A. In Hinduism, there is only one God. Not only does Hinduism teach that there is one Supreme Being, it also declares that there is nothing in the universe other than that Supreme Being. God manifests as everything in the universe. God is the Consciousness that pervades everything. He is beyond all names and forms. But He can also take any form to bless a devotee. He can manifest in any number of different forms and divine moods or states.
The wind can appear as a gentle breeze, a strong wind or a raging storm. What manifestation is impossible for God Almighty, who controls even the storm? Who can describe His glory? Just as air can be still or blow as the wind, and water can turn into steam or ice, God can assume either an attributeless state or a state with attributes.
In the same way, it is one and the same God whom Hindus worship in many different forms and states, such as Shiv, Vishnu, Ganesh, Muruga, Durga, Saraswati, and Kali.
Tastes differ from person to person. Individuals grow up in different environments and cultures. In Sanatan Dharma, people have the freedom to worship God in any form or state that suits their own tastes and mental development. This is how the different manifestations of God appear in Hinduism. They are not different Gods. They are all aspects of the one Supreme Being.
