Hindus view cosmic activity of the Supreme Being as comprised of three tasks: creation, preservation, and dissolution and recreation. Hindus associate these three cosmic tasks with the three deities, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Lord Brahma brings forth the creation and represents the creative principle of the Supreme Being. Lord Vishnu maintains the universe and represents the eternal principle of preservation. Lord Shiva represents the principle of dissolution and recreation. These three deities together form the Hindu Trinity.

Hindu religion is often labeled as a religion of 330 million gods. According to the Hindu scriptures, living beings are not apart from God, since He lives in each and every one of them in the form of atman The number 330 million was simply used to give a symbolic expression to the fundamental Hindu doctrine that God lives in the hearts of all living beings.

The most fundamental of Hindu deities are the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. But many popular Hindu gods are Ganesha, Krishna, Rama, Hanuman, and goddesses like Lakshmi, Durga, Kali and Saraswati

There are gods for vegetation, gods for weather, gods for nature, gods for geographical areas, gods for villages, gods for the house, gods in the temples, gods in running water, gods in deepest forest and in icy mountain heights. There is no situation, environment and place that the Indian does not have a god for. Gods inspire, gods infuse art and creativity and gods provoke destruction too. Gods in heaven are many, for the heavens also are many with contending claims as to which is the supreme heaven. Even hell has a God presiding , the god of justice and death, in a pretty astute psychological characterization about the typical fears of the afterlife.

The oldest and most frequently manifested deity of the Hindu pantheon is Devi, the Goddess. Like the ancient pre-Aryan mother goddess. All Hindu goddesses may be viewed as different manifestations of Devi. Devi appears as both the broad-hipped provider and as the fierce destroyer of mortal life. She is worshipped in India's villages in myriad forms, such as Bhu, the ancient earth goddess, Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, the avengers Kali and Durga, and as the consort of numerous male gods. She is often called Mother - Mata or Mataji in northern India, and Amman in the jungles of the south - and is usually represented as the yoni, the female principle surrounding the male linga.

As cosmic force Devi creates, annihilates, and recreates the universe. Of awesome appearance, she destroys demonic forces that threaten world equilibrium wielding weapons in multiple arms that testify to her ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. This category includes her form as Durga, slayer of the buffalo demon; black Kali; the emaciated Chamunda; and Devi herself.