Relationships are contextual
Deity Explorer
Explore names, symbols, stories, festivals, and related figures without treating the result as one universal family tree.
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How to use the explorer
Filter relationships without fixing a universal family tree
Search a name or symbol, then narrow by tradition or concept. Switch to the list view when a visual layout is difficult to navigate. Every result leads to a sourced profile.
What it represents
Editorial relationships from the profile data: associated figures, symbols, festivals, stories, and contexts.
What it does not represent
An official genealogy, rank, “power level,” or a claim that every text agrees.
Privacy and access
No search leaves your browser. The non-visual list provides the same profile links without requiring the graph.
Static reference
All 12 deity profiles at a glance
This table exposes the complete structured profile set without JavaScript. It is an orientation tool, not a universal genealogy or ranking.
| Name | Context | Common symbols in this guide | Relationships in familiar narratives | Festivals / practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ganesha | Widely revered; especially prominent in Ganapatya, Shaiva, Shakta, and Smarta contexts | elephant head, broken tusk, mouse or rat vehicle, modaka sweet, noose and goad | Shiva and Parvati are widely named as parents; Skanda or Kartikeya as brother | Ganesh Chaturthi; beginnings, study, travel, and household worship |
| Shiva | Especially important in Shaiva traditions; widely revered across Hindu communities | trident, drum, third eye, crescent moon, Ganga, serpent | Parvati as consort in many traditions; Ganesha and Skanda as sons in familiar narrative cycles | Maha Shivaratri; temple and home worship; pilgrimage; mantra and meditation |
| Vishnu | Supreme or central in many Vaishnava traditions; widely revered elsewhere | conch, discus, mace, lotus, crown, Garuda | Lakshmi as consort; avatars and forms include Rama, Krishna, Narasimha, and Vamana in many traditions | Vaishnava temple worship; Ekadashi observance; festivals of Rama, Krishna, and avatars |
| Krishna | Especially important in Vaishnava traditions, with distinct Krishna-centered lineages | flute, peacock feather, cows, butter, lotus, discus in royal forms | Vasudeva and Devaki as birth parents; Nanda and Yashoda as foster parents; Balarama as brother; relationships vary by text | Janmashtami; Holi traditions; Bhagavad Gita study; kirtan and temple worship |
| Rama | Especially important in Vaishnava traditions; revered as prince, king, and avatar of Vishnu | bow and arrows, royal bearing, often shown with Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman | Dasharatha and Kausalya as parents; Sita as consort; Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna as brothers | Ram Navami; Diwali connections in many north Indian traditions; recitation and performance of Ramayana traditions |
| Hanuman | Widely revered; especially connected with Rama devotion and many Vaishnava contexts | mace, mountain of herbs, opened heart showing Rama and Sita, tail, kneeling devotion | Anjana is widely named as mother; Vayu is connected with his birth; relationships differ by narrative | Hanuman Jayanti dates vary; Tuesday or Saturday observances in some communities; Ramayana recitation |
| Lakshmi | Widely revered; especially important in Vaishnava traditions and household worship | lotus, elephants, water, coins, red or gold garments, gesture of blessing | Often understood as consort of Vishnu; appears with his forms in tradition-specific ways | Diwali Lakshmi Puja in many communities; Varalakshmi Vratam; Friday observances in some regions |
| Saraswati | Widely revered in learning, music, arts, and speech; especially visible in educational settings | vina, book or manuscript, rosary, white garments, lotus, swan or goose | Relationships vary: associated with Brahma in many later traditions; independent Vedic and goddess histories remain important | Vasant Panchami; Saraswati Puja; school and arts observances, especially in eastern and southern India |
| Durga | Especially important in Shakta traditions; widely revered as protective and sovereign Devi | lion or tiger, multiple arms, weapons, lotus, red garments, buffalo-demon scene | Understood as Devi; relationships to Parvati, Kali, and other goddess forms vary by text and theology | Navaratri; Durga Puja, especially prominent in Bengal and global Bengali communities |
| Kali | Especially important in Shakta traditions, with major regional and tantric contexts | dark complexion, garland, tongue, sword, severed head imagery, standing with Shiva | Related to Durga and Parvati in varying texts; understood as supreme in some traditions | Kali Puja, especially in Bengal; temple traditions; mantra and tantric worship under qualified guidance |
| Parvati | Important across Shaiva, Shakta, and Smarta traditions; understood through many forms | mountain, lotus, mirror, household and ascetic imagery, lion in some forms | Daughter of Himavan in familiar narratives; consort of Shiva; mother of Ganesha and Skanda in many traditions | Teej and Hartalika observances in some regions; Gauri worship; Navaratri connections |
| Brahma | Creator deity in many Puranic cosmologies; not to be confused with Brahman, ultimate reality | four faces, Vedas, water pot, rosary, lotus, swan or goose | Saraswati is often named as consort; cosmological relationships vary among Puranas | Limited dedicated worship compared with Vishnu, Shiva, and Devi; Pushkar is especially associated |