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International Journal of Sanskrit Research

2020, Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part D

What is God? – An effort to know the knower

Dr. Govindaraja Setty AG

Nothing is more fascinating to the human beings than Brahman, God, Bhagavān, Universe, Infinity and ātman. This is evident from various darṣanas (āstika, nāstika) and philosophies (dvaita, advaita, viśiṣṭādvaita, śuddādvaita). Being jijñasus we are also not exception, we also question either ourselves or others, at one point of time or the other, WHAT IS GOD? Or the questions could be a derivative like, where is God? How is God? In fact, true seekers (जिज्ञासु) sought answer for this question from time immemorial. In his first meeting with Rāmakr̥ṣṇa Paramahaṁsa, the very question asked by Narendra was ‘Have you seen God?’ In our Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, and history (Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata), also the spiritual seekers sought answer for this question (KaṭhopaniṣatNachiketa, Yama). The author also seeks the answer through Indian traditional texts, as they are considered to be repository of profound Philosophical knowledge. The word used in our Upaniṣads for God is Brahman. Taittiriya Upaniṣad says, ब्रह्मविदाप्नोतिपरम्।i.e., one who knows Brahman attains the Supreme (ब्रह्मवित् = one who knows Brahman, आप्नोति = gets, परम् = The Supreme). One need not wait till the death to get the Brahman (Time dimension); and one need not go to different lokas like Brahmaloka or Vaikuṇṭha to get the Supreme (Space Dimension). The trajectory is neither in time dimension nor in space dimension, but it is just from ignorance to knowledge and the Brahmavit can get the Highest, right here, right now. If such is the benefit a Brahmavit gets, one should know Brahman, or, it is worth making efforts to know Brahman.But how do I know Brahman? Through work, wisdom, worship or will-power or a combination of two or more or all of these, says Vivekānanda. The methodology adopted in Vedānta is taking us from known to the unknown (Arundhati Nyāya).
Pages : 205-208 | 891 Views | 149 Downloads
How to cite this article:
Dr. Govindaraja Setty AG. What is God? – An effort to know the knower. Int J Sanskrit Res 2020;6(2):205-208.
International Journal of Sanskrit Research

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