Monotheism or Henotheism ?

[Guest guest]

Sri Vijay Srinivasan, concerned about an anti-monotheistic trend of the

day, writes :

 

"...Anand's posting Vol 59?),(1) the supreme being is generally conceived as a

formless (though most of them are willing to concede attributes such as love,

Daya etc., to that formless Brahman) (2)The same Brahman expresses itself in

various forms (3) It does not matter which form one chooses to worship or name

that one selects to address it (it all amounts to the same and reaches the same

supreme being). (4) Generally, people are tolerant to concede a favorite

diety but without any superiority attached to it.

 

I would like to contribute my few thoughts on this.

 

We, specifically as SriVaishnavas and as Hindus, in a more general way, are

very proud inheritors of an essentially tolerant tradition. "ekam sat

vipra: bahuDHaa vadhanthe" - as blind Dirghatamas said. Even more

important, a tradition of ENQUIRY !

 

For me, personally, I consider the scriptural basis of the 4 vedas as distinct

from the bramhanas ( exegesis on legend and ritual ) and further yet removed,

the aranyakas/upanishadas ( an internalization of an 'outdoorsy' tradition ).

Each step built upon the former, trying to incorporate it.

 

This order in which I have mentioned them is generally conceded to be the

approximate chronological development order as well. This is an expression

primarily of the spirit of Mimamsa - Enquiry. That spirit is essential to our

journey, in search of truth, both with and without tradition. I would remind

our members that the first sutra of the Bramha Sutra begins :

 

" aTHatho bramha jignyaasa " - THUS and TEHREFORE the ENQUIRY into brahman.

 

Now that is a fairly open ended statement accomodative of a great many schools

of thought, is it not ? As evidence, all three vedanta margas have exegesis on

this sutra. I happen to prefer that of Sri Ramanuja as brilliant in its

simplicity, closest to my heart, and easy enough for even me to follow. Not

everyone may agree with this. Not everyone agreed with Sri Ramanuja even!

 

Even earlier the spirit of enquiry has expressed itself - to the point almost

of agnosticism. Eg.

 

" kasmai devaaaya havita vidhema ? " - to which deva shall we give havis ?

 

" so anga veda yadi vaa na veda" - maybe HE knows, maybe he does not!

 

These are not sensational out of context quotes. Merely 'stars' in a sky of Veda

that is pervaded with the wondering of seers that lived close to nature and

contemplated and wondered about it. From this wondering they built a great

store of legend and lore, with ritual to try control the essentially wondrous

nature of the world around them. Exegesis on that ritual, explanations and

handbooks on itgave us the brahmanas. A more detached exegesis, an

internalization of the cosmos, and wonder at the mind and the soul gave us the

upanishadas.

 

If we do tend to question monotheism today is it not a progression of the

questioning done by much greater minds in days past ? Each of the Acharyas of

Vedanta schools must have surely gone through some incompatibility, some

struggle, before coming up with their unique solutions ? I do not suggest that

we are comparable to those intellects. Merely that we follow their paths with

revernce for their insights, but with "brahma jignyaasa" of our own.

 

"svaDHarme nidhanam shreya: " says the Geeta. Your own dharma is the best of

paths. Traditionally, this is interpreted as an inherited tradition. Maybe

some of us consider this as an invitation to think and determine for ourselves ?

 

And if we do, who am I to find fault with that ? =)

 

- Sundar, who may have raised more issues than answered them.