"God created man and man created God", they say. This term "GOD" in English is a misnomer since there is nothing to indicate 'God' in the strict sense of the term here. The European term 'God' may mean anything according to a European mind- according to the genes, sanskara, upbringing and the prevailing belief system there, and, this cannot be compared to the ancient Hindu civilization dated back to almost a million years when the Himalaya Mountain Ranges were rising from the floor of the Sea of Tethys. This ancient history and geography is not well understood by the present-day generation. The Reader's Digest Atlas gives a world map depicting the early geography and may be referred to understand 'the changing face of the earth' since early times.
The God and Devil, or good and evil, are not the terms of Hindu religious culture, so also, the heavens and the hell! Here, it may be, at best, the 'sura-asura sampat' according to Bhagavad-Gita. May be, it is the positive and negative thinking of the same person. The devi, devatas of Hindu religious belief system, or worship of divine qualities, start from idol worship to worship of parents, guests, animals and birds, and, even the objects such as slippers, umbrella, or a supporting wooden staff, seat/chair used by attained persons, great souls! The Hindu belief of deva is 'One supreme Lord, nameless and formless deva- the self-effulgent, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent para brahma narayana. It is supreme Consciousness as the mahat-prajnya (macro level) that is present as kinchit (micro level) in all objective material, phenomenal world, including the multitude of life-forms (jiva rashi).
There are only the 'Messengers of God', or the 'Words of God' in the Western or European philosophy. But, we in India have the devi devatas who are all well defined- with definite features, wearing astras (armaments) in a number of hands, mudras (signs), asanas (sitting or standing postures), having certain potent mantra and potent syllables that have the creative, sustaining and destructive power. The Samskruta Bhasha (not the anglicized 'Sanskrit', because the term 'sans' and 'krit' give a different meaning) and many of the Indian languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, have more appropriate terms to each and every devi, devata as 'Shakti'. These are scientifically, rationally, logically, etymologically, well developed; and, when we write these names in English language using the capital letters may lead to wrong meanings! We have to remember that there is no capital letters in any Indian languages.
The term G O D means Go On Discovering and one will never find Him! But, it is not so in the Indian context. If anybody calls 'devi or deva', Lo! She or He stands there in front of the person who calls. The term 'deva' is derived from the root syllable 'da', meaning, to lift. If a person falls down, anybody who helps him to get up is called a 'deva' and he will be thanked with the words- "Oh you came like God and helped me"! So, deva, devi and devatas for us, Indians, are powerful forces (shakti), may be unseen (adrushta) that lift us from poverty as Lakshmi, ignorance as Saraswati, weaknesses and lack of strength as durga, ganapati, hanuman, etc. The Rk Veda is full of explanation and prayer mantra of devatas who give us energy, life, intelligence, wealth, wisdom, rain, fire, wind, medicine, good health, etc. Our Gods are, thus, devi, deva, and devatas and better we avoid using the English term God.
The God and Devil, or good and evil, are not the terms of Hindu religious culture, so also, the heavens and the hell! Here, it may be, at best, the 'sura-asura sampat' according to Bhagavad-Gita. May be, it is the positive and negative thinking of the same person. The devi, devatas of Hindu religious belief system, or worship of divine qualities, start from idol worship to worship of parents, guests, animals and birds, and, even the objects such as slippers, umbrella, or a supporting wooden staff, seat/chair used by attained persons, great souls! The Hindu belief of deva is 'One supreme Lord, nameless and formless deva- the self-effulgent, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent para brahma narayana. It is supreme Consciousness as the mahat-prajnya (macro level) that is present as kinchit (micro level) in all objective material, phenomenal world, including the multitude of life-forms (jiva rashi).
There are only the 'Messengers of God', or the 'Words of God' in the Western or European philosophy. But, we in India have the devi devatas who are all well defined- with definite features, wearing astras (armaments) in a number of hands, mudras (signs), asanas (sitting or standing postures), having certain potent mantra and potent syllables that have the creative, sustaining and destructive power. The Samskruta Bhasha (not the anglicized 'Sanskrit', because the term 'sans' and 'krit' give a different meaning) and many of the Indian languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, have more appropriate terms to each and every devi, devata as 'Shakti'. These are scientifically, rationally, logically, etymologically, well developed; and, when we write these names in English language using the capital letters may lead to wrong meanings! We have to remember that there is no capital letters in any Indian languages.
The term G O D means Go On Discovering and one will never find Him! But, it is not so in the Indian context. If anybody calls 'devi or deva', Lo! She or He stands there in front of the person who calls. The term 'deva' is derived from the root syllable 'da', meaning, to lift. If a person falls down, anybody who helps him to get up is called a 'deva' and he will be thanked with the words- "Oh you came like God and helped me"! So, deva, devi and devatas for us, Indians, are powerful forces (shakti), may be unseen (adrushta) that lift us from poverty as Lakshmi, ignorance as Saraswati, weaknesses and lack of strength as durga, ganapati, hanuman, etc. The Rk Veda is full of explanation and prayer mantra of devatas who give us energy, life, intelligence, wealth, wisdom, rain, fire, wind, medicine, good health, etc. Our Gods are, thus, devi, deva, and devatas and better we avoid using the English term God.
The knowledge concerning our belief system (see Bhavanopanishat), creating idols/icons of devata and worship of devatas (archana) are all well based scientifically on scriptures like the pancharatra agama shastra. People who have no access to these scriptures (some ms and unpublished) simply talk without ever knowing the truth. There are almost 250 samhitas in pancharatra agama shastra explaining the devi, devata, creating their idols, building temples, method of worship and the mantras for each and every devi, devata (for example, ahirbudhnya, sattvata, jayakhya, ishvara, lakshmi tantra, and Taittiriya Veda Samhitas).
For us in India there is only one deva- 'Eko deva narayana'. This 'one supreme force (deva) only manifests in different forms, names and functions, enters all moving and non-moving objects as the energy / chaitanya / prana / life-force and consciousness (chit-shakti). 'One' only appears as 'many', or 'becomes many'! The principle is 'ekoham bahusyam'- the resolve of the Lord to become many! It is just like one person only is called the father, brother, friend, son, student, patient, traveler, customer, etc. in everyday life. I only become my son's father, father's son, brother of brothers and sisters, etc. Where is an other here? In fact. I am born as 'one' only and grow up and become 'one more' (a wife added), and still one more, and one more (two kids born!) and many (with all friends and relatives, if at all, i entertain them or relate to them!). It is a wonderful world where 'One only runs all along everywhere and finally dies or disappears creating an illusion of the many.
This awareness of 'oneness' (ekatvam) is the 'unity consciousness' or brahmn-prajnya. When a person reaches this highest level of understanding he/she has attained brahmn. such persons realize that everything is brahman, sarvam khalvidam brahmn and says, "aham brahmasmi". Then there will be no duality any more. The entire universe that was hitherto seen as an other outside will suddenly be realized as nowhere but within one Self! The search ends. The earthen pot that was separating outsides and inside is broken and this inside and that outside becomes one. Thus one attains total emancipation from an illusory world that makes the jiva go round and round.
(to be contd.)
(to be contd.)
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