Ramana Maharshi answers why are so many gods in hinduism

[Guest guest]

D - Devotee

M- Ramana Maharshi

 

D.: I come from God. Isn’t God distinct from me?

 

B.: Who asks this question? God does not. You do. So find who you are and then

you may find out whether God is distinct from you.

 

D.: But God is perfect and I am imperfect. How can I ever know Him fully?

 

B.: God does not say so. It is you who ask the question. After finding out who

you are, you may know what God is.

 

D.: But you have found your Self. Please let us know if God is distinct from

you.

 

D.: Why are so many gods mentioned?

 

B.: The body is only one, but how many functions are performed by it! The source

of all these functions is one. It is the same with the gods.

 

D.: But you are addressing God. You are specifying this Arunachala Hill as God.

 

B.: You can identify the Self with the body, so why shouldn’t the devotees

identify the Self with Arunachala?

 

D.: If Arunachala is the Self, why should it be specifically picked out among so

many other hills? God is everywhere. Why do you specify Him as Arunachala?

 

B.: What has attracted you from Allahabad to this place? What has attracted all

these people around?

 

D.: Sri Bhagavan.

 

B.: How was I attracted here? By Arunachala. The Power cannot be denied. Again

Arunachala is within and not without. The Self is Arunachala.

 

Source: The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi in His Own Words book

 

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Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram