Why do the Hindus worship so many Gods and Goddesses and still say, 'God is One'? The answer is simple. Bhagavan Sri Krishna says that "He manifests in many forms". He also says that He is Mahavishnu". Vishnu pervades the entire universe as Consciousness and chit shakti.. So, it is but natural that the Hindus worship all the manifest forms of the Lord such as cow, bull (nadi vehicle of Shiva), dogs who accompany Dattatreya and Yamadharmaraya), crow (Lord Shani's vehicle), peacock (vahana of Devi Saraswati), serpent (on which the Lord Vishnu rests), Lion (the vehicle of Devi Durgamata), etc. The Hindus worship plants, herbs, and tress, Since everything is pervaded by the Lord and Bhagavan reiterates that He only manifests in what all is created by Him. No wonder, everything is divine, but display the attributes of prakruti due to ignorance of its true nature. Even the elements like air, fire and water re divine manifestations and are worshiped by the Hindus as Gods. One can count 33,333 Gods and Goddesses and narrate their divine attributes. All the Gods and Goddesses are nothing but the creative energy and Force of One supreme Lord Sri Hari Narayana. The power vested in the Gods are symbolically shown as number of hands and armaments painted and sculptor. The principle that 'God created man and man, in turn, created God. Man painted and cut stones, wood and metal to display and worship Gods! It is the faith and belief system that encourage building temples and install devi devata to play and worship.
Those ignorant of the symbolism and imageries behind the number of Gods make fool of themselves criticizing Hindus and their faith belief system. There is no other religion in the world that treat fellow human beings, birds, and animals as divine manifestations. The only race in the world that proclaim and preach, practice peace and treat universal brotherhood. The Hindus treat the world as one family that include birds and animals, too.
