Why worship personal Gods when Sage Sankara says God is impersonal.+

Why worship personal Gods when Sage Sankara says God is impersonal.

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal, and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as It is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other besides it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described because description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage  Sankara is impersonal.

God must be independent of religion. Sage  Sankara himself says the Saguna Brahman or a personal God is part of the illusory world and the Nirguna Brahman is the only eternal reality.

God is universal because God is impersonal. God does not belong to any religion because religious Gods are based on blind beliefs. God has to be realized not worshiped.

How can you see God without knowing what God is in actuality? When the ‘Self is not you how can you find God within you? God is not within you. Those who say God is within you just propagating half-baked knowledge.

First, realize the ‘Self is not within you. You are bound by the experience of birth, life, death, and the world whereas the ‘Self is birthless and deathless because it is ever formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The Soul is the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the cause of the world in which you exist and it itself is uncaused. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

From the standpoint of the Soul, the  Self the world in which you exist is merely an illusion. Thus, the world in which exists hides the Soul, which is God in truth.

Till you think the ‘Soul, the innermost Self’ is within you, you will never be able to realize God. God is not limited to you but it pervades everything and everywhere in the world in which you exist.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32: ~ It has been said that God is Supreme or Supreme Spirit.

Bible says: ~ “God is a Spirit, and they that worship God must worship God in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) 

The Spirit is the root element of the universe. The Spirit is present in the form of the Soul, the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. 

From the Spirit, the universe comes into existence. In the Spirit, the universe resides. And into the Spirit, the universe is dissolved. The Spirit is the parent of all that is there.

There is no God but God. There is no God because the world in which we exist is merely an illusion created out of God, the Spirit. Call it by any name God is universal. God belongs to the whole of humanity because God is Advaita.

Religion creates separation. God in truth is unity in diversity. God in truth is one, which is the Soul, the cause of the whole universe in which humanity exists. 

There is no God but God means the world in which we exist is an illusion. The Spirit, which is  God in truth is the cause of the world and is real and eternal. God in truth alone is real and all else is an illusion. There is no second thing that exists other than the Spirit, the God in truth thus, God in truth is Advaita.

Religion belongs to you. The religious belief of God belongs to you. All religious code of conduct belongs to you. Religious rituals belong to you. But remember you belong to the dualistic illusion because the world in which you exist is an illusion created out of the Spirit, the God, which is present in the form of the Soul. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.

God in truth is divine, only held in the bondage of ignorance (matter); perfection will be reached when this bond will burst, and the word they use for it is, therefore, freedom, freedom from the bonds of imperfection, freedom from ignorance.

Realize what God is supposed to be in truth:~

Religious Gods are based on blind belief. Belief-based Gods are not God in truth. Religious God cannot be considered as the center because the Soul the ‘Self’ is the center of all that exists. Without the Soul the world in which you exist ceases to exist, which means the religious God is dependent on the Soul for his existence. God in truth is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

Even Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God in truth) is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

Do not accept any other truth other than consciousness. Consciousness is the ultimate truth. Nothing is real but consciousness. Realize consciousness as the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. Consciousness is everywhere and in everything. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious. 

Even Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5) 

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)." (1. 4. 10)

Nirguna Brahman is nothing to do with religion because nirguna Brahman is Atman, the real God is not the God people believe in and worship.:~Santthosh Kumaar

Realize what God is supposed to be in truth. Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.+

 

Realize what God is supposed to be in truth. 

Religious Gods are mythical Gods based on blind faith or blind belief. The Soul the ‘Self’, which is present in the form of consciousness is the cause of all that exists as the universe. Without the Soul the universe in which you exist ceases to exist.

Without the universe, the religious God, which is based on blind faith or blind belief ceases to exist.  The universe is dependent on the Soul for its existence.

God in truth is only the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. From the standpoint of the Soul, the universe is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

Even Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God in truth) is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

God in truth is the Atman, the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness.

Do not accept any other God other than Atman not worship other than Atman.

Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is and all else is an illusion.

Even Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the Self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

Remember:~

Nirguna Brahman is nothing to do with religion because nirguna Brahman is Atman, the God in truth is not the God people believe and worship.

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal, and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as It is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other besides it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described because description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not a distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.

Nirguna (attributeless) is the nature of the Soul, the Self. The Saguna (attributed) is the nature of the mind, which is present in the form of the universe.

The Soul is the knower of the Saguna (mind). The Saguna (mind or the universe) is merely an illusion, from the standpoint of the nirguna, which is the Soul, the innermost Self. Thus, the Saguna (mind or world) is a myth from the standpoint of the nirguna, which is the Soul, the innermost Self.

The Soul is the real Self and eternal identity. The nirguna (Soul) can remain with or without the Saguna (mind) whereas the Saguna (mind) is dependent on Nirguna (Soul) for its existence

Nirguna and Saguna are classified only in duality. In non-dual reality there is neither the nirguna nor the saguna, everything is one. Therefore, the nirguna and the Saguna are one, in essence, that is Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Saguna is the mind because when the mind is present then all the attributes are present, and when the mind is absent then the attributes are absent.

The Samadhi is the natural state of the Soul, the innermost Self. In the natural state, the attributes are non-existent and in duality ( the mind), all the attributes are present. Thus, the duality and nonduality are the nature of the Soul, the innermost Self. The duality and the nonduality are not some theories. The theoretical duality and nonduality is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The world in which we exist is present in the form of objective awareness. The whole objective awareness is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The knowledge of the single stuff is Self -knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

The dual (waking or dream) and nondual (deep sleep) experiences appear and disappear. The Soul is the witness of the coming and going, of the three states. All three states are made of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Thus, the single stuff alone is real and eternal and the entire three states are merely an illusion created out of the Single stuff.

Realization of the single stuff, which is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is Self -realization.

Till ignorance is there the three states are experienced as a reality. Thus, it is very much necessary to realize the fact that there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul is present in the form of consciousness.:~Santthosh Kumaar

Do not waste time cleansing your mind. First, know what the mind suppose to be in actuality.+

Do not waste time cleansing your mind. First, know what the mind suppose to be in actuality. Without the mind, the universe in which you exists ceases to exist.

Thus, the mind itself is the universe in which you exist. The mind is the product of ignorance. When ignorance vanishes then the universe in which you exist ceases to exist as a reality.

The mind cannot be purified because the mind itself is an illusion. Till one thinks the mind is within the body, he will not be able to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, because the body and the world are within the mind. And the mind is within the Soul.

Avadhuta Gita:-“The Atman cannot be purified through the practice of the six limbs of the yoga, or through the annihilation of the mind, or through the instruction of a teacher. The Atman is the Reality Itself and It is Purity Itself."

Until you think the mind is within the body you will not be able to grasp the Advaitic truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ leads to Advaitic ‘Self-awareness’.

Remember:~

Avadhuta Gita:-“The Atman cannot be purified through the practice of the six limbs of the yoga, or through the annihilation of the mind, or through the instruction of a teacher. The Atman is the Reality Itself and it is Purity Itself."

Manduka Upanishads: - Those that want Brahman will not practice control of the mind. That is Yoga for duffers. The others will inquire and practice discrimination. (p.231)

Brih Upanishad: page 32:~"Yoga does not yield truth or liberation."

One may read the Mahabharata for all philosophical, yogic, and cosmological teachings but at the end, it finally says "All is imaginative."

Brihad Upanishad:~ It too declares Yoga cannot give you the truth.

Brihad Upanishads. Page 133 1st para points out that: ~ “Even yoga cannot give perfect concentration and that the only way to gain it is philosophical realization. This confirms Manduka's statement that yoga can no more succeed than the ocean can be emptied with a blade of grass.

In Sutra Bhashya and Manduka, it is given that Samadhi and sleep are identical. Brihad Upanishad does not advocate Samadhi. People are going down, down, and down. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom will one day replace all the religions of the world because Advaitic wisdom is the knowledge of God in truth.+

Sage Sankara gave religious, rituals, and dogmatic instruction to the orthodox populace, but Advaitic wisdom only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is pure spirituality or Adyathma do not make it a philosophic sect. Sage Sankara’s path of wisdom is the independent search for truth. 

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom deals with the practical bearing of philosophy to remove initial prejudice that it is remote from life.

Criticism can only arise, disagreement can only happen, and contradictory interpretations can only occur when men have failed to grasp Sage Sankara’s  Advaitic wisdom.     

It all depends on seekers' capacity to grasp the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara, which is above words and above "interpretation."

 Remember that only a few of those who have understood Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom for them contradictory interpretations will never arise.

 There will be no two among them, only one. The only test of the correctness of any interpretation of Sage Sankara is whether it tends towards non-duality or not, whether its author has grasped non-duality or not.

Remember:~ 

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom will one day replace all the religions of the world. 

Religious Gods are mythical based on blind belief or faith. Mythical Gods are not God in truth. 

Religions are based on blind belief whereas spirituality is based on Spirit, the truth, which is the existence itself. 

Spiritual truth is universal whereas religious truth is individual truth. 

Religion is based on the dualistic perspective whereas as spirituality is based on the nondualistic perspective. Whatever is based on the dualistic perspective is egocentric and whatever is based on the nondualistic perspective is Soulcentric. 

There is no need for any religion. Religion is based on blind belief. The belief is not the truth. 

Religion conditions one to base on blind faith or blind belief. The blind belief is always based on the false Self (ego), within the false experience (waking). 

Believing in any religion is a great hurdle in assimilating the truth hidden by ignorance. From the ultimate standpoint, there is no value in any blind belief-based Gods. 

Religion can never make you know God because it propagates blind belief in God. Only an intense urge to know what God is supposed to be in truth can make you realize God.

Whereas Spirituality is based on the Spirit, which is the cause of the world in which we exist. 

Religion is the cause of wars, violence, and terrorism. 

Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara is pure spirituality with nothing to do with religion, sect, or dualistic-based spirituality. 

Until Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is propagated effectively, many generations will suffer from violence, wars, and terrorism, which is going on in the name of religion and God. 

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom will one day replace all the religions of the world because Advaitic wisdom is the knowledge of God in truth.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

The ‘I’ is blocking Self-realization. Realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman is possible right here and right now. +

Self-realization is Truth realization. Realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman is possible right here and right now. Right here means in this very life right now means not in next life or next world but in this very life.

Anyone who is sincere and serious in his quest for truth, who has an intense urge to realize the truth, is fit to tread the path of wisdom.

The ‘I’ is blocking  Self-realization.

The ‘I’ based teachings have to be discarded in order to realize the Advaitic reality.

The seeker has to make sure what is this ‘I’ supposed to be? The seeker has to make sure the unreal nature of the ‘I’ which comes and goes in order to realize the truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space

That is why Bhagavad Gita says: ~ “The permanent is always there, only the transient ‘I’ comes and goes. (2.18)

The ‘I’ hides the truth of the whole.

Where there is ‘I’ there is ignorance.

Where there is ignorance there is separation.

Where there is a separation there is duality.

Where there is duality there is an illusion.

Where there is an illusion there is the mind.

Where there is a mind there is the universe.

Where there is the universe there is waking or dream.

Where there is the universe there is waking or dream there is form, time, and space

But remember:~

Where there is no ‘I’ there is no ignorance.

Where there is no ignorance there is no separation.

Where there is no separation there is no duality.

Where there is no duality there is no illusion.

Where there is no illusion there is no mind.

Where there is no mind there is no universe.

Where there is no universe there is no waking or dream.

Where there is no waking or dream there is no form, time, and space

When there are no divisions of form, time, and space, there is the Advaitic reality.

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what leads to the realization of Advaitic truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

The mind is virtually the universe. The universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).+

The mind is virtually the universe. The universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). Efforts should be made to understand the mind. Advaitic is wisdom is an ancient truth preserved as a secret by sages of truth.

We are within the illusion. Whatever we have seen, feel, known, believed, and experienced is also within the illusion. The formless substance and witness of the illusion is the Soul the innermost Self.

In Self-awareness, the substance and witness are one in essence. That essence is the Soul which is present in the form of the consciousness (Spirit).

The dream entity and the dream world are within the dream. Similarly, you and your experience of the world are within the waking experience. The witness of the dream is not the waking entity. Similarly, the witness of the waking experience is not the waking entity. 

The Soul is the witness of the coming and going of the three states. The three states are nothing to do with the Soul, the 'Self' because, from the standpoint of the Soul the innermost Self, the three states are non-existent as reality.

Remember: ~

Sage Sankara: ~ “VC~ All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman (Consciousness) which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.

The universe is the product of ignorance. The ignorance is present in the form of the ‘I’.

Sage Sankara says: - VC-47- All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the non-Self.

Until you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world that existed prior to you and you are born in it afterward the ignorance will prevail as a reality. Till ignorance is there the universe prevails as reality.

Sage Sankara says: ~ “The exercise in discrimination between real and unreal and renunciation of the false is real meditation, then why you are indulging in other types of meditation.

Perfect understanding and realization of ‘what is what’ leads to Self-awareness. By holding onto theories one remains in the realm of duality. 

You have to mentally go on dropping what is not the truth through deeper Self-search. Finally when you become aware of the fact that, your ego, your body, and the world are one in essence then there is Self-awareness in the midst of duality. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme Self i.e. Atman.+

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of Vedism never worshiped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jains. 

There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme Self i.e. Atman or Soul but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.

Max Müller says: ~ “The religion of the Veda knows no idols; the worship of idols in India is a secondary formation, a degradation of the more primitive worship of ideal Gods."

Hindus are idol worshipers of a large number of Gods and Goddesses whereas the Vedas declare God is ‘ONE’ and that God is Atman.

Prohibition of idol worship in Yajurveda: ~

Yajur Veda – chapter- 32:~ God is Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions.

Yajurveda: ~ There is no image of God in truth. God in truth is unborn and eternal. (Chapter 32, Verse 3)

Yajurveda: ~ God in truth is nondual and pure" (Chapter 40, Verse)

Yajur Veda indicates that: ~ They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc. - (Yajurved 40:9)

Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, and bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time."- (Yajur Veda 40:9.)

The Hindus believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which was introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism which contains diverse beliefs caste, and creed.

When the religion of the Veda knows no idols then why so many Gods and goddesses with different forms and names are being propagated as Vedic Gods. Why these conceptual Gods are introduced when the Vedic concept of God is free from form and attributes.

Hindus do idol worship while Vedas bars idol worship. According to Vedas, God pervades everything and everywhere.

To be considered an orthodox Hindu one need only accept the authority of Shruti, however, there is no universal agreement among Hindus on what constitutes Shruti. Vedantins consider the Vedanta, i.e., the Upanishads as Shruti, but also include the Bhagavad-Gita and Brahma Sutras as authoritative. For some Vaishnavas, the Bhagavata Purana is to be considered Veda. Some consider the Tantras are considered Veda. Thus, we find that there is ample scope for different philosophies and practices under the very broad umbrella of Hinduism. And all Hindus indulge in non-Vedic practices barred by the Vedas introduced by the different founders of the different sects of Hinduism.

According to Yajur Veda: ~ They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, idols,s, etc. - (Yajurved 40:9)

Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, and bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time."- (Yajur Veda 40:9.)

Then why indulge in idol worship which is not God when Rig Veda clearly says: “May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Worshipping non~Vedic Gods in place of real God they fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time (Yajur Veda 40:9.).

Self-realization is God-realization. Self-realization is real worship. There is no other worship other than self-realization. 

Rig Veda:~The Vedas exclaim from time immemorial, Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti, Existence is One, Sages call it by different Names. - 1-164-146.

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma'- Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

God in truth is the Atman, the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness.

Do not accept any other God other than Atman not worship other than Atman.

Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything.

God in truth is hidden by the illusory universe. God in truth alone is and all else is an illusion.

Remember:~

Worship of non-~Vedic Gods, idol worship, and temple worship introduced many centuries later are not of the Vedic origin.  

Hinduism is not a religion, but more a way of life. The term "Hinduism" is used to label the entire Indian people.

Hinduism indulges non-Vedic beliefs such as idolatry, ancestor worship, pilgrimages, priestcraft, offerings made in temples, the caste system, untouchability, and child marriages. All of these lack Vedic sanctions, therefore, Hinduism is not Ancient Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

All Hindus indulge in non-Vedic practices barred by the Vedas introduced by the different founders of the different sects of Hinduism at different times, whereas the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma is ancient and has no founder.

Hinduism is not Santana Dharma or Vedic religion. Hinduism is not a religion, rather it is a group of religions found within India that share common beliefs while still remaining very different.

The ancient peoples of India belong to the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma, therefore, they have nothing to do with present-day Hinduism. The ancient peoples of the Indus Valley of Undivided India were called Hindus by Muslim invaders.

Hindu idols or deities or the temples are nothing to do with the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma. Vedic people ate beef. The Hindu practices of idol worship, temple worship, and a ban on beef eating were introduced many centuries later.

As one peeps into the annals of religious history, he finds that Hinduism which exists today is not a continuation of the Vedic religion, and it has no real historical foundation. Hinduism is of a much later origin.

As per the researchers, the two faiths in the Hindu belief system have drifted miles away from the Vedic faith, so, that the two seem to be two distinct faiths. It is not difficult to discover that there is no noticeable continuity of Hinduism from the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma

The distinctive characteristics of the Hindu belief system cannot be traced in Vedic literature. Besides, although the Vedas are revered as sacred texts, there are many people in India who do not know what ‘belief in the Vedas’ means. In most cases, the acquaintance of the Hindus with the Vedas is limited to the few hymns that are recited in temples and household liturgies.  : ~ Santthosh Kumaar