A question regarding Hindu gods...

[DarkAliceChibi]

From what I understand from what my father (a Hare Krishna) has told me, the Hindu pantheon is soft polytheistic - different aspects/avatars/what-have-you of one deity. So, how does this fit in with other pantheons from a Hindu perspective? Are gods from other pantheons separate from this? Or are they also aspects/avatars/what-have-you of the one god? Or are they just totally disregarded/seen as not existing?

Likewise, how are the Hindu gods seen from the perspective of a hard polytheist? Are they all seen as separate, or is it a case of "Okay, sure, all the Hindu gods are really different aspects/etc. of the one, but gods from [insert pantheon] are different/separate?" Or is that something that depends on the person?

Thank you.  

[Satyr Prince]

The way a gentleman from our local Janist temple explained it to me was that we are all Hindu even if we don't know it, because ALL gods from ALL religions are all aspects of the Brahma. Hindus consider themselves monotheistic, not polytheistic. I guess this might be better labeled as a soft monotheism, then, perhaps?  

[DarkAliceChibi]

Strega Mama

The way a gentleman from our local Janist temple explained it to me was that we are all Hindu even if we don't know it, because ALL gods from ALL religions are all aspects of the Brahma. Hindus consider themselves monotheistic, not polytheistic. I guess this might be better labeled as a soft monotheism, then, perhaps?

I...thought this is what 'soft polytheism' meant.
Now I'm more confused... gonk  

[Bane of Ezekiel]

Strega Mama

The way a gentleman from our local Janist temple explained it to me was that we are all Hindu even if we don't know it, because ALL gods from ALL religions are all aspects of the Brahma. Hindus consider themselves monotheistic, not polytheistic. I guess this might be better labeled as a soft monotheism, then, perhaps?

The Hindus I grew up with called it inclusive/exclusive monotheism, matching up with soft/hard polytheism.

The problem with Hinduism is that different diaspora and groups interpret it differently. At a base form just from the Vedas, it's this all-in-one inclusive monotheistic form, while the "uneducated" (as Lokiogma stated, which I find slightly offensive, but I can see where he's coming from) will view it as pure hard polytheistic.

But I'm educated and my experience with the Hindu deities have shaped it that I experience Hinduism from a hard polytheistic perspective.  

[Vairadeya]

In the end Hinduism isn't a single religion in and of itself. It's more of an umbrella term for several religious systems that come from the Indus river valley area and generally all have very similar um... dogma, I guess would be the term. For example, in my theological experimentation I tried out Shaivism. This is (to simplify) a belief that Lord Shiva is the ultimate manifestation of the godhead. This is different from say Shaktism which believes that the goddess Shakti is the ultimate manifestation. Each of these little groups have values significantly different from each other as well as different holy days and even subgroups within them focusing on a specific aspect of their chosen deity. Regardless, the one defining feature of every group is that they still believe that in the end all the gods and goddesses are still just facets of the ultimate godhead whomever that may be to them. Many also view the deities of other pantheons the same way. I have known Jesuit priests in my day who have seen with their own eyes the incorporation of Christ into Hindu belief as a variation of Krishna. At the same time it's believed that each one of those gods is also a unique individual with a unique personality subject to the rules of karma and dharma. That's the beuty of hinduism. It cannot truly be forced into any one definition. There are as many variations of the religion as there are followers. All that particularly matters is how the followers themselves see their religion. A hard polytheist may look at the gods and say that they are all unique individuals and a hindu will agree. A monotheist may say there is only one god and a hindu will agree. See it how you want to see it, you'll find a hindu who will agree.