Why does Hinduism have so many gods ?

This is a question asked by many people. Hindus and nonhindus, devout and radical, those who've been living the religion as their life breath and those for whom it is just a matter of curiosity, all have been asking this question since ages. Seers and dreamers, wise and fools , scholars and laymen have also been answering the question since ages. The Europeans have learnt to say no to any dogma and believe in something only if it contains logic. Since their rule in India, large sections of society too have imbibed this nature. Not that  Indians are averse to the idea of logic and scientific temper. One who reads the philosophy of nagarjuna or the debate between Advaitins and Buddhists would never believe this. But  unwavering devotion to sacred ideals and elders has been an inherent trait of this race and it was this trait that produced so many seers out of laymen. Hence the questioning attitude of the Europeans appears a new trend. Anyhow that now this trend has become a universal attitude, it would be beneficial to answer all the doubts of a true seeker and also mercilessly destroy all the accussations of a vicious speaker. Here is a humble effort to bring together all the insights on this issue given by our great men in the past.

Seeking help from the ancient Indian system of Nyaya ( Logic ) I am trying to answer the question using the upakarana(aid) of a Drushtanta( example).
See ,think we have some milk and sugar. And a few other ingredients like Maida( flour). What all can we do from these available items ? One can make Rasmalai ! Rasmadhuri! Chum chum ! Kalakand! Doodh peda !(all north Indian sweet meats) Pala talikalu ! (a Telugu dish) Palappayasam!  Kova! Pala puri !  (south Indian savouries). The list is endless ! And human apetite ? Insatiable ! That's why we have an endless array of sweets yet we still invent new , learn new , discover new !

 The irresistible desire to taste as many different pleasures as possible is the very trait of a human being. Is it enough if we bask in the beaches of Goa ? No ! The mind yearns to discover the mangroves of Sunderbans ! It is restless till it explores the forests of Ranthambore ! And it gains peace at the foot of Himalayas ! It explores all genres of music : Carnatic and Hindustani, American and Korean , fusion and confusion!

Only a man of animal nature , only a mind with narrow lanes, only the eyes of limited sight will confine themselves in boundaries defined by the Orthodox. That is why a fanatic blinded by theories of infidelity will never find any splendour in the ideals of other religions. But the soulful poetry of Rumi will echo equally across all religions.

And the same unquenchable thirst to taste the divine in all the ways possible is the ideal behind the Vistara devata swaroopas ( multiple divine forms) of the Indian godhead. For some it is Ganapathi , the benign elephant faced son of the divine couple who appeals the most. For some it is Siva , the ruler of the world yet the most simple , the lord of lords yet the most accessible , one with a terrible form yet the most kindhearted who gets imprinted in their hearts. For some it is Sri Mahavishnu , the handsome , charming , mischevious and daring guy who captures their hearts as Rama or Krsna ! And for some, it is the divine mother who is as closer to the heart as one's own mother , who touches our soul as the breeze of the evening, who graces our lives as the beauty of the dawn , who enraptures our heart as the calm of the afternoon , it is she alone who matters and  the rest ? Nay ! Specks of dust on her feet !

That is why it appears that our puranas , our sastras , agamas are mutually contradictory. How can they elate Vishnu as the Supreme light at one place and relegate him to the worship of Siva at another? The truth is that these scriptures are not mere books but are amalgamations of revelations to endless seers. And each seer has his own experience , his own taste, his own love ! Only if seen from the view of a spectator,  we will understand the real intent behind these verses.

Even now there are great seekers who revel in the adoration of divine in various forms. And they never feel they are worshipping different gods. The same love , the same thirst, the same adoration and the same grace that flows ! This is a swanubhava ( individual experience) to each seeker in Oriental religions.

Yet for most of the seekers , there remains one particular deity who steals their heart the most, and others are just it's guises and it is that deity who serves as the focus of meditation, as a guardian angel, as a guide in spiritual practice and as the supreme light ! Can one call this polytheism?

A doubt here ! A pious Muslim friend of mine listened to all this and asked me : you say there is only one God ! And he is in different forms. Fine. But how can the same god be the father ( he was talking about Siva) , the mother ( Devi) , the son ( Gananatha) in a family ? Weird right ? All your advaita is nonsense ! Your religion is indeed polytheistic ! He roared.  I couldnt  convince him then but as I was reading the books of vivekananda, I got the answer. We play chess. All the army , kings, queens , ministers etc are made of the same material. Don't they play different roles in a game? So is the divine play of the lord ! This is what vivekananda told his audience.
Another aspect ! Our Vedas hold that it is the same God that shines in gods and men alike. They've recognised it and we've not ! Once you realise it you are no longer a Manava (human being). You are verily the Madhava ( The lord ).  If seers across all religions have have been relegated a divine status it is because of this  immaculate satya ( truth )!

This is one thing .

And another aspect. Let me take the help of a Drushtanta again. See water has three physical forms : ice , water and water vapour. The physical properties are different. Yet the chemical nature is same. Again the uses of water in these forms are different.
On a similar note, the dieties have different forms and characters. While Devi as Mahatripura Sundari appears the very personification of beauty,  her husband as Mahakala is dreaded even by the lord of death ! And the same Devi as Kali is also terrific ! And the same Siva appears a charming bride groom as Kalyana sundara! While Vishnu loves golden yellow cloth, Devi herself asks her devotees for red silks. As quoted, only the physical properties ( appearances) are different. The inherent nature is the same divine light eulogized as Brahman in the Upanishads.  And while devi blesses a devotee with learning as Sarada , she showers wealth as Mahalakshmi,  protects as Mahavarahi , bestows the knowledge of fine arts as Rajasyamala and ultimately gives the bliss of Self realisation as Mahatripura Sundari ! Just as water serves different purposes in different States !
Such  great insight !
Such soul stirring ideas !
Such divine revelations !
Such simple ways to attain divinity with ease !
All that one needs to have is the desire to seek the truth , the passion to experience the divine , the patience to wait till grace descends and the focus of a hunter aiming for his prey !
And the rest ! It is as simple as a child's  play !

This is a the intent behind behind the "polytheism" of Indians as the ignorant called it. This is the ideal behind the saguna swarupa Brahma aradhana as our elders called it !
And this is the paramartha of all our scriptures which strove for the perfection of mankind.
     
              Dustarkastu viramyatam !
     Sruthimatastarkanusandheeyatam!
               
         SrimanNarayanayeti Samarpayami !