9/14/2016

WhichHinduGodisTheBest?TheEnquirer

PostedonOctober1,2010byVrajaKishor

WhichHinduGodisTheBest?
This is an excerpt from the first draft of the third chapter
ofmymanuscriptsummarystudyofMadhuryaKadambinibySrilaVishnvanatha
ChakravartiThakur.

OffendingtheGods
Itiscrucialtocarefullyunderstand
therelationshipbetweenVishnu
(hp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishn
u)andallthegods,headedbyShiva
(hp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva),
sothatonefullyrespectsbothand
oendsneither.Ithelpsgreatlyto
understandthevarioustypesof
livingbeings.
Therearetwomajorsuper
categoriesoflivingbeings:
independent&dependent.
Independentbeingsareselfcausing
andselfsustaining.Dependent
beingsmanifestaseectsofthe
independentbeings,andrelyon
theirfortheirsustenance.Allforms
ofGodheadbeyondthematerial
creationareindependentbeings.All
otherentitiesinthematerialworld
orbeyonditaredependentbeings.

(hp://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil
e:VishnuGandhara.JPG)

Withinthecategoryofindependent
ImageviaWikipedia
beingsaretwosubdivisions:those
whonevercomeintocontactwith
thematerialdreamworld,andthosewhodo.Shivaisaveryspecialgod
(hp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity)becauseheexistsoutsideofthematerial
universe(hp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature)andisthereforeindependent,yet
comesintocontactwithitandthusisnotinthesamesubdivisionofindependent
beingsasaretheformsofGodheadwhoexistpurelyinthespiritualrealm.
ShivasconsortisMaya(hp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_%28illusion%29),the
materialenergy.Thusthroughhisintimatecontactwithher,Shivacreatesthreetypesof
egoinuencedbyherthreeaspects.[BP10.88.3]
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AlthoughShivadoescontactMayaintimatelyoneshouldnotdevelopan

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AlthoughShivadoescontactMayaintimatelyoneshouldnotdevelopan
oensivementalitytowardsthisgod,byconsideringhimtobeliketheother
dependentbeingstrappedinillusion.Shivacontactsillusionasherhusbandand
isthereforefreefrombeingbewilderedbyher,likeeveryoneelsewhoisunder
hercontrol.Shivaalwaysremainsanindependentbeing,liketheSupreme
PersonalityofGodhead(hp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svayam_Bhagavan),
despitecontactingthematerialworldofillusion.
Yoghurtismilkthatblendswithabacteria.Still,itismilkinessence.ShivaisGovinda
whenGovindaintimatelycontactsthematerialworld.Stillheisessentiallyinthesame
categoryofbeingasGovinda.[Brahma(hp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma)Samhita
5.45]

TheHinduTrinity
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimurti)
Whataboutothergods?
Godheadacceptsthreeforms:Brahma,Vishnu,andShivatocreate,maintainanddestroy
thematerialuniverse.[BP1.2.23]
Whenscripturementionsthethree
primarygodsinthesamebreath
likethis,itiseasytofeelthatthey
areallinthesamecategory.We
mustbeverycautiousaboutthis.
Wehavealreadyexplainedthat
Shivaisaformofindependent
Godheadwhocomesintointimate
contactwiththematerialworld.
Thoughsharingthesameessence,
heisthussomewhatdierentfrom
Vishnuwhoneverintimately
contactsthematerialworld,and
onlyoverseesitfromafar.What
aboutBrahma,then?Whatishis
similarityanddierencetoVishnu
andShiva?Brahmahimself
explains:

(hp://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil
e:Halebid3.JPG)
ImageviaWikipedia

TheSuncangiftaportionofitsradiancetoacrystalhelduptoit.Thisisanalogousto
howImyselfamempoweredbytheindependentGodhead.[BrahmaSamhita5.49]
SoVishnuistheindependentbeingnotdirectlyinteractingwiththematerial
world.Shivaistheindependentbeingdirectlyinteractingwithit.Brahmaisa
dependentbeingbeingtemporarilyinvestedwiththebrilliancetoshineas
thoughhewasindependent.ThisisthecorrectunderstandingoftheHindu
Trinity.
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Vishnumaintainstheexistenceofthematerialuniverse.Becausemaintenanceis

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Vishnumaintainstheexistenceofthematerialuniverse.Becausemaintenanceis
afunctionofthecleartypeofmaterialenergythesavagunaVishnuis
thereforeuncolored,unsulliedbyhisinteractionwiththisworldandremains
equivalenttotheindependentformsofGodheadinthespiritualworld,known
astheNarayana(hp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narayana)Godheads.
Shivadestroysthematerialworld.Destructionoccursbythedarkeningtypeof
materialenergythetamaguna.Thisdarkeningenergycolorstheindependent
natureofShiva,Transforminghimfrommilkintoyoghurt.
Brahmacreatesthematerialworld.Creationoccursbythereddeningtypeof
energyrajaguna.ThisenergycolorsBrahmaaswell.Insomeuniversesthe
independentGodheadacceptstheroleofBrahmaandiscoloredandchangedby
thatrole.InmostuniversesBrahmasroleisgiventoapreeminentlyqualied
dependentbeing.

TheRespectivePositionsofShivaand
Brahma
Thisknowledgecancausea
misunderstanding:Sincethe
reddeningenergy(rajaguna)is
superiortothedarkeningenergy
(tamaguna)doesthisnotmeanthat
thegodofthereddeningenergy,
Brahma,issuperiorinnaturetothe
godofthedarkeningenergy,Shiva?
No.Shivaisanindependentbeing,
andBrahmaisadependentbeing.
Howevereveninrarecaseswhere
theindependentNarayanaassumes
theroleofBrahma,Shivastill
remainssuperiortohim.

(hp://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil
e:Vishnu_and_Lakshmi_on_Shesha_Na
ga%2C_ca_1870.jpg)
ImageviaWikipedia

Smokeissuperiortowood,andreis
superiortosmoke.Thereddeningenergyissuperiortothedarkeningenergy,andthe
clearenergyissuperiortothereddeningenergy,yes,buttheindependentsubstance
(Brahman)istobefoundonlyviatheclearenergy.[BP1.2.24]
Fireisanalogoustospirit,theindependentsubstance.Theclearmodeis
analogoustorebecausebybeingsituatedinclarityonecanseeoneself
perfectlyandcometoselfrealizationofoneselfasaspiritindependentfromthe
bodyandallmaer.ThusitisclearthatVishnu,thegodoftheclearenergy,is
thesupremeamongthethree.Now,however,letusturnouraentiontothe
othertwo.Shivaisthegodofthedarkeningenergy,whichisanalogoustowood.
Brahmaisthegodofthereddeningenergy,analogustosmoke.Firecanbe
producedfromwood,butnotfromsmoke!Smokeismerelyabyproductofre,
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butinwood,reexistsinatransformedandpotentialstate.Thisexplainsthat

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butinwood,reexistsinatransformedandpotentialstate.Thisexplainsthat
ShivaissuperiortoBrahma.TheindependentGodheadisre.Shivaisa
transformationoftheindependentGodhead,wood.Brahmaisabyproductof
theindependentGodhead,smoke.Thebyproductoftheindependentbeings
arethedependentbeings.

CategoriesofDependentBeings
Therearetwomajorcategoriesof
dependentbeings:thosewhoare
coveredbyignoranceofwhothey
are,andthosewhoarenot.Allthe
innitelivingthingsinthematerial
universesbesidesVishnuandShiva
fallintothiscategory:alltheinsects,
planets,sh,animals,humans,and
evensuperhumanbeingscalled
godsordemigods.
Thedependentbeingswhoarenot
ignorantofthemselvesalsohave
twosubcategories:thosewhoare
empoweredbytheindependent
Godheadandthosewhoarenot.

(hp://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil
e:Stone_sculptures_of_three_women.jp
g)
ImageviaWikipedia

Enlightenedbutnotempowereddependentbeingshavetwofurthersubgroups:
thosewhosubmergedtheirindividualidentitywithinGodhead,andthosewho
retaintheirindividualidentity.Thosewhosubmergetheiridentityare
unfortunate,becausetheylosethechancetotastethegloryandsweetnessof
godheadfromthepositionofanobserver.
Enlightenedandempowereddependentbeingsalsohavetwosubclasses:those
empoweredtohelppeoplebecomeliberatedfrommaterialexistence,andthose
empoweredtohelpmanifestthematerialexistence.TheFourKumarasandother
greatteachersareexamplesoftheformer,whileBrahmaisanexampleofthe
later.
Source:hp://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/
l...
(hp://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil
e:Harihara.jpg)
ImageviaWikipedia

Summary
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VishnuandShivaareessentiallythesame,sincetheyarebothindependent
beings.ItisonlybecauseShivaisinintimatecontactwithmaterialillusionthatis
notthemostproperobjectofadorationforthosewhosegoalsarebeyond
materialillusion.
VishnuandBrahma,ontheotherhand,arefundamentallydierent.Vishnuisan
independentbeing,whileBrahmaisadependentbeingalbeitanenlightened
andempowereddependentbeing.Whenthepuranaandotherscriptures
describetheessentialequalityofVishnuandBrahmatheyarereferringtothe
absoluteecacyofBrahmasbeingempoweredbyVishnu.
Whenscripturesstressonthenecessityofdierentiatingthesuperiorityof
VishnuoverShivatheyrefertotheneedofrecognizingthatShivaisVishnuin
intimatecontactwiththetransformingenergyofmaterialillusion.Insomecases
thesestatementscanbeinterpretedtorefertoexpansions,aspects,orfunctions
ofShivathatmaysometimesbecarriedoutbydependentbeingsactingin
ShivasroleasaresultofbeingempoweredbytheindependentGodhead.
IwilloermyobservationthatIpersonallystrivetoviewalleminentbeings,including
allthedemigodsuptobutnotincludingShivaentirelyasgainingalltheirpowerand
authorityduetotheirconnectionwithVishnu,theindependentGodhead.ThusI
simultaneouslyrespectallthesebeingsbyacknowledgingtheirprofoundconnectionto
divinity,aswellasespeciallyrespectingtheoriginaldivinityintheformofVishnutava
andthereforenotcommiingOFFENSEtowardsanyofthesegreatpersonalities.
BecomingFreedFromThisOense
Peoplewhohavenotmadetheeorttodiscussthesepointscarefullywillsay
oensivethingslike,OnlyVishnuisGodhead,Shivaisnot!Weonlyworship
VishnuandwillnotevenlookatShiva!Ortheymaysay,Shivaistheonly
Godhead,notVishnu!WhyshouldIevenlookatVishnu!?Bickeringlikethis,
theirheartsbecomeblockedandcloudedwithseriousoensestowardsboth
gods!
Howcansuchpeoplegetclearedfromthisoense?Intime,theywillcome
acrosssaintswhocanexplainallthedetailsofthetruthabouttherelative
positionsofVishna,Shiva,Brahmaandtheothergods.Hearingthese
explanationscarefullytheycangainacorrectunderstanding.Then,byengaging
inHarinamSankirtanwithsuchcorrectunderstanding,theeectsoftheir
oensequicklydisappear.
PostedinUncategorizedTaggedBrahma,GodsandGoddesses,Hinduism,Religionand
Spirituality,Shiva,Trimurti,Vishnu

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