Do Hindu gods copulate?

Question

Do Hindu gods have sex? If no, then how would you explain birth of Shani as he acquired traits from Chhaya and children of Sangya were totally opposite to him in terms of looks?

Answer 1

Firstly, as I said in my comment, it will behoove you here to write your questions more respectfully.

Secondly, it should be noted that for many Hindus, the names of various deities are titles or roles more so than the specific atman fulfilling those roles. This means that as a specific "god," there are specific duties. Devas are good at their role because they are relatively selfless (or at least cooperative with other Devas) and usually fulfill their duties, requests, expectations, etc. Asura's are only considered "evil" because they are in opposition to ṛta, the orderly operations of the Universe. In other words, they seek mainly to aggrandize themselves and increase their power over others. This is why they should not be trusted with power over the Three Worlds: they only have their own interests in mind. Accordingly, they have been given the lower realms to keep them occupied, as they are inevitable.

So, with that in mind, here's a description of the first two of the 7 lower worlds:

16. Now in region called Atala resides the demon Bala, the son of Maya. The learned say that he has verily created ninety-six varieties of Māyā (magical tricks) some of which are still practised by jugglers [stage magicians, etc]. As he yawned, three groups of women—svairiṇīs (who enter into sexual intercourse with men of their caste), kāminīs (who copulate with men not belonging to their caste) and Puṃścalīs (the most fickle minded of the Kāminī group)—came forth from his mouth. They administer a liquid preparation called Hāṭakarasa to a man who enters their subterranean region and make him sexually capable. They give him amorous pleasure at their will indeed, by their sportive seductive smiles, lovely conversations, embraces, etc. When the elixir is imbibed, the man feels that he is a veritable god endowed with mystical powers and possessing the physical strength of ten thousand elephants. He goes aboasting like one mad (blind) with intoxication.

17. Below that (Atala), in the subterranean region called Vitala, dwells god Śiva, designated as Lord Hāṭakeśvara, surrounded by his retinue, the legions of goblins. With the object of multiplying the creation of Prajāpatis (proginators) he, under the name Bhava (the procreator), remains united with his divine consort, Bhavānī (Pārvatī). From him has issued the great river called Hāṭakī which is charged with the energy of them both. There, the Fire kindled by Wind, drinks vigorously that water of the river. What is spit out by Fire is the gold called Hāṭaka. Males aṇd females in the harem of the kings of Asuras wear that gold in the form of ornaments. —Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Chapter 24 Notes in brackets "[]" added by me.

These lower worlds are clearly designed to trick men into forsaking dharma similar to how Apsaras are sent down to distract practitioners. And, again, though human beings of impure mind may see the above quotes as "kinky", they still exist to fill a niche in the orderly working of the cosmos (in my opinion, a place for pleasure-seekers to go and not bother practitioners.) As for the specifics of the significance of Vayu increasing Agni so that he may eat the discharge and turn it into gold—I must admit, I do not understand. My presumption is that it is meant to demonstrate the difference between real value (liberations) and false value (the real worthlessness of gold, despite human inclination).

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Disappointingly, I now have to add this section to defend my answer. Against my wishes, my answer has been edited to remove references to Buddhist "Yab-Yum," sexual metaphor, and the relation of those to Bhava-Bhavānī. Yet, my parenthetical reference to stage magicians remains. Clearly there is an agenda here. If you do not understand this connection, then you do not understand the topic. If you wish to edit the content (rather than form) please demonstrate that what you think is actually defensible.

According to Puranic Encyclopedia

"Hāṭakī (हाटकी).—A river. Parameśvara and Pārvatī once had intercourse at Vitala, a section of Pātāla and their semen formed itself into the river called Hāṭakī. (Bhāgavata, 5th Skandha)."—https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft Page 311 (Y'all can make this section look nice, I shouldn't have needed to waste more time on this.)

Obviously, vaginas do not produce semen and the above means, "sexual fluids," as I previously wrote. Virility and fertility have long been used to represent these same generative concepts all over the world, yet somehow people on this site seem to think we are the exception.

It's sad that every time I finally come back to this site and start participating again, the users drive me back away in ignorance. See ya next year, I suppose. (Yep, I imagine this entire section will be deleted, but at least there's a record of my protest against the authoritarianism of bias.)

Answer 2

Hindu God's aren't literal sky gods atleast as per Vedas and Upanishads. Hence definitely they don't copulate.

ye devā manojātā mano-yujas sudakṣā dakṣa-pitāras te naḥ || The gods, mind-born, yoked to the mind, having the blissful power of discrimination (dakṣā), and are the children of discernment.(Taittiriya Samhita 1.2.3.2)

The worlds oust one who knows them as different from the Self. The gods oust one who knows them as different from the Self. The beings oust one who knows them as different from the Self. All ousts one who knows it as different from the Self. This Brāhmaṇa, this Kṣatriya, these worlds, these gods, these beings, and this all are the Self.(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.6)

Yagnavalkya replied: “They are only the various powers of them, in reality there are only thirty-three gods. Agni (fire), Prithivi (earth), Vayu (air), Antariksha (sky), Aditya (sun), Dyu (heaven), Kandramas (moon), the Nakshatras (stars), these are the Vasus, for in them all that dwells (this world) rests; and therefore they are called Vasus. These ten vital breaths (prânas, the senses, i.e. the five gnanendriyas, and the five karmendriyas), and Atman, as the eleventh. When they depart from this mortal body, they make us cry (rodayanti), and because they make us cry, they are called Rudras. The twelve months of the year, and they are Adityas, because they move along (yanti), taking up everything (adadanah). Because they move along, taking up everything, therefore they are called Adityas. Indra is thunder, Pragâpati is the sacrifice.(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.9.2-6)

Prof S Dasgupta writes

The gods here are however personalities presiding over the diverse powers of nature or forming their very essence. They have therefore no definite, systematic and separate characters like the Greek gods or the gods of the later Indian mythical works, the Purāṇas. The powers of nature such as the storm, the rain, the thunder, are closely associated with one another, and the gods associated with them are also similar in character. In the later mythological compositions of the Purāṇas the gods lost their character as hypostatic powers of nature, and thus became actual personalities and characters having their tales of joy and sorrow like the mortal here below. The Vedic gods may be contrasted with them in this, that they are of an impersonal nature, as the characters they display are mostly but expressions of the powers of nature.(A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 1 Chapter 2 Part 8)

Prof G Mitali writes

Almost all the great scholars like Max Müller, Keith, Macdonell, Winternitz, Griswold, etc., have unanimously accepted that the gods are nothing but the defied and personified phenomena of nature. Yāskācārya has etymologized the term on the basis of such natural observation. The great commentator Sāyaṇācārya, Skandaswāmi, etc., have followed and made extensive use of naturalistic interpretations of Yāskācārya and show their awareness towards it. Both Yāskācārya and Sāyaṇācarya have pointed out the myth of Indra’s fight against Vṛtra, which is, in reality, a depiction of natural phenomena, i.e. the thunder and the cloud.The term deva is used in the sense of bright that is derived from root div, to shine and all the shining phenomena of nature are called deva. All the divine powers of nature are called by the term deva. The Vedic deities are mentioned as the upholder of law or order called Ṛta. The term ṛta found in the Vedic religion covers three senses, viz. cosmic order, ritualistic order and moral law and order. All the Vedic deities are mentioned as born of Ṛta, i.e. ṛtajā or protector of Ṛta, i.e. ṛtapā or ṛtasya gopā, increaser of Ṛta, i.e. ṛtāvṛdha and so on. Again, the term ṛta stands for the moral order which includes truthfulness, righteousness, ethical values etc. (Vedic influence on the Sun-worship in the Puranas Part 8)

Answer 3

In Valmiki Ramayana when narrating the story of the purifying powers of Ganga to Rama, Vishwamitra says the following:

पुरा रामकृतोद्वाहः शितिकण्ठो महातपाः || १-३६-५ दृष्ट्वा च भगवान् देवीं मैथुनायोपचक्रमे |

On his getting married to Uma, oh, Rama, the sublime-ascetic and bluish throated god Shiva, as his throat became blue when he consumed poison during the churning of Milky Ocean, at one time with a predilection towards her he has started lovemaking with her. [1-36-5b, 6a]

तस्य संक्रीडमानस्य महादेवस्य धीमतः | शितिकण्ठस्य देवस्य दिव्यं वर्षशतं गतम् || १-३६-६ न चापि तनयो राम तस्यामासीत्परंतप |

While that sublime, sagacious and blue-throated God Shiva is in lovemaking, oh, enemy-scorcher Rama, a hundred divine years have elapsed, even then he had no son in her, namely Goddess Uma. [1-36-6b, c, 7]

On the request of gods, Shiva decides not to complete the act to its fruition but rather discharge his seeds outside the union.

एवमुक्तः सुरपतिः प्रमुमोच महाबलः | तेजसा पृथिवी येन व्याप्ता सगिरिकानना || १-३६-१६

Thus said by the gods that Yogi of par excellence and the God of Gods, Shiva, discharged his refulgent semen with which the earth together with its mountains and forests is overspread. [1-36-16]

Later on, Uma says (within Vishwamitra’s narration):

यस्मान्निवारिता चाहं संगता पुत्रकाम्यया || १-३६-२१ अपत्यं स्वेषु दारेषु नोत्पादयितुमर्हथ |

Wherefore, I who am desirous of a son had been prevented from the intimacy with my husband, therefore you shall be infecund to beget progeny through your own wives. [1-36-21b, 22a]

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I personally translated मैथुन to coitus. valmikiramayana.net translated it to lovemaking (as can be seen above) and Bibek Debroy translates it to intercourse (Chapter 1(35) para 2).

Given the descriptions used by Vishwamitra, in this case a sexual union seems to be the direct interpretation.