GOD

[Gummuluru Murthy]

On Wed, 11 Dec 1996, Chelluri Nageswar Rao wrote:

>                                                  MATRENAMAH
> NAMASKARAMS!
>
> GOD IS WORSHIPPED IN "SAGUNA" OR "NIRGUNA" ASPECTS.   I KNOW SAGUNA FORM OF
> WORSHIP.   IS THERE ANYBODY THERE WHO CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE NIRGUNA
> ASPECT.   I UNDERSTAND THAT ACHARYAS PERFORM NIRGUNA WORSHIP.   I CAN NOT
> CONCEIVE OR UNDERSTAND NIRGUNA CONCEPT AS I HAVE MY OWN LIMITATIONS.
> ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED.
>
>
>                                                                          NAGY
>

Shri Nageswara Rao brings in the topic of God and worship. My feelings on
this matter, which may be wrong, are the following:

For worship, Saguna Brahman with an aakaara (shape) is needed. For
meditation, there is no need of a Saguna Brahman. Both these are for the
purification of thoughts. Gaayatri japa, chanting Lalitha trisathi are
all for the purification of the mind and pave the way for the real
knowledge.

Praying on Saguna Brahman gives something for the mind to hold on to
so that it does not go on its aimless wanderings. In that way,
concentration on an aakaara (shape) is very useful and may be the
first step towards eventual Nirguna Brahman meditation. However, if
we attribute various powers to the Saguna Brahman, my view is, we are
on a devious route to ultimate knowledge and will be left in the quagmaire
without removal of the veil of ignorance.

Do I have a reference for what I am writing ? No. It is only what I
absorbed over the years and is based on my experience.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adau ante ca yan nAsti vartamAnepi tat tathA !
                                GaudapAda in Mandukya kArika
What did not exist at the beginning and what is not going to exist at the
 end is as good as non-existent even in the present.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------