Is Hinduism Polytheistic With 330 million Gods?

Abstract

There is a large variation in estimates of how many Gods exist or are worshiped in Hinduism. The world is confused about this aspect of Hinduism and a clear answer would help them understand Hinduism better. A superior understanding can only be found in the source, in this case that source being the Hindu scriptures which at various places address the existence of Gods. Addressing both the singularity of one as well as the plurality of multiple. These contrasting views make it difficult to discern concrete information which can be identified by overlapping evidence. The question that therefore needs answering is how many Gods are there in Hinduism? Do Hindus worship many Gods? An approximate estimate of the number of Gods needs to be arrived upon. What also needs to be answered is if Hinduism can be identified as polytheistic? This paper will dive into researching the Vedas, the original source of Hinduism’s philosophy and doctrines. It will then attempt to understand what the Vedas say about the number of Gods, and compare that to what is believed by practitioners and non-practitioners alike. This paper will also examine the intricacies of different inquiries made in regards to Hindu beliefs about Gods.