Hindu Deities and Epics

Lord Shiva is known as Neelkanth (blue throat) because he swallowed the halahal poison during the Samudra Manthan, which turned his throat blue. This is a well-known story from Hindu mythology.

Lord Krishna is called Giridhar (holder of the mountain) because he lifted the Govardhan Hill on his little finger to protect the villagers from torrential rains. This is a famous story from Krishna's life in Hindu mythology.

Ashutosh is one of the many names of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology, meaning "one who is easily pleased" or "one who quickly fulfills wishes." Lord Shiva is known by numerous names reflecting different aspects of his divine nature. Brahma is the creator god, Vishnu is the preserver, and Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu.

Ekdant is a name for Lord Ganesh, referring to his single tusk. Ganesh is often depicted with one complete tusk and one broken tusk, hence the name Ekdant (ek = one, dant = tusk). Brihaspati is the guru of gods, Indra is the king of gods, and Shiva is the destroyer/transformer in the Hindu trinity.

Indra is known as the king of Hindu gods and the ruler of Svarga (heaven). He is the deity of rain, thunder, and lightning, and wields the weapon Vajra. Shiva is part of the trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh), Vishnu is the preserver, and Brihaspati is the guru of gods.

Sahasraksh is a name for Indra, meaning "one with a thousand eyes." According to Hindu mythology, Indra was cursed by sage Gautama to have a thousand marks resembling eyes on his body, which later became actual eyes. Ganesh is the remover of obstacles, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer.

Goddess Saraswati is the Hindu deity of learning, knowledge, wisdom, music, and arts. She is depicted holding a veena (musical instrument) and sitting on a lotus, symbolizing purity and enlightenment. Students and scholars worship her for academic success. Parvati is Shiva's consort, Ganesh is the remover of obstacles, and Shiva is the destroyer.

Brihaspati (also known as Jupiter) is the guru or teacher of the gods in Hindu mythology. He is the deity of wisdom, eloquence, and education, and serves as the spiritual preceptor to Indra and other devas. Ganesh is the remover of obstacles, Indra is the king of gods, and Vishnu is the preserver.

The Vajra is the legendary weapon of Indra, the king of gods in Hindu mythology. It is a thunderbolt or diamond weapon that Indra uses to defeat enemies and bring rain. Vishnu's weapon is the Sudarshana Chakra, Shiva's is the Trishul (trident), and Ganesh wields an axe or sometimes a noose.

Goddess Durga killed the demon Mahishasur, earning the title Mahishasuramardini (the slayer of Mahishasur). According to Hindu mythology, Durga was created by the combined energies of all gods to defeat the buffalo demon Mahishasur, who could not be defeated by any male deity. Saraswati is the goddess of learning, Indra is the king of gods, and Vishnu is the preserver.

In Hindu mythology, Arun (Arundev or Aruna) is the charioteer of Lord Surya (the Sun God). He is the older brother of Garuda (vehicle of Lord Vishnu) and personifies the dawn. Garuddev is the vehicle of Vishnu, Arjun is a Pandava warrior, and Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu.

In Hindu mythology, Vinata (also spelled Binata) is the mother of Garuda, the divine eagle who serves as Lord Vishnu's mount and carrier. She was one of the wives of sage Kashyapa. Aditi is mother of the Adityas, Kunti is mother of the Pandavas, and Diti is mother of the Danavas.

On Ganesh Chaturthi, it is considered inauspicious to see the moon. Those who accidentally see the moon are believed to face false accusations and dishonor (the 'sight of the moon' or 'chandra darshan' superstition).

In Gaudiya Vaishnavism and Hindu devotional traditions, Radha is believed to embody Hladini Shakti - the pleasure-giving power of Lord Krishna. This represents the divine energy of love, joy, and spiritual bliss. The other options (Maya Shakti, Joga Shakti, Prem Shakti) are not the standard theological terms used to describe Radha's relationship with Krishna.

The presiding goddess at the Srikalahasteeswara Temple in Kalahasti is Gnana Prasoonambika. Tripura Sundari is a different form of Devi worship. Gnana Sundari and Gnanambika are similar-sounding names but not the correct name for this temple's deity.