Why do Hindu gods have many arms?

Hindu gods like Ganesh, Brahma and Varaha often have many arms. Some have animal heads.
Why are they depicted this way?

Edited by Nick1986 - 26-Mar-2011 at 08:57

What about the animal heads and blue skin?

It depends really on which god, and which avatar of that god you are speaking about.

Vishnu carries a symbolic item in each of his hands. A conch to symbolize creation, a lotus to symbolize purity, a mace to symbolize authority, and a discus to symbolize thought. Depending on the avatar, Vishnu sometimes has a fish head or a boar head as well.

Ganesh often carries similar items to Vishnu. Ganesh has an elephant head b/c his head was accidently cut off by his father, Shiva. In order to allieve Shiva's wife, Parvati of her grief, he set out to find a new head for the boy. All he could find was a baby elephant sleeping with it's mother. So he had the baby elephant's head removed and placed on his boy.

Ananta is a serpent with many heads to symbolize infinity.

Kali is usually depicted with three eyes to symbolize sun, moon and fire as well as her ability to see into the past, present and future.

The blue skin stems from a story that Shiva saved humanity by swallowing a serpent's poison that was threatening all of existence. Since Shiva was a god, the poison did him no harm, but it stained his throat blue.

This seems like it's sorta similar to absolving sins in the Christian faith. Perhaps, the gods have blue skins because they are filled with the sins of their followers? That's just a guess.

Originally posted by Tiger of Kai It depends really on which god, and which avatar of that god you are speaking about. Vishnu carries a symbolic item in each of his hands. A conch to symbolize creation, a lotus to symbolize purity, a mace to symbolize authority, and a discus to symbolize thought. Depending on the avatar, Vishnu sometimes has a fish head or a boar head as well. Ganesh often carries similar items to Vishnu. Ganesh has an elephant head b/c his head was accidently cut off by his father, Shiva. In order to allieve Shiva's wife, Parvati of her grief, he set out to find a new head for the boy. All he could find was a baby elephant sleeping with it's mother. So he had the baby elephant's head removed and placed on his boy. Ananta is a serpent with many heads to symbolize infinity. Kali is usually depicted with three eyes to symbolize sun, moon and fire as well as her ability to see into the past, present and future. The blue skin stems from a story that Shiva saved humanity by swallowing a serpent's poison that was threatening all of existence. Since Shiva was a god, the poison did him no harm, but it stained his throat blue. This seems like it's sorta similar to absolving sins in the Christian faith. Perhaps, the gods have blue skins because they are filled with the sins of their followers? That's just a guess.

 

Some have six arms...Good for telephone operator or luggage carrier also!

Yes that is the main problem in every religion:Religions haven't evolved their own dogmas,according to new society's and science's developments since beginning!

What about the colored skin? Is it merely proof of their divine origins or is there another explanation?

Osiris was green to show that he was dead. But of course his death and revival was also linked to the agricultural cult.

Color revive statue and make it beautiful.As we have seen color also gives character and role of God in their
lives! 

Maybe you guys are looking too far into this. Maybe the colour doesn't have any historical explanation. Maybe it symbolizes something relating solely to the colour, same as red is symbolyses love and purple royalty. Blue is usually considered to represent calmness and serenity which are important concepts in eastern religions.