In popular Hinduism, an enlightened human being is worshipped as God himself, and may be given epithets such as ‘Bhagwan’ (god), ‘Maharaj’ (great king), or ‘Rishi’ (great sage). The concept of avatar (incarnation) is predominant in Hinduism, where God as preserver (Vishnu) descends on Earth to destroy evil. The most famous avatars of Vishnu include Ram and Krishna. Many Hindus worship other deities such as Ganesha, Karthikeya, Hanuman, the sun, moon, and various planets. In addition, millions of people all over India often worship saints as symbols of divinity.(sc)
Ultimately, when the seeker perfects the worship of a deity, he is encouraged to go beyond the physical form and seek oneness, to reach a stage where there is no difference between the worshipper and the worshipped. In marked contrast, a few adherents of the Bhakti (devotion) tradition do not seek oneness with God, and continue to enjoy the play of…
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