{"id":2674,"date":"2013-07-13T01:43:09","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=2674"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:43:09","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:43:09","slug":"42-the-gods-vol-28-letters-on-yoga-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/03-cwsa\/28-letters-on-yoga-i\/42-the-gods-vol-28-letters-on-yoga-i","title":{"rendered":"-42_The Gods.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n
\n

\n\tChapter Two <\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Gods
\n<\/font><\/b> <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Gods or Divine Powers <\/a> <\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Gods are Personalities or Powers put forth by the Divine
\n\t\u2014
\nthey are therefore in front limited Emanations, although the full Divine is behind each of them. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Of course, the gods exist
\n\t\u2014that is to say, there are Powers that
\nstand above the world and transmit the divine workings. It is the physical mind which believes only in what is physical that
\ndenies them. There are also beings of other worlds \u2014gods and Asuras etc. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\n\tThere are Gods everywhere on all the planes. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

The Gods are in the universal Self
\n\t\u2014if identified with the universal Self one can feel their presence there. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

While
\nthe Gods cannot be transformed, for they are typal and not evolutionary beings,
\nthey can come for conversion \u2014that is to say, to give up their own ideas and
\noutlook on things and conform themselves to the higher Will and supramental Truth
\nof the Divine. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

The higher beings are not likely to be in disharmony with each other as they are not subject to the lower ignorance. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

  <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tPage <\/font>\u2013 456<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

The Gods have their own enjoyments, though they may not be of a material character. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

There are no planes of manifestation without forms
\n\t\u2014for with
\nout form creation or manifestation cannot be complete. But the supraphysical planes are not bound to the forms like the physical. The forms there are expressive, not determinative. What is important on the vital plane is the force or feeling and the
\nform expresses it. A vital being has a characteristic form but he can vary it or mask his true form under others. What is primary
\non the mental plane is the perception, the idea, the mental significance and the form expresses that and these mental forms
\ntoo can vary \u2014there can be many forms expressing an idea in different ways or on different sides of the idea. Form exists but
\nit is more plastic and variable than in physical nature. As to the Gods, man can build forms which they will accept; but these forms too are inspired into man’s mind from the planes to which the God belongs. All creation has the two
\nsides, the formed and the formless; the Gods too are formless and yet have forms, but a Godhead can take many forms, here
\nMaheshwari, there Pallas Athene. Maheshwari herself has many forms in her lesser manifestations, Durga, Uma, Parvati, Chandi
\netc. The Gods are not limited to human forms \u2014man also has not always seen them in human forms only.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Gods and the Overmind <\/a> <\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The natives of the Overmind are Gods. Naturally the Gods rule
\nthe cosmos. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

The Overmind is the world of the Gods and the Gods are not merely Powers, but have Forms also. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tPage <\/font>\u2013 457<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

In the Overmind the Gods are still separated existences. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Beyond the Overmind (in the supramental nearest the Overmind for instance) the Gods are eternal in their principle, but not in
\ntheir forms and separate activities; they are there simply aspects of the One. If you meet a Godhead there, it is not as a separate
\nPerson; you feel only the Divine having a particular face, as it were, and relation with you for a certain purpose. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

The Formateurs of the Overmind have shaped nothing evil
\n\t\u2014it
\nis the lower forces that receive from the Overmind and distort its forces. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\tVedic Gods of the Indian Tradition
\n\t<\/a> <\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are many forms of Agni,
\n\t\u2014the solar fire, the vaidyuta fire
\nand the nether fire are one Trinity \u2014the fivefold fire is part of the Vedic symbolism of sacrifice. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Vayu and Indra are cosmic godheads presiding over the action
\nof cosmic principles \u2014they are not the manomaya purusha or pranamaya purusha in each man. You have a mental being or
\npurusha in you and a vital being or purusha, but you cannot say that you are in your mind Indra or in your vital Vayu. The
\nPurusha is an essential being supporting the play of Prakriti \u2014the Godhead (Indra, Vayu) is a dynamic being manifested in
\nPrakriti for the works of the plane to which he belongs. There is an immense difference. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Yes, Mitra is rather a combination of the two powers [Maha-<\/i>
\nlakshmi and Mahasaraswati<\/i>]. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tPage <\/font>\u2013 458<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

I indicate the psychological powers which they [six Vedic Gods<\/i>] bring with them: <\/p>\n

Mitra
\n\u2014Harmony. <\/p>\n

Varuna
\n\t\u2014Wideness. <\/p>\n

Aryaman
\n\u2014Power, Tapasya. <\/p>\n

Brihaspati
\n\t\u2014Wisdom (Word and Knowledge). <\/p>\n

Vishnu
\n\u2014Cosmic Consciousness. <\/p>\n

Vayu
\n\t\u2014Life. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\tPost-Vedic Gods of the Indian Tradition
\n\t<\/a> <\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva are only three Powers and Personalities
\nof the One Cosmic Godhead. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Brahma is the Power of the Divine that stands behind formation and creation. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

As for Vishnu being the creator, all the three Gods are often spoken of as creating the universe \u2014even Shiva who is by tradition the Destroyer. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

There is no particular connection between Shiva and the Over
\nmind \u2014the Overmind is the higher station of all the Gods. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Mahashiva means a greater manifestation than that ordinarily worshipped as Shiva
\n\u2014the creative dance of a greater Divine
\nmanifesting Power. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

At X<\/i>‘s conscientious hesitations between Krishna and Shakti and Shiva I could not help indulging in a smile. If a man is attracted
\nby one form or two forms only of the Divine, it is all right, \u2014but if he is drawn to several at a time he need not torment himself
\n  <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tPage <\/font>\u2013 459<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n

over it. A man of some development has necessarily several sides in his nature and it is quite natural that different aspects should
\ndraw or govern different personalities in him \u2014he can very well accept them all and harmonise them in the One Divine and the
\nOne Adya Shakti of whom all are the manifestations. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Shiva is the Lord of Tapas. The power is the power of Tapas. <\/p>\n

Krishna as a godhead is the Lord of Ananda, Love and
\nBhakti; as an incarnation, he manifests the union of wisdom (Jnana) and works and leads the earth-evolution through this
\ntowards union with the Divine by Ananda, Love and Bhakti. <\/p>\n

The Devi is the Divine Shakti
\n\t\u2014the Consciousness and
\nPower of the Divine, the Mother and Energy of the worlds. All powers are hers. Sometimes Devi-power may mean the power
\nof the universal World-Force; but this is only one side of the Shakti. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Mahakali and Kali are not the same, Kali is a lesser form.
\nMahakali in the higher planes appears usually with the golden colour. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Ganesh is the Power that removes obstacles by the force of
\nKnowledge \u2014Kartikeya represents victory over the hostile Powers. Of course the names given are human, but the Gods exist. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Ganesh (among other things) is the devata of spiritual Knowledge \u2014so as you are getting this knowledge, you saw yourself in this form, identified with Ganesh.
\n   <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\tPage <\/font>\u2013
\n\t\t\t460<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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