Shiva & Vishnu----------------------------------
The two deities in Hinduism that are most revered are Shiva and Vishnu. The people who pray them separately are called Shaiva and Vaishnav. Shaivas respect Shiva and say that He is superior god of all. Whereas vaishnavs profess that Vishnu is superior god of all. This theory is known as Dweit theory in Hinduism. Naturally shaivas and vaishnavas have different methods of worshipping God. Vaishnavas are recognized by U mark on their foreheads and shaivas are recognized by three strips on their foreheads. This difference is more pronounced in South India. The antagonism in shaiva sect and vaishnav sect is so sever in some parts of our country that they appear to be sworn enemies of one another. There are many people in India who agree to existence of God but believe that God does not interferes in day to day lives of people. I am one of them. God has different names in different sects , religions or dharmas. Some call Him Allah, some call Him God and some call Him Ishwara. Similarly in Hindus some call Him Shiva and some call Him Vishnu. Today I undertake to describe the origin of these two sects.
Originally there was only vast expanse of water in this world. There was only ocean. On the vast ocean a small leaf was visible and on that leaf a small child was visible. This was birth of Vishnu. Then Vishnu created Devas and Asuras. Devas He placed in Swarga and Asuras He placed in Patala. Devas represented the good virtues and Asuras represented bad virtues. Devas and Asuras went on to churn the ocean to find Amruta the elixir of life. Out of the bowels of ocean fourteen different jewels were found in which poison was first. Shiva came forward and imbibed the poison straight and His throat became blue with it. So Shiva is also known as Neelkantha. Now nobody knows how Shiva was born and who are his parents. It is believe that Shiva is there in this universe even before Vishnu is born. Because nowhere in the scriptures Shiva’s birth is mentioned or His parents are reffered. In fact even Vishnu’s parents are not known as He is seen drifting on a leaf ( by whom? ). So this part is ambiguous in our scriptures. It can be safely said that Shiva is elder brother and Vishnu is younger brother and together they run this universe. The rest of deities, or gods and goddesses are imaginations of worshippers.
In Christianity God is not married, in Islam also Allah is alone, but Hinduism Shiva or Vishnu enjoy conjugal bliss. They are having wives and Shiva even has kids. Is this part also an offshoot of imagination of the worshippers. Is God, a male or female? If we say God is male then half the population will rebel against us. These are the questions that perplex my mind and I think about always. Will somebody enlighten me on the topic? Till then I worship Shiva and Vishnu as the only Gods.