# 006 Vedic vision of God

Vedic vision of God

In the bhagavad gĩtā, in one particular ślokā, the Lord talks about four types of devotees –

caturvidhā bhajante māṃ janāḥ sukṛtino'rjuna l

ārto jijñāsurarthārthĩ jñānĩ ca bharatarṣabha ll 7-16

There are four types of devotees - ārta, arthārthĩ, jijñāsu and jñānĩ bhaktaḥ. Arta bhaktaḥ is one who is a devotee in distress facing some problems. And he wants to worship god to get freedom from his stress and distress. Whereas, arthārthĩ bhaktaḥ is one who does not have any particular problem now; but, he is engaged in various ventures, and in all of them he desperately wants success. May be an admission in an American university! So, varieties of things a person desires. Whatever he desires is called arthaḥ. arthaḥ means, wealth also. Or, anything I desire is called arthaḥ. So, arthārthĩ is one who wants success in his seeking. Both ārta & arthārthĩ bhaktās want to worship god either to get things or get rid of things. In fact throughout our life, we are only busy either getting things or getting rid of things.

And these two types of bhaktās are so obsessed with their personal needs of getting and getting rid of things, they will worship god in any manner, suggested by anyone, at any place! If one person introduces a temple somewhere in a unique corner, they will go there and will go to any temple, any church, any mosque or any place and offer any form of worship. I want to somehow get what I want. I don't mind any type of pũjā. Thus, we find ārta and arthārthĩ bhaktā are obsessed with god worship. They don't want to know 'who this blessed god is'. They worship god alright. In any form. But, they are not interested in knowing who this god is. How many gods are there, whether god is a male or female, formless or with form, all those details they are not interested. They go by pure faith. Some god must be there perhaps. Because, they are all doing pũjā, I also want to do pũjā, hoping that my problem will be solved.

Thus, we have got many worshipers of god who are not interested in the knowledge of god or enquiry in to the nature of god. And Lord kṛṣṇā says, 'among these ārta and arthārthĩ bhaktās, some of them - in due course, (some of them, not all of them) may get sufficient puṇyam so that from ārta/arthārthĩ bhakti they become the third variety, a rare variety, called jijñāsu bhaktā. First, they want to know, 'is there a god at all?' Right from that, there is a problem; because, modern science - which is most powerful now - is rejecting the very existence of god. I should know what is god. I should know what is the nature of god. This desire comes. 'atātho brahma jijñāsā' (brahma sũtra 1). It is that word jijñāsā that kṛṣṇā borrows. jijñāsu bhaktaḥ bhavati.

And initially, it is a casual desire. It is not very serious. But, after some time, this desire becomes more and more; and it becomes a burning desire. And all forms of books which talk about god realisation in English or in any language - other than Sanskrit; because, we don't know Sanskrit! - in all the languages, all books that are available on god realisation, he reads. He finds that all those books are full of mystic experiences and mystic visions of god appearing, giving darśanam and disappearing; and miraculous events happening! All these ideas are given in the books of god realisation. Full of mysticism, full of miracles, full of extra-ordinary experiences. But, all of them have got one common statement. They all say, 'you require a guru for guidance'. Therefore, this person gets the idea that - 'I want the vision of god'. Because, by now, the jijñāsa has become tĩvra jijñāsa. So, 'I also want god vision. And so, now I require a guru'.

And suppose, because of his extra-ordinary puṇyam, he gets a guru - looking ordinary or extra-ordinary - whatever the look may be, suppose he gets a guru who belongs to the vedic tradition. Vaidika paramparāgata guruḥ, which guru paramparā we are worshiping on vyāsa pũjā day –

nārāyaṇam padmabhuvam vasiṣtham śaktim ca tat putra parāśaram ca vyāsam śukam

gauḍapādam mahāntam govinda yogĩndra mathāsya śiṣyam l

śri śankarācārya mathāsya padmapādam ca hastāmalakam ca śiṣyam tam toṭakam vārtika kāram anyān asmad gurũn santatam ānato'smi ll

So, if he finds traditional guru, coming in vaidika paramparā, he is very, very fortunate. Imagine this disciple approaches such a guru. And his expectations are based on all the god realisation books he had read. Therefore he thinks, the guru will teach him varieties of meditations, through which he can have mysterious experiences; mysterious visions he can get. Thus, he goes with an expectation of learning varieties of meditations.! If the guru is a traditional guru, he never talks about meditation. śiṣyā is waiting; waiting with expectation. The guru's first statement is, 'god is the topic of this scriptures; therefore, if you have to know god, first you should expose yourself to the teaching of the scriptures'. Thus, a traditional guru always introduces scriptural teaching; never meditation.

All the scriptures are full of guru-śiṣyā dialogue; and in all of them, śiṣyā approaches the guru and surrenders. And the guru says, 'let us start learning'. Arjunā in the bhagavad gĩtā surrenders to Kṛṣṇā and says -"śiṣyaste'haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam" - 'please teach me'. Kaivalya begins with - "adhĩhi bhagavan brahmavidyāṃ variṣṭhāṃ sadā sadbhiḥ sevyamānāṃ nigũḍhām" - 'may you teach'. "vedāntavijñānasuniścitārthāḥ". Thus, traditional guru talks only about exposing oneself to the scriptural knowledge "śrotavyaḥ mantavyaḥ nididhyāsitavyaḥ" (bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣat) - 'may you expose yourself to the teaching' and try to assimilate the Lord, as revealed by the scriptures.

tasmai sa vidvān upasannāya samyak praśānta cittāya śamānvitāya l

yenākṣaraṃ puruṣaṃ veda satyaṃ provāca tāṃ tattvato brahmavidyām ll (Muṇḍakopaniṣat)

Thus, all the scriptural words are those that the guru systematically taught the disciple. So, the fundamental difference between a traditional guru, belonging to vedic paramparā, and any other guru, who does not belong to the paramparā is tradition starts with teaching; others start with meditation. This is one of the fundamental differences.

Once the teaching starts, all the scriptures reveal god in a particular form, which is unique to the prasthānatrayam. Whether it is the upaniṣad or it is the bhagavad gĩtā or it is brahma sũtram - which are the fundamental scriptures - a jijñāsu bhaktā, (remember the name of the bhaktā, a jijñāsu bhaktā) should expose to the contents of this teaching. One of the upaniṣad (they named as the 'first' upaniṣad; it is not the first one; but, generally enumerated as the first upaniṣad) is ĩśāvāsya upaniṣad, which reveals ĩśvarā as, in its first mantrā:

ĩśāvāsyam idam sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat l

tena tyaktena bhuñjĩthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam ll

The 'vision of god' requires the conversion of our attitude towards this universe. The 'vision of god', very important sentence. The vision of god involves conversion of our attitude towards the very world we are experiencing. Or, in short, everything that we are experiencing. What is the conversion of the attitude? The upaniṣad says, before the scriptural study, we are looking at everything as world or universe. You have got jagat bhāvanā or prapañca bhāvanā (bhāvanā means Attitude). What should you do? You have to replace the jagat and prapañca bhāvanā with ĩśvara bhāvanā. That means what? Everything that I am experiencing is none other than ĩśvarā and ĩśvarā only!

Puruṣa evedam sarvam l yadbhũtaṃ yacca bhavyam l utāmṛtatvasyeśānaḥ l (puruṣa sũktam) Sarvam viṣṇumayam jagat. In the viṣṇu sahasranāma, the first word of bhagavān is, viśvam. Viśvam means, what? The whole universe. Therefore, in the vision of the Veda, that we are looking at the world as a world is a mistake; but, we have to learn to look at the very universe as ĩśvaraḥ.

Therefore, ĩśvara darśanam is not seeing a 'separate' ĩśvarā, who is other than the individual and world. Arta and Arthārthĩ bhaktās think ĩśvarā is a third entity other than jĩva and jagat. There is an extra-cosmic ĩśvarā, which extra-cosmic ĩśvarā I have to see, through mysterious experience. This is the approach of ārta arthārthĩ bhaktā.

But, the vedic approach is, ĩśvara darśanam is seeing the world as ĩśvarā. It is not a separate ĩśvara darśanam; but, learning to see the world itself as ĩśvarā. Therefore, when I systematically study the scriptures for a length of time, my idea of 'world' is replaced - whatever I experience is ĩśvarā. So, jĩva - jagat - ĩśvarā this is the triangle that I imagine. But, veda says, 'there is no jĩva - jagat - ĩśvarā triangle. Triangular format is wrong format'. And veda presents a new format, which is the preliminary binary format - which is, dropping the idea of jĩva jagat ĩśvarā. Individual, world and god is a wrong approach. Then what? It is individual and god alone. That is the preliminary or intermediary binary format.

So, vedic ĩśvara darśanam is, changing my perspective and trying to look at the whole universe with reverence. That is why in viṣṇu sahasranāma, even though we do pũjā to the deity, one of the dhyāna ślokās - which is the most popular one - is,

bhũḥ pādau yasya nābhirviyadasuranilaścandra sũryau ca netre I

karṇāvāśāḥ śiro dyaurmukhamapi dahano yasya vāsteyamabdhiḥ II

bhũḥ pādau - the earth is the feet of the Lord, candra sũryau ca netre - candra and sũrya are the eyes of the Lord. yasya nābhiḥ viyat - the entire ākāśa is the nābhi of the Lord, karṇau āśāḥ - all the 10 directions are the ears of the Lord. So, you can never talk a secret; everywhere god's ears are there! Thus, description of ĩśvarā is, as viśvarũpa ĩśvarā. ĩśvarā is world. World is ĩśvarā! So, drop you obsession with a separate ĩśvarā, other than the world. Once you think of a separate ĩśvarā - other than the world, you will get in to mysticism, you will get in to miracles. Veda does not want us to get obsessed with mysticism and miracles and extraordinary visions. They are not to be obsessed with. What is the pursuit of god? Gradually learning to respect everything .. I experience, every man, every animal, every women, every insect, everything is none other than god.

Even in the daily pũjā, which many people do mechanically, the same idea is conveyed. During every upacāra, the mantra chanted is very important, to be observed carefully -

laṃ pṛthivyātmane gandhān dhārayāmi I haṃ ākāśātmane puṣpaiḥ pũjayāmi I yaṃ vāyvātmane

dhũpaṃ āghrāpayāmi I raṃ agnyātmane dĩpaṃ darśayāmi I vaṃ amṛtātmane amṛtaṃ

mahānaivedyaṃ nivedayāmi I saṃ sarvātmane sarvopacārapũjāṃ samarpayāmi

laṃ pṛthivyātmane gandhān dhārayāmi - even though he applies candanam on the idol or photo, he says, pṛthivyātmane - 'oh Lord, you are in the form of pṛthivĩ. You are the earth. haṃ ākāśātmane puṣpaiḥ pũjayāmi - thus ākāśa is also you; vāyu is also you. Thus, ĩśvara darśanam according to veda is attitudinal transformation. Miracles we need not go in to; we need not debate. Miracles are there, okay. Not there, okay. But, we are not interested in miracles. Spiritual progress requires changing our attitude towards the universe. There is no other ĩśvara darśanam that veda prescribes, other than attitudinal transformation.

This ĩśvara darśanam should lead to internal sanyāsa. I will call it, sanyāsa binary format. What is the sanyāsa? ĩśāvāsya upaniṣad says - "tena tyaktena bhuñjĩthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam". So, may you renounce the notion that you are seeing the world. May you replace it with the attitude that you are experiencing god. When? All the time. Not with eyes closed. With all the sense organs open, declare, 'I am experiencing ĩśvarā all the time'. The entire human life is the rarest opportunity to appreciate the viśvarũpa ĩśvarā, all the time.

And once I appreciate 'everything belongs to ĩśvarā and ĩśvarā means the totality', I have to renounce two

important things. One is mamakāra, the idea that I am the owner of certain things. Since everything is ĩśvarā, everything belongs to ĩśvarā. Kasya svid dhanam? ĩśāvāsya asks the question, 'who is the owner of the wealth?' It is not a question. It is ākṣepārthe kim. 'Who is the owner?' means, nobody is the owner of anything. Nobody is the controller of anything. So, I have to renounce the idea of ownership and controllership. I should remember, I use everything given by god for a few decades. I am only the user. I am never the owner. bhagavān is the owner. He has given only for lease. Lease rent we pay is puṇyam; because, manuṣya janma is due to puṇyam. That is why, only you can listen to the talk. Therefore, because of puṇyam, bhagavān has leased us the human body, in which, I get an opportunity for enjoying viśvarũpa ĩśvarā all the time. In the evening many people go to the beach; but, there also, they eat popcorn and miss the wonderful ocean, the sky, the stars! The whole creation is wonderful. Our own body is an extra-ordinary body. Instead of appreciating the viśvarũpa ĩśvarā, I get obsessed with a few things and develop mamakāra, ownership. And thinking that I can control everything, I worry about the future.

But, I should remember, 'I can contribute little to the future as a puny little individual; what is going to happen in the future is decided by ĩśvarā alone'. Thus, once I renounce the idea of ownership and controllership and do whatever I can do in life, then future worry is also not there. Because, everything is ĩśvarā. Future events are also ĩśvarā.

nāsthā dharme na vasunicaye naiva kāmopabhoge

yad bhāvyaṃ tad bhavatu bhagavan pũrvakarmānurũpam I

etatprārthyaṃ mama bahumataṃ janmajanmāntare'pi

tvatpādāmbhoruhayugagatā niścalā bhaktirastu II [mukundamālā stotram]

'Oh Lord, whatever should happen in the creation according to the law of karma, let it all happen. I am ready; because, all events are nothing but the movements of the Lord alone'. That is why it is called naṭarāja nṛtyam, the cosmic dance. The whole movement of the universe, the rhythmic movement of the atom, rhythmic movement of the solar system, they are all looked upon as the dance of ĩśvarā. Therefore, I don't have to close my eyes for ĩśvara darśanam. I don't require miracles for ĩśvara darśanam. I only should change my bhāvanā, based on the scriptural teaching. Then, ownership is replaced by usership; controllership is replaced by contributorship. Life becomes an enjoyment. Then, the concept of mokṣa also will be different.

Now, we don't look upon this creation as god. We look upon this as world. Therefore, we have a negative

attitude. Hence, our concept of mokṣa is, running away from the world. 'Somehow I should die; never to come back here again'. That means, we hate the world; which is, totally against the vedic vision. We think, 'we have a world to be hated and we have a god somewhere to be loved'. We have to hate the world and run away from the world; and, we have to love the god who is somewhere else! In vaikuṇṭha or kailāsa. Veda never accepts that. There is no hateable world and lovable god, as an opposite entity. The world you hate is none other than god. So, stop hating the world; start revering the world. Mokṣa is freedom from this ignorance. What ignorance? The world is to be renounced and I have to run to god! Run away from the World and run towards god - this concept of escapist Mokṣa should go away.

Dropping this ignorance and learning to appreciate the universe in its totality and variety, is binary format, jijñāsu bhaktā's attitude number one. What is binary format? Don't say, individual, world and god. Forget it. Replace it by individual and god alone. There is no such thing called world. "tena tyaktena bhuñjĩthā" - renounce the idea that, 'what I have is a hateable world'. Everything is lovable ĩśvarā only! adveṣṭā sarvabhũtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca (gĩtā 12-13)

Those who are obsessed with mysticism and miracles will not like this, they want to experience some other god, other than this terrible world. They want to mysteriously experience some god, who will be āyā rām and gayā rām. They want āyā rām – gayā rām god. They will renounce the vedic teaching and go in search of mystic guru.

But, if the śiṣya is able to survive, then the guru gives further teaching, which is more profound, which I will summarise today, being Gurupũrṇimā day. This teaching alone we are studying in all the Upaniṣads. So, when the teaching continues, bhagavān gives in the gĩtā a very beautiful teaching - from the 7th chapter to the 12th chapter. He says, 'I have got one higher nature and one lower nature, called parāprakṛti & aparāprakṛti. My own (my own means, bhagavān's) higher nature is consciousness principle. parāprakṛti is caitanyam. And, I have got a lower nature, which is called aparāprakṛti, which is matter'.

Thus, god consists of consciousness principle and matter principle. brahman and māyā. parāprakṛti and aparāprakṛti. Everything that you experience is matter. Therefore, it comes under the inferior nature of god or aparāprakṛti. Why inferior? Because, it is mixed with pleasure and pain. It is a mixture of opposites. Still, it is also what? It is also ĩśvarā only. What ĩśvarā? aparāprakṛti ĩśvarā. And, there is a higher nature - parāprakṛti. That is brahman. And, how to see that parāprakṛti brahman? Lord Kṛṣṇā says –

bhũmirāpo'nalo vāyuḥ khaṃ mano buddhireva ca I

ahańkāra itĩyaṃ me bhinnā prakṛtiraṣṭadhā II (7.4)

apareyamitastvanyāṃ prakṛtiṃ viddhi me parām I

jĩvabhũtāṃ mahābāho yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat II (7.5)

The parāprakṛti, the higher nature, the consciousness - is never an object of experience. It is available in the form of the very 'you', the experiencer of everything. Thus, the ultimate teaching is, the whole material universe, including the body and mind, is aparāprakṛti, the māyā part of ĩśvarā; and, 'I', the consciousness principle, which is not an object of experience, that 'I', the sākṣi caitanyam is, parāprakṛti. Everything is god. What I experience is lower god; and 'I', the experiencer am the higher god. How is it?! Everything is god. So, everything is to be revered. And whatever I experience is the lower god; it is material & changing. Whereas, 'I', the experiencer, is the higher god. This is the jñānĩ's binary format.

'I' am brahman, the parāprakṛti. What I experience in front is māyā, the aparāprakṛti. Both the 'observer' and 'observed' put together is the 'total' ĩśvarā. 'I' the experiencer am god. Experienced world/matter is god. The experiencer 'I' is consciousness god. Experienced is matter god. So, everything requires only one attitude. What is the attitude? Reverence & reverence.

The whole life is a life of worship and reverence. Thus, the traditional vedic paramparā does not involve mysticism. Does not involve miracles. They may be there, they may not be there. We need not be obsessed with them. Those who are interested, let them go. But, our approach is what? I am god and whatever I experience is also god. Sarvam viṣṇumayam jagat. Sarvam śivamayam jagat (let me say both). Finally, sarvam devĩmayam jagat. (this side I should not leave!) Everything is god. Dayānanda Swāmĩjĩ's favourite quote - in Tamil He enjoys saying-"இருப்பதெல்லாம் இறைவனே" (All that is there is only GOD). This is the wonderful guru paramparā. Whoever comes to this paramparā is fortunate and it is that paramparā we worship today. With these words I conclude my talk.

(Swāmi Parāmārthānandājĩ's talk on Gurupũrṇimā day 2017)