Showing posts with label formless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label formless. Show all posts

Sunday, November 02, 2014

Different Religions & Different Faiths in God

People in this world follow different religions & have different faiths in regard to God. Different religions of the world depict God in different forms. In Hinduism God is depicted as Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma etc. while in some sects of Hinduism, God is depicted as formless God too. In Christianity God is depicted as Jesus Christ who is said to be the Son of God. Sikhism Add Image& Muslim sects mostly believe in a formless God. So different minded people of the world see God in different forms or formless God too.

God is basically formless as Soul or Super Soul is formless & cannot be seen with the eyes due to it's very subtle nature. As God is almighty, He is free to take any form. That's why there are so many different forms of God in Hinduism & God appears in different forms from time to time as per the Hindu mythology. As any Form is a representation of Maya as per the Hinduism, so even the different forms of God are representation of Maya only, while in fact God is formless. Formless only creates the Forms & not otherwise. Below is a story which exemplify this fact beautifully:

"In a rural village of India there was a little park where people used to come in their spare time. Villagers used to spend their idle time over there & used to sit and chat with each other. The path to this park lay alongside the forest. On the edge of the path there was a large, well-known Kadamba tree. One day a city-dweller came to the village, passed by the tree, and saw a peculiar lizard climbing on the trunk of that tree. When he reached the park he told the others sitting there, "I just saw a Green lizard on that old Kadamba tree!"

"Oh," said one man, "I know that lizard. I've seen it there several times -- but it's not Green-colored, it's Yellow."

"No, no, not Yellow," said another, "it is Cream coloured." Then others chimed in: "We have seen it -- it is lavender (gray, etc.). Each person had a different picture of the lizard.

They decided to go to the tree to find the animal and settle the argument. What they found was a Sadhu (Saint) from the forest, sitting in meditation under that Kadamba tree. The villagers questioned him about the animal. The saint answered, "I know all about that creature, who lives on this tree," he answered. "It is a Chameleon" (a creature who is able to change his body colour at will). "It is sometimes lavender, sometimes gray, sometimes green, yellow, cream, and sometimes it has really no color at all."

Saint further said, "God, too is like that Chameleon, taking on different qualities and appearances, and then again He has none."

In Hinduism many God's are worshipped but all these Gods are manifestation of one Supreme God only which is explained in Bhagwat Gita Chapter Ten in detail.

In Bhagwat Gita Chapter Ten, Lord Krishna is saying that he is the source of all beings & gods. Not even that as per Lord Krishna, all these universes & creations spring from but a spark of His splendor only. As per Him, He is seated in hearts of all living entities. He Himself is Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva & Lord Brahma. He Himself is Sun, Moon, Wind & Fire. He Himself is Rama God too. He Himself is Lord of wealth - Kubera. He Himself is Spiritual word Om. He Himself is river Ganges. Among women He Himself is manifested as Goddess of fortune (Lakshmi), Goddess of wisdom (Saraswati) & other Goddesses of fame, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience. As per Lord Krishna His opulence is limitless.

Hindus likewise believe in only one God. They glorify and praise His thousands of qualities. For example when God is love, He is symbolically represented by Lord Krishna, God as virtue is represented by lord Rama, God as power is represented by Lord Hanuman, God as wisdom is represented by Goddess Saraswati etc. etc. So these different aspects of Gods represent spirituality, purity, power etc. of the Ultimate One who is endless truth and bliss.

Below are some verses from Bhagwat Gita which explain about various manifestations of One Supreme God.

"aham atma gudakesha
sarva-bhutasaya-sthitah
aham adis cha madhyam cha
bhutanam anta eva cha" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 20)


"Sri Krishna said: I am the Super Soul, O Arjuna, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings."

"adityanam aham vishnur
jyotisam ravir amsuman
maricir marutam asmi
nakshatranam aham sasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 21)


"Sri Krishna said: Of the Adityas I am Vishnu, of lights I am the radiant Sun, of the Maruts I am Marici, and among the stars I am the Moon."

"rudranam sankaras chasmi
vitteso yaksha-rakshasam
vasunam pavakas chasmi
meruh sikharinam aham" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 23)


"Sri Krishna said: Of all the Rudras I am Lord Shiva, of the Yakshas and Rakshasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kubera], of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru."

"pavanah pavatam asmi
ramah shastra-bhrtam aham
jhasanam makaras chasmi
srotasam asmi jahnavi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 31)


"Sri Krishna said: Of purifiers I am the Wind, of the wielders of weapons I am Rama, of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges."

"aksharanam a-karo ’smi
dvandvah samasikasya cha
aham evakshayah kalo
dhataham vishvato-mukhah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 33)


"Sri Krishna said: Of letters I am the letter A, and among compound words I am the dual compound. I am also inexhaustible time, and of creators I am Brahma."

"mrityuh sarva-haras chaham
udbhavas cha bhavisyatam
kirtih srir vak cha narinam
smritir medha dhrtih ksama" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 34)


"Sri Krishna said: I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience."

"yac chapi sarva-bhutanam
bijam tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vina yat syan
maya bhutam characharam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 39)


"Sri Krishna said: Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being—moving or nonmoving—that can exist without Me."
"yad yad vibhutimat sattvam
srimad urjitam eva va
tat tad evavagaccha tvam
mama tejo-’msa-sambhavam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 41)


"Sri Krishna said: Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor."

"atha va bahunaitena
kim jnatena tavarjuna
vistabhyaham idam krtsnam
ekamsena sthito jagat" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 42)


"Sri Krishna said: But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe."

Jai Shri Krishna

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Is God Tangible or Intangible?

What is your say on this question, "Is God Tangible or Intangible?" or "Is God having a Form or Formless?". Below is a Story by Indian saint Sri Ramakrishna which answers to this question.

"In India there are many temples where God is worshipped as Mother. In West Bengal state of India, in one of these temples, She is present there & is represented by a large stone image. The sculptor has carved in stone his idea of the Mother of the Universe, and many pious people, finding it attractive and inspiring, go there to pay their respects or make offerings to the Mother.
One day an aged monk who used a cane came into the temple. Approaching the altar he said, speaking aloud to God, "Mother, you are said to be God; tell me the truth: are you solid like stone -- this image? Or are you formless, indescribable and impossible to touch?"

"Take your cane," the monk heard a soft voice saying, "and strike my body on the left side." Monk did the same, and the cane hit the stone with a clack. "Now strike me from the other side," She said. When the cane reached the sculpture it passed right through it as if it were air. Then the monk understood that God can be both -- tangible and intangible i.e. God can be both, with a Form & Formless too -- at the same time."

In Hindu temples, people worship the God with a form while there are many sects in Hinduism where people do worship the Formless God too. Muslims too in a way worship the Formless God (Allah). In fact Hindu scriptures are full of volumes which describe God as having a Form & also as a Formless God. In other words, Manifest God is God having a Form while the Unmanifest God is the Formless God.

Bhagwat Gita is too full of verses which describe the God having a Form & also as a Formless God. Below are few verses, where God Himself is describing about the Form & Formless God & which is the easy one for worship by individuals.

"arjuna uvacha
evam satata-yukta ye
bhaktas tvam paryupasate
ye chapy aksharam avyaktam
tesham ke yoga-vittamah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 1)


"Arjuna asked: Which are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly engaged in Your devotional service or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested God?"

"sri-bhagavan uvacha
mayy avesya mano ye mam
nitya-yukta upasate
shraddhaya parayopetas
te me yuktatama matah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 2)


"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect."

"ye tv aksharam anirdesyam
avyaktam paryupasate
sarvatra-gam acintyam cha
kuta-stham achalam dhruvam"

"sanniyamyendriya-gramam
sarvatra sama-buddhayah
te prapnuvanti mam eva
sarva-bhuta-hite ratah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 3-4)


"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, fixed and immovable—the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth—by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me."

"kleso ’dhikataras tesam
avyaktasakta-cetasam
avyakta hi gatir duhkham
dehavadbhir avapyate" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 5)


"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme God, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied in human form."

"ye tu sarvani karmani
mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena
mam dhyayanta upasate"

"tesam aham samuddharta
mrityu-samsara-sagarat
bhavami na cirat partha
mayy avesita-cetasam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 6-7)

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pritha—for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death."

"mayy eva mana adhatsva
mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasisyasi mayy eva
ata urdhvam na samsayah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Twelve verse 8)


"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Just fix your mind upon Me and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt."

So from the above, it is clear that God is both having a Form & is also Formless. In whatever way a person worships the God, He blesses the people equally. So the main thing is that you should have Faith in God, the grace of God shall follow automatically. So if you have Faith in God, whether that God is with a Form or a Formless God, He shall always listen to your prayers, shall always be with you & shall always bless you.

Jai Sri Krishna

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Different Forms of God

People in this world follow different religions & have different faiths in regard to God. Different religions of the world depict God in different forms. In Hinduism God is depicted as Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma etc. while in some sects of Hinduism, God is depicted as formless God too. In Christianity God is depicted as Jesus Christ who is said to be the Son of God. Sikhism Add Image& Muslim sects mostly believe in a formless God. So different minded people of the world see God in different forms or formless God too.

God is basically formless as Soul or Super Soul is formless & cannot be seen with the eyes due to it's very subtle nature. As God is almighty, He is free to take any form. That's why there are so many different forms of God in Hinduism & God appears in different forms from time to time as per the Hindu mythology. As any Form is a representation of Maya as per the Hinduism, so even the different forms of God are representation of Maya only, while in fact God is formless. Formless only creates the Forms & not otherwise. Below is a story which exemplify this fact beautifully:

"In a rural village of India there was a little park where people used to come in their spare time. Villagers used to spend their idle time over there & used to sit and chat with each other. The path to this park lay alongside the forest. On the edge of the path there was a large, well-known Kadamba tree. One day a city-dweller came to the village, passed by the tree, and saw a peculiar lizard climbing on the trunk of that tree. When he reached the park he told the others sitting there, "I just saw a Green lizard on that old Kadamba tree!"

"Oh," said one man, "I know that lizard. I've seen it there several times -- but it's not Green-colored, it's Yellow."

"No, no, not Yellow," said another, "it is Cream coloured." Then others chimed in: "We have seen it -- it is lavender (gray, etc.). Each person had a different picture of the lizard.

They decided to go to the tree to find the animal and settle the argument. What they found was a Sadhu (Saint) from the forest, sitting in meditation under that Kadamba tree. The villagers questioned him about the animal. The saint answered, "I know all about that creature, who lives on this tree," he answered. "It is a Chameleon" (a creature who is able to change his body colour at will). "It is sometimes lavender, sometimes gray, sometimes green, yellow, cream, and sometimes it has really no color at all."

Saint further said, "God, too is like that Chameleon, taking on different qualities and appearances, and then again He has none."

In Hinduism many God's are worshipped but all these Gods are manifestation of one Supreme God only which is explained in Bhagwat Gita Chapter Ten in detail.

In Bhagwat Gita Chapter Ten, Lord Krishna is saying that he is the source of all beings & gods. Not even that as per Lord Krishna, all these universes & creations spring from but a spark of His splendor only. As per Him, He is seated in hearts of all living entities. He Himself is Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva & Lord Brahma. He Himself is Sun, Moon, Wind & Fire. He Himself is Rama God too. He Himself is Lord of wealth - Kubera. He Himself is Spiritual word Om. He Himself is river Ganges. Among women He Himself is manifested as Goddess of fortune (Lakshmi), Goddess of wisdom (Saraswati) & other Goddesses of fame, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience. As per Lord Krishna His opulence is limitless.

Hindus likewise believe in only one God. They glorify and praise His thousands of qualities. For example when God is love, He is symbolically represented by Lord Krishna, God as virtue is represented by lord Rama, God as power is represented by Lord Hanuman, God as wisdom is represented by Goddess Saraswati etc. etc. So these different aspects of Gods represent spirituality, purity, power etc. of the Ultimate One who is endless truth and bliss.

Below are some verses from Bhagwat Gita which explain about various manifestations of One Supreme God.

"aham atma gudakesha
sarva-bhutasaya-sthitah
aham adis cha madhyam cha
bhutanam anta eva cha" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 20)


"Sri Krishna said: I am the Super Soul, O Arjuna, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings."

"adityanam aham vishnur
jyotisam ravir amsuman
maricir marutam asmi
nakshatranam aham sasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 21)


"Sri Krishna said: Of the Adityas I am Vishnu, of lights I am the radiant Sun, of the Maruts I am Marici, and among the stars I am the Moon."

"rudranam sankaras chasmi
vitteso yaksha-rakshasam
vasunam pavakas chasmi
meruh sikharinam aham" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 23)


"Sri Krishna said: Of all the Rudras I am Lord Shiva, of the Yakshas and Rakshasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kubera], of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru."

"pavanah pavatam asmi
ramah shastra-bhrtam aham
jhasanam makaras chasmi
srotasam asmi jahnavi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 31)


"Sri Krishna said: Of purifiers I am the Wind, of the wielders of weapons I am Rama, of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges."

"aksharanam a-karo ’smi
dvandvah samasikasya cha
aham evakshayah kalo
dhataham vishvato-mukhah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 33)


"Sri Krishna said: Of letters I am the letter A, and among compound words I am the dual compound. I am also inexhaustible time, and of creators I am Brahma."

"mrityuh sarva-haras chaham
udbhavas cha bhavisyatam
kirtih srir vak cha narinam
smritir medha dhrtih ksama" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 34)


"Sri Krishna said: I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience."

"yac chapi sarva-bhutanam
bijam tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vina yat syan
maya bhutam characharam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 39)


"Sri Krishna said: Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being—moving or nonmoving—that can exist without Me."

"yad yad vibhutimat sattvam
srimad urjitam eva va
tat tad evavagaccha tvam
mama tejo-’msa-sambhavam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 41)


"Sri Krishna said: Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor."

"atha va bahunaitena
kim jnatena tavarjuna
vistabhyaham idam krtsnam
ekamsena sthito jagat" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Ten verse 42)


"Sri Krishna said: But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe."

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Many Faces of God & Faceless God


Different religions of the world depict God in different forms. In Hinduism God is depicted as Rama, Krishna, Shiva, etc. while in some sects of Hinduism, God is depicted as formless God too. In Christianity God is depicted as Jesus Christ who is said to be the Son of God. Sikhism & Muslim sects mostly believe in a formless God. So different minded people of the world see God in different forms or formless God too.

As per me God is basically formless. As He is almighty, He is free to take any form. That's why there are so many different forms of God in Hinduism & God appears in different forms from time to time as per the Hindu mythology. As any Form is a representation of Maya as per the Hinduism, so even the different forms of God are representation of Maya only, while in fact God is formless. Formless only creates the Forms & not otherwise.



Above is one video "Allah Tero Naam Ishwar Tero Naam"
a God Prayer on "You Tube". Essence of that video is that God is ONE, whether formless or with form. Below are some comments posted on that video which only says that God is one, irrespective of any religion. I am also of the view that God is one, irrespective of all religions. Just go through the below comments & give yours comments too.

"We followers of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu also recognize that the faces of Godhead are like the waves on the ocean. No one can count ! Krsna, God, Allah, has no limits, is One. But our herats are sold out to the beauty of Radha and Krsnas' love. So we might appear at first glance to be sectarian! Hare Krsna. Jai Prabhupada."
"We need more people with views such as yours. I was born into a Hindu family, however, my heart and mind is open to all religions and their GODS, and thus its followers. May Allah have his blessings upon you and may he give you the wisdom and strength to spread the much needed peace and unity in this world."
"Beautiful, its so beautiful that we all worship the same God. its so sad that we dont resolve our differences. may Allah open our eyes so that we can all see the truth and unite."
"Wow so nice thats what the whole humanity hv to do;...unite and pray and work towards peace of this beautifull world...""Come lets pray for the whole world to be at peace & happy."