Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism): One God, many gods

[saidevo]

The family was at the dining table. Mummy, and the twins Arvind and

Padma, were happy that daddy was back home early for dinner. When

everybody was seated, mummy served the first course of dinner--roti,

dal and onion raita--and took a seat near Arvind. Padma sat near her

daddy, who seemed very relaxed that evening.

 

"Daddy", began the kids together, "can we ask you something?"

 

"Shoot it", said daddy.

 

"We're really confused, daddy", began Padma. "Our class teacher said

today that we Hindus have really only one God named Brahman and not

many Gods as we think."

 

"Before the teacher could explain it", Arvind added, "the bell rang

and the class was over."

 

"Daddy", said Padma, "is it true that we have only one God?"

 

"No, we have several in the Puja room!", pleaded Arvind. Counting on

his fingers, he continued, "Ganesha, Shiva, Vishnu, Muruga, Rama,

Krishna, Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati and many more!"

 

"And Ganesha is our favourite God!", said Padma.

 

"I don't know who is Brahman." said Arvind. "I have not seen him.

How does he look like, dad?"

 

"I am not giving up Ganesha for Brahman", said Padma sternly.

 

"Or any other God for that matter", said Arvind.

 

"Don't worry, I will explain to you." said daddy. "What did your

mummy say to your question?"

 

"Well I said, just like we are a family of four people, the one God

is a family of many gods."

 

"We will put it this way. Padma, who are you?"

 

"I am a girl, daddy."

 

"Who are you to me?"

 

"I am your daughter."

 

"So, Padma has two forms, a girl and a daughter. She is a girl

basically, but to me and mummy, she is a daughter."

 

"Same way, I am a boy and a son", observed Arvind.

 

"You understand? Now, Padma, do you have any more forms?"

 

Padma was quick to grasp the idea. Nodding her head, she said, "Yes

daddy, many more! I am a sister to Arvind, a student in the class,

a friend of Valarmathi, a granddaughter to my four grandparents..."

 

"Are you the same or different in each form?"

 

"The same, of course!"

 

"No she is different", corrected Arvind. "She goes to school smartly

dressed, she is often naughty to me, a helping daughter at home

and, always the pet granddaughter!"

 

"You both are right. Padma looks different in each form or role,

but she is the same girl in all of them. In the same way Arvind,

you are what Padma is at each of your roles, but only your form is

different."

 

"I understand that dad," said Arvind. "But Padma and I are different,

aren't we? She is a girl and I am a boy."

 

"Yes and no. You are a boy and she is a girl alright, but both of

you, and me and mummy too, are humans. Therefore, all of us are

human forms."

 

"But dad", said Arvinid, "Is God a human too? Because every God

we have is in the human form."

 

"Except our Ganesha", said Padma. "He is special. He is a human

with an animal head."

 

"Yes, God takes a human form when He wants to take a form. Because

a human is the best of all the forms that God has made in this

world."

 

"But aren't these forms different, dad?" said Arvind, "just as you

and mummy and Padma and I are different?"

 

"Yes Arvind. The God forms are different, but the God in them is

the same One God, whom we call Brahman."

 

"But daddy", asked Padma, "why do we worship God in many human

forms when He is Brahman, the only one?"

 

"This world of ours is a colorful world. We have different types

of humans here. Some want wealth, some want health, some knowledge,

and some, nothing except what God would give them. Since God creates,

gives and controls everything in this world, He appears as Lakshmi

to those who want wealth, as Ganesha to those who want health, as

Sarasvati to those who want knowledge, and so on; generally, as any

personal God according to human nature."

 

"We have many Gods in our Puja room", said Arvind. "Does this mean

that we want everything dad?"

 

Daddy laughed. "You are right in a way. For you and Padma, Ganesha

is your favourite God. In the same way, everyone has a personal God,

an Ishta Devata. But since we all love everyone of our God forms,

we worship them in many forms."

 

"If Lakshmi gives wealth and Sarasvati knowledge, what do Shiva and

Vishnu give daddy?" said Padma.

 

"That will be a long discussion. We can have it some other day.

For now, you understand two things: firstly, God is only one, called

Brahman, but is worshipped by us Hindus in many forms. And secondly,

though we worship God in many forms, we know that God is only one."

 

"Yes, we now understand Daddy", said the children in chorus. Arvind

continued, "Dad, if God appears in human form, then we are God, too?"

 

"Yes we are, basically, but most of us don't realize it. That is why

we think of ourselves as separate human beings."

 

"If God is human, then daddy is my favourite human God!", said Padma.

 

"And mummy is my favourite human God!", said Arvind.

 

"Don't forget your teacher and the guest", said mummy, who was

listening to the whole chat with interest.

 

"Yes mom", said the children together. "We now understand what you

often tell us. Matru Devo Bhava; Pitru Devo Bhava; Acharya Devo

Bhava; Athithi Devo Bhava.".

 

Regards,

saidevo

[Buffy]

That was wonderful! Thanks for posting!

 

Cheers,

Buffy

[insight]

That's a simple and powerful philo.

metta

[Dark Mind]

I liked that a lot :lol:. I'm still agnostic but that was a much better (And simpler :)) explanation of "what" God is and why "He" takes "different" forms...

[UncleAl]

Little girl in church, "Mommy, why does god always come up short of pocket change?"

Mommy, "It's a test of faith, dear."

Little girl, "The Emperor is naked."

 

Mommy, "Shut up and put your allowance in the collection plate or we will all burn in Hell forever. God is generous with suffering and parsimonious with salvation, because He loves us. The rich will suffer worst of all in the afterlife."

 

The technical term for "religion" is "bunko" - a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property. No cat, no cradle.

[Buffy]

Parody is good, but you're off-topic, pal, move along to your own thread.

The technical term for "religion" is "bunko" - a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property. No cat, no cradle.

Collection plate: $1.00

Alms for the poor pushing your Karma into the plus range: priceless.

 

"Will you stifle, Edith!"

 

Cold scold,

Buffy

[Buffy]

UncleAl also rose to the occasion...

No doubt, but it was off-topic and mucking up a really great thread!

 

Thwack!

Buffy

[Boerseun]

Not wanting to step in the same doo-doo that Uncle Al stepped in, I have the following to say:

 

(And forgive me, Buffy, if I screw up the thread any further...)

 

People are suckers for religion.

 

Religion needs no proof. Religion needs no evidence. Religion demands parable, hyperbole, metaphors, and small change on Sundays.

 

The poetry of the above example is beautiful. There's no denying that. But it's also meaningless. And there's no denying that, either. Are we all gods, or is there no such thing as god, and we're all normal animals with over-sized craniums? Maybe Occam should decide it for us...

[Buffy]

Bah, take a perfectly good opportunity to talk about the issues associated with polytheism versus monotheism (one of those great issues that points out why complaints about "abolition of religion by the state", are silly), and it gets hijacked into the same old "all religion is theft, illogical, subversive, etc. ad nauseum"...humbug...go elsewhere boys!

 

Karmically,

Buffy

[Boerseun]

Yes, but indeed, "all religion is theft, illogical, subversive, etc. ad nauseum!"

 

Where do you propose we go, then, when Hypography, this ideal of illuminated insight, is being turned into a beacon of biblical bias?

[Dark Mind]

Bah, take a perfectly good opportunity to talk about the issues associated with polytheism versus monotheism (one of those great issues that points out why complaints about "abolition of religion by the state", are silly), and it gets hijacked into the same old "all religion is theft, illogical, subversive, etc. ad nauseum"...humbug...go elsewhere boys!

 

Karmically,

Buffy

:shrug:

 

But I was starting to actually enjoy the thread as well ;). Definitely wouldn't make me a believer, but an interesting point of view I hadn't seen and I actually enjoyed reading it... ;)

[Buffy]

Where do you propose we go, then, when Hypography, this ideal of illuminated insight, is being turned into a beacon of biblical bias?

Sheesh! I didn't say it wasn't appropriate for Hypography, just open a new thread!

 

Honestly, its boring when every thread in this forum simply ends up with bleating about "all religion is bad"...and while I'm at it, its just as boring if they end up with "you religion haters are discriminating against us"... This started as a great thread about polytheism, but virtually none of the responses are about that topic! What's the point of even having threads? You guys just give atheism/agnosticism/existentialism a bad name by seemingly not being able to do anything but bleat like this, and I hate getting tarred with the same brush that you guys seem to deserve! Pleh! Foo!

 

Biblical bias? Whoo! This thread *attacked* Biblical Bias, but you belittled it! Wow! Who's side are you on anyway? :shrug:

 

Theology marm,

Buffy

[Boerseun]

I see your point, Buffy. And I apologise for my monotone rabbling (and bleating).

 

However - can you please explain to me what you find appealing in the above post? Is it the explanation of what you see as polytheism? Or the elegant allegory of 'all being One'? The picturesque tale of humans' Godly nature?

 

Are you impressed by the art of the tale, or the subsance of the tale?

 

Because - in all honesty, there's no grit to it. There's nothing. It's as sweet and empty as candyfloss bought at a roadside stand. And I will keep on bleating about it. This is a science forum - not a literature contest.

[Boerseun]

Biblical bias? Whoo! This thread *attacked* Biblical Bias, but you belittled it! Wow! Who's side are you on anyway? :shrug:

 

Theology marm,

Buffy

Once again. I apologize. The idea behind the "Beacon of Biblical Bias" was to serve as alliteration in an attempt to ascertain my atheistic antagonism.

 

I therefore aptly apologise, in an attempt to procure peace.

 

Humbly yours,

Boerseun

[Buffy]

I see your point, Buffy. And I apologise for my monotone rabbling (and bleating).

Thank you!

However - can you please explain to me what you find appealing in the above post? Is it the explanation of what you see as polytheism? Or the elegant allegory of 'all being One'? The picturesque tale of humans' Godly nature?

Oh goody! Back on topic! All of the above works for me. As I added in my last post, this is *so* non-Biblical, and its really refreshing to see an alternate worldview that includes multiple gods, that supports a completely different kind of relationship between god and man and yes, even hinting at the notion of "man creates god"--a horridly blasphemous proposition to many! Its about learning and reasoning as well as belief and reinforces the notion that religion is familial rather than a bureaucratic power center. Its poetic in order to be convincing and its tone reinforces the notion that religious teachings can be proffered for scrutiny and acceptance rather than dictates to be followed or doom-will-ensue.

Because - in all honesty, there's no grit to it. There's nothing. It's as sweet and empty as candyfloss bought at a roadside stand. And I will keep on bleating about it. This is a science forum - not a literature contest.

That's why we built this forum though: to put the not-so-scientific notion of religious belief in a place where it could be discussed on merits other than technological, numerical, experimental standards. You could reduce all your nutrition requirements to a handful of pills, but I'd really recommend an occasional steak or hot fudge sundae! :shrug:

 

Do you read fiction or poetry? They're really not meritless, and I recommend them highly!

 

Poetically,

Buffy

[Dark Mind]

...This is a science forum - not a literature contest.

...Actually this is a Theology Forum :shrug:.

[infamous]

 

The poetry of the above example is beautiful. There's no denying that. But it's also meaningless.

Boerseun, your an intelligent guy so I can't understand why you take this position? Saying that it is meaningless is like saying that art, as in poetry or any other form is of no value. I'm sorry, but I must respectfully disagree with this opinion. No offense you understand, I just think that art in any form adds richness to our lives and I don't think that these additions are meaningless.