Need for Godhead

01/11/10

Well, for today, herewith are some musings on an hopefully interesting topic
" Is there a need for a Godhead ? - - - a rational reflection. "

       Whatever we externally observe in this world, thru our sense-organs, is objective in nature. They are  all 'observed'. Internally also, we observe the activities of thinking and discriminating, thru our mind and intellect. Even while not indulging in them, we still experience the feeling of 'I-ness' called 'ego'. Thus, the five sense-organs, and the internal mano-budhdhi-ahankaara, are all thru which we perceive the world. All that are cognized, are termed 'gneya-s' in Vedanta. When there is a gneya, there has to be a 'gnyaata' to experience the 'gnyaana' of the gneya. The knower, the known  and the knowledge, form the 'triputi' (threesome).     

Next, whatever we observe in this world, is termed a 'kaarya', the 'effect or product'. Where there is an 'effect', there has to be a 'cause'. Where there is a 'product', there has to be a 'producer', and the means or equipment to produce it. The 'pot' is the kaarya (effect), which must have a 'potter' and the 'potter's  wheel',  as also the material to make the pot. The relationship between these is termed ' kaarya -kaarana sambandha'. kaarya is the effect and kaarana the cause, which again is split into 'upaadaana kaarana' (material cause), and the 'nimitta kaarana'(sentient cause), likethe mud or soil, and the potter respy. Same applies to: ornaments, gold and goldsmith. 

     Thus, without a 'cause' there is no 'effect'. If a 'top'(the toy), is spinning, there must be a 'spinner'. The 'top' all of a sudden, cannot on its own, begin spinning !  Similarly, if the earth is rotating at a high speed, and also gyrating round the sun, and, if all other planets are also doing likewise, and, thus are all activities in the universe, they have to have a 'Spinner' without whom all the above are impossible. Of course, one may call it 'Nature'. But an inanimate Nature cannot perform the tasks. There has to be a 'Planner'with faculty of intelligence, to make a plan. Mere drawing-board and pencils cannot on their own, make the plan !  Similarly, at the back of all that is observed, there has to be a Super-Intelligence, the Substratum, the 'Adhishtaana' for this 'Viswa'(universe) to exist and operate. No doubt, humans have intelligence, some tiny Gnyaana, a limited one to perform limited tasks. But the gigantic dimensions of this vast universe, and its mind-boggling activities, all these 'kaarya-s' have to have a Divine Kaarana, a 'Brahmic'(gigantic) Kaarana, an Infinite Supreme Intelligence, to enable all this. That Divine Agency, an Omni-present, Omnipotent Intelligence, is termed in Vedanta, as 'Brahman'.   Such an Agency is indispensible, which fact even the greatest intellectuals and scientists of today, have to agree.  And they did, and do agree. In this connection, the views of the greatest scientist and thinker of the last century, Albert Einstein, are reproduced below:      

" Try and penetrate with our limited means, the secrets of Nature, and you will find that, behind all the discernible laws and connections, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable. Veneration for this Force, beyond anything that we can comprehend, is my religion ".... "The religious inclination lies in the dim consciousness that dwells in humans, that all Nature, including humans, is in no way an accidental game, but a work of lawfulness, that there is a Fundamental Cause of all existence". 

      Once convinced of the need for such a Supreme Divine Principle, it is but natural that one would desire to know what and how It would be. This was precisely on what, millenia back, the Sages and Seers of ancient Bharat, reflected upon deeply, and discerned invaluable Truths concerning this Universe, the individual, and the Substratum of all that exists. The core theme of all our scriptures is the investigation into the Nature of the Brahma Gnyaana, and 'That' was intuitively realized as "Nitya" (Eternal Truth) that is Nitya Sudhdha (ever pure), Niranjana and Nirmala (unpolluted), Niraakaara (Formless), Nirvikalpa (Unchanging), Nirvisesha (Attributelesss), Sarva-Vyaapaka (All-pervading), Sarvaantarvyaami (Indweller of all), and by Itself Sut - Chit - Ananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss). This leads us to the study of Advaita Vedanta, the main Crusader of which, in  the previous millineum, was Sri. Aadi Sankara.  Hence let us crave for that Knowledge 'knowing which, nothing more needs to be known' ! 

                          Sarveh  Janaah  Sukhinoe  Bhavantu !