Hindu Gods and Goddesses: Stories, Days and Mantras

What Hindu deities means

Each weekday belongs to a deity and a planet.

Navdurga are worshipped over Navratri.

Navagraha are planets and deities.

How to worship Hindu deities

Here is the simple traditional way families approach Hindu deities, step by step, so you can follow it at home without pressure.

1. Bathe and wear clean clothes
2. Light a lamp and sit facing east or north
3. Remember Ganesha first
4. Read or hear the story with attention
5. Offer a simple prasad and share it

Kis din kis devta ki pooja

Somvar Shiv ji, Mangalvar Hanuman ji, Budhvar Ganesh ji, Guruvar Vishnu ji, Shukravar Lakshmi ji, Shanivar Shani dev aur Ravivar Surya dev. Har din ka apna rang aur mantra hai.

People phrase it many ways: navdurga names, navagraha gods, which god for which day, deity mantra. All of these point to the same reading, and this page answers them together.

What you may be feeling about hindu deities

If you came to hindu deities hoping for good news, that hope deserves respect. Maybe you came here because a festival or a vrat is near and you want it to go well for your family. Wanting a sign that life is about to open up is one of the oldest and most human feelings there is, and it is the reason families have looked at the sky for thousands of years.

If hindu deities is making you uneasy, that is valid too. Or maybe you are worried that you will do something wrong, miss a step, or that a difficulty at home means the gods are unhappy. You are not being silly or superstitious. When a word like this enters a family conversation, it is natural for the heart to tighten and for the mind to ask what it means for the people you love.

Our tradition takes both feelings seriously. Our stories are full of people who felt exactly this, from Savitri at Yama's side to Prahlad in the fire, and the texts honour their feelings before they show the way. So whatever you are feeling right now, our elders felt it too and wrote about it.

The same tradition then softens the first reaction. Every one of these stories ends in grace. Tradition itself says that a sincere heart completes any ritual, and that a missed step done with love is never punished. A single factor in a chart, a calendar or a name describes a theme to work with, not a sentence that is already written. Effort, timing, good company and a calm mind shape how it unfolds.

So hold the feeling gently, and then look at the whole picture. That is where one word turns into a clear, hopeful direction, and it is exactly what a personal reading is for.

Why hindu deities still matter

Each weekday belongs to a deity and a planet.

Navdurga are worshipped over Navratri.

Navagraha are planets and deities.

• Lord Ganesha: ganesha, remover of obstacles, worshipped first. His day is Wednesday, colours red and yellow.
• Lord Shiva: shiva, the destroyer and transformer. His day is Monday, colour white, mantra Om Namah Shivaya.
• Lord Vishnu: vishnu, the preserver. His day is Thursday, colour yellow, mantra Om Namo Narayanaya.
• Lord Brahma: brahma, the creator, with four heads for the four Vedas.
• Goddess Lakshmi: lakshmi, goddess of wealth. Her day is Friday, colours pink and red.
• Goddess Saraswati: saraswati, goddess of learning and music. Her colour is white and yellow.
• Goddess Parvati: parvati, the mother goddess and Shiva's consort.
• Goddess Durga: durga, the warrior goddess on a lion.
• Goddess Kali: kali, the fierce form of the goddess, destroyer of evil.
• Lord Hanuman: hanuman, the devoted, strong one. His days are Tuesday and Saturday, colour orange.
• Lord Ram: ram, Maryada Purushottam, the ideal king.
• Lord Krishna: krishna, the playful god of love and wisdom.
• Sita Mata: sita, daughter of the earth, wife of Ram.
• Radha Rani: radha, Krishna's eternal beloved.
• Lord Kartikeya (Murugan): kartikeya, god of war and son of Shiva.
• Surya dev: surya, the Sun god. His day is Sunday, colour red.
• Chandra dev: chandra, the Moon god. His day is Monday, colour white.
• Mangal dev: mangal, the Mars god. His day is Tuesday, colour red.
• Budh dev: budh, the Mercury god. His day is Wednesday, colour green.
• Brihaspati dev: brihaspati, the Jupiter god, guru of the gods. His day is Thursday, colour yellow.
• Shukra dev: shukra, the Venus god, guru of the asuras. His day is Friday, colour white.
• Shani dev: shani, the Saturn god and judge of karma. His day is Saturday, colours black and blue.
• Rahu: rahu, the shadow planet, the head of the demon Svarbhanu.
• Ketu: ketu, the shadow planet, the body of Svarbhanu.
• Navagraha: the nine planetary deities worshipped together.
• Maa Shailputri: the first form of Durga, worshipped on Navratri day one.
• Maa Brahmacharini: the second form of Durga, the ascetic.
• Maa Chandraghanta: the third form of Durga with a half moon bell.
• Maa Kushmanda: the fourth form of Durga, creator of the universe with her smile.
• Maa Skandamata: the fifth form of Durga, mother of Skanda.
• Maa Katyayani: the sixth form of Durga, worshipped for a good husband.
• Maa Kalratri: the seventh form of Durga, the fiercest.
• Maa Mahagauri: the eighth form of Durga, white and peaceful.
• Maa Siddhidatri: the ninth form of Durga, giver of perfection.
• Santoshi Mata: the goddess of contentment.
• Vaishno Devi: the mother goddess in the Trikuta hills of Jammu.
• Kaal Bhairav: the fierce form of Shiva, guardian of Kashi.
• Maa Annapurna: the goddess of food.
• Ganga Maa: the river goddess who purifies.
• Yamuna Maa: the river goddess, sister of Yama.
• Kamadhenu: the wish fulfilling cow.
• Tulsi devi: the sacred basil goddess.
• Lord Vishwakarma: the divine architect.
• Kubera: the god of wealth and treasurer of the gods.
• Yama: the god of death and dharma.
• Agni dev: the fire god, witness of all rituals.
• Indra: the king of the gods, god of rain.
• Vayu dev: the wind god, father of Hanuman and Bhima.
• Varuna: the god of water and cosmic order.
• Lord Dattatreya: the three in one form of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
• Lord Narasimha: vishnu's half lion avatar who protected Prahlad.
• Lord Jagannath: the lord of the universe in Puri.
• Vitthal (Vithoba): krishna as Vitthal in Pandharpur.
• Lord Venkateswara (Balaji): vishnu at Tirumala, Tirupati.
• Lord Ayyappa: the son of Shiva and Mohini at Sabarimala.

Where hindu deities leads on KismatAstro

This page gathers every deity guide on KismatAstro. Start with Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, then follow the links inside each story.

Each weekday has a fast, and our vrat kathas tell the story behind worshipping hindu deities. The nine planets are also deities, and your free kundli (muft janam kundli) shows which ones are strong in your chart. To visit, our temple guides list the great temples of each deity.

Stories like this are why families still look for a good day before a new step. You can see today's timings in the free planets guide, and plan ahead with festival dates (tyohar kab hai).

What the old texts and scholars say

Our retelling follows the Puranas and temple traditions. Versions differ by region and family, and every one of them is treated with respect here.

If you would like to read further, Britannica's entry on the goddess Durga gives a clear, well sourced overview: Britannica's entry on the goddess Durga.

For a second view, see Britannica's guide to Hindu holidays.

A gentle seven day practice inspired by hindu deities

You do not need a big ritual. These small steps keep the story alive in daily life, and none of them cost money.

1. Day 1: read the story once, slowly
2. Day 2: tell it to a child or an elder
3. Day 3: light a lamp at sunset
4. Day 4: give food or time to someone in need
5. Day 5: read the linked festival or vrat page
6. Day 6: sit quietly for five minutes with the deity's name
7. Day 7: note one lesson you will keep

Carrying Hindu deities into your own life

Hindu deities is not a test you can fail. It is a story that has comforted families for centuries, and it asks only for attention and a kind heart.

If something in it touched a hope or a worry in your own life, a marriage, a child, money or health, that is a good moment to look at your own chart calmly. The free kundli (muft janam kundli) shows it, and a personal written reading is there if you want more depth.