Goddess is God?

[Guest guest]

Hello All,

Why do Shaktas say they worship God when they worship Goddess? I

understand about the concept of one Supreme Being why manifests

variously. My thing is that I THINK " God " is a masculine word. So,

wouldn't calling Mahadevi " God " be similar to obtaining a Shiva Linga

and calling it Kali, Lakshmi, etc?

 

Blessings,

Stephen

[Guest guest]

Namaste Stephen,

 

I suppose you're technically correct about the gender of the word God,

but I don't tend to think of it that way. When I think of God, I

remember that God is ultimately formless and beyond all limitation,

including gender.

 

The word God to me represents the idea of Ultimate Reality, and the

experience, not the word itself, or its etamology. Knowing the

experience of God, it doesn't matter if I am worshiping Shiva or

Durga, they are both God, to me, because they are both that experience

of divinity I have within.

 

Our language is not very rich in its vocabulary for Divinity. The

Vedic tradition has the concept of Brahman to encompass the formless,

undifferentiated, ultimate truth of existence. We only have the word God.

 

Jai Maa!

Chris

 

 

 

, " liberator_9 " <liberator_9 wrote:

>

> Hello All,

> Why do Shaktas say they worship God when they worship Goddess? I

> understand about the concept of one Supreme Being why manifests

> variously. My thing is that I THINK " God " is a masculine word. So,

> wouldn't calling Mahadevi " God " be similar to obtaining a Shiva Linga

> and calling it Kali, Lakshmi, etc?

>

> Blessings,

> Stephen

>

[Guest guest]

Sakthas are those who worship the Supreme Deity exclusively as a

FEMALE PRINCIPLE. The Supreme Deity is the Universal Mother or MAA as

she is affectionately called by her Bakthas (Devotees).

 

God is a generic term used to designate the Supreme Deity. In Hinduism

we have a term for god called the Nirguna Brahman. That is God without

any attributes.

 

The path is normally

 

1. Worship of many Gods.

2. Worship of one Deity as Ishta Devata or Personal God.

3. Worship of the God without attributes.

 

Hinduism is based on the principle of Acceptance of all other

religions and Gods.

 

You may find us worshiping different Deities. This is because Hinduism

is neither polytheistic or monotheistic. It is in the words of Max

Müller " Henotheism. " (mean devotion to a single " God " while accepting

the existence of other gods). To put in layman's terms when we pray to

a particular Deity, that Deity is God.

 

So we have prayers to the various Deities in the Vedas.

 

Jai MAA !!!

 

 

 

, " liberator_9 " <liberator_9 wrote:

>

> Hello All,

> Why do Shaktas say they worship God when they worship Goddess? I

> understand about the concept of one Supreme Being why manifests

> variously. My thing is that I THINK " God " is a masculine word. So,

> wouldn't calling Mahadevi " God " be similar to obtaining a Shiva Linga

> and calling it Kali, Lakshmi, etc?

>

> Blessings,

> Stephen

>

[Guest guest]

Namastes and greetings to you Stephen, and others wanting to join this post:: It is a well known fact that even during the pre Christ days including the early Biblical times, the idea of one GOD, so supreme and powerful and uniquely endowed with immeasurable strength, knowledge and limitless capacities, was properly engaged in the welfare of the world, as we know now. That GOD was believed to be a human MAN, and thus there is an obvious dichotomy to distinguish that man-god from a woman-god ( goddess). But since time immemorial,, Hinduism has always promulgated that the idea of a GOD was not within our understandable realms and had maintained the unique concept of a GOD which ( or who) is formless, timeless, endless, immeasurable, immutable and "concept" within our constraints of thinking/imaginations. Thus the pantheon of several "gods" as deities were allowed to be worshipped and adored depending upon the individual's

capacities, understanding or perceptions. Thus the GOD was also found in stones, trees, mountains, rivers, air, ether, fire, thunder and lightining, and yet was given a form of either man or woman, based on the older tradtions of binding the mind to adopt, and start believing that which is comfortable and easy to approach and adopt. Which created the "ishta devathas". who are favorites in form, shape and looks. Many worship the female version of that favorite deity, as MAA and belong to the group of shakthas, as opposed to those who worship the male version. To clarify or confuse, Shiva himself is often worshipped as ARTHA NAREESHEWARA. where half the body is male and the other, female. There are deities shown as KALI MAA, in a female form, standing atop of male Shiva, having conquered the demons ( our lower level thoughts). Thus when we break a coconut in front of a stone Ganesha and believe firmly that HE is the remover of obstacles, many a time this has been

proven to be 100% correct and happens every day, to so many folks. For someone elese this might appear to be out of current norms, but for that devotee it works, proving , without any doubt, that our GOD exists, and is here. The idea of colorless, formless abstract entity to be worshipped as GOD in abject vacuum is hard on far too many people, hence the need to identify a form, shape and looks.There is no difference between the god and goddess, as in reality, there is only ONE. You may wish to refer to Swamiji's lectures on this matter also, and refer to some of the erudite texts, easily available from the Mandir. The Sanskrit words " Nirguna Brahman" is often quoted as being the closest explanation ( if it is ever possible) of an impersonal GOD. This still allows our timid minds to extrapolate shapes. forms, for our own conveniences. By the way, Hinduism warns that "experiencing GOD" is a challenge beyond our human

comprehensions, and thus blessed are those who "feel" and live in that ONE_NESS with that uniquely "personal" GOD. Namastes and may your earnest search lead you to better answers than mine!!! Jai MAA and Jai Swamiji Babu Krishnan

[Guest guest]

, " Chris Kirner "

<chriskirner1956 wrote:

>

> Namaste Stephen,

>

> I suppose you're technically correct about the gender of the word

God,

> but I don't tend to think of it that way. When I think of God, I

> remember that God is ultimately formless and beyond all limitation,

> including gender.

>

> The word God to me represents the idea of Ultimate Reality, and the

> experience, not the word itself, or its etamology. Knowing the

> experience of God, it doesn't matter if I am worshiping Shiva or

> Durga, they are both God, to me, because they are both that

experience

> of divinity I have within.

>

> Our language is not very rich in its vocabulary for Divinity. The

> Vedic tradition has the concept of Brahman to encompass the

formless,

> undifferentiated, ultimate truth of existence. We only have the

word God.

 

Hi Chris,

Not meaning to be argumentative, but I occaisionally see

references to " The Lord " in Hindu Goddess worship. In western

Paganism, they have solved the problem by referring to Her as " The

Lady " . We do have the word Goddess. So, I suspect that it is an

illusion that we depend on masculine words to describe something all

powerful. I know India was persecuted by first the Muslims, and then

the British. So, I wonder if using the same terms used to describe a

monotheistic, masculine deity could be a historical, if not

entrenched, desire or need to " go along, so you can get along " . I

know I can be a pain with my fussing about details. Sorry.

 

Namaste,

Stephen

[Guest guest]

Okay thank you Chris, Shankar, and Narayan. I am satisfied. I still

prefer Pagan terms to describe deity, because I think of " God " as a

masculine word. But, that can be my personal choice.

 

Namaste,

Stephen

[Guest guest]

India always referred to Goddesses as Devi. And that is feminine in gender. I don't think there has been an issue about genders in India. Devi is the accepted term that refers to the Mother Goddess and we are quite comfortable in our beliefs in the feminine principles. LoveMimiliberator_9 <liberator_9 wrote: , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956 wrote: > > Namaste Stephen, >

> I suppose you're technically correct about the gender of the word God, > but I don't tend to think of it that way. When I think of God, I > remember that God is ultimately formless and beyond all limitation, > including gender. > > The word God to me represents the idea of Ultimate Reality, and the > experience, not the word itself, or its etamology. Knowing the > experience of God, it doesn't matter if I am worshiping Shiva or > Durga, they are both God, to me, because they are both that experience > of divinity I have within. > > Our language is not very rich in its vocabulary for Divinity. The > Vedic tradition has the concept of Brahman to encompass the formless, > undifferentiated, ultimate truth of existence. We only have the word God. Hi Chris, Not meaning to be argumentative, but I occaisionally see references to "The

Lord" in Hindu Goddess worship. In western Paganism, they have solved the problem by referring to Her as "The Lady". We do have the word Goddess. So, I suspect that it is an illusion that we depend on masculine words to describe something all powerful. I know India was persecuted by first the Muslims, and then the British. So, I wonder if using the same terms used to describe a monotheistic, masculine deity could be a historical, if not entrenched, desire or need to "go along, so you can get along". I know I can be a pain with my fussing about details. Sorry. Namaste, Stephen

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[Guest guest]

Yeah, the mind is tricky! Sometimes it requires us to do strange

things to keep it from getting in the way of our hearts. It's all part

of the process of purification.

 

I remember when I was first separating from my embeddedness in

Christianity, it was hard for me to relate to all the new words and

the images they called-up then. For a while there had to be a kind of

conscious interpolation going on, " Shiva's like the Heavenly Father, "

and " Vishnu's like Jesus. " I think Divine Mother was a kind of cross

between the loving Jesus, my own mother, and the Holy Spirit.

 

I don't remember how long it took, but eventually the experience of

Divinity I had while worshiping these different names merged with my

Christian experience and became one. Now there is no dichotomy at all.

I'm sure it will be the same with you. Until then, my advice is, just

think in whatever way will allow you to worship with an open heart.

 

Jai Maa!

Chris

 

 

, " liberator_9 " <liberator_9 wrote:

>

> Okay thank you Chris, Shankar, and Narayan. I am satisfied. I still

> prefer Pagan terms to describe deity, because I think of " God " as a

> masculine word. But, that can be my personal choice.

>

> Namaste,

> Stephen

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Stephen,

 

You're getting too caught-up in the English words. Our language

doesn't approach the technical or poetic elegance of Sanskrit in

relation to its spiritual vocabulary and our culture doesn't approach

the cultural richness of spiritual traditions and practices in modern

India. It is frankly hard, in the beginning, to know how to relate to

it all. I, myself, am still very much an outsider in relation to all

this, the spiritual history and evolution of India as the earth's

spiritual womb, as I believe it to be.

 

As I said in my previous post (which you should have read by the time

you read this), I think you should try to understand these

discordances in thinking as impurities in the mind that will

eventually need to be resolved and let go. They do not describe Truth,

after all. In the meantime, live with them, but try to keep them at

arm's length.

 

In regard to the use of the masculine to describe divinity in a Shakta

scripture, in general, without knowing context, if the reference was

not intended to describe the masculine aspect of the One in relation

to the feminine, I would say that it was done to remind the reader

that there is ultimately no difference. Masculine and feminine - both

are interchangeable at the highest level.

 

Jai Maa!

Chris

 

 

 

 

, " liberator_9 " <liberator_9 wrote:

>

> , " Chris Kirner "

> <chriskirner1956@> wrote:

> >

> > Namaste Stephen,

> >

> > I suppose you're technically correct about the gender of the word

> God,

> > but I don't tend to think of it that way. When I think of God, I

> > remember that God is ultimately formless and beyond all limitation,

> > including gender.

> >

> > The word God to me represents the idea of Ultimate Reality, and the

> > experience, not the word itself, or its etamology. Knowing the

> > experience of God, it doesn't matter if I am worshiping Shiva or

> > Durga, they are both God, to me, because they are both that

> experience

> > of divinity I have within.

> >

> > Our language is not very rich in its vocabulary for Divinity. The

> > Vedic tradition has the concept of Brahman to encompass the

> formless,

> > undifferentiated, ultimate truth of existence. We only have the

> word God.

>

> Hi Chris,

> Not meaning to be argumentative, but I occaisionally see

> references to " The Lord " in Hindu Goddess worship. In western

> Paganism, they have solved the problem by referring to Her as " The

> Lady " . We do have the word Goddess. So, I suspect that it is an

> illusion that we depend on masculine words to describe something all

> powerful. I know India was persecuted by first the Muslims, and then

> the British. So, I wonder if using the same terms used to describe a

> monotheistic, masculine deity could be a historical, if not

> entrenched, desire or need to " go along, so you can get along " . I

> know I can be a pain with my fussing about details. Sorry.

>

> Namaste,

> Stephen

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Chris,

Well well said. you amazed everytime with your words...always put so

nicely....

sandy

" OM NAMAH SHIVAYA "

 

 

 

 

> " Chris Kirner " <chriskirner1956

>

>

>[www.ShreeMaa.org] Re: Goddess is God?

>Fri, 06 Apr 2007 03:02:10 -0000

>

>Hi Stephen,

>

>You're getting too caught-up in the English words. Our language

>doesn't approach the technical or poetic elegance of Sanskrit in

>relation to its spiritual vocabulary and our culture doesn't approach

>the cultural richness of spiritual traditions and practices in modern

>India. It is frankly hard, in the beginning, to know how to relate to

>it all. I, myself, am still very much an outsider in relation to all

>this, the spiritual history and evolution of India as the earth's

>spiritual womb, as I believe it to be.

>

>As I said in my previous post (which you should have read by the time

>you read this), I think you should try to understand these

>discordances in thinking as impurities in the mind that will

>eventually need to be resolved and let go. They do not describe Truth,

>after all. In the meantime, live with them, but try to keep them at

>arm's length.

>

>In regard to the use of the masculine to describe divinity in a Shakta

>scripture, in general, without knowing context, if the reference was

>not intended to describe the masculine aspect of the One in relation

>to the feminine, I would say that it was done to remind the reader

>that there is ultimately no difference. Masculine and feminine - both

>are interchangeable at the highest level.

>

>Jai Maa!

>Chris

>

>

>

>

> , " liberator_9 " <liberator_9 wrote:

> >

> > , " Chris Kirner "

> > <chriskirner1956@> wrote:

> > >

> > > Namaste Stephen,

> > >

> > > I suppose you're technically correct about the gender of the word

> > God,

> > > but I don't tend to think of it that way. When I think of God, I

> > > remember that God is ultimately formless and beyond all limitation,

> > > including gender.

> > >

> > > The word God to me represents the idea of Ultimate Reality, and the

> > > experience, not the word itself, or its etamology. Knowing the

> > > experience of God, it doesn't matter if I am worshiping Shiva or

> > > Durga, they are both God, to me, because they are both that

> > experience

> > > of divinity I have within.

> > >

> > > Our language is not very rich in its vocabulary for Divinity. The

> > > Vedic tradition has the concept of Brahman to encompass the

> > formless,

> > > undifferentiated, ultimate truth of existence. We only have the

> > word God.

> >

> > Hi Chris,

> > Not meaning to be argumentative, but I occaisionally see

> > references to " The Lord " in Hindu Goddess worship. In western

> > Paganism, they have solved the problem by referring to Her as " The

> > Lady " . We do have the word Goddess. So, I suspect that it is an

> > illusion that we depend on masculine words to describe something all

> > powerful. I know India was persecuted by first the Muslims, and then

> > the British. So, I wonder if using the same terms used to describe a

> > monotheistic, masculine deity could be a historical, if not

> > entrenched, desire or need to " go along, so you can get along " . I

> > know I can be a pain with my fussing about details. Sorry.

> >

> > Namaste,

> > Stephen

> >

>

>

 

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