Bhagavan (meaning "blessed one") is a name that connotes both respect and veneration.
This name has been employed as an epithet of both the deity Krishna (as in the Bhagavad Gita) and the god Shiva in various circumstances.
- It is also, in contemporary use, the term that comes closest to conveying the idea of abstract divinity, similar to the word "God" in English, at least in northern India.
- Hindus who are religious but do not worship specific deities often use it to refer to God.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
