Lots of email along these lines:

Jonah,
What your other writer said is true, Hinduism does indeed include a monotheistic concept. The other “gods” are manifestations (avatars, I think they are called) of God’s nature. Many Hindus probably don’t understand the distinction themselves, just as many Christians don’t understand the Trinity. Anyway, my Hindu friends always speak of “God” in the singular as in “Oh, I think God will forgive us,” when I cook their veggie burgers on the same grill lately used for beef patties (though I still clean it first in deference to their beliefs).