1. Note from the Editor

Dear Bhagavatas,

Hope you received the first Part of our posting on " Who is God?" posted yesterday. We conclude the topic with this second posting. The topic " Where is God? " will follow.

Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy

2. From Chapter 7 of " Hinduism Rediscovered" on
"Who is God? " Part 2 (concluded)

SECTION 3 : ISWARA ( THE ALL SENTIENT )
That the sentient beings and the non- sentient things have been brought forth by God takes us on to the question of WHO IS THIS GOD , what are his attributes, what is his status in relation to Chetanas and Achetanas or to put it conversely what we as sentient beings should seek in relation to such a God and how we should go about it. One of the famous hymms of the Rig-Veda (10.129) relates the creation of the world and bears resemblance to the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible. The hymn contends that "no person can know for certain what occurred since it transpired long before the birth of Gods. It concludes that it is the ISWARA or BRAHMAN who was at once the material, instrumental and supportive cause of creation (i.e.) Upadana, Nimitta and Sahakari Karanas)"7.

" 'BRAHMAN does not exist as an empirical object, for instance, like a pot or a tree but as absolute existence without which material objects would not be perceived to exist. Just as a mirage cannot be seen without the desert, so also the Universe cannot exist without BRAHMAN".8

Let us take the example of a potter who makes pots with mud, using his wheel and his stick as tools. Here, mud is called the 'Material cause' (Upadana karana). But it can at best be only a raw material. It cannot change itself into a pot on its own. So, in its creation, the potter is also a cause. The potter is called "Instrumental cause' or 'Efficient cause' (Nimitta karana). The wheel, the stick etc are the implements with which the potter turns mud into pot. So they are called 'Supportive Cause' (Sahakari karana).

In the case of the Universe, ISWARA combines in himself all the three roles. In other words, ISWARA evolves himself as the Universe (Upadana) and creates it (Nimitta). The Vedas declare that God by his sankalpa (will) transformed himself into the Universe (Sahakari).

" Why does the perfect being instead of remaining eternally concentrated in itself suffer the accidents of manifesting in this World?" asks Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in his "The Principal Upanishads"( P.82) and answers : " The answer is that manifesting is the very nature of God. We need not seek a cause or a motive or a purpose for that which is, in its nature, eternally self- existent and free."

The object of creation is creation itself

ANGIRAS gives the example of a spider. A spider creates thin threads out of its own body and spits them out through its mouth. It weaves a web around itself out of these threads. The spider then eats back the threads forming the web. In other words, the threads come out of the spider and enter back into the spider. Similarly, ISWARA creates the world out of himself and withdraws the whole thing into himself at the time of deluge. Thus, he is at once the Upadana Karana, Nimitta Karana and Sahakari Karana.9

Another example in the same MUNDAKA UPANISHAD is that of plants and herbs growing from the earth (i.e.) they come out of the earth and when they wither they go back to earth (i.e.) they enter the earth again.

Just as fire is in the wood, butter in buttermilk and get released on ignition on churning, as the case may be, ISWARA contains in himself all his creations and releases them according to his will. As we cannot see with our eyes the fire in the wood or the butter in the buttermilk or the foetus in the womb, we cannot see him directly with our eyes even though he is in everything.

SVETASWATARA UPANISHAD also gives the examples of oil in the oil seeds, butter in curds, water in the earth and fire in wood. So, also PARAMATMA or ISWARA is in the Jeevatma, but the latter does not 'see' this.10

This incapacity of the finite human mind to grasp the infinite order of God is aptly expressed thus "To expect man to corner the infinite with his finite mind is like asking a dog to understand Einstein's equation with his nose"11.

But, unlike in the case of the dog, Vedas proclaim that it can be perceived by means of yoga which provides the instruments of knowledge.

"There is a distance incomparable between the things men imagine by natural reason and those which illuminated men behold by contemplation"12.
Lord Krishna says "There is indeed none other than me, none different from me, none superior to me. I am in every thing but unseen like a collection of gems on a string"13.

This leads us again to the 'Sarira sariri - bhava' (i.e.) Body-soulrelationship. ISWARA is the soul and all other entities viz., Chetanas and Achetanas constitute his body.

3.1 : WHAT CONSTITUTES A BODY?
What constitutes a body? There are three characteristics' which decide what a body is. They are -

        (i)     ADARATVAM       (Support)
        (ii)    NIYANTRUTVAM    (Control)
        (iii)   SESHITVAM       (Mastery)

(ii.) NIYANTRUTVAM
The soul controls the body. While awake the body is controlled by the will (Sankalpa) of the soul. The body acts as per the will of the soul. While sleeping, the body is controlled by the Svabhava (nature) of the soul.

(iii.) SESHITVAM
The body exists for the fulfillment of the desire of the soul. The soul through the mind desires something and then the body acts accordingly. So, the body exists only for the pleasure and purpose of the soul. (Authority :ANTARYAMI BRAHMANA and SUBALA UPANISHAD) The body - soul - relationship can be expressed as follows :

Characteristic          Soul                    Body
i. ADARATVA     Support ADARA   Supporter       ADEYATVA  Being Supported
ii.NIYANTRUTVA  Control NIYANTA Controller      NIYAMATVA Being Controlled
iii.SESHITVA    Mastery SESHI   Master          SESHATVA  Existing for the
							  purpose of the soul

A full section called the ANTARAYAMI BRAHMANA in the BRIHADARNYAKA UPANISHAD as well as SUBALA UPANISHAD specifically and clearly say that Iswara is the soul and Jeevatmas and Achetanas constitute the body. Besides Vedas and Upanishads, great thinkers like Sri Ramanuja, Bodhayana, Dramida and Tanka have confirmed this Body-soul-relationship and Alwars like Nammalwar have explicitly mentioned this.

3.2 : SWARUPA NIRUPAKA DHARMAS AND NIRUPITA SWARUPA VISESHANAS
(Manifested qualities and Qualities that have become manifest)
Are these the only characteristics that distinguishes Paramatma from others? The Paramatma has some intrinsic qualities called 'Swarupa Nirupaka Dharmas' or special qualities and 'Nirupita Swarupa Viseshnas'(Specialities that have become manifest) Sri Ramanuja ' has enumerated some of the outstanding qualities of ISWARA as follows:16

SWARUPA NIRUPAKA DHARMAS are :

1.	JNANATVA	Omniscience
2.	ANANDATVA	Ever Joyous, Blissful
3.	AMALATVA	Blemishlessness
4.	SATYATVA	Firmness, Truthfulness
5.	ANANTATVA	Unlimited by Time, Space, Matter, Omnipresence

NIRUPITA SWARUPA VISESHANAS are :

6.      GNANAM          Wisdom, Knowledge
7.      BALAM           Strength , Supporting everything
8.      AISWARYAM       Lordship, Mastery over everything 
9.      VEERYAM         Prowess
10 .    SAKTHI          Power, Energy
11 .    TEJAS                   Splendor, Lustre
12 .    SOUSEELYAM      Excellence of disposition
13 .    VATSALYAM       Love that ignores faults in others
14 .    MARDAVAM        Softness, compassion
15 .    ARJAVAM         Straightforwardness
16 .    SOUHARDHAM      Friendliness towards Bhagavatas
17 .    SAMYAM          Not differentiating between high and low
18 .    KARUNYAM        Mercy,  Feeling one with others in grief
19 .    MADURYAM        Sweetness, Being pleasant
20 .    GAMBHIRYAM      Majesty, Profundity, Greatness 
21 .    AUDHARYAM       Feeling as if he is receiving while giving (Udhara)
22 .    CHADURYAM       Cleverness - winning over opponents
23 .    STAIRYAM        Steadiness, Never forsaking Bhaktas
24 .    DHAIRYAM        Keeping up promises
25 .    SOURYAM         Heroism, Fearlessness
26 .    PARAKRAMAM      Valor in destroying evil
27 .    SATYA KAMAM     Benevolence - Desiring only good
28 .    SATYASANKALPAM  Benevolence in determination
29      KRITITVAM       All actions directed towards uplift of Bhaktas.
30 .	KRITAJNATVAM	Gratitude towards even the smallest good acts

It is said that God himself does not know the number of auspicious qualities he has. Therefore, he is called "Asankhyeya Kalyana Guna Gana" - Numberless bunches of auspicious qualities. No dictionary can adequately enumerate his qualities. It is not because his qualities are exhausted but the dictionaries of Sastras have exhausted their words and exhausted themselves in enumerating the auspicious qualities of the Lord. Whatever qualities one speaks of the lord, it fits him. Nammalwar does not proceed in terms of NETI, NETI (Not this, Not this) though positive descriptions do not exhaust his qualities; it is the description that gets exhausted.

IN SHORT, HE IS THE SUBJECT OF ALL OBJECTS AND THE OBJECT OF ALL SUBJECTS.

SECTION 4

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JEEVATMA(CHETANA) AND PARAMATMA(ISWARA)
Naturally, the souls are drawn towards Iswara like iron filings to the magnet. As who will not love the one, the Only one who has all these qualities and more? And, this indeed is the objective of all souls (i.e.) to reach Godhead and enjoy absolute bliss in him and with him.

God does not expect you to behold him as your master even though He REALLY IS - WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. He does not expect you to pray to him or serve him if you do not want to. Because, he has nothing to gain by your prayer or by your service. He does not calculate the value of the things you offer him .He VALUES ONLY THE FEELING behind your offering.

Lord Krishna assures-
"Whoever offers me with loving devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, I enjoy this offering made with devotion by him who is pure-minded"17

If your ego does not permit you to accept the master - servant relationship, you can always consider other relationships acceptable to your ego and God will find them acceptable to him also. You can try to figure out so many other relationships with God on our mundane level say as father, mother, spouse, child, friend (or even as a servant as imagined by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathi) or whatever figure that appeals to you most. But, in figuring out, there should be absolute, unalloyed, total faith, belief and sincerity in your approach. Then, your ego will not be bothered by having to think of God as Master, Protector, Knower, Possessor or the abstract Brahman, Adhara, Niyantha or Seshi which we mentioned earlier.

God will surely fit into any of these and his flexibility in this should be experienced to be believed. These are some of the ways Alwars, Nayanmars, Sages, Saints and countless other Bhaktas have experienced down the ages. The well known Nayaka-Nayaki Bhava was adopted by Nammalwar, ANDAL, MIRA - to mention only a few.

Says Lord Krishna "Whoever takes refuge in me howsoever so do I favor them. O! Arjuna! Men experience my form in many ways"18 In fact, the 'Moola Mantram' suggests the various relationships that can be conceived of as between the Paramatma and Jeevatma.

PILLAI LOKACHARYA has listed 9 kinds of relationships

        PARAMATMA               JEEVAATMA               PARAMATMA
        JEEVAATMA
1.      Parents -               Child                   MATA-PITA       PUTRAH
2.      Protector               Protected               RAKSHAKAH       RAKSHYA
3.      Master                  Servant                 SESHI           SESHA
4.      Husband                 Wife                    BHARTHRU        BHARYA
5.      Knowledge               Knower                  GNEYA           GNATRU
6.      Possessor               Possession              SWAMI           SWAM
7.      Life                    Body                    ANMA            ANMEEGA
8.      Supporter               Supported               ADHARA          ADHEYA
9.      Enjoyer                 Enjoyed                 BHOKTA          BHOGYAM

Sastras ask the ego centered person -
IF YOU WITH ALL YOUR FAILINGS, FOIBLES, WEAKNESSES AND VULNERABILITY TO
THE VANISHING VICISSITUDES OF FORTUNES OR QUIRKS OF FATE THAT TILT YOUR
BALANCE AND TUMBLE YOU DOWN THE BRINK OF A PRECIPICE TO ESCAPE THE
EFFECTS OF WHICH YOU DO NOT HAVE THE VAGUEST VISION LET ALONE CONTROL-

IF SUCH A YOU COULD AFFORD TO BE PUFFED UP BRIMFUL WITH VAINGLORIOUOS
EGO, WHAT RIGHT HAVE YOU TO QUESTION THE ALL-POWERFUL GOD WHO
JUSTIFIABLY CAN HAVE ALL THE EGO YOU CAN POSSIBLY VISUALIZE AND THOSE
THAT YOU CANNOT VISUALIZE PLACED AS HE IS OMNIPRESENT, OMNISCIENT AND
OMNIVALENT?

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT HE HAS NONE. HE IS AS SUPREME IN HIS
POWERS AS HE IS IN HIS MERCY AND COMPASSION, LOVE AND HUMILITY AND
THEREFORE TOTALLY DEVOID OF ANY EGO OR OTHER BLEMISHES.

HE IS NOT LIKE A FEUDAL LORD WHO EXPECTS HIS COURTESANS TO KEEP PRAISING
HIM OR WHO IS THIRSTING TO PUNISH IF ONE FAILS TO PRAISE OR SUPPLICATE
OR SERVE. HE IS IMPERVIOUS BOTH TO YOUR BOUQUETS AND BRICKBATS, YOUR
PRAISE AND YOUR CONDEMNATION. UNLIKE THE FEUDAL LORD HE IS AS MERCIFUL
AS HE IS POWERFUL. HIS SVATANTRAM (INDEPENDENCE) IS MATCHED ONLY BY HIS
SOULABHYAM (EASY ACCESSIBILITY) AND KARUNYAM (MERCY).

It is only in our ignorance that we do not realize what we miss, claiming credit to ourselves for whatever happens that pleases us and condemning God whenever something undesirable happens. He only laughs at our immaturity and feels compassionate towards us patiently waiting to see that we attain a stage of evolution on our own, at our own pace when we will realize our follies and turn to him for real succor. He is ever eager to bestow this succor when we are really ready to receive it.

Once we become sufficiently evolved, we learn to admire his qualities with which he has endeared himself to us. It is out of such love, affection and attachment that spring forth naturally in us that we go about doing prayers (May be, also in our selfish interest to get some momentary benefits). He goes on granting us what we want (of course according to our being worthy of it) so that ultimately we would want what he wants to give us VIZ Moksha.

NOW THAT WE KNOW "WHO IS GOD", LET US TRY TO IMBIBE HUMILITY IN OURSELVES AND DESERVE HIS GRACE BY LOVING DEVOTION TO HIM.

NOTES
1. BG 2 / 23
Nainam chintanti sustrani nainam dahati pavakaha Nachainam kledayanty apo na soshayati bharatha.
2. BG 2 / 22
Vaasaamsi jeernaani yatha Vihaya / Navaaani grihnaathi naroparaani Tathaa Sareeraani vihaaya jeernaani / Anyaani samyaati navaani dehee.
3. Mait. Up. 1.4
4. Joad, p.6
5. Panchadasi, 1.27
6.BG 9 / 7
Sarva bhutaani kaunteya / Prakritam yaanti mamikaam Kalpakshaye punasthaam / Kalpadou visrujaamyaham
7. RVS 10.129
8. Nikhilananda, p.19
9. Mund. Up.1.1.7
10. Svet. Up. 1.13,14,15 and 16
11. Smith H,p.95
12.. Kempis Thomas A quoted by Smith H, p.95
13. BG 7 / 7
Matthah parataram nanyath / Kinchidapi dananjaya Mayi sarvamidam protam / Soothre manigana eva
14. Antaryami Brahmana , full
15. Subala Up., full
16. Saranagathi Gadhyam of Sri Ramanuja, full
17. BG 9 / 26
Patram pushpam phalam thoyam yo mey bhaktya prayachati Tad aham bhaktya upahritam asnaami prayatatmanah 18. BG 4 / 11
Ye yatha mam prapadyante / Tams tathaiva bajamyaham Mama varthmanu varthante / Manushyah partha sarvasah 19.Subala Up.
Matha pithah bratha nivasah saranam Suhrith gatih narayanah