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It is a common belief that Hindus have 33 crore deities. The Shankaracharya of Puri, elaborates on the topic to clear our doubts.
There is just one Bhagavan – Sacchidananda. The Bhagavat tattva is described as sat, chita and ananda in the vedas. This world is transitory, but Bhagavan is the ultimate truth or sat. Samsara is ignorance but Bhagavan is chita or consciousness. The world is full of sorrows, and He is ananda or supreme bliss. Samsara is finite but Bhagavan is eternal or ananta. On the basis of Upanishads, the one and only Paramatma, called ananta Sacchidananda.
Thirty-three devatas have been mentioned in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The word “koti” of Sanskrit, means crore (in terms of numbers), as well as implies classification or kinds. In the Upanishad, the reference is to the classification or thirty-three kinds of devatas. These thirty-three are then expressed as five main devatas.
Like a single palm with five fingers, when Bhagavan manifests creation after dissolution of the world (pralaya), he has to engage in five activities or tasks. For this, He manifests in five forms, with the root form being the same Sacchidananda. These five forms*, their activities and those who worship them are, as follows:
| Name of deity | Activity | Followers of deity |
|---|---|---|
| Sūrya or Brahmā | creation | Saura |
| Viṣṇu | sustenance | Vaiṣṇava |
| Śiva | destruction | Śaiva |
| Bhagavatī or Sakti | control or restraint | Śakta |
| Gaṇapati | to bestow blessings | Gāṇapatya |
Similarly, there are five elements that creation consists of with their respective roles:
| Element | Role |
|---|---|
| Pṛthvī (earth) | that gives birth |
| Jala (water) | which nourishes |
| Agni (fire) | which can destroy |
| Vāyu (air) | which controls |
| Ākāśa (space) | provides stability |
The space element is stationary and to some extent, the earth also provides stability. Between these two, there is movement. Like five elements manifest creation, Bhagavan manifests in five forms to create.
The root form of the five deities is the one nirguna-nirakara (attribute less-formless) and the one saguna-sakara (with attribute-form). The whole of creation is also the expression of that one Bhagavat tattva.
The difference between the five forms of Bhagavan is with reference to their name, form, activities/expressions, and abode. In essence they are all the same.
Hence, even if we were to imagine that there are thirty-three crore devi-devatas (as avataras or forms of the thirty-three deities mentioned in shastras), they can be expressed as the thirty three described in shastras. These thirty-three deities can be expressed as five (since they are the forms of the five main deities) and further, maybe expressed as One Sacchidananda.
*Please note that Bhagavan Kartikeya is also worshipped in addition, in the South of Bharat.