4 - Divine Beings - Gods And Goddesses Flashcards
What beings populate the Sanskrit epics?
The Sanskrit epics are populated by many different sorts of supernatural beings.
Some of these are benevolent; others are ‘tricksters’ or even malevolent.
These beings add a layer of depth and interest to the stories in the literature.
What does the word “deva” mean?
The word for god in Sanskrit is deva, which means ‘shining one’ as well as ‘playful’.
What do the devas do?
The devas preside over the workings of the universe and reflect the great universal powers.
Do devas have a lifespan?
It is thought that all these divine beings have a lifespan, although
very long by our standards.
Who are the “great trinity”?
The highest of all gods and goddesses in the universe are the three great devas – Brahmaa, Viswn-u and SZiva. They are called the great trinity.
What is the great trinity responsible for?
These three are responsible for the creation, maintenance
and dissolution of the creation.
Who is Brahmaa?
Brahmaa is the Creator.
Who is Viswn-u?
Viswn-u is the Preserver.
He sustains the creation, nourishing and protecting it, and sometimes takes birth in a human or other form in order to destroy evil and support the good.
Who is Shiva?
SZiva dissolves everything back to its essence at the proper time.
What does the great trinity also thought to represent?
Brahmaa, Viswn-u and SZiva can also be thought to represent the three gun-as.
Brahmaa is rajas, Viswn-u is sattva, and SZiva is tamas.
Do the great trinity also have a consort?
Each of these three has his consort or goddess (devi), which is his szakti, or power.
Who is Brahmaa’s consort?
Brahmaa’s consort is Sarasvati, who is responsible for wisdom, learning and the arts.
Who is Vishnu’s consort?
Viswn-u’s consort is Lakswmi, who controls prosperity and wealth.
Who is Shiva’s consort?
SZiva’s consort is Paarvati, whose power is law.
Can deva and devi exist independently?
It is important to realise that the deva and devi cannot exist independent of one another; they are only different aspects of the
same universal force.
Write in a table the key features that sums up the great trinity?
