Similarities Between Vishnu And Shiva

Submitted By matthewkirton
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Instead, the great majority of Hindus have followed the path of devotion (bhakti) to a god or gods.
Puja, devotional ritual commonly performed at an altar, involves the offering of flowers, food, fire, and incense to images of a god or gods, as well as the occasional singing of hymns.
The Trimurti(triple form): Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva: they represent the three forces of creation, preservation, and destruction.
Brahma represents the creative force that made the universe. Brahma is commonly depicted as an ancient, thoughtful king sitting on a throne. He has four faces, each looking in one of the four directions, and eight arms, each holding symbols of power. His companion animal is a white goose. Thought of as grandfatherly, and less powerful that Vishnu or Shiva.
Vishnu represents the force of preservation in the universe, love and kindness. In the Vedas he is a god associated with the sun, although his role there appears to be small. His companion animal is a great eaglelike bird, Garuda, on whom he flies through the universe. Ten major incarnations (or avatars) of Vishnu are commonly listed, of which one is still to appear. Two incarnations of Vishnu are wildly popular—Rama and Krishna.
Rama may have been a historical figure who later took on mythic pro- portions. Rama and his wife, Sita, who are thought of as the ideal couple, are often portrayed together.
Krishna, another incarnation of Vishnu, may have begun as an object of fertility worship. He is depicted in several forms, which might indicate that he is a coalescence of traditions. In depictions of Krishna, his face and skin are often blue, the color of the sky and of heaven, indicating his true other- worldly nature.
Shiva (lucky), the third of the Trimurti and the god linked with destruction, is the most complicated of the gods, both in origin and in conception. The horned figure, sitting in yogic meditation posture. She is also associated with re-creation.
Ganesh: is the elephant headed son of Shiva, is a symbol for strength and abundance.
Devi: (the great mother): She is portrayed in many forms and can be both