Hindu Media WikiCONCEPT/DESCRIPTION OF GOD IN HINDUISM CONTD. Concept of God in Hinduism
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THE Vedānta system of philosophy is the heart of modern Hinduism which is properly known as sanātana dharma — the “Eternal Path”. This system of philosophy commonly referred to as the Vedānta — composed of Veda = knowledge and Anta = end; literally refers to “the end of the Vedas or final conclusion of knowledge”.
The corpus of the Vedas consist of four major divisions3 the last sections of each Veda are the texts known as the Upanishads and their central topic of investigation is the Ground of Being, or Ultimate Reality called Brahman.
The Vedānta is technically classified as Uttara-Mimāmsa. Uttara means "last''; Mimāmsa means "investigation, examination, discussion, or consideration"; therefore, the Ultimate Conclusion of the Vedas.
1. DEVELOPMENT OF THE VEDĀNTA5
Concept of God in the Vedas
The Rig Veda is the root text upon which the other Vedas depend. The Rig consist of hymns to different deities i.e. Agni, Mitra, Varuna, Indra and so on. The hymns were used in Sacrifices (yajñas) in which oblations of clarified butter and other substances were offered into the sacrificial fire. These devas were conceived of as the Principalities underlying and governing the different phenomenon of nature, such as fire, sun, wind, rain etc., on which life itself, agriculture, and prosperity depended. Nature, though presided over by different devas, is subject to the cosmic law (called Rta), which regulates the whole world, the laws and processes of nature and all living beings. In the hymns of the Veda (sūktas) each of these devas was praised and extolled with the same epithets and declared to be ‘the Supreme’. Although the Vedic religion appears to be polytheistic in its approach, there is a peculiarity in that each of the many gods is praised and extolled as the Supreme Being, the Creator of the universe and the Lord of all the Gods etc.
monotheism = belief in One God. polytheism = belief in many gods. atheism = belief in no God. agnosticism = suspension of belief in a god. henotheism = election of one among many gods as supreme. pantheism = everything is God.
The portfolios of cosmic management were also not unique to one deva only as in Greek mythology, but were reallocated according to the devotion of the poet.
Max Muller who was one of the first western scholars to translate the Vedic hymns, coined the term 'Henotheism' to differentiate the Vedic attitude from simple polytheism. Henotheism means that one god is elevated above all other gods to the post of Supreme Being.
In the Rig Veda we come across many passages where it is clearly stated that the different devas/gods are only manifestations of one Ultimate Reality called by various names such as Agni, Yama etc.
ekam sad viprā bahudhā vadanti. ....
The Truth is ONE but the wise describe it in various ways
Many scholars have postulated a clear development in Vedic thought. !
The idea of God gradually evolved from simple polytheism through henotheism, to reach its culmination in monotheism. !
This hypothesis may be true but henotheism is not merely a transitional phenomenon. ! Indian monotheism even in its most developed form, retains the belief that though the Godhead is one, it has limitless manifestations in the many devas, anyone of which may be worshipped as a form of the Supreme Godhead. Even today in India, we have five divergent cults of the Śaivism, Vaiṣṇavism, Śāktaism, and the Gānapatya and Saurya cults.
All flourishing side by side but all based on a philosophy of one Supreme Godhead of which all other forms are also manifestations.
Indian monotheism in its living forms, from the Vedic age till now, has always believed in unity of the gods in the Godhead. In Rig Veda, the belief in this fundamental unity of all gods is only a part of a greater theology which can be more clearly learnt from the famous Puruṣa-sūkta.
The Puruṣa-sūkta (Rig Veda 10.90) reveals that all existence i.e. wealth, heavens, planets, gods, living and non-living objects are the parts of one great Being (Puruṣa), who pervades the perceptible world, but also stands beyond it.
In Him all that is, has been and will be, are united. The poetic insight of the hymn, not only indicates that the universe is one organic whole, but that the Supreme Being is both immanent and transcendent (God pervades the world, yet He is not exhausted, thereby, He remains also beyond it).
In Western Theology, this concept is called panentheism (pan–all, en–in, theos–God) not pantheism — that is, all is not equal to God, but all is in God, who is greater than all. This one hymn, reveals a variety of ideals that inspired the Vedic mind; monism, panentheism and organic symbiosis of the world. In another hymn of Nāsadīya Sūkta (Rig Veda 10.120), we come across the concept of the Impersonal Absolute. Here, the reality underlying all existence; the primal One, from which everything originates cannot be described it says, either as nonexistent or as existent (na asat, no sat).
It is the concept of the Indeterminate Absolute, which is the reality underlying all things, but is in Itself indescribable. When we try to establish the relationship between the idea of the Ultimate Reality as a Person and the concept of it as an Indeterminate Absolute, we find that even in the description of the Ultimate Reality as a Personal Being, there is mention of its transcendent aspect, which cannot be described in terms of the objects we perceive in the world. Both Personal and Impersonal are conceived here as the two aspects of the same Reality.
HYMN OF CREATION
Rig Veda. Mandala 10 Hymn 129 There was not the Non-existent nor the Existent then; there was not the air nor the sky which is beyond. What did it contain? Was there water, unfathomable and profound ? There was not death nor immortality then. There was not the beacon of the night nor of day. That One Being breathed, airless by its own power. Other than That, there was nothing whatsoever. Darkness was in the beginning hidden by darkness; indistinguishable, all this was surging. That which, coming into being, was enveloped by the void, that One arose through the power of combustion. Desire in the beginning came upon That, that [desire] was the primal seed born of mind. Sages seeking in their hearts with wisdom, discovered the connection of the existent in the non-existent. They have extended their measuring cord across the void; but was there ‘above’ or was there ‘below’? there were Seminal Powers, there were mighty forces, there was energy below and there was impulse above. Who truly knows? Who shall here declare, whence it has been produced, whence this material universe? The gods came after the emergence of the universe. Who then knows whence it has arisen. Whence this vast material universe has arisen, and whether ‘He’ founded it or not; He, who in the highest heaven is its Surveyor; He alone knows, or perhaps He knows not.
Most of the important foundational principles of the Vedānta are found in Rig Veda but they have been presented through poetry. The Sanskrit word for a poet — Kavi also means a sage, a seer or a visionary. The method by which the sages arrived at these views, their reasoning and the arguments put forth in support of them, are not found in the Vedic texts themselves.
Thus there is no systematic philosophical methodology to be found in the Samhita portion of the Vedas. All attempts at a systematic philosophical investigation are to be found in the latter sections of the Vedas known as the Upaniṣads, where questions about ātman, Brahman and the cosmos are raised and discussed at length. Some of the Upaniṣads are written in verse and they follow the pattern of the hymns of the Rig Veda, while others, though written in prose, also lack the support of cogent philosophical reasoning.
Some of them are in the form of dialogues where propositions are presented and supported by arguments.
Existential Problems of the Upaniṣads
• What is Self (ātman)?
• What is the Supreme Reality (Brahman)?
• What is the Source from which all things originate, by which all live and into which all dissolve?
• What is that by knowing which everything can be known?
• What is that by knowing which the unknown becomes known
• What is that by knowing which one can attain immortality?
These questions in themselves are indicative of the fundamental belief of the Indian scholars that there is an all-pervasive Reality underlying all things; from which they arise, in which they exist and into which they ultimately all return. And that there is some Reality by knowing which immortality or cessation of suffering can be attained.
Torah and Quran teach that God is completely separate and different to souls and the world and that the only proper relationship is one of awe and trembling - fear is the most appropriate response to God which enforce piety and obedience.
Christianity has some elements of this awe and trembling but it has a strong corrective dose of LOVE of God which is emphasised by most main stream Churches today. Some Evangelicals are still trapped in the binary trap of “love” and the “wrath” of God and fear of hell and eternal punishment.
Love and Sadism cannot coexist.
Hindus believe in the formless Absolute Reality as God (Brahman) and also in God as personal Lord (Ishvara). This freedom makes the understanding of God in Hinduism, the oldest monotheistic religion.
Hinduism is also unique in saying that God can be experienced, and, in fact, that is the ultimate goal of one's soul.
Hinduism teaches that there are a number of relationships one can develop towards God based on personal disposition and none of them involve FEAR.
· Servant-master - a relationship of mutual dependance.
· Husband and wife
· Parent-child - a relationship in which God can be either the parent or the child.
· Intimate Friends
· Lovers - the highest of all relationships where God is regarded as either the lover or beloved.
The Nārada Bhakti Sūtras define Bhakti or Devotion as parama-prem svarūpam - as the highest and sweetest form of love
Where all religions meet is in mysticism — Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism converge in the ocean of LOVE of God (prema-sāgara) - free from any contamination with negative attributes and qualities.
So if we all agree that GOD IS LOVE ABSOLUTE AND LIMITLESS - then we are all good and our differences superficial and inconsequential.
The Vedas don’t restrict any form of worship - but the dominant form of ritual based on the Vedas is Agni-hotra - the worship of Devas through the offering of oblations of ghee and rice-cakes and other items.
The worship of icons is the dominant form of worship prescribed by the Tantras, Agamas and Purāṇas.
In the Parama Samhita 3:7 it is stated;
nirākāre tu deveśe na arcanaṁ saṁbhave nṛṇām |
na ca dhyānaṁ na ca stotraṁ tasmāt sākāram arcayet ||
It is impossible for the human being to worship, meditate or praise a deity without form. Therefore the Lord should be worship through an icon.
This is the justification given by the Vishnu Samhita 9:55 — 57
na ca rūpaṁ vinā dhyātuṁ kenapi śakyate ||
sarva rūpa nivṛttā hi buddhiḥ kutrāsya tiṣṭhati |
nivṛttā glāyate buddhir nidrayā vā parīyate ||
tasmād vidvān upāsīta buddhyā sākaram eva tam |
asti tasya parokṣaṁ tad iti kiñcid anusmaret ||
sarvathā akāram uddiṣṭaṁ na parityajya paṇḍitaḥ ||
Without a form how can God be meditated upon? If He is completely formless, where will the mind fix itself? When there is nothing for the mind to attach itself to it will slip away from meditation, or will glide into a state of slumber. Therefore the wise will meditate on some form, remembering however that it is an indirect method, a particularization or indication of that which is completely formless.
na te rūpaṃ na cākāro nāyudhāni na cāspadam | tathāpi puruṣākāro bhaktānāṃ tvam prakāśase || Parama Samhita 23:50, 29:25
You have no form or shape, no weapons or location, even then [out of compassion] you reveal yourself to the devotees in human form.
HINDUS are unsure about the presence of God?
Philosophical Principle #1 the entire universe is the “body” (śarīra) of the Divine. I am a convinced, card-carrying, industrial strength PANTHEIST I see and feel the presence of the Divine within everything around me.
I also believe that when an icon is carved according to the iconographical dictates of the Āgama śāstra it is a symbol of the divine.
When we perform the elaborate prāṇa-pratiṣṭha rites according to the Āgama/Tantra, then the Supreme Being by dint of his/her omnipresence and omni-benevolence energizes and locates itself within the sacred icon in order to be a link between the two realms of sakala and nishkala.
The Āgama says:–
bhagavat sānidhyam arcakasya tapo balāt
The presence of the Divine in the icon is dependent upon the meditative powers of the attendant priest.
Should icons be used in worshipping God?
You can use anything you like upon which to focus your thoughts and to establish mindfulness of God.
The Sage Patañjali says in the Yoga Sūtras:-
1:40 paramāṇu parama mahatvānto’sya vaśikāraḥ |
The Yogi can concentrate upon any object of any size from the most minute to the infitely great [in order to focus the mind].
And seeing God is supposed to be omniscient, I doubt She’d have a problem, since She knows what you will be thinking before you even do and knows your intention as well.
If God is upset by the use of icons then She is a narrow-minded narcissist and not an omniscient, omni-benevolent supreme being.
How were gods worshipped in polytheistic systems?
They are all worshipped in the same way and have been from the beginning of time by all cultures.
Visualizations
Invocations
Making of offerings of whatever is favoured and cherished by the worshipper - fruit, flowers, food, wine, incense, etc. offering of substances into a fire (burnt offerings) - ancient Canaanites, Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, Babylonians and Indians and many others.
Singing or chanting hymns of praise or playing music and dancing
Prostration and circumambulation
Valediction
Hindu scriptures introduce bhakti as a way of attaining Moksha. Is that limited to bhakti towards Hindu deities only or can a devotee (who believes in moksha) achieve it through a deity such as Zeus or Loki from cultures with no moksha concept?
Whatever form of god you choose to develop a loving and devoted relationship with, you are connecting with the one and the only Supreme Being - who in her boundless compassion understands your intent and welcomes you as you are.
ye’pyanya-devatā-bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ | te’pi mām-eva kaunteya yajanty-avidhi-pūrvakam || 23 ||
Gita 9:23. Even those who, endowed with faith are devoted to other gods, they worship Me alone, O Kaunteya, in an indirect manner.
yo yo yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ śraddhayārcitum icchati | tasya tasyācalāṁ śraddhāṁ tām-eva vidadhāmy-ahaṁ || 21 ||
Gita 7:21. Whichever manifestation (of the Divine) any devotee desires to worship with faith – that faith I make unshakeable and firm.
This is from a Bhakti Yoga point of view.
If you wish to follow Jñāna Yoga - or the Path of Wisdom then you must realise that all names and forms and all deities are mental projections and do not have an independent existence.
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)
surāsura-narākārā imā yāḥ saṃvido mune |
brahmārṇavād-abhinnāstāḥ satyam-etan-mṛṣetarat || 1 ||
The conception of gods, antigods and humans as distinct beings, is quite wrong, since they are no way distinct from the infinite ocean of Brahman, of which they are all as undulations. (Yoga Vasiṣṭha 4:12:1)
Why do people worship idols even though these idols can't save themselves when they are smashed to pieces?
One could also ask why the “Absconding” invisible God that some people worship doesn’t protect himself when he and his prophet are insulted - why do they depend on the believers to do the work of protecting their honour?
Let me be clear - people of every religion pray to their God or Gods and supplicate him/her/them, and all of them get answered in the same ratio which is extremely low, random and arbitrary. So the idols answer prayers at exactly the same rate and regularity that the Sky-guys answer prayers.
So the conclusion is (1) prayer doesn’t work, or (2) the various gods are disinterested or (3) don’t actually exist.
So idols are just as good as Sky-guys if you are seeking service and benefits.
Was Lord Krishna God in human form?
Not only Krishna - we are ALL God in human form.
Not only human form but animal forms as well.
The Vedānta categorically and unequivocally states this metaphysical fact in two dictums
Aham brahmāsmi - “I myself am God” and Tat-tvam-asi - “You are THAT”.
All names and forms are those of Krishna alone. The teachings of Vedānta are confined in the Vishnu Purana.
ekaḥ samastaṁ yad ihāsti kiñcit tad acyuto nāsti paraṁ tato-nyat | so-ham sa ca tvaṁ sa ca sarvam etad ātma svarūpaṁ tyaja bheda moham ||
That One, which is all things here, is Achyuta (Krishna) ; there Is none other than He, He is I ; He is you; He is all: this universe is his form. Abandon the error of distinction." (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3: 16:23)
akṣīṇeṣu samasteṣu viśeṣajñānakarmasu | viśvam etat paraṁ cānyadbheda bhinna dṛśāṁ nṛṇām || ViP 6,7.52 ||
pratyastam itabhedaṁ yat sattāmātram agocaram | vacasāmātma saṁvedyaṁ tajjñānaṁ brahma saṁjñitam || ViP 6,7.53 ||
tacca viṣṇoḥ paraṁ rūpam arūpākhyam anuttamam | viśva svarūpavai rūpyalakṣaṇaṁ paramātmanaḥ || ViP 6,7.54 ||
na tad yoga-yujā śakyaṁ nṛpa cintayituṁ yataḥ | tataḥ sthūlaṁ hare rūpaṁ cintayed viśva gocaram || ViP 6,7.55 ||
"So long as all actions [prompted by] consciousness of distinctions have not vanished, O King, for those whose vision is divided by distinctions, this is the universe, and the supreme is different. [But] that wherein distinctions have come to rest, which is mere being, beyond the reach of words, perceivable [only] to the self — that consciousness is known as Brahman. And that is the supreme form of the formless, supreme self Vishnu, unborn, indestructible, characterized by difference from the form of the universe."
Prahlada’s prayer Vishnu Purana 1: 19:
Namo-stu viṣṇave tasmai namas tasmai punaḥ punaḥ | yatra sarvaṁ yataḥ sarvaṁ yaḥ sarvaṁ sarva saṁśrayaḥ || 84 ||
Salutations again and again to Vishnu to whom all returns, from whom all proceeds, who is all in all and upon whom all things depend.
sarvagatvād anantasya sa evāham avasthitaḥ | mattaḥ sarvam ahaṁ sarvaṁ mayi sarvaṁ sanātane || 85 ||
Because of his omnipresence, he is infinite, he is verily in me and through him all things are from me, I am all, everything is in me who am eternal.
ahamevā’yo nityaḥ paramātmātma saṁśrayaḥ | brahmasaṁjño -hamevāgre tathānte ca puraḥ pumān || 86 ||
I am verily undecaying, eternal, the receptacle of the Supreme Presence, I myself am known as Brahma, that is before all things and is after the end of all things.
Is it forbidden to worship Brahma in Hinduism? Can you worship him like Vishnu and Shiva?
Since everything is nothing but undulations in the ocean of Blissful consciousness known as Brahman, Hindus can worship whatever they want as long as they understand the inter-connectedness of everything.
One can meditate upon anything that helps to raise one’s consciousness.
Generally we don’t care for a creator or act of creation - these are things with which Abrahamic religions are deeply concerned. In the eternally Pulsating Universe a creator is just a catalyst and irrelevant to our lives.
What arethe benefits of Abhishek on Shivling with different juices/milk products?
Its called “nayana-sukh” - visualdelight.
Its like asking what is the benefit oftwo teams with bats and balls hitting them back and forth. It gives delight tothe beholders. It thrills them and makes them shout in joy and happiness.
Both audiences - those in the temple andthose in the stadium find their sport to be beneficial to them and their mentalwell being.
The difference being, one never leavesthe temple depressed but half the spectators will leave the cricket ground insevere depression.
Differentstrokes for different folks.
Why do many monotheists (such as Christians and Muslims) have a hard time grasping that a Hindu practitioner can honor or worship deities that originated outside of India, such as deities of other pantheons/cultures?
Because Monotheism is like a country club with exclusive membership and strict admission criteria and rules and regulations. There is a Mission Statement which everyone is compelled to read and to abide by, or be expelled. Conforming is their MO , and deviation is punishable. Thoughtcrime is not tolerated and PC must be maintained at all times.
Hinduism is like a market place of ideas. The items on offer are from the sublime to the ridiculous and the most precious to the most worthless. It is up to the consumer to pick up whatever he/she wants or finds useful and to upgrade at any time.
The overarching concern of Hinduism is not what goes on in your head and who or what you worship it is about how you live your life and interact and transact with others - this is known as DHARMA.
Hinduism teaches that your relationship with the Deity is like a marital situation. The one you choose to marry and cohabit with is no one else’s business and what you do in private with your spouse is a matter between you two. If you want to be monogamous or have an open or polyamorous relationship by mutual consent - that’s your business - what society should care about is how you live and act in the PUBLIC spaces.
It is by your behaviour with others that you should be assessed and not by your private and personal intellectual or emotional life.
The higher Hinduism does advise us to choose one single form of deity to whom our devotion should be directed and monolatry is encouraged. A devotional practice that includes many is called vyabhicāri-bhakti - ”adulterous-devotion!”
But there is no thoughtcrime in any Hindu philosophy or sect and thoughts do not generate KARMA only actions do.
What religion is Dukkha?
ALL religions create dukkha through their dogmas, rules, regulations and demand for piety and obedience to antiquated laws emanating from Sky-guys and submission to clerical hierarchies and patriarchy.
Better than religion is to pursue SPIRITUALITY - be free and liberate yourself from all dogmas and demands. Explore, enquire, and seek to know yourself.
What is the relation between Brahman and the world?
There are a number of variations expounded in the philosophies and Sacred Texts of Hinduism. But it must be remembered the nature of the Ultimate Reality is in truth imponderable (acintya)
Pantheism.
The entire Universe itself is Brahman (sarvam-khalvidam brahma - Muṇḍaka Up. 2.2.11 & Chand. Up. 3.14.1) This is called simple pantheism - identifying the world with Brahman. This is one of the fundamental propositions of Vedanta (Hindu philosophy) - the other views explicate this concept.
2. Pan-en-theism
In this view point Brahman is both the material and efficient cause of the Universe and also transcends and is not limited by the Universe.
Puruṣa-sūktam “The Supreme Being indeed is all this, what hath been and what yet shall be. It is He who confers on all immortality by which alone they live. 2.
So mighty is His grandeur, yea greater than this is the Supreme Being. All creatures comprise one fourth of Him, three fourths eternal life above. 3.
With three fourths the Supreme Being rose up; one fourth again remained here. Thence He moved forth to every side, over what consumes and what consumes not. 4.
Narayana Upanishad; oṃ atha nityo nā̍rāya̱ṇaḥ | bra̱hmā nā̍rāya̱ṇaḥ | śi̱vaśca̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | śa̱kraśca̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | dyā̱vā̱ pṛ̱thi̱vyau ca̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | kā̱laśca̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | di̱śaśca̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | ū̱rdhvaśca̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | a̱dhaśca̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | a̱nta̱r ba̱hiśca̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | nārāyaṇa eve̍daguṁ sa̱rvam | yad bhū̱taṃ yacca̱ bhavyam̎ | niṣkalo nirañjano nirvikalpo nirākhyātaḥ śuddho deva eko̍ nārāya̱ṇaḥ | na dvi̱tīyo̎'sti̱ kaści̍t | ya e̍vaṃ ve̱da | sa viṣṇureva bhavati sa viṣṇure̍va bha̱vati || 2 ||
That Narayana is eternal. Brahma is Narayana. Siva is Narayana. Indra is Narayana. Time is Narayana. Space is Narayana, the intermediate quarters also are Narayana. That which is above is Narayana. That which is below is Narayana. That which is within and that which is without is Narayana. The entire Universe which existed and that which will exist is Narayana. Narayana is the only One that is immaculate, taintless, changeless, indescribable, pure and divine. There is no second. Whosoever knows Him thus, becomes Vishnu.
3. Superimposition (Idealism).
The world is an ephemeral phenomena which is “imposed” through ignorance (avidya-māyā) onto the Brahman. So the world is a phantasmagoria or a dream - and an illusion.
There are various intensities of this perception of the Universe - the Ribhu Gita in Chapter 6 expounds the radical view.
sarvaṁ mithyā jaganmithyā bhūtaṁ bhavyaṁ bhavattathā | nāsti nāsti vibhāvena sarvaṁ mithyā na saṁśayaḥ || 6.15 ||
15. Everything is illusory. The world is illusory. So are past, present and future. The nothingness achieved by negation is naught. Everything is illusory, no doubt.
citta bhedo jagad bhedaḥ avidyāyāśca saṁbhavaḥ | aneka koṭi brahmāṇḍāḥ sarvaṁ brahmeti niścinu || 6.16 ||
16. The variance of thought and the manifold world are results of ignorance. The multitudes of worlds are all verily Brahman. Be of this certitude.
4. Integration
An inclusive theory incorporating these ideas is summarised in the Vishnu Purana and reiterated in the Bhagavad Gita. Brahman and the world are both real but the world is the energy or attributive power of the Brahman.
dve rūpe brahmaṇas tasya mūrta cāmūrtam eva ca | kṣarākṣarā svarūpe te sarva bhūteṣv-avasthite || ViP 1,22.55 ||
There are two states of this Brahman; one with, and one without form; one perishable, and one imperishable; which are inherent in all beings.
akṣaraṁ tat paraṁ brahma kṣaraṁ sarvam idaṁ jagat | ekadeśasthitasyāgner jyotstrā vistāriṇi yathā | parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathodam akhilaṁ jagat || ViP 1,22.56 ||
The imperishable is the Supreme Being; the perishable is all the world. The blaze of fire burning on one spot diffuses light and heat around; so the world is nothing more than the manifested energy of the supreme Brahman.
It’s also well worth keeping in mind that these different variations are in Sanskrit called darshanas, or “perspectives” - in other words not disagreements, but just different ways of looking at the same ineffable thing and trying to articulate it given the limitations of human thought and language.And that’s the incomparable beauty of Hinduism
As Hinduism believes in karma and there's no eternal hell in Sanatana dharma, can I believe in only one God, and believe in judgement day and not worship in front of icons or idols?
Judgement Day pertains to a linear-time world view.
Sanatana Dharma does not accept a linear concept of time - time is cyclical - no beginning no end and so no possibility of Judgement Day - you can jettison that idea.
Sanatana Dharma does not require you to worship in front of anything. God dwells within your very own heart and so you can worship God within through the process of meditation. No devotional equipment needed.
So no need to believe in a God in the sky when He/She/It is your own Higher-Self - meditate and realise your oneness with the Divine immanent within all.
aham ātmā guḍākeśa sarva bhūtāśaya sthitaḥ | Bhagavad Gita 10:20
I am the Self, O Gudakesha (Arjuna —Conqueror-of-sleep), dwelling in the hearts of all beings.
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtas sanātanaḥ | Bhagavad Gīta 15:7
An everlasting part of Myself, becomes the Jīvātman in the mortal world.
sa eva sarva-bhūtāntarātma apahata pāpmā divyo deva eko nārāyaṇaḥ | Subāla Upaniṣad 7:1
He alone is the indwelling spirit of all beings; free from all negative qualities, the One Divine Radiant Nārāyaṇaḥ.
What do the Upanishads say about Brahman?
The Upanishads say many things about BRAHMAN. This is the discourse of Yajñavālkya to his wife Gārgi in the Brihadaranyaka Upaṇiṣad which is one of the oldest and most authentic of them all and predates the Buddha. The presentation is called “apophatic” in theological terms because it affirms through negation. In Sanskrit its called neti-vāda.
sa hovaca, etad vai tad akṣaram, gārgi, brahmana abhivadanti, asthutam ananu, ahrasvam, adīrgham, alohitam, asneham acchayam, atamaḥ, avayv anakasam, asangam, arasam, agandham, acakṣuskam aśrotram, avak, amanaḥ, atejaskam, aprāṇam, amukham, amātram, anantaram, abāhyam; na tad aśnāti kim cana, na tad aśnāti kaś cana.
Yajñāvālkya said: "That, O Gargi, the knowers of Brahman call the Imperishable. It is neither gross nor subtle, neither short nor long, neither coloured nor associated with anything; It is light without shadow free from darkness, neither air nor space; It is unattached; It is without taste or smell, without eyes or ears, without tongue or mind; It is non-effulgent, without vital breath or mouth, without measure and without exterior or interior. It does not consume anything, nor is It consumed by anyone.
"This [Cosmic] foundation is nothing but the Absolute. Beyond that, there can be nothing. That is the immaculate Absolute," says Yajnavalkya.
Etad vai tad aksaram: "It is imperishable. You cannot go on asking and answering questions, like this indefinitely until you get exhausted of description. That is the last resort of all thought, all speech and all definition.
asthulam anaṇu: It is not gross, therefore, it cannot be visualised. It is not subtle, because to call it subtle would be to distinguish it from the gross. It is inseparable from that which is called the gross. Therefore, I cannot call it subtle also. It is not gross because it is not visible as an object; it is not subtle because it is not different from the gross. So it is not gross, not subtle.
Ahrasvam, adirgham: It cannot be said to be long; or short, because it is not located in space so it is not subjected to measurement. It has no distance, no dimensions and not metrics apply.
Alohitam: It free from all colour, because colour is the perception of the eyes. It is an object. And it is already ruled out as being an object of any kind. So it has no colour.
asneham. It has no connection with anything. It cannot be associated with anything; it cannot be related to anything. It stands by itself. It cannot be regarded as the cause of anything, also.
acchayam - It does not cast a shadow. It is not the light, as we generally speak of. It is illumination itself.
A-tamah: It is not darkness also. It is the utmost brilliance that one can think of.
avāyu anākāśam. It is not space; it is not air; it is not water; it is not earth; it is not an object; it is not individual; it is not you; it is not me -
Asangam: It has no connection to anything - It stands by itself.
Agandham, acakṣuskam asrotram: It has no eyes; it sees everything. It has no ears; it hears everything.
Avak: It has no speech, It does not speak to anyone, it is the principle of speech itself.
Amanah: It has no mind; it causes all thinking.
Atejaskam: It cannot be called brilliance also, ultimately. One can call it Light of lights. The ultimate conception of Reality is light. It is not a light that shines upon something; it is a Light that stands by its own Self.
Aprāṇam: It has no Prāṇa; it does not breathe. It is not an individual being.
Amukham: It has no mouth. It has no organs.
amātram; It has no measure of any kind, sensory or psychological.
anantaram abāhyam; It is not inside; it is not outside - . If you say "inside", it means that it is not "outside". If you say "outside", it means that it is not "inside". So, neither is this definition applicable to it nor that. It has no inside and outside, merely because it is not in space and not in time. It does not consume anything - and it is not consumed by anyone.
Na tad aśnāti kiṁ cana. na tad aśnāti kaścana: Neither does it want anything, nor is It an object to be acquired. Nothing is an object to it, and it is not an object to anyone.
Such a mysterious Thing is the Ultimate Reality of even that foundation; unmanifested substratum and Matrix of all existence. This is the Para Brahman; this is the Absolute; this is All.
What is the relation of Brahman to Trimurti?
There are two approaches to the Ultimate Reality in theology/philosophy.
The Absolute or Ground-of-Being is mentally inconceivable and verbally inexpressible so IT can only be described in negative adjectives - i.e. in terms of what IT is not. In Sanskrit this is called neti-vāda and in Latin the apophatic method.
The second approach is to describe IT in terms of its functionality in relation to the Universe - this is the iti-vāda or cataphatic method.
So the Universal Being - BRAHMAN manifests as a process of becoming called ĪŚVARA - appearance or emergence (brahmā), existence (viṣṇu) and disappearance or reabsorption (śiva) into a latent state only to remerge once again and so the cycle continues in eternity.
In Hinduism we have a thing called HOMOLOGY - which is an association of ideas with one concept - this is extremely popular literary device employed throughout the Upanishads. Its about cultivating fuzzy logic and freeing the mind from thinking in binaries and dichotomies.
Here is a chart showing the homilies of the Trimurti.
Why do Hindu gods have the same face?
Because every face you look at is the face of the same being.
tvaṃ strī tvaṃ pumān asi tvaṃ kumāra uta vā kumārī |
tvaṃ jīrṇo daṇḍena vañcasi tvaṃ jāto bhavasi viśvatomukhaḥ || Svetasvatara Upaṇiṣad 4.3 ||
You are the female, you are male; you are a bachelor and a spinster too. You as an old man totters along with the help of a stick; it is YOU alone that appears in the cosmic form and have faces in all directions (exist everywhere)”. (Atharva Veda (10.8.27)
When Krishna said that he assumes whatever form you meditate on, how do you know if said form is an aspect of Vishnu or a deva being?
Because all Devas, Humans, Asuras, animals etc. are ALL forms of Vishnu aka Nārāyaṇa - even the dinosaurs.
nārāyaṇa parā vedā devā nārāyaṇa angajāḥ |
nārāyaṇa parā lokā nārāyaṇa parā makhāḥ ||
Nārāyaṇa is the essence of the Vedas. The Devas are all aspects of Nārāyaṇa. All the worlds are manifestations of Nārāyaṇa. All worship is for Nārāyaṇa only. (Srimad Bhagavatam Sk.2:5:15)
Nārāyaṇa is boundless. Brahmā is Nārāyaṇa. Siva is Nārāyaṇa. Indra is Nārāyaṇa. Time is Nārāyaṇa. Space is Nārāyaṇa, the intermediate quarters also are Nārāyaṇa. That which is above is Nārāyaṇa. That which is below is Nārāyaṇa. That which is within and that which is without is Nārāyaṇa.
The entire Universe which existed and that which will exist is Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa is the only One that is partless, immaculate, inconceivable, indescribable, pure and divine. There is no second. Whosoever knows Him thus, becomes Vishnu. (Nārāyaṇa Upaṇiṣad. 2.)
If Lord Vishnu is all powerful, then why has he established the need for karma when he can just bring in all souls to his realm for eternal happiness?
You are using the monotheist paradigm to asses Hinduism.
Hinduism is a form of pan-en-theism. There is no god who creates and world and establishes laws and ordinances and micro-manages and guides humanity and controls the weather and shepherds his believers into his fold to live forever in an ever-green meadow in the sky.
According to Hindu metaphysics God herself BECOMES the universe and everything in it. God is the singularity from which the entire cosmos bursts forth, and is the Ground in which everything exists and in which everything is reabsorbed - she is not a Sky-being separate from the universe.
Vishnu literally means “All-pervader” and is the ocean of consciousness-bliss in which we exist.
Here are some relevant quotes from the Vishnu Purana.
sarga sthiti vināśānāṁ jagato yo jaganmayaḥ | mūlabhūto namas tasmai viṣṇave paramātmane || vip 1,2.4 ||
Glory to the supreme Viṣṇu, the cause of the emergence, existence, and end of this universe; who is the root of the universe, and who consists of the universe.
viṣṇu grasiṣṇuṁ viśvasya sthitau sarge tathā prabhum | praṇamya jagatām īśam ajam akṣayam avyayam || ViP 1,2.7 ||
I pay my salutation to the all-pervading Supreme Lord who projects, conserves and reabsorbs the entire cosmos. He is the unborn, undecaying and imperishable one.
paraḥ parāṇāṁ paramaḥ paramātmātma saṁsthitaḥ | rūpa varṇādi nirdeśa-viśeṣaṇa vivarjitaḥ || ViP 1,2.10 ||
He is the greatest transcendent Truth, the Supreme Being who is devoid of form, colour, name and other attributes, etc. and impossible to describe.
sarva trāsau samastaṁ ca vasaty-atreti vai yataḥ | tataḥ sa vāsudeveti vidvadbhiḥ paripaṭhyate || ViP 1,2.12 ||
He who exists everywhere, and in whom all things here exist; and who pervades all things and who is thence named Vāsudeva[1] by the learned ones.
[1] The ordinary derivation of Vāsudeva is derived from Vas, 'to dwell,' from Viṣṇu's abiding in all things, and all in him. The Mahābhārata explains Vāsu in the same manner, and Deva to signify radiant, shining.
Explain how Hinduism is both a monotheistic and polytheistic religion. How do Hindus practice their religion regardless of belief in one God or multiple gods?
There are two factors to consider in this question.
(1) Belief and (2) Practice and the relationship between them.
Hinduism is a cooperative of many different, varied and sometimes antagonistic belief systems ranging from panentheism to Animism including agnosticism and atheism. Freedom of thought is guaranteed in the fold of Hinduism.
FRAMEWORK OF HINDU BELIEF.
All Hindu sects have an ideological system based on 5 areas of metaphysical exploration known as Pañca-śraddhā - or Five Convictions. The sects differ among themselves in respect of conceptualisation, nomenclature and details.
Brahman - the nature of the Ultimate and Absolute Reality.
Ātman - the nature of the self - i.e. ontology.
Punarbhava - rebirth and the cycle of becoming known as saṃsāra.
Karma - the economy of Action
Mokṣa - emancipation from the cycle of birth and death.
The function of a belief system is to orientate one to PRACTICE known as ācāram.
And practice is conditioned and guided by DHARMA. This is why Hinduism is called sanātana (perennial) DHARMA because the most important factor is not what you believe but rather how you live your life in relationship to other sentient beings and the environment.
Ideal Hindu practice for all sects is encapsulated in the doctrine of the FIVE GREAT SACRIFICES known as Pañca-mahā-yajña.
These Five Great Sacrifices requite the Five Great Debts with which each one of us is born. The fact of our birth in human embodiment incurs 5 debts (ruṇas) it is our duty therefore to discharge these debts for the rest of our lives.
Pitru ruṇa — debt to the parents and the ancestors.
Pitru Yajña — The fact of our birth, and the loving care, protection and nurturing of our parents obligates us to them and to our grandparents and all the other members of our family.
This debt is discharged by —
1. honouring our parents and paying them respect.
2. Seeking their advice and guidance knowing that they are our greatest well-wishers.
3. by marrying and procreating to continue the line.
4. After marriage in householder stage it is our duty to take care of them and support them in their old age.
5. Upon their death we need to perform their funeral rites appropriately.
6. Thereafter the performance of the śrāddha ceremonies to honour their memory.
Rishi Runa — debt to the sages
Brahma Yajña — Our sages (Rishis) have dedicated themselves to the path of enlightenment for the welfare of all beings. These magnanimous sages have performed intense austerities to realize the truth and have passed down their wisdom through their disciples in order that we too may spiritually develop, unfold and progress towards enlightenment.
The debt that we owe them is called “brahma’ which means ‘immense’. It is discharged by:—
1. Taking the trouble to study their teachings daily, to spend some time every day reading spiritual books such as Gita, Upanishads, Ramayana etc.
2. By researching, investigating and studying our cultural heritage or at the very least making the attempt at being culturally informed about the basics.
3. Teaching this knowledge to our children, passing on our spiritual and cultural heritage.
Deva Runa — debt to the gods
Deva Yajña — The Devas are the cosmic forces which administer and govern the universe under the direction of the Supreme Lord. All these forces of nature and cosmic principles are rewarded by making daily offerings to them to show our gratitude and to help us cultivate an awareness of the underlying cosmic consciousness behind all phenomenal appearances.
1. We should keep an altar at home and make daily offerings of flowers, water and incense.
2. Whenever possible we should go to the temple to make some offerings and attend festivals.
3. On festivals and special occasions we should conduct a puja or havan ceremony at home.
Manuṣya Runa — debt to society
Manuṣya yajña — We are by nature social animals and cannot live in isolation. Everything that we enjoy comes to us through the agency of other people. We are therefore indebted to the society in which we live.
Traditionally this debt was discharged by daily offering hospitality to strangers in the village. An orthodox Hindu would try to feed a stranger every day. There are three minimal requirements which must be offered to a guest; a seat, water to drink, and kind words. Nowadays we can discharge this debt by:—
1. By welcoming and offering hospitality to strangers whenever and however possible.
2. By caring for the poor and the needy whenever the occasion arises.
3. By contributing to social causes such as disaster appeals.
4. By even paying taxes, abiding by the laws of the country and by fulfilling our civic duties in everyway possible we are contributing to the welfare of the society.
5. To protect others in the society and to ensure we cause no harm in anyway or obstruct the legitimate pursuits of other communities.
Bhūta Runa — debts to the elements
Bhūta yajña — And lastly we are part of an environment which is made up of the five elements and consists of plant and animal life (bhūtas = elementals). This ecosystem is vital to our survival and thus it is our duty to continually protect it. This is done through:—
1. Joining tree planting programs and minimization of habitat destruction.
2. Supporting sustainable farming methods and protection of wildlife. Try to buy ethically produced foods avoiding factory farming
3. Decreasing our consumption of valuable resources. In our homes we can take the effort to limit the amount of water, gas and electricity consumed.
4. By becoming proactive in recycling and avoiding the unnecessary generation of harmful waste — such as the use of plastic bags and all unnecessary packaging etc.
These five sacrifices form the basis of Hindu practice.
What exactly is the purpose of the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu Buddha?
The inclusion of the Buddha in the list of Avatāras of Vishnu was a political ploy by the Brahminical authors to absorb Buddhism back into the Hindu fold.
Buddha himself never claimed to be an avatāra and the older texts like Pancharātra do not mention him as an avatāra but has Balarāma in his place.
Hindus have a penchant for claiming any exceptional person to be an avatāra.
Shankaracharya is considered by his followers to be an avatāra of Shiva.
Srivaishnavas claim Rāmānuja was an avatāra of śeṣa - the multi-headed Nāga upon which Viṣṇu lies in iconographical descriptions. Although Rāmānuja himself would probably be appalled at such suggestions.
They also make the absurd claim that Vedānta Deśika is the avatāra of the bell of Tirupati temple and so on and so forth.
But the Buddhists also have an ideology of avatāras which they call Boddhisattvas. These are perfectly enlightened beings who take a vow never to enter Nirvāna until all beings are liberated.
The major Boddhisattvas have their own heavens in which they reside and from which they periodically take avatāras to do their salvific work. Some sects of Buddhism like the Pure Land have the goal to be reborn in the Paradise of Amitābha.
So the idea of avatāra as the descent of an enlightened being to help with the emancipation of others is common to both Hinduism and Buddhism.
Why do Indian people tend to have different gods?
If you gaze intently around you, you will see a universe characterised by variety, difference and multiplicity. The same chemicals produce opposite reactions. Hydrogen with helium produce the nuclear reactor known as the sun, when hydrogen is combined with oxygen it produces water. The same element hydrogen both supports and quenches combustion.
The same 6 elements are found in all bodies - oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus.
The Vedas declare that the ONE became the MANY and multiplied and diversified into what is called Indra-jāla - the vast net of Indra - which is the entire cosmos with all its galaxies and multiverses, colours and combinations.
Hinduism originated in the jungles of India and produce an incredible panoply of variations - just like the jungle. So we Hindus see things in technicolour and variety and we also love to play with our gods in different forms and names. PLAY is the operative word here - and play (līlā) is what the world is all about.
Islam originated in the sparse, and arid and monotonous deserts of Arabia and this simplicity and lack of diversity affects the religious thinking of the people, and so we have the equally monotonous, harshness and simplicity of Islam matching the desert environment in which it arose.
Is it true that Nirgun Brahman is greater than Sagun Brahman and Sagun Brahman is greater than Bhagwan?
None is greater or lesser - they are all aspects of the same Absolute Reality.
Nirguṇa Brahman is like all-pervading water vapour.
Saguṇa brahman is like clouds
Bhagavan is like rain.
All three are nothing but H20 - which is greater?
All perception and teaching in Vedanta takes place through three filters:–
svabhāva — your natural disposition, character, personality etc.
bhūmika — your level of attainment, experience, education and insight.
adhikāra — your capacity to understand, absorb and integrate the subject matter into your daily practice.
According to Pūrva-Mīmaṁsa valid knowledge (pramā) must fulfil a practical purpose. So all teachings on Godhead are for the purpose of contemplation and meditation only.
So not all teaching is appropriate to everyone. Not everything that is written in Scriptures must be taken at face value and literally - these filters need to be applied.
Likewise not everyone can comprehend or relate to something that is said to be devoid of qualities (nirguṇa) - one cannot meditate on the formless. So Saguṇa Brahman is posited - meditate on the Absolute replete with qualities i.e. the Absolute Plenum.
For those to whom this too is impossible we have the personal and intimate form of Bhagavan — meditate on that.
So all teachings are individual specific - this is why a guru is considered as indispensable for spiritual advancement.
Is Brahman personal or impersonal?
They say a picture is worth a thousand words - so here is my favourite picture to end this year 2021, may all my readers and followers have a happy, prosperous and joyful new year filled with loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity.
svasti prajābhyāḥ paripālayantām nyāyena mārgeṇa mahim mahiśāḥ |
go brāhmaṇebhyaś śubham-astu nityaṃ lokāḥ samastā sukhino bhavantu ||
May all the citizens enjoy wellbeing, may the administrators protect them and walk in the path of justice, may the whole universe and all spiritual aspirants have perpetual auspiciousness, may all the worlds be happy.
sarveṣāṃ svastir bhavatu | sarveṣāṃ śāntir bhavatu |
sarveṣāṃ pūrṇam bhavatu | sarveṣāṃ maṅgalaṃ bhavatu |
May there be good to all beings. May there be peace to all beings.
May there be fullness to all beings. May there be auspiciousness to all beings
sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ sarve santu nirāmayāḥ |
sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu mā kaścid duḥkha bhāk bhavet ||
May all beings be happy, may all be free from disease,
May all find what they seek, and may none experience sorrow.
kāle varṣatu parjanyaḥ pṛthivi sasya śālini |
deśo'yaṃ kṣobha rahito brāhmaṇāḥ santu nirbhayāḥ ||
May the rains fall on time, and may the earth yield its produce in abundance,
May this country be free from disturbances, and may the righteous be free from fear.
aputrāḥ putriṇaḥ santu putriṇaḥ santu pautriṇaḥ |
adhana sadhana santu jivantu śaradaś śatam ||
May the childless obtain children and may parents become grandparents,
May the poor become prosperous and may all live a hundred autumns.
sarve taratu durgāṇi sarvo bhadrāṇi paśyatu |
sarva kāmān avāpnotu sarva sarvatra nandatu ||
May all beings cross over their tribulations, and may all attain their respective goals, May all realize their desires and may all beings at all times and places be happy.
durjana sajjana bhūyāt sajjano śāntim āpnuyāt |
śānto mucyeta bandhebhya muktāścānya vimocayet ||
May the wicked become righteous, and may the righteous attain peace,
May the peaceful attain Liberation, and may they help others to be Liberated.
Oṁ śāntiḥ, śāntiḥ, śāntiḥ
doubt - do Vedas really declare which deity Rudra or Narayana as supreme? Or do they not?
The are not individual competing Sky-guys they are the principles of nominal consciousness underlying the phenomenal universe.
Nārāyaṇa means - the Ground of Being. Rudra means the one who causes to weep - we suffer due to cognitive error of the true nature of existence - so Rudra is the perspective of Samsāra (Movie) and Nārāyāṇa is the screen - both aspects of the same reality.
Vedas have thousands of verses in the glorification of several deities, indra, Agni, Soorya, Varun, Rudra, Vishnu. However Vedas say that all the names of these dieties are actually invoking the one Supreme Brahman only.
So, if you are a Vaishnava, then All the names indicate Vishnu and if you are a shaiva, then the names denote Shiva. Hwoever if you believe in the equal supremacy of both, then also no problem. After all we can see it in this way that one formless spirit took 2 forms of Shiva and Vishnu. Otherwise there are innumerable verses in Vedas directly in the praise of Vishnu and Shiva both and then lakshmi Devi and other forms of Shakti are also gracefully praised.
When in doubt look at Purusha (The Supreme Being), All manifestations have same source they are all one. So worshipping of Krishna or Shiva doesn't demean any of them, but those who differentiate wont know the “Rta”.
If Deva exists in Buddhism, do the Hindu gods exist? If they do, then what was Buddha's stance on them, since Baka Brahma claimed to be the true god and that was disproven?
This is an interesting question.
In the popular imagination and narrative Hinduism is polytheistic and Buddhism is atheistic.
Yet the Buddhist texts all speak of the devas (gods) as being real beings living in devaloka and their real existence was confirmed by the Buddha himself who met them. This is generally the same as the Hindu view.
But there are also many Hindu texts both Vedic and non-Vedic that deny the separate existence of gods.
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad says:– (4:10)
Taittiriya Samhita 1. 2. 3.2
Then there are texts of the Advaita Vedanta which claim that all personal manifestations are equally illusional.
Then there is the metaphysical school of thought in which all the devas are allegories and metaphors or personifications of natural elements (Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, Sun, Moon etc.) or psychological archetypes (courage, love, devotion, compassion etc.) or social values (justice, chivalry, friendship etc.)
As far as I am aware the Buddhists are equally or more assertive of the actual existence of the devas than the Hindu scholars.
In Tantra - both Buddhist and Hindu all the deities are projections of the mind and have no independent reality.
The conclusion according to Advaita Vedanta as is found in the Upanishads and summarised in the Ribhu Gita (Sivarahasya).
So all the worlds, contents and beings - gods, humans, animals, vegetables and minerals are all Māyā - having no substantive reality, the only absolute existence is consciousness (Brahman) in which everything is but waves.
Claim - Devas are real beings living in devaloka. Then you say they are illusions. Contradicting views.
Response - Not at all - it depends on the perspective. The same thing from different views looks different.
Why do Hindu gods have the same face?
Because every face you look at is the face of the same being.
If Lord Vishnu is all powerful, then why has he established the need for karma when he can just bring in all souls to his realm for eternal happiness?
You are using the monotheist paradigm to asses Hinduism.
Hinduism is a form of pan-en-theism. There is no god who creates and world and establishes laws and ordinances and micro-manages and guides humanity and controls the weather and shepherds his believers into his fold to live forever in an ever-green meadow in the sky.
According to Hindu metaphysics God herself BECOMES the universe and everything in it. God is the singularity from which the entire cosmos bursts forth, and is the Ground in which everything exists and in which everything is reabsorbed - she is not a Sky-being separate from the universe.
Vishnu literally means “All-pervader” and is the ocean of consciousness-bliss in which we exist.
Here are some relevant quotes from the Vishnu Purana.
When Christians refer to the passage that says the only way to the father is through Jesus, do you, from a Hindu lens, agree with this, as perhaps their Father’s heaven is but one of the Swarga planes of existence? Deva worshippers go to Devas?
According to Christian theology God and Jesus are one and the same.
So literally the statement rephrased would be “the only way to God is through God” - which is absurd.
If we take the statement to refer to the historical Jesus then we have the conundrum of all the billions of humans that lived before Jesus and those who lived after him and never knew of him. We are told by the virtuous theologians that God found other ways to “save” them - they were granted an exception.
Good, so now we must wonder why the omniscient and omnipotent Deity has suddenly (in eternity) limited his options to a theophany of 2000 years ago? Human beings (Homo sapiens) have been living, loving, fighting and dying for 200,000 years - why did God not attend to their spiritual needs for 198,000 years?
According to Hindu theology (Pauranic) all deities, who are in fact manifestations of the ONE Supreme Being have their own celestial abodes (Swargas) to which their devotees ascend. So from this perspective the Abrahamic God is one aspect among many, with a separate “heaven” to which his devotees will retire for eternity.
According to the metaphysics of Hindu philosophy (Vedanta) all the heavens are rejected as mythological Sky-gardens, there is only one ultimate state and that is reunification with the Ground-of-Being which is called BRAHMAN (the Immensity).
Every single sentient being is a unit of consciousness and once the veil of alienation and conviction of separation is removed through introspection and cultivation of wisdom (jñāna or gnosis) nothing remains but Universal Consciousness/Bliss (sat-chit-ānanda).
The ultimate goal is moksha which is freedom from the shackles of ignorance and attachment, not a sojourn in some celestial sky-garden
Explain how Hinduism is both a monotheistic and polytheistic religion. How do Hindus practice their religion regardless of belief in one God or multiple gods?
There are two factors to consider in this question.
(1) Belief and (2) Practice and the relationship between them.
Hinduism is a cooperative of many different, varied and sometimes antagonistic belief systems ranging from panentheism to Animism including agnosticism and atheism. Freedom of thought is guaranteed in the fold of Hinduism.
FRAMEWORK OF HINDU BELIEF.
All Hindu sects have an ideological system based on 5 areas of metaphysical exploration known as Pañca-śraddhā - or Five Convictions. The sects differ among themselves in respect of conceptualisation, nomenclature and details.
The function of a belief system is to orientate one to PRACTICE known as ācāram.
And practice is conditioned and guided by DHARMA. This is why Hinduism is called sanātana (perennial) DHARMA because the most important factor is not what you believe but rather how you live your life in relationship to other sentient beings and the environment.
Ideal Hindu practice for all sects is encapsulated in the doctrine of the FIVE GREAT SACRIFICES known as Pañca-mahā-yajña.
These Five Great Sacrifices requite the Five Great Debts with which each one of us is born. The fact of our birth in human embodiment incurs 5 debts (ruṇas) it is our duty therefore to discharge these debts for the rest of our lives.
Pitru ruṇa — debt to the parents and the ancestors.
Pitru Yajña — The fact of our birth, and the loving care, protection and nurturing of our parents obligates us to them and to our grandparents and all the other members of our family.
This debt is discharged by —
1. honouring our parents and paying them respect.
2. Seeking their advice and guidance knowing that they are our greatest well-wishers.
3. by marrying and procreating to continue the line.
4. After marriage in householder stage it is our duty to take care of them and support them in their old age.
5. Upon their death we need to perform their funeral rites appropriately.
6. Thereafter the performance of the śrāddha ceremonies to honour their memory.
Rishi Runa — debt to the sages
Brahma Yajña — Our sages (Rishis) have dedicated themselves to the path of enlightenment for the welfare of all beings. These magnanimous sages have performed intense austerities to realize the truth and have passed down their wisdom through their disciples in order that we too may spiritually develop, unfold and progress towards enlightenment.
The debt that we owe them is called “brahma’ which means ‘immense’. It is discharged by:—
1. Taking the trouble to study their teachings daily, to spend some time every day reading spiritual books such as Gita, Upanishads, Ramayana etc.
2. By researching, investigating and studying our cultural heritage or at the very least making the attempt at being culturally informed about the basics.
3. Teaching this knowledge to our children, passing on our spiritual and cultural heritage.
Deva Runa — debt to the gods
Deva Yajña — The Devas are the cosmic forces which administer and govern the universe under the direction of the Supreme Lord. All these forces of nature and cosmic principles are rewarded by making daily offerings to them to show our gratitude and to help us cultivate an awareness of the underlying cosmic consciousness behind all phenomenal appearances.
1. We should keep an altar at home and make daily offerings of flowers, water and incense.
2. Whenever possible we should go to the temple to make some offerings and attend festivals.
3. On festivals and special occasions we should conduct a puja or havan ceremony at home.
Manuṣya Runa — debt to society
Manuṣya yajña — We are by nature social animals and cannot live in isolation. Everything that we enjoy comes to us through the agency of other people. We are therefore indebted to the society in which we live.
Traditionally this debt was discharged by daily offering hospitality to strangers in the village. An orthodox Hindu would try to feed a stranger every day. There are three minimal requirements which must be offered to a guest; a seat, water to drink, and kind words. Nowadays we can discharge this debt by:—
1. By welcoming and offering hospitality to strangers whenever and however possible.
2. By caring for the poor and the needy whenever the occasion arises.
3. By contributing to social causes such as disaster appeals.
4. By even paying taxes, abiding by the laws of the country and by fulfilling our civic duties in everyway possible we are contributing to the welfare of the society.
5. To protect others in the society and to ensure we cause no harm in anyway or obstruct the legitimate pursuits of other communities.
Bhūta Runa — debts to the elements
Bhūta yajña — And lastly we are part of an environment which is made up of the five elements and consists of plant and animal life (bhūtas = elementals). This ecosystem is vital to our survival and thus it is our duty to continually protect it. This is done through:—
1. Joining tree planting programs and minimization of habitat destruction.
2. Supporting sustainable farming methods and protection of wildlife. Try to buy ethically produced foods avoiding factory farming
3. Decreasing our consumption of valuable resources. In our homes we can take the effort to limit the amount of water, gas and electricity consumed.
4. By becoming proactive in recycling and avoiding the unnecessary generation of harmful waste — such as the use of plastic bags and all unnecessary packaging etc.
These five sacrifices form the basis of Hindu practice.
If Hindu Gods exist, why didn't they prevent the Muslim/Mughal holocaust of Hindus?There is a beautiful answer given in the Hindu scriptures:-
"The gods do not defend their votaries like Cowboys grabbing staves and rushing to their aid, those whom they wish to protect they give the intelligence to make the right decisions.
"History shows us that the Hindus were never unified and it is their wrongful decisions to choose self-interest above national interest that resulted in their defeat and subjugation by the moghuls and later the British.The gods are constantly giving us good advice through our conscience, friends, through our sacred scriptures and through history itself - it is we who are deaf to their guidance.
How many believe million Hindu gods exist? I know its all aspect of god. I wonder what god exist and which one do not?
Belief in one God or many Gods is subjective, and no one can produce any convincing objective evidence of the existence of even one God let alone a head-count of the hypothetical Gods, because they are by definition “unseen”.
In Vedanta we have the metaphor of gāndharva-nagara-nyāya - Real estate agents and property developers speculating on property in the city of the Gandharvas in the clouds.
So you can argue as much as you like about how many Gods are there and if a God even exists in the Sky - these are all matters of subjective belief which cannot be demonstrated to be true.
Which theism is Hinduism part of? Monotheism, polytheism, pantheism or other?
The simple answer is all of them.
Hindu philosophy incorporates all views from animism to atheism and everything in between - there is no fixed and immutable theistic position - but rather many to choose from.
The most eloquent expression to this complex has been given by the preeminent French Scholar of Hinduism - Alain Danielou and I quote:-
There are three aspects of a Belief System which need to be taken into account:-
1 The VIEW - Darśana - the proposed view of the world and our place in it.
2. The PATH - Mārga - the prescribed means and practices DHARMA.
3. The FRUIT - phala - the results or the goals which are are trying to accomplish.
In all schools of Hinduism the emphasis is on the PATH - on DHARMA not on the view and fruit. The function of defining and deleting a “View” is to orientate us to practice. The entire Bhagavad Gita is about this subject of KARMA YOGA.
Hindus in the Quora, does God live in the sky or everywhere?
God is not a Sky-guy for Hindus.
The Svetasvatra Upanishad Chapter 4 expresses it poetically
This verse is also found in the Atharva Veda with slight variations.
Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa - Ayodhya kanda chapter 1
According to Hinduism, how did humans learn of all the gods and their names?
Every name in Sanskrit has a meaning indicative of the qualities of the thing being named.
Brahmā = the vastness
Viṣṇu = the omnipresent one
Śiva = the benefactor
Nārāyaṇa = Ground-of-Being
Rudra = the one who makes us weep.
Indra = the mind
Śakti = energy
Kālī = time
Sarasvatī = the flowing one (data)
Vāk = speech
Lakṣmī = she-of-hundred-and-thousands (resources)
Gaṇeśa = Lord-of-categories (Knowledge)
Pūṣan = the increaser (Sun)
Mitra = friend (another aspect of the Sun)
Kāma = desire
Agni = fire
Kṛṣṇa = all-attractive one.
Gopāla = protector of cows and the world.
Bṛhaspati = The Master of the creative Word
Yama = the controller
etc. etc. etc.
Do Hindus believe in only one god? If they believe in multiple gods/goddesses, which one do they follow?
The Veda states the case very simply:- The ONE becomes the many. (Eko’ham bahu syām)
All the plurality and multiplicity of the Universe emerges from the ONE undifferentiated Absolute, just as everything we can conceive of has emerged from the Singularity of the Big Bang.
So our notion of “God” is akin to the BB.
Another similitude is ZERO - śūnyata - Zero is the basis of all the other digits both minus and plus - ad infinitum.
A Muslim friend told me Hindu gods don't make any sense as they fight with each other all the time, and that there can only be one God. What should be my reply?
There are 2 question in one.
(1) cosmic battle and (2) mathematics of God.
First Question.
In Hindu mythology the gods and anti gods all fight among themselves - correct. This represents the constant turmoil of nature. But they never command their devotees to kill unbelievers.
In Islam God is alone so he has no one to fight with - except the big battle at the end of times with the Dijjāl. But in the meantime he gets himself involved in earthly wars which are fought in his name and for entrance into paradise.
Which is better and makes more sense?
Second Question
Why must there be only ONE God? (I notice you are a mathematician) Why does a God necessarily have to be associated with a particular digit?
Before doing the math on God, we first have to establish the existence of such a sky-guy. Once incontrovertible evidence of such a being has been provided we can then argue if IT is male or female or trans or cis-gender, black, white or brown, or one or 3 or 33 or many etc. After the proof of existence, come the details and qualities.
There are some classical arguments for the existence of a first cause - like Aristotle’s Prime Mover or the Kalam Cosmological argument - but all they can rationally prove is that there is an abstract Prime Cause but cannot prove anything ABOUT that Prime Cause.
Everything that every religion says about the Prime Cause is culturally constructed speculation, projection and wishful thinking - mediated by limitations of conceptualisation and expression.
According to Hinduism all speculative math on God must begin, not with ONE but with ZERO (śūnya) - which we gave to the world by the way :-)
The mathematics of the Universe emerge from ZERO and return to ZERO so the source is not ONE.
Truth in Vedānta is defined as (1) correspondence with reality and (2) has practical utility - so we ask - why is ONE more practically useful than MULTIPLICITY? Could you do any sort of math with one digit?
What has the Islamic doctrine of Oneness of God (tawḥīd) contributed to human flourishing, diversity, inclusivity and world peace? This is what you should ask the one who is giving you da’wah.
If talking about what is sensible and reasonable - is it reasonable to give God a masculine pronoun? If Mary and Joe have a baby - Josh. Who is more involved in the birth of Josh? Mary or Joe? Joe’s contribution to the project is merely 2ml of sticky fluid. Mary gestates baby Josh in her uterus for 9 months and then gives birth with extreme effort and pain. She also has the unique ability to feed baby Josh from her own body. So why is Joe important? The 2 mls can begotten from any random male. Yet the “paternity” of Josh is considered to be greater than the “maternity” of Mary. Why?
So it makes more sense to speak of GODDESS rather than god.
Eg - Hinduism n Islam
Islamic theologians claim that Allah is FORMLESS - (we totally agree) then there are hundreds of anthropomorphic references to Allah in the Quran;- Allah creates, destroys, spreads out, speaks, beholds, covers, reveals, judges, owns,disowns, loves, hates, blesses, curses, approves, disapproves, appoints etc. All adjectives pertaining to FORM. There are also many references to his throne - which he doesn’t actually sit on but sits “above” it. Qur’an 25. al-Furqan: 59.
He who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days and then established Himself above the Throne - the Most Merciful, so ask about Him one well informed. (Sahih International) So Islam grants both FORMLESSNESS and FORM to the Godhead. (Just as we do!)
The only difference between us is the clear distinction which is made and the degree to which we take our theological conclusions in both directions So while in Islam there is no clear distinction made between the two, in Hinduism the two are clearly demarcated and differentiated
The Hindu concept of the Formless aspect (nirākāra) of God is more profound I would suggest than any description in the Qur’an. While giving Allah descriptive semantic form the Qur’an categorically forbids worship of any form. But since we know that humans cannot relate to a
formless God, symbols are substituted by the faithful - i.e. The Ka’aba, the Quran, caligraphy etc. Hindus go to the other extreme and create sophisticated iconic symbols and unashamedly use them for worship and meditation.
UT the worship of icons is NOT mandatory in Hinduism, it is one of many tools found in spiritual toolbox:– other tools are mantras, yantras, mandalas, yoga āsanas, prānāyāma and a variety of contemplations, visualizations, stotras, fasting, etc. etc. etc.
The Highest of Which is Meditation upon SELF