This common misconception stems from a misunderstanding of the Vedic concept of saguna brahman (qualified divine) versus nirguna brahman (absolute divine). The Upanishads clearly state that there is only one supreme reality (Brahman), but it manifests in different forms to help humans comprehend the divine.
According to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.4.1), the various deities are different aspects of the one supreme consciousness. The Bhagavad Gita (10.41) further explains that any being possessing excellence or glory is simply a spark of the divine's splendor.
The multiple deities in Hinduism represent different cosmic functions and aspects of nature, serving as focal points for meditation and worship. This is similar to how sunlight appears in different colors through a prism, yet comes from one source.
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