Advaita, Dvaita and VishishtAdvaita

Advaita:

Brahman alone is absolutely real and the world of duality is an illusion and the jiva or the individual self is verily Brahman. This non-dual Brahman due to the power of mAya appears as this universe comprising of multifarious forms of jiva, jada and Ishwara.

This Advaitic or non-dual Brahman is nirvishesha, nirguna and nirAkara - attributeless, devoid of characteristics and formless. Brahman is accepted to be nimittOpAdAna kAraNa - material and efficient cause for the world.

Advaita also says "sakalam idam aham cha vAsudevaha" - everything including the self is vAsudeva or God or Brahman. So essentially it is the ideal view where the all pervading universal impersonal Self alone is identified as the eternally real Brahman. The world of duality is accepted to be relatively real or vyavaharika satya and is said to be unreal upon attainment of Brahman or moksha or liberation, which is already there! The world is also looked upon as a reflection of the Brahman/Self.

Sri Adi Shankara is the primary AchArya in the Advaita tradition.

Dvaita:

Brahman is real and the world of duality and variety is also real. Brahman is Narayana who is full of auspicious attributes and is only a nimitta kArana or efficient cause for the world.

Brahman is svatantra - independent and the world of jiva and jada are paratantra (or dependent on Brahman).

Brahman, jiva and jada are absolutely different and there is no identity or equality between any of them. But there is only similarity.

The following five differences or pancha-bheda, are absolutely real:
Brahman and jiva
Brahman and Jada
Jiva and Jada
Jiva and Jiva
Jada and Jada

Jada/Prakriti/inanimate objects are of three types: sattva, rajas and tamas.

Jivas/individual souls are of three types - sAttvika, rAjasika and tAmasika. There is difference and gradation among all these types of jivas.

sAttvikas are eligible for moksha which could be attained only through the grace of Vishnu which is obtained through true bhakti sAdhana or devotional practice in the tAratamya tradition where all devatas are worshiped according to their hierarchical positions, finally  culminating in the supreme God Vishnu.

rAjasikas are always bound to the samsAra and tAmasikAs are destined to end up in eternal hell.

jIvas experience of Ananda or bliss in moksha varies and depends on the capacity or svaroopa of each jiva. Brahman's Ananda alone is infinite and the Ananda of jivas are finite and hierarchical.

Brahman Narayana is sarvottama (best of all) and vAyu devata or Sri MadhvachArya who is the primary AcArya in the dvaita tradition, is jIvOttaama (best among the jivas).


V.Advaita:

Three realities of Ishwara/Brahman, jIva and jada are accepted. Ishwara / Brahman is both nimitta (efficient) and upAdAna (material) kAraNa (cause) for the world of jIva and jada.

Ishwara / Brahman is srIman nArAyaNa. Lakshmi or mAya and nArAyaNa or Ishwara are inseparable and form one single reality or tattva of Brahman.

Brahman and the world are related as Self and body. As the world/body has no existence apart from the Self, and as the body is supported/sustained/used by the Self, Brahman is the
material and efficient cause for the world.

Brahman as the sole cause pervades the world which is in the form of effect. This is another reason for the material causality of Brahman. But still Brahman and the world are different
but inseparable and integrally one.

Jada prakriti has three modes - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. jIvas are of three types : baddha (bound in samsara), mukta (bound in the past but liberated now) and nitya (ever liberated).

All jIvas are essentially equal in savaroopa or intrinsic nature which is made of knowledge and bliss (dharma bhoota jnyAna). But this jIva svaroopa in samsAra gets limited according to the individual karma resulting in the differences and hierarchy in the world. All jivas are eligible for mOksha or liberation.

Moksha is attained through Bhakti/SharaNAgati (surrender) to the Supreme Brahman Sriman Narayana performed through surrender / service to once own AchArya (Spritual preceptor). The ananda or bliss in moksha for the jIva would be infinite and equal to that of Brahman nArAyaNa. The example of an iron piece acquiring the properties of a magnet when it is attached to the magnet, is given to illustrate the equality and difference in Ananda between Brahman and the liberated jiva.

Ishwara / Brahman / srIman nArayaNa as the sole cause and the world (of jiva/jada) as the effect, are inseparably related as the Self/Soul and body, respectively. The soul is always the master and the body always serves the soul. So this relationship brings out the svaroopa of Brahman as the master/owner/supporter/controller and the jIva svaroopa as the eternal servant or shEsha of Brahman - who is the shEshI, one who possesses or owns the shEshi.
Sri rAmAnuja is the primary AchArya in the V.Advaita or SriVaishnava tradition.

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In Advaita Brahman is the independent absolute Self of all. In Dvaita, Brahman is independent and the world is dependent. In V.Advaita, Brahman is the Self and the world is the body, which is absolutely dependent on the Self. So this Self-body relationship which is explicitly stated in the Veda and recognized in V.Advaita satisfies the basic tenets of both Advaita and Dvaita.

Advaita is based on the statements called aikya vakyas in the Veda that establish the oneness of the world with Brahman. Dvaita is based on the bheda vakyas that establish the difference. V.Advaita is based on ghataka vAkyas that establish the inseparable or integral oneness of Brahman with the world.

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Advaita, V.Advaita and Dvaita appears to be opposed to each other. Apparently this is true but in reality they are not. This is because they all accept Veda / Upanishad, Gita and Brahma sUtra as pramANa and Brahman as the ultimate meaning. Brahman is also accepted to be non-dual, all pervading and as the antaryAmi Atma - indwelling Self of all.

All differences are with regard to the nature of the world. Dvaita and V.Advaita accept the world to be real. But in Advaita the world is unreal in the absolute sense. The world is accepted as relatively real. But it is interesting to note that Advaitic Brahman remains unaffected even when the world is taken to be dependently real. The Advaitic Brahman as the universal Self alone is identified through the world based on sAmAnAdhikaraNya!

Interestingly the same Advaitic non-dual absolute all-pervading reality / existence / Self, when divided by or seen through the lens of guna of prakriti, yields division of jIvas as per Dvaita - sAttvika, rAjasa and tAmasa. The same reality when divided by the three modes of time - past, present and future, yields V.Advaitic division of jIvas as baddha, mukta and nityas.

In Advaita, the world is taken to be vivarta or reflection of Brahman, or the Self. In Dvaita, the jiva/world is pratibimba or reflection and it is also the upAdhi or the medium.  In V.Advaita, the world is the body and Brahman is the indwelling Self. The body can also be looked upon as a reflection of the Self as it's nature or characteristics is opposed to

the original. So the Vedic teaching that Brahman is the antaryAmi or the indwelling Self and the world is its reflection/body is common for all.

So, these three Vedic traditions are not water tight compartments. The tenets of one could be interpreted so that it is compatible and valid in others also. For instance, the divisions of jivas, based on the three gunas, is valid in V.Advaita in the embodied state and the V.Advaitic division based on kala/time should be valid in Dvaita also in the liberated state. Lakshmi, shesha, garuda and so on are accepted as ever liberated or nityas in Dvaita

also. All these should be valid in Advaita also as vyAvarika satya or transactional reality, for which the Brahman/Self always remains as a witness. This will be true until the paramArtha is attained.

Interestingly, when the entire world is looked upon as the manifestation or body of Brahman then all kinds of world views based on Veda/Vedanta should get reconciled! Non-Vedic views either gets digested or eliminated as the entire universe turns out to be One singal integral reality.

Some more analysis:

Brahman is Advaita (non-dual) and jagat or body is Dvaita (dual). They exist in each other or in other words their existence coincide. This is common for all traditions. So it follows that there is Advaita in Dvaita and vice versa also.

But jagat or mAyA is real in Dvaita/V.Advaita and illusory or ultimately unreal in the Advaita. Whether the dualistic world is real or not, Advaitic truth remains unaffected as all dualities are cognized in the light of Brahman or consciousness which is always non-dual. So, they all come together when Brahman is looked upon as the SarvAntaryAmi - all pervading, indwelling spirit-Self of the universe.

Q:
As per Dvaita the famous mahAvAkya "AtmAtattvamasi" is split as "AtmA + atat + tvamasi". This is opposed to the Advaitic interpretation of "AtmA + tat + tvamasi". So how is this reconciled?

A:
"AtmA + atat + tvamasi" when interpreted as "AtmA + is not that (which is something else) + but you" gives Advaita. This is how it should be as Brahman is the Atma or the Self of the entire world including the jiva who is a shareera of Brahman. The fact that the jiva is the shareera or body dependent on Brahman as the Self, is explicitly taught in the Veda (antaryAmi brAhmana) - "yasya atma shareeram".

In Dvaita it is also interpreted as AtmA tat tvam tadadheenOsi. Meaning - Atma is that (Brahman) and you are dependent on that. This establishes Brahman as the universal AtmA or Self. and the jiva as the body is dependent on Him. So they all get reconciled in the fact that Brahman is the non-dual Atma or the inner Self.

As Brahman is sarva (everything) there is nothing that is not Brahman. So even the atat vastu is Brahman based on sAmAnAdhikaraNya.

Also, atat + tvamasi" helps in the non-identification with the body self. It also helps to eliminate ahankAra (ego), mamkAra (possessiveness), kartrutva (doership/jivatva) and bhoktrutva (enjoyership/Ishwaratva).

So both tatvamasi and atatvamasi helps to isolate the indwelling Brahman.

Q:
Does it mean that Advaita is ultimate and there is no jagat or Dvaita?

A:
No. The point is Advaita and Dvaita and V.Advaita all lead to the same Brahman or ParamAtma - established as the inner Self of all. Acceptance of the world as the body or dependent reality should not affect the Advaitic or non-dual nature of Brahman. The real Self or "I" in all is universal Brahman. All the many jIvas are rooted in that.

Brahman is accepted as the indwelling spirit Self of the world in all the schools. Even though the world is real in Dvaita and V.Advaita, it is still accepted to be impermanent and full of suffering. The attainment of Brahman is by withdrawing oneself from the world of duality (dvandva like enjoyment-suffering, birth-death so on..) and entering into or residing in or attaining that supreme Self or Brahman who is within and everywhere. Every individual self has to give up and realize that everything is rooted in the supreme Self which is the Self of the universe. That is the reason total withdrawal of senses and mind and turning them inwards in brahmacharya and tapasya is valid in all traditions.

So philosophically, it is the same non-dual or Advaitic Brahman situated as the all pervading and indwelling Self who is deep within all of us is attained through Advaita, Dvaita and V.Advaita.

Q: Jivas are intrinsically different in Dvaita, equal in V.Advaita and non-dual or alone in Advaita. How can this be reconciled?

A: It all depends on how one looks at the reality.

Intrinsic difference among jivas is very obvious from the point of view of the body. So even Advaitins and V.Advaitins have to accept this prameya or truth of Dvaita in the embodied state.

As the same Brahman is completely present in all, the equality among jivas as per V.Advaita also gets established which cannot be denied by any Vedantic school.

When Brahman is experienced as the absolute indwelling Self similar to what is experienced in the deep sleep state, the Advaitic or the non-dual and kaivalya or "aloneness" or "oneness" or "merger" of everything with Brahman gets established. This supreme Self
encompasses everything. So it cannot have any opposition.

The nature of Brahman therefore can never be put in words or even imagined. The knower alone has to discover it within himself.


Q:
Brahman is saguna and sAkAra in Dvaita and nirguna and nirAkAra in Advaita. So how can this be reconciled?

A:
There is Vedic pramANa to support both forms of Brahman. The essential Self without a body/name/form is actually nirguna. As an entity that is denoted by All name/forms/bodies it is saguna. Brahman as the inner Self is nirguna and Vishwaroopi Brahman manifesting as this universe is saguna.

Sri AdiShankara has explicitly accepted the oneness of both in his brahma sUtra bhAshya. Saguna sAkAra Brahman Sriman nArAyaNa is accepted as vibhu or infinite and so can never be fully known is accepted in Dvaita and V.Advaita.

Nirguna and NirAkAra which means that which is attribute-less and formless could also be interpreted as nirasta sakala guna and AkAra meaning that which surpasses all attributes and forms. Opposites come together in the universal sense. Brahman is both mruthyu and
amruta. All depends on how one approaches it and ultimately the knower alone knows. It is impossible to put in words the true nature of Brahman established as the inner Self. This nirguNa nirAkAra which is of the nature of pure jyAna or consciousness is identified as Shiva in the vedAdi shAstras. As it is sarvanAmavAchya (denoted by all names/forms) and an entity present in all, it is nArAyaNa also.

So philosophically, Advaita and Dvaita are not opposed but complimentary to each other. Infact both the views are integrated by V.Advaita and all of them converge in the Brahman established as the inner Self of all supporting the entire universe as it's body.

The reality of Brahman as the Self is not affected by the existence or non-existence of the world as the body. But the "reality" or existence of the world as the body absolutely dependent on the indwelling Brahman should be acceptable to all, at least in vyavahAra as it is experiential and supported by scriptural teaching. There is a need to study all the three
major schools of Vedanta - Advaita, Dvaita and V.Advaita in order to get a complete understanding of Brahman.

All vedAntic darshanas are like different snAna ghattas for the same ganga of Brahman!

More detailed analysis on this topic is available
in the Universal Vedic view.

Namaste

Suresh
Namaste
Suresh

Bhagavad Gita - Some non-traditional objections

There are many non-traditional scholars propagating wrong ideas about Vedas and the
BhgavadGita and Hindu religion in general. Many of them don't know Sanskrit
and have not read any of the traditional Gita commentaries written by great
achAryas. Most of them are influenced by commentaries on B.Gita by MK Gandhi
and other commentaries written by foreigners or Indians with an aversion to tradition.
I recently had an opportunity  to listen to one such scholar.

Here are some non-traditional purvapaksha for B.Gita with my answers:

Q1. BGita was given by Krishna to Arjuna on the 10th day of the Mahabharata war.

A: This is the standard confusion among all non-Sanskrit non-traditional scholars.
As per MB critical edition - Sanjaya narrated the event to Dhritarashtra on the
10th day. But the actual BGita was delivered on the 1st day just before the war.

Q2. Krishna is the atma and arjuna is the mind.

A: If the above is true then B.Gita will end up as a discourse given by our own self
to our own mind. Obviously, this is absurd. Mind cannot be arjuna because it is inert.
Arjuna is the atma/individual soul/jiva and Krishna is the paramatma/universal soul/ishwara.

Q3. There are many kinds of calendars in Hindu culture and so no dates pertaining to
B.gita can be accurate.

A: Probably Veda vyAsa knew that pseudo scholars would bring up such stupid arguments
to put down the historicity of Mahabharata / Gita. That is why he has given hundreds
of astronomical data using which the accurate date could be precisely calculated.
These astronomical data also clearly tally with findings from other sciences like
geology, archaeology, oceanography and so on. For detailed information please read
Nilesh Oak's book "When did the Mahabharata war happen".

Q4. There are so many versions of scriptures also including Maha bharata...
so many versions...and also changes in the stories...including the number of slokas
in the whole of MB and BG in particular.

A: The critical version of MB is now available which is accepted by all true scholars.
Veda vyAsa himself has provided the numbers of slokas in Mahabharata - One lakh with
upAkhyanas/sub stories, 24K without upAkhyanas and 8K koota slokas. All the three
great Acharyas - Sri Shankara, Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madhwa have provided commentaries
for the same slokas in the Bhagavad Gita. There may be some differences in the versions of
Mahabharata by vyAsa maharshi but the overall theme about the supremacy of Sri Krishna
and greatness of pandavas and so on remains the same.


Q5. Devi Bhagavatam is the oldest and is authentic

A: This is not valid based on the earlier argument of many calendars and versions.
Devi Bhagavatam is not part of the 18 Puranas but it is considered one of the many
other scriptures. Also just because something is old doesn't mean it is authentic.
Some part of Devi Bhagagavatam is not authentic as it is incompatible with the BGita.

Q6. Vaishnavas say that Shiva is an amsha of Vishnu. Shaivas say otherwise.
So there is no one pointed view in Vedas.

A: The above is a vicious strategy to divide hindus. People who are true to Veda will
look upon the entire universe as that supreme Brahman. In the B.Gita Sri Krishna
shows his universal form that includes all devatas. Infact Sri Krishna identifies himself
as "kAla" who is none other than Shiva. Other purAna statements prove that Shiva and
Vishnu exist in each other and worship each other. This inseparable, integral oneness is
what Vedas and BGita are teaching which cannot have any opposition.

Namaste
Suresh

   

Are all religions true?

Namaste,

There is this popular belief that Hindu religion considers all religions as true. Hindu religion is also said to have the "sarva dharma sama bhAva" - that all religions are equal or the same. 

Some scholars like Sri Rajiv Malhotra oppose this idea. Their point is, if all religions are true then it simply justifies conversion as it does not matter what religion one follows. This is obviously true as every religion is intrinsically different from each other and more so with Hindu religion and culture. 

But still, there is another way of looking at this issue.

All religions are true is another way of saying all religions knowingly or unknowingly, are worshiping the Vedic Hindu God only who alone is absolutely true!. The simple reason is that Vedic Hindu God is everywhere and is identified as the truth of all truths. He is the all pervading and indwelling spirit Self of all that is indubitable and undeniable and is denoted and identified by all name/forms. While this Vedic view is acceptable and essential to reconcile all the many sub-religions within the dhArmic Hindu tradition, it can be extended to include other non-Vedic religions also.

This Hindu view of accepting all religions as true brings out the universal, spiritual and all encompassing nature of Vedic Hindu religion/God and in a way eliminates or absorbs all particular religions/gods into one single Vedic view. All religions are like rivers that ultimately becomes one in the ocean of the Hindu or Vedic God Brahman who is everywhere and limitless. If gods in all the
many Hindu sub-religions are like gold ornaments, Hindu Vedic God/Brahman is verily the Gold itself.

So for a true Hindu, all other particular religions worshiping their particular gods, are indirectly worshiping Hindu God only, who as the absolute unchanging truth, is everywhere. Their view is limited as opposed to the universal Hindu view and so the question of conversion for a Hindu never arises. 

There is no need to convert to limited view and worship Hindu God indirectly. Actually, other religions have no choice but to ultimately un-convert and merge into this infinite universal Hindu view.

God in the Hindu religion is the absolute spirit Self pervading and supporting the entire universe as His body. Obviously God of any particular religion wherever S/He is, cannot be external to OR even different from this all pervading God of Hindus! So to say that all religions are true it also means all religions are pointing to the same Vedic God who alone is the absolute truth. All kinds
of identifications of particular gods must culminate in the identification of this all pervading Hindu God. 

The intrinsic tolerance of many sub-religions in the broad Vedic Hindu religion does not mean it accepts all religions are individually true and leads to the same truth or God. On the other hand it is the recognition of all gods/devatas as integral parts of the Supreme God manifesting as the entire universe that helps to bind and integrate all differences. 

Vedas identify the entire universe of nature as the body of the supreme being or God on whom every "individual being" absolutely depends for existence. This is similar to a baby existing in the womb and depending absolutely on the mother. This obvious truth cannot be denied by believers in any religion
and even non-believers. So Hindu view is universal as opposed to other particular views. Each particular view differs from each other but they always remain a subset of the universal. Ultimately every particular view harmoniously aligns with the universal Hindu view.

The realization of God as the all pervading inner spirit Self of the universe therefore eliminates separate identification of religions in their essence whether they are outside or inside Hindu tradition. All differences are superficial and qualifies the same truth. The Core of all religions is thus Hindu. Any religion or view that does not identify God as the universal Self is bound to have self-contradictions.

All non-vedic religions are actually reflections of Hindu religion which always remains original.

The name Jesus stands for jiva that denotes the self. The cross stands for the body or duality in which the jiva is stuck. This jiva who is stuck or suffering in the body is thus essentially crucified. As God is everywhere, every individual soul or the jiva is the son / amsha of God. When the jiva realizes God or Brahman who is within him and everywhere then he gets resurrected  / liberated.

The name Allah is the mutilated form of the Vedic name Atma which denotes God as the absolute universal Self. There can be peace and harmony only when one realizes God/Allah within oneself only. The obstacle for this is one's own kAma/lust and krodha/anger. One needs to do jihad to eliminate ones own bad qualities. This is the essence of Islam that aligns with Hindu Vedic view. Thus it is possible to show that all major religions are indirectly teaching Hindu religion only which is eternal and original.

This absolute universal Hindu view simply eliminates or consumes all other particular religious views effectively countering the conversion menace!

Q: If God is everywhere, it still does not matter what path or religion one follows as all paths lead to the same God. So why should Hindus oppose conversion? In fact Non-Hindus can even argue that their religion has no social evils like caste based discrimination as in Hinduism.

A: No, Conversion is based on ignorance as the soul is immutable and so can never be converted. Hindus have to oppose conversion as it divides the truth / world as myself and the other. This destroys peace and harmony which can be there only when God is seen in every being and everywhere. There is no non-Hindu religion that identifies God as the all pervading and indwelling soul/Self of all. If they do, then they are not different from the Hindu Vedic view.

Caste system which is typically found in Hindu religions is a natural phenomena. Not everybody is created equal and people of same nature always flock together and so caste is nothing but an extended family.

Vedic name for Caste system is the Varnashrama dharma and is a natural consequence of accepting God as the inner Self who pervades and supports all particular name/forms and the entire universe as His body. As all the different parts of the body like head, hands, thighs and feet have their respective
duties to perform as a service to the indwelling soul, the idea of varna/caste based duties gains credibility. Varnashrama simply integrates the society into a single organic entity similar to the human body promoting mutual co-operation among diverse groups or castes. In societies practicing varnashrama people will be family oriented and value their profession more than money, rendering their

profession as a spiritual service to God. 

On the other hand societies lacking Varnashrama are based on sheer competition, blindly chasing money and material comfort with little or no respect for nurturing professions within the family. 

So there is a need for intelligent people to subscribe to the Hindu view. What is needed is co-operation and not competition among various groups or families in the society and Varnashrama or caste system is an institution that sustains this diversity and values. This is very much natural as it is analogous to
working of the various parts of our own body which always works in unison.

As already mentioned all other religions worshiping their particular gods are indirectly worshiping the Hindu God. So why worship God indirectly? As a Hindu, one can directly worship God as Vishnu who is everywhere and the same God as Shiva who is auspicious. The aspect of Vishnu as truth and Shiva as dharma is inseparable. Intelligent people should not have any qualms in realizing these Vedic truths.

Q: What about many sub-religions and philosophical differences within Hindu view...So the argument against converting to other religions applies to many sub religions within Hindu view also right? But Vaishnavas and Shaivas have been engaging in conversion. 

A: Yes, there are many philosophical differences between various Hindu traditions and that keeps them all different and apparently divergent . But they all identify their supreme God as Brahman and conversion based on one's own preference (from Vaishnava to Shaiva and vice-versa for example) should still be fine, though not necessary, as the path to reach Brahman would always remain 

as Dharma comprising of pravrutti and nivrutti in all the Hindu sub-religions.

The major schools of philosophies within the Vedic tradition like Advaita, Vishishta Advaita and Dvaita and other variations in between can also be reconciled by identifying the entire universe as the body/manifestation of God which is uniquely Vedic and experiential also.

All the different sub-religions and philosophies within Hindu view accept Veda and allied scriptures and so are like different avenues / snana ghattas to the same Ganga of the all pervading God / Brahman. Other non-vedic religions do not identify their particular God with the absolute Brahman and so could not be considered as valid. If they do then they lose their separate identity or existence and come under the umbrella of sanAtana / eternal Vedic Hindu dharma.

Namaste
Suresh

Omniscience and Free Will

All theistic religions in general accept an Omniscient God. Vedas go one step
further and declares "by knowing Brahman or the Supreme God everything can be known".
In other words those who know the supreme God Brahman, will also know everything.
Does it mean that liberated beings are also Omniscient and so equal to God?
Of course there are many interpretations based on dualistic and monistic views.
But lets examine the omniscience of God and his devotees in detail.


Here are some more questions:

1. If God and the rishis (liberated beings) know everything, why do they act like
ignorants and go through troubles? For example Lord Rama crying like an ordinary man
after losing Sita; Sage Durvasa cursing Ambarisha maharaja and then running around to
protect himself from the chasing Sudarshana chakra; and so on...

A: The sages and Gods are only acting "as if" they are ignorants within the framework of
dharma and to ultimately uphold the greatness of dharma and pure devotees. This is also
to delude the demons who are not dharmic, to protect dharma and to delight devotees with
their pass-time or leela. But they never loose the capability to overcome the temporary
ignorance. They will reveal their all knowing power occasionally as needed. So there is
no issue.

2. Sometimes they even engage in actions that are generally considered sinful. So are
all those bad actions justified based on the belief that they know everything. Does it
not mislead other sincere seekers?

A: It should be noted that the sages and gods do not engage in bad or sinful action all
the time. But occasionally they may and that could be predominantly to delude or eliminate
adhArmic demons and to sustain the world and to uphold truth and dharma. Sometimes you
need a thorn to remove a thorn. It is absurd to expect police to always take the right
direction while chasing criminals going in the wrong directions.

Demon vAtApi used to transform himself into a sacrificial goat. Ilvala, his brother, used
to sacrifice vAtapi and offer as food to innocent Rishis. vAtApi would then re-appear,
using his mysterious power, by cutting open the Rishi's stomach. The duo had killed so
many innocent rishis using this treacherous ploy. To stop this treachery Sage Agastya also
ate the meat of the demon vAtApi and using his power digested vAtApi within and thus
permanently eliminated him. Sage Vishwamitra also is known to have eaten dog's meat.
But later performed 500 years of rigorous penance to regain back the spiritual status.
It is therefore recommended for ordinary humans not to emulate such great Rishis when they
engage in such apparently "ignorant or adhArmic" actions.

If the opposing forces are always using adhArmic ways, then it is recommended to use the
same adhArmic ways to eliminate them. mAyAvi mAyayA wadhyaha says Shukra neeti. That means
when there is a need, evil means can be used to defeat evil, and is accepted as a valid path
as long as the final purpose is to sustain truth and uphold dharma or Vedic morality.
Most of the time the avatAras or incarnations of Vishnu, and other gods and rishis have
adopted this Shukra neeti to defeat the treacherous demons.

3. Why should God delude the demons?

This is very intriguing. It may be surprising to many but the real intention of deluding
demons is to save them. Simply put this is similar to parents deluding or tricking their
erring children, who do not listen to the direct instructions.

Devas are the divinities behind the elements in nature and also the various human faculties.
Obviously these devas in the form of all the elements in nature are always engaged in the
service of the humans and the world. So as a mark of gratitude Vedas urge humans to give back
to the devas (nature) by engaging in the practice of yagya / sacrifice or worship. So brAhmanas
are supposed to perform the yagya to worship the devas and the rest of the population to
support them. This process of mutual recognition or co-operation is varnashrama dharma and
also goes by the name of dharma chakra or the wheel of dharma.

Demons in general are those who oppose vedas, devas and the process of yagya. They may come
in many forms - atheists (who do not accept vedas); pseudo intellectuals who appear to be
accepting vedas but giving their own twisted interpretations to ultimately deny everything
including dharma; others who may use vedas/dharma to acquire spiritual powers that can be
used for material gains and conquer the devas and the world (like Ravana) for selfish desires
and so on.

Deluding such demons to dampen their belief in the Vedas, would make them give up the Vedic
way and thereby become less spiritually powerful. Devas would then be able to defeat them.
Another reason could be to stop them from accumulating more sins or even obtain boons or
spiritual powers (like Indrajit and Ravana) that they could use against devas and brahmanas
or devotees and their puja/yagya.

Sometimes this delusion may also lead demons to retort back with redoubled hatred against
devotees/gods and they cause huge damage to devas, brahmanas (devotees) and the yagya (puja).
At that time the Supreme Brahman in the form of Vishnu, Shiva or Devi would incarnate and
eliminate them which many times would result in the liberation of such demons!

4. How can Omniscience and free will go hand in hand? If God knows all that humans do then
whatever "free will" humans possess is not really a "free will" at all. So God is still
responsible for all the evils in the world purportedly caused by humans.

A: It may be true that omniscience and free will cannot go hand in hand in the absolute sense.
If God is omniscient then everything would become deterministic from His point of view. That
means there is no possibility for God to have any "free will" as everything is determined by
Him and there is no freedom to choose. So that means He cannot bestow free will to humans who
are His own creation. So does it mean that all religious dos and donts including Vedas lose
their meaning?. Well all other non-Vedic religions have problem explaining this but not the
Vedas! Why? for the the simple reason that Vedic God is established as the inner Self of all
and is everywhere too! He is the knower, known and the process of knowing.

According to Vedas, God alone was in the beginning. He wills to become many. He brings out
all objective and subjective entities from himself and then enters into all of them. He thus
becomes all real (endowed with consciousness) as well as unreal things in the world. As the
inner absolute Self of all He is the knower endowed with consciousness and free will. In the
form of all objective nature He is everything that needs to be known. As the absolute Self
established in all, He is the omniscient knower. As the embodied Self He is the doer endowed
with free will to choose from dos and donts that arises due to the bodily/wordly dualities.

No normal individual being can deny the existence of some degree of free will, according to
the level of its knowledge. Even animals know what is good or bad for them. The source of
this relative manifestation is God established as the inner absolute Self who is the source
of all existence, consciousness and bliss. The inanimate objective universe which is also
a manifestation of God is appears to be devoid of any consciousness / free will. But it
could also be the sign of Omniscience where there will be no free will / action.
Between the conscious Self and the inanimate matter lies the wide spectrum of beings with
varying degrees of knowledge/free will. So all of these are manifestation of God only.

God gives jivas/individual souls, freedom only to perform their karma or actions. (KarmaNye
vAdhikAraste mA phaleShu kadAchana - Bgita). He also provides the dos and donts through Vedic
shastras or scriptures. So humans / jivas alone are responsible for their good or bad actions
and so have to suffer their consequences. The effect of good or bad actions cannot be denied
by normalindividual. Obviosly jivas are thus responsible for their choice of actions. But yes,
ultimately God is also responsible just like parents are responsible for the actions of their
children and that's why he does avatara to set the world right by protecting the good and
destroying the evil. He thus corrects the world order by incarnating just like any other jiva
and himself setting an example by following the rule of Vedic varnashrama dharma.

More explanations:
1.  Vedic God posesses a very unique mysterious power or energy called Maya which is made of
three gunas qualities - sattva, rajas and tamas. This mysterious energy mAyA which can also be
called as ignorance is the cause for all dualities like good and evil in the world. In fact the
entire world of nature is verily mAya. While all jivas / embodied souls are controlled by mAya,
Ishwara or God always remains as the controller of mAya/nature. Maya is actually a veil of
ignorance that covers all individual souls in the form of their body/mind/intellect according
to their karma. When the coverage is complete or opaque they appear as inanimate matter. But
when the coverage is partial it results in relative free will which will varies according to
the extent of karma one possesses. God and His devotees also, when they incarnate, can cover
themselves by mAya out of their own free will. On the other hand, ordinary mortals are
involuntarily covered by mAya according to their karma. This is the difference.

So wherever God himself in his incarnation as Rama and Krishna appears to be ignorant, it is not
really a weakness, as He WILLs to cover himself with mAya and get "limited" depending on the
purpose of his incarnation. As explained earlier, this is to delude non-devotees or half-devotees
and to delight true devotees with His pass-time or leela. If the ultimate purpose is to uphold truth
and dharma that sustains the world, then display of ignorance by God or His devotees, which springs
from their own free will, cannot be a weakness but display of their auspecious attribute or power.

God also has the capability to remove the covered maya or ignorance, at His will. The devotees also
have the same capability which is given by God. So the coverage of mAya for God and his devotees
is not a weakness and instead it will be a display of their auspicious attribute and passtime.

The entire world can be looked upon as the mAyA roopa or mysterious form of God only. One will
end up as an asura or demon if he looks upon the world of nature as just an object of enjoyment.
But based on the Vedic teaching the same person can end up as a deva by recognizing the world as
God and engaging in selfless service or dharma. So the same God will act as bandha kartru and
Moksha kartru for asuras and devas.

When everything is known, then there cannot be any action. All free will / action would ideally
get merged in the omniscient God or Brahman who is everywhere. This is the idealistic view of
Advaita. Creation/sustenance/destruction which is also an action could still be explained when it
is looked upon as the Will of God to manifest as many. The dualistic world is a must for free
will to manifest and this can arise from the all pervading and so non-dualistic God endowed with
the power of mAya.

So even if God and His devotees in their incarnations appear to be limited or covered by ignorance,
there is no problem as long as they have the "capability to know everything". The fact that we
know that "we dont know everything" proves the existence of the possibility or capability
to know everything. This limitation in our knowledge is due to the limitation of our own body,
mind and intellect which is a product of karma. If the universe is everything and we are in it,
then existentially there cannot be any disconnect between everything and ourselves. This universe
is God according to Vedas. So the extent of our knowledge depends on the extent of our realization
of oneness with universe which also means the extent to which we have transcended the limitation
of our own body, mind and intellect. Our own BMI can be a barrier as well as a bridge to the
infinite knowledge of God manifesting as the universe. The process of connection is the process of
yagya or sacrifice where our body, mind and intellect is constantly used in the service of the
God manifesting as the universe. The little human self confined to the body, thus can thus "grow"
infinitely to embrace the God in the form of the infinite universal Self. So ceaseless selfless
action performed out of free will is not really an individual action at all. There is thus
freew will / action in omniscience / inaction and vice versa.

Q: If God gives some free will to the jiva then He must lose His own free will to that extent.
In other words God would not know what the jiva does in the next moment. Thus He can only
react by giving the fruits of actions to the jiva. Is this not a limitation?

A: Well, this may appear to be true. But the problem gets resolved when it is realized that
Vedic God, who is the source of all existence, knowledge, bliss and freedom is everywhere
manifesting as this very universe. So the so called "lost portion" of His "free will" which goes by
the name of ignorance or mAya is not really "lost" but can be said to be hidden. This temporary
coverage of ignorance is like the sun getting covered by cloud which is not really a coverage but
a temporary state. In other words the same omniscient God appears in infinite forms as this very
universe, qualified by mAya. The entire universe is the personality of God and so there cannot be
any real loss for Him. So the temporary manifestation of ignorance in His incarnations is only a
depiction of His attribute or pass-time to achieve a specific purpose.

God's universal will is said to manifest through every particular individual will. If the individual
will is dhArmic or selfless it is said to be in alignment with God's will. If it is adhArmic or selfish
it is said to be going against and so a "reflection" of God's will, which produces reaction in the
form of karmic effects of punya or papa resulting in enjoyment or suffering of the individual in
samsara or the dualistic world.

The shield against bondage or samsara is VarnAshrama dharma or performance of selfless actions
according to one's nature as a yagya or puja or service to the universal God. Selfless actions
obviously helps the individual to expand his knowledge and so should enable one to grow out of the
shackles of selfishness which is the cause for bondage.

The entire universe is the reflected or projected form of God who is originally situated as the
absolute universal Self in all. Every little individual self or jiva is said to be sandwiched between
God as the indwelling absolute unchanging Self and the changing multifarious universe of matter
or mAya which is the abode of all dualities and multiplicities.

The varying degrees of knowledge or freedom or free will, enjoyed by every little individual self
thus depends on how "far or close" it is in its realization of God who is pervading and indwelling
in all as the inner Self.

When the whole universe is realized as that supreme being, then perhaps the division of knowledge
(Ishwara) and ignorance (jiva) engaged in action integrates into one complete whole which perhaps
would be the ultimate everlasting experience, beyond any words or imagination, that cannot be
expressed in any way and the knower alone knows.

Namaste
Suresh