HomePantheon

The Pantheon

The deities of Sanatana Dharma, their forms and iconography — 26 in all. Filter by stream; each entry links to its guides and source texts.

26 deities
Bagalamukhi

The stiller of speech and motion

Shakta
Bhairava

Bhairava is the terrifying form of Shiva who is also the tender protector:

Other
Bhairavi

The fierce one, fire within creation

Shakta
Bhuvaneshvari

She whose body is the world

Shakta
Chhinnamasta

The self-decapitated goddess of sacrifice

Shakta
Dashavatara

The ten descents of Vishnu

Vaishnava
Dhumavati

The widow made of smoke

Shakta
Durga

The warrior-goddess, slayer of Mahishasura

Shakta
Ganesha

Vighnesha, remover of obstacles

Shaiva
Ganga

Ganga is water you can stand in and a person the tradition prays to at once.

Other
Hanuman

The devoted servant, son of the wind

Vaishnava
Kali

The dark Mother, devourer of time

Shakta
Kamala

The lotus goddess, Lakshmi among the Wisdoms

Shakta
Krishna

Govinda, cowherd and charioteer

Vaishnava
Lakshmi

Goddess of fortune, abundance and grace

Vaishnava
Matangi

The goddess of the margins and the outcaste word

Shakta
Murugan

The Tamil war-god, the eternal youth

Shaiva
Parvati

The gods had won a battle and were pleased with themselves.

Other
Rama

The exemplary king, seventh avatar of Vishnu

Vaishnava
Saraswati

Goddess of speech, learning and the arts

Shakta
Shiva

Mahadeva, the Great God

Shaiva
Surya

The Sun worshipped as a god, and the first of the nine grahas.

Other
Tara

The star that ferries the soul across

Shakta
The Goddess

Devi, Shakti, Mahadevi

Shakta
Tripura Sundari

The beauty of the three cities; heart of Sri Vidya

Shakta
Vishnu

Narayana, the Preserver

Vaishnava