Why God referred to as He? Why the exclusion?

[Guest guest]

Lord Krishna, In the Bhagawad Gita, has reassured Arjuna that HE is present in everything, animate or inanimate, in every form, and a devotee can worship the Almighty in any form he or she chooses. This is the philosophy of the worship of an 'ISTHADEVATHA', when one can worship GOD in any form pleasing to the worshipper.To characterise the Divine as male or female is absurd. One who is beyond beginning and end, beyond life and death, beyond creation and destruction cannot be defined as male or female. If the worshipper 'sees' the Divine' as a female, GOD becomes SHE, and if the worshipper thinks of the Divine as a male, the pronoun is HE. The Divine can also be called IT, since divinity exists in EVERYTHING.

A humble submission, for consideration and clarification.

Shivashankar Rajiv Pillai

 

 

Padmanaban Krishnan <ambiusha To: Subject: Re: Why God referred to as "He"? Why the exclusion?Thu, 19 Apr 2007 04:04:55 -0700 (PDT)

 

 

 

 

 

dear sir

Even though GOD is not in any gender HE is living with us a form of miracle . No one knows His form, in a millisecond he changes His form in different moods in our life. So GOD is in any form in our body according to our mood. To see GOD it is enough to see thy own self in our daily life.Padmanaban--------happy momy Voltaire asked himself the same question. He also asked himself who was the first person who saw that God "was a man" (dic. philosophique) In my opinion all religions had excluded women, because of machism. (judeo-chrètienne) regards Neli --------Just a small thought related to the discussion: Unconsciously, most of the time GOD is also referred as " I " by many (all?) of us, by saying I did this... I did that... Check out Gita Verse 05-08. Love all Serve all Thanks, Anandan. --------

 

Gopi Krishna Paritala <paritalagopikrishna > Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 9:24:20 AMRe: Why God referred to as "He"? Why the exclusion?

 

 

That is the problem Sister. You identify yourself with the body (female body, you being a female) and so you feel excluded. God is neither male nor female and usually God is referred as HE and at times SHE also.

 

Love and Love alone....

 

P. Gopi Krishna.

On 17 Apr 2007 13:46:05 -0700, Astrid Lobo Gajiwala <asklobog (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

-- Why is the Divine always referred to as "He" even when talking of Hermotherly qualities? And why are all devotees referred to as "he"? As awoman I feel excluded.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna !

 

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !

 

All glories to Guru Maharaj !

 

There are many statements in various scriptures to prove that the

Supreme Personality of Godhead who is SriKrsna is He.

Srimad Bhagavatam states in SB 1.3.28

ete cäàça-kaläù puàsaù

kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam

indräri-vyäkulaà lokaà

måòayanti yuge yuge

TRANSLATION

All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions

or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Çré Kåñëa

is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on

planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The

Lord incarnates to protect the theists.

 

Bramha Samhita 5.33 states

advaitam acyutam anädim ananta-rüpam

ädyaà puräëa-puruñaà nava-yauvanaà ca

vedeñu durlabham adurlabham ätma-bhaktau

govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi

TRANSLATION

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the

Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is

without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a

beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the

eternal puruña; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming

youth.

 

Lord Srikrsna who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is refered

herein as purusa which proves that the God is He.

 

In Bhagavatgita Lord Krsna says 'aham beej prad pita.' I am the seed

giving father.

There are many statements in Bhagavat Gita itself to prove that Lord

Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and if it is so, then

the God is undoubtedly He just as Lord Krsna is He.

 

Srimad Bhagavatam describes the creation of this material world. the

first expansion of Lord Krsna is Balarama from Balarama is

Sankarsana; from Sankarsana comes Narayana; from Narayana comes

second Sankarsana; from second Sankarsana comes Mahavishnu or

Karanodaksayi Vishnu who breathes out millions of universes. When He

desires He glances over the Prakruti and the souls who are still not

liberated come out from His body and continue from where they had

left. He then manifests in each one as Garbhodaksayi Vishnu and from

His navel ; a lotus stem sprouts on which Bramha appears. bramha is

given the task of creating the living entities and in each of them

the supremee personality manifests as Ksirodaksayi Vishnu or

Pramatma or Hari. When Mahavishnu or Karanodaksayi Vishnu desires,

He glances over the Prakruti and the whole process of the creation

begins. Then the souls who are still not liberated come out from His

body and continue from where they had left.

 

yhs

 

Govind Hariprasad Das

[Guest guest]

Shree Hari Ram Ram Many good responses have already been received on this wonderful question. Very humbly, here are few more comments. In Hindu tradition, God has been adored and worshipped as Mother with no less loving devotion as compared to being worshiped as the Father. Lord Krishna says in Gitaji (9-17) "pita 'ham asyajagato mata dhata pitamahah, vedyam pavitram aumkara rik sama yajur eva ca" I am the Father of this world, the Mother, the Dispenser and the Grandfather; I am the knowable, the Purifier, the syllable Om and also the Rik, the Saman and the Yajus. On this basis, God is not only He or She, God is He and She and all else too beyond human imagination. Therefore in many places in our scriptures,

God is refered to as "IT" or THAT" like in the Maha-Vakya - "Thou Art That". Another viewpoint, Mira says, Lord Krisna is the only 'He' among all, all others including the men too are she's, or feminine. For example in Sri Mad-Bhahavatam Maha Purana, when Devrishi Narada wanted to participate in the Raas, Radhaji said to him to take bath in 'Radha kunda' to become feminine first, then he was allowed to join in the raas with Lord Krisna. Similarly, when Lord Shiva wanted to participate in the Raas, he too had to wear sari with a ghungata. Lord Krishna says in Gitaji: (14-3) - "Mama yonir mahad brahma, tasmin garbham dadhamy aham sambhvah sarvabhutanam, tato bhavati bharata" (14-3) - My womb is the

Mahat Brahma (Prakriti); In that I place the germ; thence, O Bharata, is the birth of all beings. (14-4) - "sarva yonishu kaunteya murtayaha sambhavnti yah tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bijapradah pita" (14-4) Whatever forms are produced, O Kaunteya, in any wombs, whatsoever, the great Brahma (Prakriti) is their womb, I am the seed giving Father. Here, we see Lord Krishna is being refered to as "He". With loving regards, A sadhka gprasads <gprasads wrote: Hare Krsna !All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !All glories to Guru Maharaj !There are many statements in various scriptures to prove that the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is SriKrsna is He.Srimad Bhagavatam states in SB 1.3.28 ete cäàça-kaläù puàsaùkåñëas tu bhagavän svayamindräri-vyäkulaà lokaàmåòayanti yuge yugeTRANSLATIONAll of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Çré Kåñëa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever

there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.Bramha Samhita 5.33 states advaitam acyutam anädim ananta-rüpamädyaà puräëa-puruñaà nava-yauvanaà cavedeñu durlabham adurlabham ätma-bhaktaugovindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämiTRANSLATIONI worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruña; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.Lord Srikrsna who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is refered herein as purusa which proves that the God is He.In Bhagavatgita Lord Krsna says 'aham beej prad pita.' I am the seed giving father.There are many statements in Bhagavat Gita itself to prove that Lord Krsna is the

Supreme Personality of Godhead and if it is so, then the God is undoubtedly He just as Lord Krsna is He. Srimad Bhagavatam describes the creation of this material world. the first expansion of Lord Krsna is Balarama from Balarama is Sankarsana; from Sankarsana comes Narayana; from Narayana comes second Sankarsana; from second Sankarsana comes Mahavishnu or Karanodaksayi Vishnu who breathes out millions of universes. When He desires He glances over the Prakruti and the souls who are still not liberated come out from His body and continue from where they had left. He then manifests in each one as Garbhodaksayi Vishnu and from His navel ; a lotus stem sprouts on which Bramha appears. bramha is given the task of creating the living entities and in each of them the supremee personality manifests as Ksirodaksayi Vishnu or Pramatma or Hari. When Mahavishnu or Karanodaksayi Vishnu desires, He glances over the Prakruti and

the whole process of the creation begins. Then the souls who are still not liberated come out from His body and continue from where they had left.yhs Govind Hariprasad Das

Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check out

new cars at Autos.

[Guest guest]

Hi Friends:

It is not that complicated - just simple.

The word " He " to refer to God comes in the Bible and in all the Abrahamic

Religions only where " God " is a " HE " and never a " She " . Since we think in

English and communicate in English, thanks to the British Raj, we are

tuned to refer as He and Him.

 

In the true Hindu feeling, For a Sri Vaishnava; Sri Krishna Bhakthas,

Madhvas and a ehole group of Vaishna Sampradhayas, and Gita readers of Sri

Krishna " It " is Sriman Narayana who is the Savishesha Brahmaswaroopa and

is referred as HE in any language. The same is visualized as Paramatha or

Prabrahmam by Smarthas and Vedhanthis and can be referred to as " IT " ;

Saiva sampradhayas ans see Nishkala Siva as the Supreme and will be

referred as " He " where as Sakthi Philosophy always refers to It as " She " -

but for the Formless Paramathma who is also Para Siva, Narayana or Para

Sathi, " It " has no gender nor a roopa until It takes a form for our

understanding. BUT - in Bhagavat Gita sinc He takes the form of Krishna

and then as Narayana in Viswaroopa , it is always a " He " in English

language, though Sri Krishna Himself explains in Chapter 10 and 11 that

" He " is in all of them as " He " , " She " and " It " .

Namaskaram.

Thank you,

Bala N. Aiyer

========================================================

How contradictory! Krishna is a HE and then, " To characterise {sic} the Divine

as male or female is absurd. "

It is no wonder so many are confused.

 

Such statements are no different than a fundamentalist in any religion. " Jesus

is THE Supreme. " " Allah is THE Supreme. " " Krishna is THE Supreme. "

 

" God " is not only a He but also the Only One and only from the Judeo-Christian

perspective. Look it up

 

In Hindu tradition, there is no " God. " " God " is a Christian term and only refers

to HE.

 

Swami Param

========================================================

Yes, God does not have a form, but it does not mean " no one knows Him " !!! If no

one knows Him or Her, how do you know there is God. There are a number of

realised souls who experienced His presence, and described Him or Her in

different ways, though adding at the end that it is difficult to describe Him.

And, He does not change His form, as He is the same, but the sadhaka perceives

Him according to his liking. That is all.

 

Love and Love alone....

 

P. Gopi Krishna

========================================================

 

There is no partiality at all in defining the god - our ancient rushis see god

both in " he " and " she " -

and they thought that both powers together make more powerful - see any story of

vishnu, siva or any god - they are more powerful whenever there is female god

with them.

 

we can't accept any god without femine power; even for ganesh we tied budhi,

sudhi; same as hanuman - we tied suvarchala with him.

 

male and female power together makes miracles; that is called " purasha " and

" prakrithi " .

Anjaneyulu Tallapaneni

 

========================================================

WHEN A DEVOTEE WORSHIPS AN IDOL IN MALE FORM GOD IS HE AND WHEN IN FEMALE

FORM SHE.ACTUALLY GOD HAS NO FORM OR ZENDER.GOD IS ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND

TRUTH HAS NO DISCRIMINATION OR BIAS LIKE HE OR SHE.HE IS THE CREATER AND

CREATER HAS NO DISCRIMINATION

REGARDS

NPANDA

========================================================

Ram Ram Sadhakas,

I think that we have discussed this one at quite a

length, don't you think so? There are very profound

topics in Bhagwat Gita that can lead us to liberation

than to keep justifying God as man or women or both.

All have said reasonably well to say its just

incidental and not significant to look at God being

referred to as gender.

God is Supreme Consciousness, beyond mind and

therefore cannot have any particular shape or guna

even if there is an incarnation of God as He or She!

Incarnations all know who they are - Supreme

Consciousness!

This is also equivalent to saying all are his/her/its

shapes as whole - Brahmand. All names and genders

mentioned are only symbollic for our minds and are

contextual.

Let us now realize our true Identity and we will know

why God is referred as " He " mostly and " She " sometimes

etc etc. For sure God cannot be limited to male body,

even as Krishna is Supreme Consciousness, Absolute

Existence and is the Experience(sat-chit-ananda) only,

not an entity!

Namasteji....Pratap

 

========================================================

--- gprasads <gprasads wrote:

 

> Hare Krsna !

>

> All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !

>

> All glories to Guru Maharaj !

>

> There are many statements in various scriptures to prove that the

> Supreme Personality of Godhead who is SriKrsna is He.

> Srimad Bhagavatam states in SB 1.3.28

> ete cäàça-kaläù puàsaù

> kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam

> indräri-vyäkulaà lokaà

> måòayanti yuge yuge

> TRANSLATION

> All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions

> or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Çré Kåñëa

> is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on

> planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The

> Lord incarnates to protect the theists.

>

> Bramha Samhita 5.33 states

> advaitam acyutam anädim ananta-rüpam

> ädyaà puräëa-puruñaà nava-yauvanaà ca

> vedeñu durlabham adurlabham ätma-bhaktau

> govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi

> TRANSLATION

> I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the

> Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is

> without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a

> beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the

> eternal puruña; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming

> youth.

>

> Lord Srikrsna who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is refered

> herein as purusa which proves that the God is He.

>

> In Bhagavatgita Lord Krsna says 'aham beej prad pita.' I am the seed

> giving father.

> There are many statements in Bhagavat Gita itself to prove that Lord

> Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and if it is so, then

> the God is undoubtedly He just as Lord Krsna is He.

>

> Srimad Bhagavatam describes the creation of this material world. the

> first expansion of Lord Krsna is Balarama from Balarama is

> Sankarsana; from Sankarsana comes Narayana; from Narayana comes

> second Sankarsana; from second Sankarsana comes Mahavishnu or

> Karanodaksayi Vishnu who breathes out millions of universes. When He

> desires He glances over the Prakruti and the souls who are still not

> liberated come out from His body and continue from where they had

> left. He then manifests in each one as Garbhodaksayi Vishnu and from

> His navel ; a lotus stem sprouts on which Bramha appears. bramha is

> given the task of creating the living entities and in each of them

> the supremee personality manifests as Ksirodaksayi Vishnu or

> Pramatma or Hari. When Mahavishnu or Karanodaksayi Vishnu desires,

> He glances over the Prakruti and the whole process of the creation

> begins. Then the souls who are still not liberated come out from His

> body and continue from where they had left.

>

> yhs

>

> Govind Hariprasad Das