Brahman is only one, then Why do we have so many gods in Hinduism?

[Govinda]

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http://dajoseph.com/Audio-Videos/Sunday_QA.html

Atheists, pl. stay away.

Sometimes there are too many opinions to be addressed in this forum which is overwhelming, plus shortage of time, I may be not be regularly participating. But, I am interested to know your views.

 

[renuka]

http://dajoseph.com/Audio-Videos/Sunday_QA.html

Atheists, pl. stay away.

Sometimes there are too many opinions to be addressed in this forum which is overwhelming, plus shortage of time, I may be not be regularly participating. But, I am interested to know your views.

Do you really think there are many? Its just difference aspects of the very same Brahman.
Ekam Advaitam Brahman.
There is only One and even Two is just One occuring Twice.
What we see as multiple forms as in Devas,Devis etc are just deified personification of the One Brahman.

Isnt the same electric current seen in all types of electric lamps even though the lamps might differ?

What we should strive to understand is the underlying unity in the diversity.

Its the same String of Brahman that holds the Pearls of Diversity together.

We need to realize this String more then actually counting the Pearls.

When you have already some sort of realized that there is only One and Only One..just be that way.

 

[nachi naga]

suryan is one,the rays are many as sun rays.

 

[tbs]

http://dajoseph.com/Audio-Videos/Sunday_QA.html

Atheists, pl. stay away.

Sometimes there are too many opinions to be addressed in this forum which is overwhelming, plus shortage of time, I may be not be regularly participating. But, I am interested to know your views.

hi govinda,

moon is one....but many pots filled with water.....so we can see many moons.....like wise mud is one.....but potter makes different

pots in many shapes/colors.....AAKASAAD PATITAM TOYAM YADHA GACCATI SAAGARAM.....SARVA DEVA NAMASKARAM KESAVAM PRATI GACCATI...................


regards
tbs

regards

 

[prasad1]

Sanatana Dharma -(Not Hinduism). is purely an individual religion. It is not a group religion, it is not a social religion. The strict practitioners may not even live among human society.

You acquire knowledge about your likes and dislikes and choose the philosophy you like. No two individual is going to choose exactly the same path.

Over a period of time a number of things have been said or written purporting to be by God or from God. I do not believe in all such sayings. It is like supermarket, choose what you like and leave the rest.

You also must find for yourself your personal definition of GOD.
I follow Advata Philosophy, and my God is some of all energy. To me energy is neither shaivite or Vaishnavite, nor is it inanimate or animate, you can not ascribe any form, structure, or definition.
I live by my principles within the principles of community, state, and universe.

The same electric Energy manifests as light in your lamp, turns your computer, runs your fan, or cooks food microwave and we perceive each as separate function but it is same. Similarly You can perceive GOD in any form or symbol, it is your choice.

 

[Govinda]

The same electric Energy manifests as light in your lamp, turns your computer, runs your fan, or cooks food microwave and we perceive each as separate function but it is same. Similarly You can perceive GOD in any form or symbol, it is your choice.

Interesting. How did energy become lamp, fan, computer? I thought, things existed independent of energy. Where did energy come from?

 

[prasad1]

Brahman is one

Interesting. How did energy become lamp, fan, computer? I thought, things existed independent of energy. Where did energy come from?

I think you missed the word Manifests.
Energy manifests as light in lamp. Energy manifests as the whirling blade of the fan. Energy is the life force of objects.

 

[Govinda]

I think you missed the word Manifests.
Energy manifests as light in lamp. Energy manifests as the whirling blade of the fan. Energy is the life force of objects.

why did energy manifest? Where did energy come from? Where did things come from? How is it related to God?

 

[C RAVI]

why did energy manifest? Where did energy come from? Where did things come from? How is it related to God?

Sun and Moon are one each and common to all, with static form, qualities and enegies (percieved by we humans in this physical world)

For yourself, you need a women to somewhat basically understand a women and enjoy the relationship.

You find the same women as your mother, as your sister, as your friend, as your wife and as your daughter. You realize and feel a different emotional love and care from each avatar of a women.

For youself, you need a Man to have more understanding about man species and enjoy the relationship.

You find the same man as your father, as your brother, as your friend, as your husband and as your son. You realize and feel a different emotional love and care from each avatar of a man.


For yourself, you need knowledge to equip yourself..

You find the same knowledge as book knowledge and wordly/human knowledge..


For youself, you need to understand about Good and Bad..

You find Good as Bad in certain circumstances and find Bad as Good in cirtian circumstances.


For yourself, you need to know whats the purpose of your existence...

You find youself as mere human being to achieve to the fullest being a true human and you may find yourself as one among many form of other survivals and you need to do anything what you want in any ways.

We can list out many such things to know, realize, feel and live..



The foundation of all is WISDOM. The same wisdom can be gained, understood and administered from verious sources as listed above.

God is one, but God's evergies are numerous that just leads to ultimate WISDOM and PURITY. One should strive to acheive this wisdom and purity within one self as best as possible.

The ways and means of achieving wisdom and purity with the help of such energies are many. The choice is yours...

 

[amala]

A rose is a rose is a rose, by any other name will smell just as sweet

William Shakespeare from the play Romeo and Juliet, summed it up beautifully.

So Vishnu, Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Ganesh, Durga, Parvati etc are all different names for Brahman.

 

[Govinda]

A rose is a rose is a rose, by any other name will smell just as sweet

Nice Quote.

Does the underlying person/object count or the name count?

In that case of rose, only that had the properties of rose is the rose. Can anything else just called by the name 'rose' still smell like a rose?

 

[renuka]

Nice Quote.

Does the underlying person/object count or the name count?

In that case of rose, only that had the properties of rose is the rose. Can anything else just called by the name 'rose' still smell like a rose?

Till the day we rise and realize that Ekam Advaita Brahman we still have bodily identification as in name and form.
Only then we can safely say we Rose to the Truth.
Now thats the "Rose" that is a "Rose" by any name and will smell as sweet.

 

[talwan]

Dear Govinda,
As you rightly said Brahmam is only one.The Vedhas gave different names to explain more about Brahmam.But people understood differently and separated one name from others and called it Brahmam.Vedhas mentioned Brahmam by the word Vishnu to explain that Brahmam is spread (Vyabhithiruthal) everywhere.People Understood Vishnu is Brahmam.Similarly the word 'Paraa sakthi' is used to mean Brahmam with Supreme power.People understood Parasakthi as Brahmam.Later separate Puraanas came to explain the leelas of different Gods.So people 'selected' their priya God.
Alwan

 

[Govinda]

Now thats the "Rose" that is a "Rose" by any name and will smell as sweet.

Well re-written. If the essence/unique-quality of the Rose that counts, why is that particular form for that essence/quality? Can any other form suit its Rose-ness?

Have u heard of this poem by one Toru Dutt?

The Lotus, Toru Dutt

Love came to Flora asking for a flower
That would of flowers be undisputed queen,
The lily and the rose, long long had been
Rivals for that high honour. Bards of power
Had sung their claims. "The rose can never tower
Like the pale lily with her Juno mien" -
"But is the lily lovelier?" Thus between
Flower fractions rang the strife in Psyche's bower.
"Give me a flower delicious as the rose
And stately as the lily in her pride"-
"But of what colour?"- "Rose red," Love first chose,
Then prayed, - "No, lily-white, - or both provide";
And Flora gave the lotus, "rose red" dyed
And "lily white," queenliest flower that blows

Isn't Lotus having the 'Rose-ness' and the 'Lili-ness', altogether a different object, superior than Rose and Lily?

In such a case, doesn't the best of all forms, best of all essence and superset of all, make Brahman alltogether a different one than the individual forms?

 

[Subramanian Natarajan]

The devotee's devotion is always bigger than the god oneself,thus he gets to see him in his own version.

 

[Govinda]

The Vedhas gave different names to explain more about Brahmam.

Then, the Vedas would have asked us to worship only one form but with various names.
whereas, each god has a different form, name, functionality [like the various cosmic entities have different purpose].

Shouldn't then mean that the various gods are individuals with different powers, and all of them originated with the powers/will of Brahman? Then why would the upanishad say, 'Sat (That Pure Being) alone existed in the beginning'.

If all are the forms of the same Brahman, then why would the creation from Brahma to Shiva to manus to prajapatis to other living beings, be hierarchical?

 

[Govinda]

The devotee's devotion is always bigger than the god oneself, thus he gets to see him in his own version.

It is true we perceive God in the form we like and so we can be much devoted.

Then, Allah and Jesus will also be equally greater gods when defined by the devotion of their followers. Unless, we define the underlying basis by which we come to the conclusion, we will be defeated. So, the need for brainstorm. I am not any scholar either, but just learning with all of us.

 

[Subramanian Natarajan]

Yes they are all the same.Dude,godliness is Aham Brahmasmi.Conscience is the biggets provider of justice and if it is in you,names are all just semantics.

 

[Govinda]

Dude,godliness is Aham Brahmasmi.

What do you mean by Aham BrahmAsmi? How is that godliness?

 

[Subramanian Natarajan]

All life doesn't work on objectivity and articulation and cause and effect relationship.It is an inward looking spiritual conquest and i have said the same thing to my dad and him to his and the answer always comes from inside and not externally.It wont make sense if it comes externally.

Dont apply cause and effect for everything,travel the world and figure yourself and trust me,you wont regret it.

God is the divine balance in the human's soul for keep the world in check against over-indulgence,this is the best i can manage.

Atheists are people who deny god and think human has the power to mend every fence and fix everything,nothing wrong with that but theism or atheism,but arrogance of any kind ll just take us to our limits and leave us with the lesson of our limits.

To put in even simpler words,humility is the obvious and heights are scaled with that and who else to look upto but god.

 

[prasad1]

"TALWAN" said it beautifully. If you try to explain your position without conviction others can definitely see though it.

You can read as much as you want, people can teach you so many ways, but you have to find the path yourself.

If you expect someone to take you to your answer, it is not going to happen.

 

[Subramanian Natarajan]

What do you mean by Aham BrahmAsmi? How is that godliness?

It means I am god or God is within me,that disciplines you and you truly value the idea of justice and the divinity of it.

 

[amala]

This is a follow up to Sri Govind's post no 14. Very nice writing btw of Toru Dutt's.

I'm just thinking aloud here. So i may be wrong. If everything is Brahman, then its not just the best of all forms and the best of all essence, but even the worst of all forms is Brahman surely? If he is ALL then it can't just be the good. Its got to be the good, the bad and the ugly no?

 

[prasad1]

In Sanatana Dharma or so called Hinduism there is nothing outside of Brahman. It is the other religions who limit their God. Then again their God is judge, jury and executioner.

The Nirguna God we envisage is very different than the limited Father in the heaven type of God.
You have to define Brahman and experience the relation between Nara & Narayan.

If you go with the prophet based religious definition of God, you are in the wrong religion.

 

[Nara]

This is a follow up to Sri Govind's post no 14. Very nice writing btw of Toru Dutt's.

I'm just thinking aloud here. So i may be wrong. If everything is Brahman, then its not just the best of all forms and the best of all essence, but even the worst of all forms is Brahman surely? If he is ALL then it can't just be the good. Its got to be the good, the bad and the ugly no?

Amala, there is no question for which the Vedantins don't have a canned answer, many of them quite good too.

Advaitam will probably answer that all this good/bad/ugly is maya, unreal, or whatever.

VA says this, what appears good/bad/ugly is due to our poorva-janma karma. For Brahmna, i.e. Srman Naraynana, who is never bound by karma, everything is anukoolam.

Cheers!