- Analyze the various manifestations of the gods and goddesses in Hindu traditions. You might address one or more of the following issues (or come up with your own): How might the contradictory forms of the deities relate to the social structures in India (i.e., the caste system, the traditional position of women)? How do stories of the deities either accommodate or challenge (or both) the social order? How might we interpret the presence of both peaceful and wrathful deities in Hinduism? Why do you think there are deities with various temperaments? Is a goddess like Kālī a symbol of patriarchy or a strident expression of female independence? How do particular elements of the stories of Krishna and/or Shiva relate to some of the broad themes we have been discussing in Hinduism?