ieyeasu

An appeal to superior knowledge--Help me out here

I'm an amateur with Eastern religions, but after some study of Hinduism, this is what I *think* I get:

All life forms are made up of the essential energy of the universe, which is in itself deistic. Lifeforms experience multiple lives in order to advance up the totem of "Essence" in order to become a perfect being, lose the ego, and become part of the energy without sense of self, thereby attaining Nirvana and losing the need to repeat life.

Gods, Vishnu, Siva, Brahma, etc., are all manifestations of the deistic energy; in essence, they are all different faces of the same thing.

My specific question: Are these gods literal, like Yahweh? According to the religion, did they/do they actually exist, or are there merely concepts to help visualize the universe, etc.?

Please feel free to correct my assertation...Just trying to learn.

hinduwoman

Yes, the common belief is that these gods are literal.
some more philosophical Hindus might insist they are only concepts, but for the vast majority the gods are actual entities, even if they are only aspects of the One.

ieyeasu

Well, there went my theory.

Thanks.