 330 million? 33 million? 33? Or 1?  Story of Yajnavalkya ( याज्ञवल्क्य )  Yajnavlakya was a legendary rishi during the Vedic times.  While discussing the nature of the Universe he was asked about the number of ‘Gods’.  He replies that there are three hundred and thirty three thousand, thousand ‘Gods’.  When the question is repeated, he says thirty three thousand, thousand.  And so on, until he says there are thirty three, then six and then finally ONE ‘God’ - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad ( बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् ) 1.9.1

 Why number 33?  Yajnavlakya explains that there are 33 Vedic Deva or Devata 8 Vasu, 11 Rudra, 12 Aditya, 1 Indra and 1 Prajapati - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad ( बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् )  As everything in the universe is derived from the same Universal Energy, there may be as many ‘Gods’ as there are all living beings at any given time.  Multiply with the estimated number of all living beings at that time ~ 1 crore (or 10 million) with 33 Devas – 330 million!  Using the same principle, the current number of representations of ‘God’ will be in the Billions!  But since all living beings are just manifestations of the same Supreme Being, the number can be ‘collapsed’ to ONE. Deva /Devata/Devi is not ‘God’

ONE ‘Ultimate Reality’ ‘Absolute Truth’ ‘Universal Consciousness’ Dharmic people (Hindus) call this Source, Brahamna (ब्रह्मन्) Not to be confused with Brahmana (ब्राहमण) – the priest, or Brahma (ब्रह्मा) – the creator divinity

 Omnipresent ( सर्वव्यापक ) - present universally in all animate and inanimate objects  Omnipotent ( सर्वसमर्थ ) - all powerful - all powerful  Omniscience ( सर्वज्ञ ) - all knowing - all knowing  Eternal ( सनातन ) - no beginning, no end; timeless - no beginning, no end; timeless  Indescribable ( अवर्णनीय ) – human mind boggles at attempts to explain It with only the tools provided by reason But there is a way out in Hinduism! It allows us to imagine the Infinite in a finite form using images, murthis etc. depending on our level of mental and spiritual development.

Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) – only ONE ‘God’ For Dharmic people (Hindus) this Absolute reality is the Brahamna (ब्रह्मन्) The Infinite Divine may also be imagined as a finite form for the ease of the devotee Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti are all common representations (naam-roop) of the same Divine Bhagvaan

 Monotheism - Only one God; no manifestations allowed (Christianity, Islam etc.)  Polytheism - Multiple Gods; multiple manifestations (Orthodox Greek Gods/Goddesses, Shintoism, Anglo-Saxon Pagan etc.)  Henotheism - Hierarchy of Gods, one superior, all others inferior (Classical Greek/Roman – Zeus)  Pantheism - Universe/Nature is God; no transcendence allowed (Taoism, some elements of Buddhism, Wicca etc.)  Pluralistic - One God (Brahamna); infinite representations ( Sanatan Dharma, Buddh Dharma, Jain Dharma, other Dharmic traditions)