Ishta-devatha is a Hindu religious term meaning "the god one prays most." It is derived from the Sanskrit roots for good and god. Traditionally it alludes to the particular god (from among five forms of God in Smarta theology.

Smarta view

Smarta Hinduism is inclusive monotheistic, hence a follower of Smarta Hinduism may worship one God over another depending on preference. The most widely worshipped among forms of God are Shiva and Vishnu. The Goddesses Kali, Durga and Amba are also widely worshipped. Ganapati is worshipped throughout India, while Murugan is worshipped more in the Southern India.

The system prevalent in Hinduism is defined by the Smartha philosophy; this theory allows for the veneration of numberless deities, but on the understanding that all of them

Only a Smartha, or follower of the Advaita philosophy, would have no problem worshiping every imaginable deity with equal veneration; he views these different deities as being manifestations of the same God. Other (somewhat peripheral) Hindu sects, such as Vaishnavism and Shaivism conform more closely to a Western understanding of what a monotheistic faith is. For instance, a Vaishnavite considers Vishnu as being the one and only true God, an attitude that resonates with that of the semitic religions. However, the Smartha philosophy defines the mainstream of Hinduism, and imparts to Indic spiritual and religious traditions their renowned liberalism.