An Introduction to Vedanta
Part XXXIV
Dr. K. Sadananda

Part XXXIV– Consciousness and reflected consciousness

We have discussed above the relation between the Brahman and the world. We introduced the concept of Ishvara or God-Hood; lord of the entire universe, a creator-sustainer and annihilator. Ishvara is there as long as the creation is seen as separate from the seer, I. Since creation is seen as separate from the seer I, the creator who is the cause for the creation is also separate from I. Advaita does not say ‘I am Ishvara or God’. In the statement of ‘tat tvam asi’, that thou art, what is equated is the essence of Ishvara, the existence-consciousness, and the essence of myself which is existence-consciousness are one and the same, since there cannot be divisions in the existence nor in the consciousness. This equation is actually arrived at by using what is known in Indian logic as ‘bhAga tyAga lakShaNa’. It involves discarding parts that differentiate the two and only taking those that are common to both. What are discarded are superficial qualities (names and forms) and what are equated are the essential or svarUpa lakShaNa-s. Thus Ishvara is all pervading, all knowledge, all skills, controller of mAyA etc. On the other hand I am a localized entity with very little knowledge and skill, and being affected by mAyA. The identity of both is recognized by discarding all these superficial qualities and equating only their essential qualities.

A simple example is a statement, ‘He is that Devadatta’. That Devadatta whom we met many years ago (time and space wise remote) when he was a cute little boy, is this fat, ugly looking Devadatta. In this identification we are pointing to only one and not two (advaita); that is one and the same individual called Devadatta. There are no two Devadattas here. In the identity relation, one drops all the superficial qualities of this Devadatta that we are seeing right now (this fat and ugly looking) and that Devadatta whom we met at a different time and space (cute little boy), and equates only the svarUpa lakShaNa-s of both - the essential core because of which one is Devadatta and without which one is not Devadatta. This is called bhAga tyAga lakShaNa or discarding partial superficial data and equating the remaining.

Thus as long as I feel I am separate from the Universe that is seen or experienced, there is a creation and a creator, Ishvara or God. Does God have a form? If I think I have a form, then God can have a form too. What type of form has he? Whatever form that is conceptualized by culture, tradition and one’s imaginations. In Hinduism Gods are symbolized in forms that capture the imagination and invoke devotion in the individuals. For example, He is blue in color or lying down in the snake bed with all the seven hoods turn towards Him. Blueness is indicative of infinite nature just as the sky or ocean appears blue. Snakes in all religions are symbolic of vAsanA-s (which will be discussed later). The seven hoods represent the five senses, mind and intellect all turned inwards looking at the Lord who is in yoga nidrA or contemplative sleep. lakShmI, symbolic of the prakRRiti or nature is at his service. Forms are useful for the mind to conceptualize the infinite nature of the Lord. These are intended to convert the extroverted mind to an introverted one. But once the mind is available for contemplation, Vedanta provides clear pointers for further contemplation to the higher, which is beyond names and forms. He is not the forms that you worship but He is that, because of which perception of all forms is possible. When there is no name or form, one can call it by any name or imagine any form, if one understands that the truth is beyond all names and forms.

Proceed to the next essay.