Hinduism does not project a monolithic standard which discredits other views of reality. It recognizes the Divine in many names and forms, as possessing both unity and multiplicity, and as both personal and impersonal.

It is not troubled by any contradiction between the One and the Many. It regards the Many as various appearances or manifestations of the One, which is not one in the sense of one thing opposed to others but a unity that includes diversity without being limited by it.

Hindu forms of monotheism exist in abundance. Most followers of Shiva or Vishnu hold a theistic view of reality with the Divine called Shiva or Vishnu. But Hindu theism is very different from Western monotheism. It allows for the existence of a multiplicity of names and forms of the Deity and of secondary manifestations as various Gods and Goddesses under its power.

Hindu theism is also a yogic path that emphasizes devotion to the deity and personal communion with it through meditation and samadhi. It is not a monolithic belief system but an experiential monotheism of the Divine Beloved.

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