Shaivism and Vaishnavism
There are different groups of Hindus, whose beliefs and pujaThe word most Hindus use for an act of daily worship. ceremonies are shaped by whether they prefer to worship Shiva (Hinduism)A Hindu deity. The aspect of Brahman responsible for destruction and renewed creation. Some Hindus regard Shiva as the one Supreme Deity. or VishnuVishnu is the aspect of Brahman responsible for the preservation of the world. Vishnu forms one part of the Trimurti, along with with gods, Brahma and Shiva.. Both Shiva and Vishnu are part of the trimurtiThe three main deities of Hinduism. Refers to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.. Shiva is the destroyer and Vishnu is the preserver. Brahma, the third god of the Trimurti, is the creator and is not often worshipped in mandirs.
The worshippers of Shiva and Vishnu both believe in the main concepts in Hinduism. However, they focus their worship towards different gods.
Hindus who prefer to worship Shiva are called Shaivites. Shaivites worship while focusing on the importance of Shiva and practise raja yogaA form of Yoga that involves intense meditation on the soul within.. This kind of Hinduism is called ShaivismThe religion of Hindus who are devotees of the god Shiva..
Vaishnavas (sometimes know as Vaishnavites) are Hindus who follow Vishnu and want to show Vishnu that he is the most special deity / deitiesOne god or goddess. In Hinduism, the word for gods and goddesses that many Hindus believe are different aspects of the one Supreme Spirit (Brahman).. They focus their worship on the ten incarnations of Vishnu, which include Rama and Krishna. This kind of Hinduism is called vaishnavismThe religion of Hindus who are devotees of the god Vishnu..
Other gods and their relationship to the Divine
Hindus focus their worship on one supreme God, BrahmanIn Hindu belief, the absolute reality that is the true essence of all existence, God.. Hindus believe that Brahman is too complicated to understand, so they comprehend him through other deities. For example, Ganesha is an elephant-headed god who is known as the remover of obstacles that get in the way in life. When Hindus are praying to Ganesha, they are actually praying to that aspect of Brahman.
murtiA statue of a god or goddess which has been made holy through a special ceremony; a term for any statue of a god or goddess. are physical objects made to represent a deity and help a worshipper to focus. They are treated with care and respect by worshippers. Hindus don't worship the image or statue of the deity. Instead, they are really worshipping the deity itself - the object is just there to help them visualise and keep in mind the deity.
Each deity has its own attributes. Hindus believe that having a deity that is personal to them is important as this makes it easier for them to understand Brahman. Some Hindus have one particular deity they worship, or they may worship several different ones. Sometimes they choose which deity to worship depending on their needs at that particular time.