many hands of The God.

**saumya** · 24 June 2013, 02:12 PM

Well, while I can still believe it, I am not sure how to explain it. Some of my western fiends asked me, "Are the many hands of The God and Goddesses, the real one or they are just for symbolism ?" I am not sure what could be the best answer for it.
I hope to find a better understanding here.
thanks

**saumya** · 25 June 2013, 01:17 PM

any one ?

**kallol** · 28 June 2013, 12:28 AM

It is symbolic just like many gods we have. They all represent certain aspects of our creation or karma or life principle.

**Kalicharan Tuvij** · 28 June 2013, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by saumya

Well, while I can still believe it, I am not sure how to explain it. Some of my western fiends asked me, "Are the many hands of The God and Goddesses, the real one or they are just for symbolism ?" I am not sure what could be the best answer for it.
I hope to find a better understanding here.
thanks

namaste Saumya

This thread should be in the arts sub-forum proper, as it is related to the Hindu view of Art. The general trend however is that the Hindu art goes behind the surface of abstract and brings out certain realities of different strong, gentle, terrible, etc, hues.

Some of the forms are pure, while some are of composite nature that combine many purer elements. So be it the composite God Vishnu, or Durga, or Shiva, etc, there is a need to bring out the full composite spectrum. One way is to use multiple limbs, which are actually a collapse of many into one.

Even the RgVeda, a very very abstract text, is full of depictions. It must be noted that the artist has complete freedom: the art forms are not fixed at all.

**charitra** · 28 June 2013, 07:22 AM

Symbolic indeed. For example a certain positioning of a hand offers protection or amnesty and that one is called abhaya hasta(m).
Also the one hindu god, BRAHMAN, is formless and genderless (no, he is not male!!). Namaste.

**realdemigod** · 28 June 2013, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by charitra

Symbolic indeed. For example a certain positioning of a hand offers protection or amnesty and that one is called abhaya hasta(m).
Also the one hindu god, BRAHMAN, is formless and genderless (no, he is not male!!). Namaste.

Brahman is not god or goddess not just in Hinduism. It is beyond everything in the cosmos. Gods and Goddesses are mere manifestations of Brahman.

**brahma jijnasa** · 28 June 2013, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by saumya

Well, while I can still believe it, I am not sure how to explain it. Some of my western fiends asked me, "Are the many hands of The God and Goddesses, the real one or they are just for symbolism ?" I am not sure what could be the best answer for it.
I hope to find a better understanding here.
thanks

They are real.

regards

**philosoraptor** · 28 June 2013, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by saumya

Well, while I can still believe it, I am not sure how to explain it. Some of my western fiends asked me, "Are the many hands of The God and Goddesses, the real one or they are just for symbolism ?" I am not sure what could be the best answer for it.
I hope to find a better understanding here.
thanks

They are real. The scriptures give these descriptions for a reason. It's the modern audience that downplays them in favor of symbolic explanations. Actually, they can be both real and symbolic, as in the case of Venkateshwara Swami. His right hand is pointing to His feet as if to ask us to take shelter of His divine feet, while His right hand points to His knees, indicating that by surrendering to Him He will make the ocean of samsAra only knee-deep (and thus easy to cross).