Who_God_Is.pdf

8/12/2019 Who_God_Is.pdf

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Why do we need tounderstand God?

! One can t have complete understandingof the self without knowing about theSupreme Lord

!

Without defining Supreme Lord, onecan t define what is duty and what is notduty: convenience becomes the rule.! Ex: In the absence of sunlight, one can t see

oneself in darkness.


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Can God be defined ? ! God can be defined only by a qualified

person.! Srila Vyasa Deva, most qualified person,

compiled attributes of God in the Vedicscriptures in the following ways


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Definitions of God


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Definition of God in theVed ! nta S " tra

janm ! dy asya yatah(Ved ! nta S " tra; # r $ mad Bh ! gavatam 1.1.1)

! God is one from whom everything

emanates.


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Definition of God: # r $ %&opani ' ad

om " p #r $am adah % p #r $am idam " p #r $! t p #r $am udacyate p #r $asya p #r $am ! d ! ya

p#

r $

am ev !

va&

i '

yate(# r $ %&opani ' ads invocation)The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because Heis completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as thisphenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes.Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete initself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so manycomplete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.


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Another Definition of God

na tasya k ! ryam " kara $am " ca vidyatena tat-sama & c ! bhyadhika & ca d (&yate

par ! sya &aktir vividhaiva &r #yate

sv !

bh!

vik ) j

!na-bala-kriy

! ca(# vet !&vatara Upani ' ad 6.8)

The Supreme Lord does not possess bodily form like that of anordinary living entity. There is no difference between His body and Hissoul. He is absolute. All His senses are transcendental. Any one of Hissenses can perform the action of any other sense. Therefore, no one isgreater than Him or equal to Him. His potencies are multifarious, andthus His deeds are automatically performed as a natural sequence


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Yet another Definition of God

nityo nity ! n!* cetana & cetan ! n! meko bah #n!* yo vidadh ! ti k ! m ! n

(Ka (ha Upani ' ad 2.2.13) !

He is the prime eternal among all eternals. He isthe supreme living entity of all living entities, andHe alone is maintaining all life.

! God is the maintainer of everyone


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Further Definition of God

tam )&var !$! m " paramam " mahe &varam " ta * devat ! n! m " paramam " ca daivatam

patim " pat ) n! m " paramam " parast ! dvid ! ma devam " bhuvane &am )+ yam

(# vet !&vatara Upani ' ad 6.7) The Supreme Lord is the controller of all othercontrollers, and He is the greatest of all the diverseplanetary leaders. Everyone is under His control. All

entities are delegated with particular power only by theSupreme Lord; they are not supreme themselves.


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Definition of God by Par !&araMuni, a Great Vedic Authority

ai &varyasya samagrasyav ) ryasya ya &asa , &riya ,

j! na-vair ! gyayo & caiva' a $$!- bhaga it ). gan ! (Vi') u Pur !) a 6.5.47)

Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is thusdefined by Parasara Muni as one who is full in sixopulenceswho has full strength, fame, wealth,

knowledge, beauty, and renunciation.


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BeautyFameWealth

Knowledge Renunciation Strength


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Lord K (') a is the

Supreme Personalityof Godhead


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Traits of Bhagav ! n! Krishna : The all attractive! Rama : The all pleasure! Allah : The almighty! Parameshvara : The almighty

Analogy: Sun is known by different names indifferent languages


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Lines of evidence of K (') asSupremacy

! Krsna Himself declares so in Bhagavad-Gita

! All demigods acknowledge

e.g. Prayers of Lord Brahma, Prayers ofLord Siva, Prayers of Lord Indra! Krsnas extraordinary pastimes in

different incarnations.e.g., Lifting of Govardhana hill; killing ofPutana; making bridge over Indian ocean


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! Exhibits all opulences in full Bhagav n! Acknowledged by all scriptures. E.g.

Bhagavad-g ta, ! r mad Bh gavatam,

Brahma Samhita, Padma Purana,Upani! ads! All previous acharyas declare so - Sripad

Ramanujacarya, Madhavacarya, Narada,

Asita


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Scriptural evidence thatK(') a is God

k ('$ as tu bhagav ! n svayam(# r $ mad Bhagavatam 1.3.28)

K*') a is the Supreme Personality ofGodhead


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$&varah + paramah + k*') ah +sac-cid- ! nanda-vigrahah +

an ! dir ! dir govindah +

sarva-k ! ra ) a-k ! ra ) amK*') a, who is known as Govinda, is thesupreme controller. He has an eternal,

blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin ofall. He has no other origin, for He is the

prime cause of all causes.(Brahma Samhita 5.1)


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cint ! ma $i-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-v ( k ' a-lak '! v ( te ' u surabhir abhip ! layantam

lak ' m ) -sahasra- &ata-sambhrama-sevyam ! nam "govindam ! di-puru ' am " tam aham " bhaj ! mi

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first

progenitor, who is tending cows yielding all desires inabodes built with spiritual gems and surrounded bymillions of purpose trees. He is always served with

great reverence and affection by hundreds andthousands of goddesses of fortune.

(Prayers by Lord Brahma, Brahma Samhita (5.29))


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ve ) u , kva ) antam aravinda-dal ! yat ! k' am-barh ! vata , sam asit ! mbuda-sundar !- gam

kandarpa-ko (i-kaman $ ya-vi &e ' a- &obha ,govindam ! di-puru ' a , tam aha , bhaj ! mi

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in

playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotuspetals with head decked with peacock's feather, with

the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blueclouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions

of Cupids.(Prayers by Lord Brahma, Brahma Samhita (5.30))


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&r $ -bhagav ! n uv ! casu-durdar &am ida , r " pa ,

d*'(av ! n asi yan mamadev ! apy asya r "pasya

nitya , dar &ana-k !- k' i) a .The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very

difficult to behold. Even the demigods are everseeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so

dear.(Bhagavad-gita 11.52)


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! Arjuna, the first student of Bhagavad-Gitaaccepts (Bhagavad-Gita 10.12-13)


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Krishna: From Whom EverythingEmanates

aha * sarvasya prabhavomatta , sarva * pravartate

iti matv ! bhajante m !* budh ! bh ! va-samanvit !,

I am the source of all spiritual and materialworlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise

who perfectly know this engage in Mydevotional service and worship Me with all their

hearts.(Bhagavad-gita 10.8)


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O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me.Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.

Bhagavad-g $ t! 7.7


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K(') a - Supreme Controller,Supreme Enjoyer, Best Friend

bhokt ! ra * yaja-tapas !* sarva-loka-mahe &varam

suh ( da * sarva-bh #t ! n!*

j! tv ! m !* &!ntim ( cchatiA person in full consciousness of Me, knowing

Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of allsacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of

all planets and demigods, and the benefactorand well-wisher of all living entities, attainspeace from the pangs of material miseries.

(Bhagavad-g t 5.29)


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K(') a is Supreme Personality ofGodhead: * c ! ryas confirm

narayana parovyakta! Narayana, or Krishna, is beyond this material

creation - Sripada Sankaracarya! Accepted by all great acaryas like Sankaracarya,

Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka Svami,Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and many otherauthorities of Vedic knowledge


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Krishna is the SupremePersonality of Godhead:

Arjuna delcaresarjuna uv ! ca param " brahma param " dh ! ma

pavitram " paramam " bhav ! n

puru ' am " &!&vatam " divyam! di-devam ajam " vibhum

! hus tv ! m (' ayah % sarvedevar ' ir n ! radas tath !

asito devalo vy ! sah % svayam " caiva brav )' i me (Bhagavad-gita 10.12-13)


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Krishna is the SupremePersonality of Godhead: Arjuna

declaresArjuna said:You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the

ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth.You are the eternal, transcendental, originalperson, the unborn, the greatest. All the greatsages such as Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasaconfirm this truth about You, and now YouYourself are declaring it to me.

! One should accept Krishna as Arjuna, the firststudent of Bhagavad-gita, has accepted


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Appearance of theSupreme Personalityof Godhead: Reasons

and Significance


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God descends due to His ownwill and mercy

! na tasya k ! ryam k ! ranam ca vidyate.Lord is not bound to do anything but stillwhy did Lord appear in this world?

! Root of all problems: lack of feeling ofsecurity in relationship with the SupremeLord

! This relationship can t reestablished by

one s own endeavor. Only Supreme Lordcan revive it, on the desire of living entity


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Divinity of Lord

s Descent! Lord appearance is divine.! When He appears in this world, He is

equally divine, as in spiritual world! When Krishna appeared in Mathura, 5000

years ago,! He didn t appear through womb of Devaki

like an ordinary child! He appeared with four hands and with

transcendental body bedecked withornaments


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Lord

s descends in Histranscendental form

ajo 'pi sann avyay ! tm !bh #t ! n! m )&varo 'pi san

prak ( ti * sv ! m adhi '/ h! yasambhav ! my ! tma-m ! yay !

Although I am unborn and My transcendentalbody never deteriorates, and although I am theLord of all living entities, I still appear in everymillennium in My original transcendental form.

(Bhagavad-g $ t! 4.6)


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Lord

s Descent, Birth andActivities are Transcendental

janma karma ca me divyameva * yo vetti tattvata ,

tyaktv ! deha * punar janmanaiti m ! m eti so 'rjuna

One who knows the transcendental nature ofMy appearance and activities does not, uponleaving the body, take his birth again in this

material world, but attains My eternal abode, OArjuna.

(Bhagavad-g t 4.9)


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Krishna and Living Entity

Krsnaa) Eternal and remembers

past, present and future

b)

Appears by own will

c) Body is identical with self.d) Body doesn t change or

deteriorate.

Living Entitya) Eternal but forgetfulb) Forced to appear by

karmac) Body is material and

temporaryd) Body changes and

deteriorates.


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Lord

s Descent - Purpose

yad ! yad ! hi dharmasyagl ! nir bhavati bh ! rata

abhyutth ! nam adharmasyatad ! tm ! na * s ( j ! my aham

Whenever and wherever there is a decline inreligious practice, O descendant of Bharata, anda predominant rise of irreligionat that time Idescend Myself.

(Bhagavad-g $ t! 4.7)


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Lord

s Descent - Purpose paritr !$! ya s ! dh #n!* vin!&!ya ca du ' k ( t ! m

dharma-sa * sth ! pan ! rth ! yasambhav ! mi yuge yuge

To deliver the pious and to annihilate themiscreants, as well as to re-establish the

principles of religion, I Myself appear, millenniumafter millennium.

(Bhagavad-g t 4.8)


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Lord

s Descent - Purpose! To protect sadhus (devotees)

! Protecting a sadhu means to protect sadhu srelationship with Krishna

! Krishna appears and performs activities to give faithto sadhus. Faith or trust is the primary ingredient ofrelationship

! To destroy demoniac people! To destroy demoniac mentality within the hearts of

demoniac people! To help us reestablish our relationship with

Krishna, not sentimental but by giving teachingsof Bhagavad-gita


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Three Levels of GodRealization


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Three Aspects of AbsoluteTruth

! The same Absolute Truth (Krishna) isrealized in three ways according to one sdisposition! Impersonal Brahman aspect (partial)! Localised Paramatma aspect (partial)! Bhagavan (complete)


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Three Aspects of AbsoluteTruth

vadanti tat tattva-vidastattva * yaj j ! nam advayam

brahmeti param ! tmeti bhagav ! n iti &abdyate

The Absolute Truth is realized in three phasesof understanding by the knower of the AbsoluteTruth, and all of them are identical. Such phases

of the Absolute Truth are expressed asBrahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan.

(Sr mad Bh gavatam 1.2.11)


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Analogies for illustrating thethree aspects

! Approaching Sun:! Experiencing all pervasive, glaring sun light !

Brahman realization! Knowing sun planet ! Paramatma realization! Knowing sun god ! Bhagavan realization

! Approaching Mountain:! Experiencing mountain as a huge mass from distance

like a cloud ! Brahman realization! Experiencing that mountain has trees, some roads,

some waterfalls etc. from closer distance ! Paramatma realization

! Actually entering the mountain and interacting withpeople there ! Bhagavan realization


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! Few villagers going to see the train! A few saw it as light and returned back to

inform rest of the village that train is a light! A few stayed and noticed the engine and

bogies and shared their realization with restof the village that train is just a chain of boxesbeing pulled by another strange looking box.

! A few were further inquisitive and patient andthus got the full understanding of the train, itspurpose etc.

Analogies for illustrating thethree aspects


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Brahman Aspect

brahma $o hi prati '/ h! hamam ( tasy ! vyayasya ca

&!&vatasya ca dharmasyasukhasyaik ! ntikasya ca

And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman,which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and

is the constitutional position of ultimatehappiness.

(Bhagavad-g t 14.27)


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Brahman Aspect! Realizing Brahman means realizing the sat

(eternity) feature of the Lord! Brahman is the effulgence from the

transcendental body of Supreme Lord!

It is impersonal, all pervading, and eternal


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Param ! tm ! Aspect! Localized aspect of Supreme Lord who

accompanies jiva in material world to helpin fulfilling its independent desires

! Although Paramatma is present in everyliving being, yet He is the same person

! He is situated in the heart! Realizing sat and cit features of the Lord

i.e. eternality and knowledge aspects ofthe Lord.


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Jiva vs. Param ! tm !sam ! ne v ( k ' e puru ' o nimagno

'n )&ay ! &ocati muhyam ! nah % ju '/ am " yad ! pa &yaty anyam )&am

asya mahim ! nam iti v ) ta- &okah %"Although the two birds are in the same tree, the

eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety andmoroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of thetree. But if in some way or other he turns hisface to his friend who is the Lord and knows

His gloriesat once the suffering bird becomesfree from all anxieties."(Katha Upanishad 1.2.20)

(As cited in purport to verse 2.22 of BG As It Is)


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Param ! tm ! is thelocalized

aspect of theAbsolute

Truth


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Param ! tm ! : Our Ever WellWishing Best Friend

gatir bhart ! prabhu , s ! k ') niv ! sa , &ara $a * suh ( t

prabhava , pralaya , sth ! na *nidh ! na * b ) jam avyayam

I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, thewitness, the abode, the refuge, and the most

dear friend. I am the creation and theannihilation, the basis of everything, the resting

place and the eternal seed.(Bhagavad-g t 9.18)


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Param ! tm ! accompanieseach one of us

sarvasya c ! ham " h ( di sannivi '/ omattah % sm ( tir j ! nam apohanam " cavedai & ca sarvair aham eva vedyoved ! nta-k ( d veda-vid eva c ! ham

I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Mecome remembrance, knowledge and

forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known.Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am

the knower of the Vedas.(Bhagavad-gita 15.15)


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Param ! tm ! resides in the

heart of livingentities


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Param ! tm ! : Our Ever WellWishing Best Friend

)&vara , sarva-bh #t ! n!* h ( d-de &e 'rjuna ti '/ hati

bhr ! mayan sarva-bh #t ! niyantr ! r #+ h! ni m ! yay !

The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone'sheart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings

of all living entities, who are seated as on amachine, made of the material energy.

(Bhagavad-gita 18.61)


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Param ! tm ! accompanies theliving entity

! Jiva by nature is incapable of fulfilling itsdesires on its own

! Paramatma makes note of jiva s desiresand arranges situations to fulfill them

! He witnesses all the activities (thoughts,desires, feelings) of the soul. Accordinglyawards bodies to facilitate them

! He is the most intimate friend livingclosest to us. He patiently waits for the

jiva to turn towards Him


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Bhagav ! n aspect of GodRealization is most complete

! Supreme Personality of Godhead(Bhagav n) is the complete aspect ofAbsolute Truth

! One revives one

s eternal relationshipwith Supreme Lord, Krishna

! Realizing this aspect gives full satisfaction tosoul

!

Bhagavad-gita gradually guides its studentto this topmost level of realization


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Bhagav ! n is the SupremePerson

! Absolute Truth is not just impersonalBrahman and Localized Paramatma BUTHE IS A PERSON having HIS OWN

Nama (Names) Rupa (Form)Guna (Qualities) Lila (Pastimes)

Dhama (Abode) Sambandha (Relationships)

Iccha (Desires) Likes and DislikesFeelings Individuality


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Bhagav ! n: References fromthe Bhagavad-g $ t!

! Bhagavad-Gita 15.6! Bhagavad-Gita 10.8 13! Bhagavad-Gita 4.6 10! Bhagavad-Gita 8.5! Bhagavad-Gita 12.13-20! Bhagavad-Gita 9.14! Bhagavad-Gita 10.25! Bhagavad-Gita 9.22 34

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