How many Hindu gods are there?

Written by

Charles Preston

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Hinduism comprises a wide array of traditions and beliefs and has varied across more than 3,000 years of history, and there is no consensus number of Hindu gods. Hindus may speak of a singular god, of many gods, or of the proverbial 330 million gods and goddesses. Both polytheism (belief in many gods) and monotheism (belief in one god) are aspects of Hinduism. Numerous Hindu traditions hold that the many gods are manifestations of a...