2014 Guru Poornima
Philosophy
Hinduism - Monotheistic or Polytheistic? |
Kids Story
Why does God descend? |
Philosophy
राम कृष्ण दोनों को गोविंद राधे । व्यास ने लिखा है भगवान क्यों बता दे ॥
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rāma kṛṣṇa donoṃ ko goviṃda rādhe । vyāsa ne likhā hai bhagavāna kyoṃ batā de ॥
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The Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapuran asserts both Lord Ram (Balram) and Lord Krishna are God, whereas from the Vedas to the Ramayana all the scriptures and all the Saints unanimously say there is only one Supreme God. Not only that, the word Bhagavaan or God is used to refer to many more divine personalities such as God Brahma, God Shankar, God Vishnu and so on. Moreover, the spiritual master is also addressed as God in the scriptures. So, if there is only one God, who are all these others who are being referred to as “God”?
वदन्ति तत्तत्त्वविदस्तत्त्वं यज्ज्ञानमद्वयम् । ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति भगवानिति शब्द्यते ॥
भा 1.2.11 |
vadanti tattattvavidastattvaṃ yajjñānamadvayam । brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavāniti śabdyate ॥
bhā 1.2.11 |

There is one Supreme God known as Lord Krishna. He eternally reveals Himself in three different forms. As Sachhidanand Brahm, the all-pervading almighty impersonal aspect of God, He does nothing. He has no name, form, pastimes, abode or attributes. Only eternal knowledge and bliss are revealed in this form.
The second aspect of God is Paramatma, the Super Soul. He has a name, form, and attributes, but He doesn’t have pastimes or divine associates. He is known as Mahavishnu. He exists in 3 forms. First is Karaṇārṇavadaśayī Mahavishnu (कार्णार्णवाशायी महाविष्णु). A power of Karaṇārṇavadaśayī Mahavishnu (कार्णार्णवाशायी महाविष्णु) is Garbhodaśayī Mahavishnu. And a power of Garbhodaśayī Mahavishnu is the Kṣīrodaśayī Mahavishnu (क्षीरोदशायी महाविष्णु). They are also known as the first purusha, second purusha and third purusha respectively. These are the three aspects of one Supreme God.
The third aspect of God is is called Bhagavan, the One who descends with name, form, attributes, pastimes and associates to please His devotees Saints through His rapturous pastimes.
All of the rest of these are also God. God means Bhagavan or the One who is endowed with six kinds of bhag (unlimited divine majesties). So the one who possesses these six opulence is called Bhagavan. Moreover, God has a personal power called yogamaya also referred to as swaroop shakti and para shakti. All swansh are personal expansions of God, they are also Governors of yogmaya. So, all the personal expansions of Supreme God are also known as God.
The second aspect of God is Paramatma, the Super Soul. He has a name, form, and attributes, but He doesn’t have pastimes or divine associates. He is known as Mahavishnu. He exists in 3 forms. First is Karaṇārṇavadaśayī Mahavishnu (कार्णार्णवाशायी महाविष्णु). A power of Karaṇārṇavadaśayī Mahavishnu (कार्णार्णवाशायी महाविष्णु) is Garbhodaśayī Mahavishnu. And a power of Garbhodaśayī Mahavishnu is the Kṣīrodaśayī Mahavishnu (क्षीरोदशायी महाविष्णु). They are also known as the first purusha, second purusha and third purusha respectively. These are the three aspects of one Supreme God.
The third aspect of God is is called Bhagavan, the One who descends with name, form, attributes, pastimes and associates to please His devotees Saints through His rapturous pastimes.
All of the rest of these are also God. God means Bhagavan or the One who is endowed with six kinds of bhag (unlimited divine majesties). So the one who possesses these six opulence is called Bhagavan. Moreover, God has a personal power called yogamaya also referred to as swaroop shakti and para shakti. All swansh are personal expansions of God, they are also Governors of yogmaya. So, all the personal expansions of Supreme God are also known as God.
ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य धर्मस्य यशसः श्रियः । ज्ञानवैराग्ययोश्चैव षण्णां भग इतीरणा ॥
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aiśvaryasya samagrasya dharmasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ ।
jñānavairāgyayoścaiva ṣaṇṇāṃ bhaga itīraṇā ॥ |
"The six bhag are unlimited majesty, dharm, glory, prosperity, knowledge and detachment".
They are Governors of swaroop shakti.
They are Governors of swaroop shakti.

The parts of jeev shakti of Lord Krishna are also of two types. One part encompasses all the eternally liberated souls who are the divine associates of the Lord. Even so, they belong to the class of jeev, the individual soul. They are not God. They are not the personal expansions of God, and hence they are not the Governors of para shakti. They are instead governed by para shakti. Nevertheless they have never been under the control of maya.
A second type of individual soul is known as maya baddha. We belong to this class and we have been under the control of maya since time immemorial. We are also parts of jeev shakti of Lord Krishna. We are also not God. We are governed not by yogmaya but by maya. Although, after God-realization we will be governed by yogmaya and will be freed from the clutches of maya.
So, all the personal expansions of God are referred to as God. The 10 avatars, 20 avatars, 24 avatars that are mentioned in the scriptures descend from the third purusha, Kṣīrodaśayī Mahavishnu, is the source of descensions or avatar. Hence, these descensions are also called as purushavatar.
Another aspect of God is known as Purusha.
A second type of individual soul is known as maya baddha. We belong to this class and we have been under the control of maya since time immemorial. We are also parts of jeev shakti of Lord Krishna. We are also not God. We are governed not by yogmaya but by maya. Although, after God-realization we will be governed by yogmaya and will be freed from the clutches of maya.
So, all the personal expansions of God are referred to as God. The 10 avatars, 20 avatars, 24 avatars that are mentioned in the scriptures descend from the third purusha, Kṣīrodaśayī Mahavishnu, is the source of descensions or avatar. Hence, these descensions are also called as purushavatar.
Another aspect of God is known as Purusha.
एतन्नानावताराणां निधानं बीजमव्ययं । यस्यांशांशेन सृज्यन्ते देवतिर्यङ्नरादय ॥
भा 1.3.5 |
etannānāvatārāṇāṃ nidhānaṃ bījamavyayaṃ । yasyāṃśāṃśena sṛjyante devatiryaṅnarādaya ॥
bhā 1.3.5 |
Purusha Kṣīrodaśayī Mahavishnu is the primal cause of all the descensions, except for two descensions: Lord Balram and Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna is Supreme God. All the other descensions (purushavatar) are descensions of His parts (purusha). Lord Balram is the direct descension of Lord Krishna. He is not the descension of purusha. So both Lord Krishna and Lord Balram are referred to as one.
For this reason in Braj, even until now, Balram is addressed as Bade Thakur and Lord Krishna is addressed as Chhote Thakur. So Lord Balram is not the descension of purusha. Rather, He is the direct descension of Lord Krishna. Lord Balram and Lord Krishna descend on our earth once every kalpa. One kalpa is one day of Lord Brahma’s life. One day of Lord Brahma is calculated to be 4,294,080,000 human years. This is just one day of Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma’s night is of the same duration. Brahma lives for 100 celestial years..
Lord Krishna descends on this earth once every kalpa, and in between there are yugavatars, who are the descension of purusha. The yugavataras are not the descension of Supreme God. 5,000 years ago Supreme Lord Krishna descended here on this earth. It is our good fortune that we are able to hear about His pastimes. So, this is the secret of God.
God is only one. There cannot be 10-20 Gods!
For this reason in Braj, even until now, Balram is addressed as Bade Thakur and Lord Krishna is addressed as Chhote Thakur. So Lord Balram is not the descension of purusha. Rather, He is the direct descension of Lord Krishna. Lord Balram and Lord Krishna descend on our earth once every kalpa. One kalpa is one day of Lord Brahma’s life. One day of Lord Brahma is calculated to be 4,294,080,000 human years. This is just one day of Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma’s night is of the same duration. Brahma lives for 100 celestial years..
Lord Krishna descends on this earth once every kalpa, and in between there are yugavatars, who are the descension of purusha. The yugavataras are not the descension of Supreme God. 5,000 years ago Supreme Lord Krishna descended here on this earth. It is our good fortune that we are able to hear about His pastimes. So, this is the secret of God.
God is only one. There cannot be 10-20 Gods!
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Kid's Story
One day Akbar, the Mugal Emperor of India, asked hi wise Prime Minister Birbal, "In Islam we say God sent his servant Mohammad Saheb to save people. That was sufficient to do the job. But in Hinduism it is said that God Himself descends. Why does God go to all the trouble of descending?"
Birbal replied,"O Emperor, I don't really know. That is just how it is". Thus Birbal deferred the question.
Birbal was very wise. He knew that just an explanation will not be sufficient to satisfy Akbar's curiosity. The crown prince was Salim and Akbar was very fond of him. So, Birbal got a wax replica made of Salim, in a sitting posture. When the replica was ready Birbal suggested that Akbar and Salim go for a boat ride. Birbal took the nanny of Salim in his confidence and she too accompanied them. Akbar, Salim and Birbal along with the entire entourage of servants embarked on boats. Akbar and Birbal sat at in the front and Salim's replica with the nanny sat behind. The real prince stayed in the palace with other attendants. The maid kept fondling and caressing the replica. After sometime Birbal signaled the maid to throw the replica in the water and pretend like he accidentally fell in the river.
Birbal replied,"O Emperor, I don't really know. That is just how it is". Thus Birbal deferred the question.
Birbal was very wise. He knew that just an explanation will not be sufficient to satisfy Akbar's curiosity. The crown prince was Salim and Akbar was very fond of him. So, Birbal got a wax replica made of Salim, in a sitting posture. When the replica was ready Birbal suggested that Akbar and Salim go for a boat ride. Birbal took the nanny of Salim in his confidence and she too accompanied them. Akbar, Salim and Birbal along with the entire entourage of servants embarked on boats. Akbar and Birbal sat at in the front and Salim's replica with the nanny sat behind. The real prince stayed in the palace with other attendants. The maid kept fondling and caressing the replica. After sometime Birbal signaled the maid to throw the replica in the water and pretend like he accidentally fell in the river.
Seeing Salim bobbing in the river, Akbar jumped in the river to save his son. No sooner did he touch the wax replica that he figured out that it was one of Birbal's pranks. Akbar was furious. He asked Birbal what kind of practical joke this was.
Birbal replied,"O Emperor! You wanted to know why God descends on earth and does not send His servants to save people. See when your son fll in the river you yourself jumped in the water. You didn'd ask any of your servants to save him. Similarly, we are God's children and He loves us. Hence, He Himself descends on eath to save us".
Birbal replied,"O Emperor! You wanted to know why God descends on earth and does not send His servants to save people. See when your son fll in the river you yourself jumped in the water. You didn'd ask any of your servants to save him. Similarly, we are God's children and He loves us. Hence, He Himself descends on eath to save us".
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