number of Souls and Matter as the One Brahman‘s real and indiscerptible body having an attributive character in relation to the One Brahman, The Super/Supreme Soul ensouling the souls and matter.[1]

The above texts of Vedānta are briefly discussed in the article Monism or Monotheism?.

The most recent exponent of Advaita (Absolute Monism) was Śankara of the 8th century. Śankara’s propagation of Monism which closely resembled Buddhism is credited with re-establishing the preeminence of Veda/Hinduism which had waned when Buddhism took hold in India. Śankara’s efforts resulted in the near extinction of Buddhism in India.

The most recent exponent of Dvaita (Dualism) was Madhva of the 13th century.

The most recent exponent of Vishista-advaita/Vishistādvaita (Qualified-non-dualism) is Rāmānuja of the 11th century.

Other Hindu schools

There are other Vedanta schools, such as Bheda-abheda (Difference and Non-difference among the One Brahman, Chit and Achit) that explain the relation among the One Brahman, and Chit and Achit in ways that are variations of the above 3 main approaches to Vedanta as well as new approaches in their own right.

A popular school is the Achintya Bheda-abheda (Inconvceivable Difference and Non-difference), popularized in the west and within India, by ISKCON (Hare Krishna).

And there are some non-Vedic schools as well, including the atheist Charvaka school, but the below will primarily focus on the Vedanta schools followed either explicitly or implicitly by the vast majority of Hindus today.

No Antagonism

Swami Vivekananda who was the first preeminent preacher of Hinduism in the West and who ultimately subscribed to the Advaita (Monism) understanding of Vedānta answered the following when he was asked about the relationship between Advaita (Monism) and Dvaita (Dualism), (from Volume 5).[6]

Q.—Is the Advaita antagonistic to dualism?

A. —The Upanishads [Vedānta] not being in a systematised form, it was easy for philosophers to take up texts when they liked to form a system. The Upanishads had always to be taken, else there would be no basis. Yet we find all the different schools of thought in the Upanishads. Our solution is that the Advaita is not antagonistic to the Dvaita (dualism). We say the latter is only one of three steps. Religion always takes three steps. The first is dualism. Then man gets to a higher state, partial non-dualism [such as Vishishtadvaita]. And at last he finds he is one with the universe. Therefore the three do not contradict but fulfil.

NOTE: Content in [] added by this article’s editors in line with the next quote.

Swami Vivekananda also mentioned that the “highest Advaitism cannot be brought down to practical life. Advaitism made practical works from the plane of Vishishtadvaitism” (C.W. VI-122).

Similarly, each of the other Vedānta schools asserts their exposition of Veda/Vedānta to be the complete and ultimate understanding to be reached, even while accepting of the right to diversity of thought as manifest in the other schools.

Detail in the one Brahman

For example, while the Advaita school seeks to explain the existence of the One Brahman being the only reality with the categories of Chit (Souls) and Achit (Matter) mentioned in the Upanishads (Vedānta) as illusory (“Brahma satya jagat mithya, jivo brahmaiva naparah” meaning Brahman is the only truth, the world is illusory, and there is ultimately no difference between the individual Self and the Brahman [2]), the Visishta-advaita school seeks to explain that the categories of Chit (Souls) and Achit (Matter) provide detail within the One Brahman, as Its real, distinct and inseparable body, thus asserting the categories of Chit (Souls) and Achit (Matter) as being real and not illusory.

The Dvaita school seeks to further explain Chit (Souls) and Achit (Matter) as real, different, separate and existing together with the One Brahman.

Critical Debate

The Acharyas (Preceptors such as Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa) of each of the Vedānta Schools wrote many elaborate treatises including commentaries on the Prasthana Trayi (Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and Bhagavad Gita), the definitive texts of Vedic Hinduism, that critically examine the explanations of other schools (Pūrvapaksha) in establishing their particular conclusions (Sidhānta).

Respectful and sincere debates among the scholars of the various schools are a hallmark of Hinduism and were a common occurrence in the past, when each school would strive to win over followers from the other schools thru respectful debate.

One Brahman

As we have seen, the unchanging aspect in ALL the Vedānta schools is the acknowledgement of the One Brahman/God.

Then why is Hinduism perceived as Polytheistic?

Before we get to this question, a few more basics of Hinduism would be pertinent.

Note: Some of the Sanskrit Vedic terms in the below might be intimidating to foreigners but the notes at the beginning of each section should aid in understanding the general gist of what is being conveyed. These texts have traditionally been studied under a Guru (Spiritual Preceptor).

What else does Hinduism teach?

Transmigration

Vedic wisdom (the eternal knowledge that is the preeminent foundation for Hinduism) teaches us that we are NOT these physical bodies, but rather spirit souls (ātmas, specifically Jīvātmas or Jīvas for short, which are collectively referenced as Chit) that reside in physical bodies made of matter (material nature, Achit), and that we, the spirit souls, transmigrate from one body to the next (in plant, animal, human, and super-human species, etc.) in a birth/death cycle called samsāra, until we are liberated from this cycle (i.e., attain moksha/mukti). There’s no beginning to this cycle; it is anādi (beginning-less).

Law of Karma

The reason for the transmigration of souls is the souls’ Karma (good and bad) accumulated over previous lifetimes resulting in births that allow for the past Karma (good and bad) to be enjoyed and suffered respectively. While in the birth/death cycle, souls are provided with various means/paths to achieve their various goals (be they material or spiritual) as conforming to their individual natures/interests.

Universal Godhead

Vedānta explains a Universal Godhead with the nomenclature of Sat (Ever-Self-existent Benign Being), Brahman (the Ever-great Being who ever renders all else great), Atma (the Soul of all, i.e., that Intelligent Being who, pervading all, controls all), Nārāyaṇa (the Eternal Lord of Bliss, —in Whom all the nārāḥ or eternal hosts of psychical and material entities ever live, move and have their being, and who, consequently, is designated their Ayana or Sustainer, Mover and Final Goal, according to the threefold etymology of the word Ayana), Vishnu (The all-pervasive), Īśana (One who rules), Śambu/Siva (The pure), etc., with each name meaning a particular aspect/glory of the One Brahman.[1][4]

Immanency of God in the Universe

Veda teaches that the One Brahman with Chit and Achit manifested in the gross (sthūla) state with differentiated names and forms as we see in this material universe is the same One Brahman with Chit (souls) and Achit (matter) lying within the One Brahman in the subtle (sūkshma) state bereft of names and forms in an undifferentiated whole, before creation/emanation of the material universe.

Brahma, Vishnu, Siva

The material universe, consisting of an infinite number of Brahmāndās (Mundane Eggs) or world systems, cyclically undergoes the process of emanation from, sustentation by and immanation back into the One Brahman by His will. Veda explains that sustentation is by the all-pervasiveness of Godhead. Vishnu (meaning “the all-pervader”) is thus another name for Brahman in His all-pervasive character for sustentation of the Universe. The same One Brahman also assumes avatārās (incarnations) as Brahma and Śiva for the evolution and dissolution of the respective Brahmandās (Mundane Eggs or world systems).

There’s a brief mention of His glories in Śrī Bhagavad Gīta 10th Chapter. And a universal vision of the manifested cosmos is described in Śrī Bhagavad Gīta 11th Chapter.

Non-exclusivist/non-sectarian/non-compelling

The idea of Godhead as the source of this universe of Matter and Spirit Souls is the foundation of many religions and spiritual traditions in the world, regardless of what Godhead is called.

Because of the One Brahman being the innermost Super-soul/spirit/core of everything everywhere, with all else being Its body, all sounds/names ultimately connote the One Brahman that underlies everything. Godhead with innumerable glorious and auspicious qualities can have innumerable names in different languages/places. Also, neither the manner (whether simple/informal or elaborate) of a soul’s prayer/relation to God nor the content (whether simplistic or sophisticated) of that prayer matter; rather what matters is what’s in the soul’s heart/consciousness. Vedānta thus explains a universal Godhead, as opposed to a sectarian understanding.

Equal-seeing Everywhere

Vedānta requires sarvatra-sama-darśana, i.e., equal-seeing everywhere based on the knowledge that all living entities in the universe are equal as spirit souls and further belong to the one Godhead and thus constitute one family in accordance with the Vedic maxim Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“the world is one family”).

This brings us to the main question of this article, which is that if there’s only One Brahman (God), how come Hindus are perceived as Polytheists?

Polytheism Not!

Some Hindus take an impersonalist approach to the One Brahman. Most Hindus, however take a personalist approach to the One Brahman, causing them to be misunderstood as Polytheists. So, the below will focus on clearing this misconception.

Monotheistic/Panentheistic Polymorphism

The One Brahman assumes different forms to suit the Ishta (desire/liking/preference) and/or specific goal(s) of the worshipper. Since the One Brahman indwells/pervades the Material Universe, it can perhaps properly be called Panentheistic Polymorphism, or simplistically as Monotheistic Polymorphism. Lord Krishna (Brahman-incarnate) says in Sri Bhagavad Gita (a summary instruction in Vedānta delivered by the Brahman-incarnate Sri Krishna, 5000 years ago):

Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 4.11:

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

‘In the way they resort to Me (prapadyante¹) in that way do I serve to them. All men (of My ways) Pārtha²! go after Me in every way.’

Not only, by the method of Incarnations, in the forms of devas, men etc., I am saviour to those who seek Me as their Refuge, but any other method or form³ which it may be their pleasing option to select⁴. Whatever that is, to that I adapt Myself. By whatever conception⁵ they choose to seek Me, I manifest Myself to them in that mode⁶.

Bhajāmi is literally ‘I serve (in love).’ Here it means, ‘I appear to them’ (darśayāmi).

In short, albeit My nature is such as even Yogis (exclusively God-devoted men) find it to be transcending thought and speech, yet to all who are of My ways, I suit Myself in a manner that I am, to them, not only a Visible Demonstration, but they may enjoy Me by every one of their sense-faculties, and in all diverse ways.

Note: This verse is a wonderful proof of the catholicity [i.e., Universality] of the religion of Gita. It affords freedom of worship to all in any manner. As such, the verse is an authority for image-worship (Read, Bh: GI: VII-21, IX-23 and 25., also Bhāgavata, XI-3-52.

The above speaks to all approaches to God anywhere in the Universe and their appropriate reciprocation by God. This includes God being available in Image/Deity form as explained in the article Idolatry or Deity?.

Atheistic/Materialistic approaches

A fun fact is that with the One Brahman underlying both matter and spirit souls, and all language and ideas thus having ultimate reference to the One Brahman, all investigations be they into Spirit or Matter, including Atheism and Materialism are all catered/reciprocated to appropriately by the One Brahman as made explicitly made clear in the above Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 4.11.

What forms are worshipped?

The Vedic Corpus, including the Purāṇās (narratives of aeonic cosmic and geological events) and Itihasas (particular events/Avatārās narrated in greater detail in the great epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata) describe various incarnations/forms of Brahman and other Vedic Deities. 6 of the 18 main Purānās glorify Lord Brahma as the Brahman. Another 6 of the 18 main Purānās glorify Lord Vishnu as the Brahman. And the remaining 6 of the 18 main Purāṇās glorify Lord Siva as the Brahman. There are other Purāṇas that glorify Śakti, and others as the Brahman.

Which forms are worshipped?

Ishta Devata

Most Hindus simply worship whichever form(s) they are attracted to that then becomes their Ishta Devata (Desired Deity), most with the knowledge that there’s One God (One Brahman) underlying all these various forms, and that the One God can be worshipped in any form(s) one likes.

School-specific Forms

Drawing from the same Vedic Corpus, the different Vedānta schools explain Tattva (Nature of Truth), Purushārtha (Goal) and Hitha (Means to achieve the goal) differently and these as established by the school might recognize a particular Deity/Form as the Brahman, with others belonging to the Chit (soul) category as applicable. Interested Hindus study these (i.e., Tattva, Hita and Purushartha) as explained by the various schools and subscribe to the school that they are fully satisfied with.

So, the specific form(s) worshipped by a Hindu depends on the particular Vedanta school one subscribes to and/or simply the Ishta (desire/liking/preference) of the worshipper.

Advaita School

Although this school holds that the world is an illusion and that the notion of the self is an illusion as well brought on by avidya (ignorance) on the One Brahman, it does support the worship of “Saguna Brahman (Brahman with Form)” in forms that are considered the “Lower Brahman”, with the “Nirguna Brahman (Brahman devoid of Form)” realization held as the highest/ultimate understanding. The exponent of this school, Sri Sankara is understood to have advocated worship of 5 forms (Ganesha, Adi Shakti, Shiva, Vishnu and Surya) called Panchayatana Puja and 6 Deities/sects (Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesha, Surya, and Skanda) called Shanmata, all being different illusory forms of the One Brahman.

A particular form may be preferred depending on one’s goal as in the below verse, even while understanding that all worshiped forms as also the self, the worshipper, albeit illusory understandings, are synonymous with the One Brahman. [8]

Arogyam bhaskarad ichcheth
Sriyam ichcheth uthasanath
Iswarath jnana manvichcheth
Moksham ichcheth janardanath

If you want just health, you have to worship the lord in the form of Sun. And if you want just wealth, you need to worship the lord through the fire. But if you want just knowledge, you have to worship Lord Shiva. But if you want a release from all bondages, you need to worship the Lord in the form of Vishnu.

Dvaita and Vishista-advaita Schools

These schools that hold the material world to be a real manifestation, explain that Vishnu (meaning The All-pervasive) is the One Brahman. So, adherents of these schools worship Lord Vishnu and His incarnations as Lord Rāma, Lord Krishna, etc., as the most specialized form of the One Brahman.

Other Vedanta Schools

Other Vedanta schools prescribe worship of one or more forms, but with the understanding that the One Brahman underlies all those forms.

Is there narrow-mindedness? Are other forms hated?

Absolutely NOT! Even when one might be committed to a particular form of the One Brahman as the most specialized according to the particular school they are following or simply from instinct/desire/liking, and thus might always be looking for temples with that particular form for their worship, there’s NEVER any question of them hating other forms/temples. So, if the question of whether a committed Vishnu-only worshiper (such as a Srivaishnava) would go to a Siva temple or vice versa is asked, the answer would NOT be a NO. Rather the answer would be “Not Applicable (N/A)”. So, there’s NO Siva-dvesha (hate for Siva) in the hearts of Vishnu-only worshippers nor is there Vishnu-dvesha (hate for Vishnu) in the hearts of Siva-only worshippers (such as Veerasaivas). It’s just that they are singularly committed to the particular most-specialized form as they understand it and thus are always looking to worship that particular form wherever manifest, including in temples.

Monkey God?

Worship of great devotees of God is another significant feature of Hindu worship. Hanuman (aka Anjaneya) is a great/preeminent devotee of Lord Rāma (an avatāra/incarnation of Brahman) as detailed in the great epic Rāmāyaṇa. He happened to be part of the Vānar Sena that served Lord Rāma.

Elephant God?

He is Vināyaka/Vighnesvara, a son of Lord Siva and He is worshiped by many Hindus as the God of New Beginnings, Remover of obstacles in one’s path at the beginning of events/projects, etc.

Village Deities

Many villages in India have Village Deities and Deities in the form of trees, etc. The One Brahman being the indweller (Super-soul) of every being/entity will appropriately reciprocate as assured in the earlier referenced Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 4.11.

Minor Vedic Deities

There are many Vedic deities that are minor functionaries in charge of several functions in the universe bearing the names of Indra, Varuna, Agni, Chandra, etc. These functions are occupied by souls that belong to the Chit (Souls) category and simply execute the tasks assigned to those positions by the one Brahman. These deities (aka Devas) may be approached for various materialistic ends as detailed in the Karma Kanda portion of the Veda. Lord Krishna clarifies that they are just a medium. Whereas one desirous of Moksha (liberation), a spiritual end, has to approach the Supreme Being directly.

Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 7.21:

yo yo yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ
śraddhayārcitum icchati
tasya tasyācalāṁ śraddhāṁ
tām eva vidadhāmy aham

‘Whatsoever body (form) a devotee wisheth, in faith, to worship, that very faith in him do I render firm.’

Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 7.22:

sa tayā śraddhayā yuktas
tasyārādhanam īhate
labhate ca tataḥ kāmān
mayaiva vihitān hi tān

‘Possessed with that faith, whoso devotes himself to that worship, obtains thence his wishes, but they are verily granted by Myself’

Wheel of Life (Life lived in Gratitude)

Some of the minor functionaries (devas) such as Indra are involved in facilitating Yajñās (sacrifices) by Jīvas in a wheel of bodies-actions-Yajñās(sacrifices in gratitude to devas)-rain (in return gratitude by devas)-food described in Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 3.9 through Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 3.16. The Supreme Lord (Brahman) accepts these sacrifices by the Jīvās (souls) as the indweller of those devas (minor functionaries) such as Indra, etc.

33 Million Gods?

There are 33 Koti (types/groups, also translated by some as crore/ten-million) agents-of-God (souls in Super-human bodies) mentioned such as Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, etc., but they are actually minor functionaries, i.e., spirit souls (Chit category) empowered by God (Brahman) to execute the several functions in the material universe. This is commonly misunderstood to mean there are 33 (or 330 Million when Koti is translated as 10 Million) “Gods” in Hinduism.[7]

All these minor functionaries were shown as such by Lord Krishna (Brahman Himself descended) over 5000 years ago, when He displayed His Universal Form (or Cosmic Vision) to Arjuna.

Lord Krishna to Arjuna in Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 11.6:

paśyādityān vasūn rudrān
aśvinau marutas tathā
bahūny adṛṣṭa-pūrvāṇi
paśyāścaryāṇi bhārata

‘Behold the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Aśvins, and the Maruts. Behold wonders, Bhārata!, many, and never before seen.¹‘

In My One Form, find the Ādityas, twelve; the Vasus, eight; the Rudras, eleven; the Aśvins, two; the Maruts, forty-nine-etc., for example. Find in it the many marvels, those directly perceived (or sensed) in this world, and those related in the Śāstras, even all those that are to be found in all the other worlds, —all that may be mentioned in all the Śāstras;— all that has never been seen before.

and Arjuna was able to see them all looking in astonishment at Lord Krishna as he relates in Sri Bhagavad Gita verse 11.22:

rudrādityā vasavo ye ca sādhyā
viśve ’śvinau marutaś coṣmapāś ca
gandharva-yakṣāsura-siddha-saṅghā
vīkṣante tvāṁ vismitāś caiva sarve

‘In astonishment, look on Thee (You) all the Rudras, the Ādityas, Vasus, and those Sādhyas, the Viśvas, and the Aśvins, Maruts and Ushmapas, the hosts of Gandharvas, Yakshas, Asuras and Siddhas.’

The Ushmapas belong to the Pitṛis, as the Śruti says:

‘Verily are the Ushmabhāgas, Pitṛis’.¹

All these, struck with astonishment, stare at Thee (You).

Sri Alkondavilli Govindāchārya mentions in Artha Panchaka:

As to many gods, or Hinduism smacking of Polytheism, Friedrich Max Müller justified the hidden significance of this by the term “henotheism”; but the true significance has after all been been discovered by only one scholar that we know, Dr. George A. Grierson, in his paper on “The Monotheistic Religion of Ancient India, etc.”, read at the Oxford Congress of the History of Religions. I only quote this:-

“Other ‘Gods’ are spoken of …, great and small- but in spite of this a Bhāgavata [the highest practitioner of Vedic wisdom] is no more a polytheist than was the Jew who used the word ‘Elohim‘ both for the Supreme and for His ministers. Just so does the modern Hindu use the word deva both for the Adorable and for His ministering creatures, …, divine but finite, whom He called into temporary being to fulfil His will. We translate ‘Elohim‘ by ‘God’ or by ‘angel’, according to its sense. If we translate deva uniformly by ‘God’, no matter what idea it is meant to express in the original, it does not prove that the Bhāgavatas were polytheists, but it does prove that we are bad, and -what is worse- unfair translators.”

God as Savior

Vedānta explains Brahman as God of innumerable auspicious qualities/attributes, of love, mercy, etc., as well as justice. Each individual jīvā (soul) has a blissful relationship of loving service with God, exercised/experienced in the material universe as circumscribed by limitations while embodied in matter, but experienced unlimitedly in the spiritual universe. And one reaches the state of blissful communion with God both here and in the spiritual universe also by His freegrace (kripa) as explained in the below final instruction by Lord Krishna over 5000 years ago in Sri Bhagavad Gītha verse 18.66:

‘Renouncing all Dharmas [i.e., self-driven efforts to reach Me], hold Me as your Sole Refuge. I will deliver you from all sins [into My presence in the spiritual universe]. Grieve not.’¹

Thus the idea of a God of Love as the saviour is very much a part of, in fact held to be the highest message of Vedānta by many Vedānta schools.

Conclusion

Hinduism is Monotheistic (specifically a kind of Panentheism not to be confused with Pantheism) in its ultimate understanding of the existence of One Brahman underlying everything, and Polymorphic in practice, but absolutely NOT Polytheistic.

As contrasted with the Monotheism of Abrahamic faiths (such as Christianity), we saw in the above that Hinduism allows worship of lower divinities (minor functionaries in the material universe) by the less-informed to satisfy lower material-ends/goals, allows gradations of understandings (that suit one’s nature/preferences/proclivities) that get refined over innumerable lifetimes (by the transmigration of spirit souls through various bodies) ultimately leading to Monotheistic/Panentheistic realization leading to Moksha/Mukti (liberation into the Spiritual Universe called Vaikunta).

Since Brahman (God) is all-pervasive and is in the heart of every single living entity and knows what’s in it, He ultimately guides the spiritual progress of every single living entity, as has been done over innumerable birth/death cycles, all culminating one day in Moksha/Mukthi (liberation into His service in the Spiritual realm).

It is also worth mentioning here that Hinduism (i.e., Vedic texts) mentions a material heaven (svarga) for good Karma and a material hell (naraka) for bad Karma, but these are for temporary periods and thus transitory and absolutely NOT eternal.

References

1. Vedartha Sangraha (1956)
2. Understanding Advaita Vedanta
3. Jagat Mithya – World is an Illusion
4. Page 87 in Tattva Traya or Aphorisms on The Three Verities, Soul, Matter and God, by Sri Pillai Lokacharya, translated by Śrī Pārthasārathy Aiyangār (1900).
5. Sri Bhagavad-gītā (1898) (available in web-format at githa.koyil.org) by Sri Alkondavilli Govindacharya
6. Swami Vivekananda says that Dvaita, Vishistadvaita and Advaita are all correct.
7. 33 types of deities.
8. Arogyam bhaskarad ichcheth

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