God with and without form

June 30, 1999

In the course that we do on Hinduism, we have paid special emphasis on the

contribution of Sri Ramakrishna to the idea of God being both with and

without form.

The idea of God with form was being abandoned as a compromise to the Muslim

and Christian influences in India. Both the Arya Samaj and the Brahmosamaj

movements in India were happy to adopt a formless God. This would have been

a great loss as God with form is one of the sweetest and dynamic approaches

to God. We had taught our youngsters how this allows one to build a personal

relationship with God. (How can you have a personal relationship with the

formless? we had argued).

We had then given them many examples of people who have found God through

the form and in the test we set we then asked: -

Who liked to think of God as his father?

Who liked to think of God as his mother?

Who liked to think of God as his friend?

Who liked to think of God as his master?

Who liked to think of God as her husband?

One little chap was quick to catch on and in reply to the questions

Who likes to think of God as his father? He wrote - me!

Who likes to think of God as his mother? He wrote- me!

I had to give him marks for all his answers ----- I was expecting to get

answers like

Jesus, Ramakrishna, Arjun, Hanuman and Meera.

But this little guy could not be bothered to remember all that so he just

kept writing 'me' and scoring marks. I caught him with the final answer he

had written " I like to think of God as my husband "

So I called him up and asked - Are you sure about this? He turned pink and

said 'no'. One mark lost!

jay

June 30, 1999

Dear Jay,

I don't think that influence of Mulisms and Christians made it

to accept lord as formless. I think to know lord one has to

accept him as formless until than one can't know him in true.

As one progresses on the path of spirituality one at some time

have to face the situation n think n accept the Lord as

formless.

jay i am thinking wat does Advaita mean n wat does Dvaita mean.

Jay thanks for posting such an beautiful experience.

jay i was thinking that watever we learn . Our inner self also

should be able to express it n give conformity to it.

Experiencing wat we have read is wat shoul be done. Till than

we r just piling up the knowledge which some day can fall down.

>

> In the course that we do on Hinduism, we have paid special emphasis on the

> contribution of Sri Ramakrishna to the idea of God being both with and

> without form.

> The idea of God with form was being abandoned as a compromise to the Muslim

> and Christian influences in India. Both the Arya Samaj and the Brahmosamaj

> movements in India were happy to adopt a formless God. This would have been

> a great loss as God with form is one of the sweetest and dynamic approaches

> to God. We had taught our youngsters how this allows one to build a personal

> relationship with God. (How can you have a personal relationship with the

> formless? we had argued).

> We had then given them many examples of people who have found God through

> the form and in the test we set we then asked: -

>

> Who liked to think of God as his father?

> Who liked to think of God as his mother?

> Who liked to think of God as his friend?

> Who liked to think of God as his master?

> Who liked to think of God as her husband?

>

> One little chap was quick to catch on and in reply to the questions

>

> Who likes to think of God as his father? He wrote - me!

> Who likes to think of God as his mother? He wrote- me!

>

> I had to give him marks for all his answers ----- I was expecting to get

> answers like

> Jesus, Ramakrishna, Arjun, Hanuman and Meera.

>

> But this little guy could not be bothered to remember all that so he just

> kept writing 'me' and scoring marks. I caught him with the final answer he

> had written " I like to think of God as my husband "

>

> So I called him up and asked - Are you sure about this? He turned pink and

> said 'no'. One mark lost!

>

> jay

>

July 1, 1999

>>> Vivekananda Centre wrote:

In the course that we do on Hinduism, we have paid special emphasis on

the contribution of Sri Ramakrishna to the idea of God being both with

and without form. ... jay >>>

Dear friends,

I feel:

By controlling all the modifications of mind-stuff, it is possible to

concentrate the mind on a single idea, say on one's " chosen ideal "

-Personal God. Then the state is achieved where only one knowledge, that

of personal god, remains. In this state whole mind takes the

form of that idea, of Personal God, with the uninterrupted vision of the

same. This is known as " savikalpa samadhi " -- God with form.

Still further, when the one pointed mind itself is transcended, there

remains only the knowledge of unbroken Reality, and this highest state,

where mind itself dissolves in the ocean of Universal Consciousness is

known as " nirvikalpa samadhi " -- formless God.

God means Consciousness.

Dr c s shah

--

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July 1, 1999

[This message contained attachments]

July 2, 1999

Namasthe

I did not receive the full msg.

Please resend.

Thanks & Regards

Sugan

Shankar <shankar

Ramakrishna <Ramakrishna >

01 July 1999 23:30

Re: [ramakrishna] God with and without form

This explanation of Dr C S Shah is perfectly in order and in line with the

Master's sayings. Thanks

Dr C S Shah <drcssha

Ramakrishna <Ramakrishna >

Thursday, July 01, 1999 10:16 AM

Re: [ramakrishna] God with and without form

July 2, 1999

Hi Kumarana

I checked on the list and found the earlier thread that you were looking for

here it is