|
Buddha is widely
worshipped by both the Buddhists and Hindus of Nepal. The five Dhyani
Buddhas Vairochana, Akshobhaya, Rathasambhava, Amitabha and
Amoghasiddhi, represent the five basic elements earth, fire, water,
air and ether. Buddhist philosophy conceives these gods to be the
manifestation of Sunya or absolute void. Mahakaala and Bajrayogini are
Vajrayana Buddhist deities worshipped by Hindus as well.
Hindu Nepalis worship the ancient Vedic gods. The much worshipped are
Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer, different manifestations
of the Supreme Hindu Trinity. Shiva Linga or the phallic symbol of
Lord Shiva represents the supreme power in most Shiva temples.
Female deities are revered and feared in this Himalayan Kingdom. Their
Shakti cult aspires to appease the dynamic element in the female
counterpart of Shiva. Mahadevi, Mahakali, Bhagabati, Ishwari are some
of the names given to Shiva Shakti. Many temples in Nepal are
dedicated to Shakti. Kumari, the virgin goddess, also represents
Shakti.
Other popular deities are Ganesh for luck, Saraswati for knowledge,
Lakshmi for wealth and Hanuman for protection. Krishna, believed to be
the human incarnation of Lord Vishnu is also worshipped widely. Hindu
holy scripts Bhagawat Gita, Ramayan and Mahabharat are widely read in
Nepal. |
