SEVENTH CHAPTER

In this chapter, swamiji has mentioned about the attributes of God and the way of providing knowledge to mankind by God through vedaas. Since, a thing is known by its attributes, only if, there is unanimous understanding of the attributes of a thing, same meaning can be drawn from the name of that thing. But, in case of God, people fail to accept this rule. In almost all the religions of today, existence of God is believed but, there happens to be no unanimity as to the attributes of God. In the absence of unanimity of the qualities or characteristics of God, the belief in God becomes meaningless and it has led to quarrels in religious forums. Swamiji, in this chapter, has clarified as to who are gods? , what do they mean? and what is the difference between gods and God? He believes God to be formless. In this respect, his view is different from that of all other sects. He has clearly mentioned that if, God is accepted with a form, then a lot of difficulties will arise and it would be impossible to resolve them. Attributes of a formless thing can never appear in a thing with a form. The attribute of omnipresence could be there in God, only if, He is considered formless. If, God is accepted with a form, then, His presence will have to be accepted at one particular place. Here, in this chapter, swamiji has resolved many issues concerning God. He has answered the questions like-is God with a form or formless? , is God all-powerful or not?, is God all-pervasive, that is, omnipresent or ‘lives’ at a particular place? , can God assume form?, can any change occur in God?, is God kind or just or both? Swamiji established through mantraas of vedaas that God is formless, unchangeable, without body, eternal and kind.

Today, पौराणिक Hindus believe in incarnation of God. Swamiji has mentioned that by believing in incarnation of God, we have to accept that God, too, suffers all sorts of pains like souls. Moreover, why should God take birth? In पौराणिक literature, we find the stories, wherein it has been shown that God had to take birth in a human body to do a certain task like killing of some bad person. Swamiji has established that when God is the creator of bodies of all persons, then He is more powerful than such persons. When He can create their bodies without taking birth, then why can He not destroy those bodies without taking birth?

Swamiji considers vedaas to be words of God. In this chapter, swamiji has answered many queries regarding vedaas like-what is ved? , when and how did they come into light?, how could non-giving of knowledge by God through vedaas been unjust?, are they lighted every time on creation of universe?, who were bestowed with the vedaas in the beginning?, why only particular persons leaving the others were bestowed with this knowledge? Though in poraanic dharam, there is great respect for vedaas but in their belief, all the Upanishads, all the Puraanaas, Ramayan, Mahabharat et cetra, too, are called vedaas but swamiji mentioned that, only, the books named, Rigved, Yajurved, Atharv Ved and Samved are vedaas.

WORDS OF SWAMIJI

-God is the most superior of all the gods for the reason that He is the creator, maintainer, destroyer, justice-doer and master of this whole universe.

-If God lives at one place, He cannot be omniscient, all-pervasive, creator, maintainer and destroyer of the universe.

-God is formless. Had He been with form, He would not have been omnipresent. Had He not been omnipresent, He would not have been omniscient.

-Praising God develops love for Him and inspires man to make his nature, like that of God. Praying develops a feeling that there is a higher entity than souls. It generates enthusiasm and a feeling that there is a helper. 

-Knowing refers to understanding the things as they are.

-An uncivilized person cannot become learned on his own, but, can become learned on having a teacher. In the same way, if God had not taught the rishis, in the beginning of the universe and rishis had not further taught the same to their pupils, then man would have remained un-knowledgeable.