n control of human destiny or to have been the creators of the universe and Buddhism also denies the value of prayer and sacrifice to them. All Hindus acknowledge the existence and importance of a number of gods and demigods, but he three most popular are Shiva, Vishnu, and the Goddess. Shiva is the deity of renounces, especially of the many Shiava sects that imitate him. These are Kapalikas, Pashupatas, and Aghoris. Shiva is also the deity that is said to have appeared on earth in various human, animal and vegetable forms.Vishnu, to his worshipers, is all-powerful and supreme. He is believed to be the god from whose navel a lotus sprang giving birth to Brahma, the creator. Vishnu created the universe by separating the heavens and the earth and has rescued it on a number of Occasions. He is also worshiped as a number of incarnations, some being, the fish, the tortoise, and the boar. Others are the dwarf, the man-lion, Rama-with-an-Axe, Kalki, Rama, Krishnu, and Buddha, who became incarnate in order to teach a false doctrine to the pious demons.Then there is the goddess Devi, who is believed to command the male gods to do the work of creati0n and destruction. She is also known as Durga and Kali, the Black and she is worshiped by the Shaktas, those devoted to Shakti, the female power. She is also seen as wives of great gods. She is known as Lakshmi, the meek wife of Vishnu and Parvati, the wife of Shiva.The different gods are worshiped in different ways. The most fundamental ceremonies for every Hindu involve the rites of passage or samakaras. These rites begin with birth and then the first time that the child eats solid food, usually rice. Other rites are the first haircutting, for a young boy, and for a girl, the purification after the first menstruation. Marriage, the blessings upon pregnancy to produce a male child and a successful delivery, and the funeral ceremonies, which is usually cremation and, if possible, the sp...
