God is called by a number of names like Shiv, Ganesh, Ganpati, Brahma, Vishnu, Luxmi, Sarasvati, Mahadev et cetera. Is single God called by different names or are there many Gods?
As there exists many Suns and Moons in the universe, why shouldn’t we believe that there are more than one God? In the world, we generally see that if a thing is controlled by more than one controllers, it no more remains very systematic. As the creation and movement of this universe is very systematic, it in a way proves that creator of this universe and the creator of the laws, according to which it moves is one and only one. Mantaraas of अथर्ववेद wherein, it is clearly mentioned that God is one and there is no one like Him in the whole universe are the word –evidence of this fact. In the Vedaas and like books, written by seers called Rishis, we find many names of God but it does not mean that there are many Gods. As attributes and actions of God are unlimited, in the same way His names, too, are unlimited. Based on different attributes and actions of God, He is called by different names in Vedaas and other books written by Rishis. God’s personal name, which includes His unlimited attributes and actions is ‘ओम्’.
Main Names of God
Every name of God found in Vedaas and books written by Rishis depicts one of the many attributes of God. For example-
ब्रह्म means The Biggest
ब्रह्मा means Creator of Universe
शिव means One, who does welfare and welfare only
विष्णु means One, who pervades all living and non-living objects of the whole universe
रुद्र means One, who brings pain to the wrong doers
गणेश or गणपति means Lord of All
पिता means One, who feeds and saves
देव means Knowledgeable man and one, who imparts knowledge
यम means One who gives right, that is, just fruits of actions of all
भगवान means One who has luxuries of all sorts
चन्द्र means Blissful and one, who is the source of bliss
शक्ति means Capable of creating the world
लक्ष्मी means Goal of Yogis
सरस्वति means Knowledge of words and their meanings
अद्वैत means One and not two
महादेव means God of gods
Personal name of God is ‘ओम्’. God’s main characteristics is said to be ‘To save’. As such, it is appropriate to take the meaning of ‘savior’ by the word ‘ओम्’.