Questions about Gods. Who is true God? God of love?
Hi I think i have asked this before, but can't seem to find my post, so am asking this again.
I am interested in Hinduism , and wondering who is the ultimate God of the universe, i come from a Christian background and was taught Jesus is the one true God which i no longer believe.
I am wondering if there is a God who is of complete Love , if so which God would that be? I found a Goddess Quan Yin & wondering if there is a ultimate God that has the qualities of love as i used to feel that was the Christian Trinity but no longer do i feel
they are the opposite of love.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards PB.
Re: Questions about Gods. Who is true God? God of love?
Namaste Potentbee,
God is Only one. Right ? This is taught in Christianity too. If there is Only one God, how can there be another one, even if a "false one" ? So, this whole debate of "True God" Vs "False God" is simply rubbish. However, let's clear our minds from some of the notions about God per Hindu Dharma.
a) Is there a God ? .... Yes.
b) Who is True God ? ... God is Only one. You may call Him by any name, without name, with form, without form, with attributes as you like and also God with no attributes perceivable by mind.
c) Which God is Complete Love ? ... There is only one God and therefore there is no option of having a loving and also non-loving God. You have to choose whether you want a loving God or a tyrant God. You can't choose both.
******************
God takes the forms and attributes what you choose to worship with all your heart and mind ... with unflinching faith. However, the best forms and attributes are of Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Mother Goddess Durga etc.. It is the same God in different forms and names. It is One and at the same time manifests in many forms and names and attributes.
If you are truly seeking a God-form full of love --- see God in Mother's form. Look at her as you looked at your worldly mother. Talk to her as you talked to your worldly mother. Keep her always in your mind ... in form and in attributes of a mother flowing with undemanding love ! Sleep with her thought, wake up with her thought, eat with her thought ... do everything with her thought alone. Perform her pooja during Navratri (it comes twice in a year) with full love and devotion. Always chant this mantra with mother's form in mind : Yaa devi sarvabhooteshu matrirupeNa sthitaah, namastasyai, namastasyai, namastasyai namo namah ! ===> I bow to that Goddess again and again who resides in all beings in the form of a mother.
OM
Re: Questions about Gods. Who is true God? God of love?
Very nice and good answer. Thank you
Re: Questions about Gods. Who is true God? God of love?
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
If I may I would like to add to devotee's offer.
Kerstin wrote,
Quote:
I am wondering if there is a God who is of complete Love
One needn’t go further than this statement ‘ there is a God who is (of) complete...’ nothing more need be said for a reply.
The supreme is in and of itself complete / whole / fullness. A term used is akhaṇḍākara = akhaṇḍa – whole, entire, not fragmented + ākara =plenty, a rich source of. The Supreme is totality, wholeness. It ( some like to say He) is not ‘in’ the universe , but the universe resides in Him.
You cannot step outside of Him. You are not away from Him; how could you be? If this is not so, then explain it. One will say, ‘well I do not feel this, I do not feel being part of this wholeness’ - this is where the journey beings.
Rāmaṇa mahaṛṣi said it this way: there is no greater mystery than this - being (this) Reality ourselves, we look to gain it.
There is nothing to gain if you are that already ( so says our upaniṣad-s1).
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदँ सर्वं तत्सत्यँ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो
sa ya eṣo'ṇimaitadātmyamidam̐ sarvaṃ tatsatyam̐ sa ātmā tattvamasi śvetaketo
this briefly says,
... you are That śvetaketu
इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ
1. the chandogyopaniṣat (chandogya upaniṣad) 6th chapter ,6.8.7 & 8, where uddālaka āruṇi instructs his son śvetaketu on the nature of brahman.
Re: Questions about Gods. Who is true God? God of love?
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
Now, to offer an answer from a slightly different angle:
Kerstin wrote,
Quote:
I am wondering if there is a God who is of complete Love
The Lord is also known as bhagavān. This term is bhaga + vān when taken apart. It comes from bhaga + vat
- vat1 = possessed of, filled with .
In this example I have, (vat) the one possessed of, or he that is of (vān), bhaga. What of this bhaga?
The term bhaga means 'dispenser, gracious lord'. Yet it too has a somewhat hidden meaning or ‘code’ meaning the 6-fold good.
Pending who you ask, the list 6 has different qualities, albeit all noble life supporting and worthy of one’s kind attention:
- love , affection, dignity , majesty , distinction , excellence;
- others say good fortune , happiness , welfare , prosperity, excellence, majesty.
- Others take their lead from the term śrī which in and of itself is the brilliance of light, the diffusion of light as one of the six. Yet within it (śrī), it too has the qualities of
- prosperity , welfare , good fortune , success , auspiciousness , wealth , power , might , majesty & royal dignity.
Hence the Supreme is bhaga + vān (bhagavān , some say śrī bhagavān) - the dispenser and possessed of these 6 qualities. You will find your ‘love’ residing there.
इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ
1. vat is a suffix used with words ending in ‘a’. So, I could use it for dhanavat – one possessed with wealth i.e wealthy. Yet what of one possessed with intelligence e.g. buddhi ? Buddhi ends with an ‘i’ and here I use ‘mat’ or buddhimat – possessed of intelligence.