Perfect Path of Polytheism

Dear Friends,

In 2005 I wrote an article in Sulekha making a humble effort to logically establish Vedic religion. I am presenting the same here with some modifications for your review. I humbly look forward to any positive criticism and advise.

Namaste

Suresh   

The Perfect Path of Polytheism

The insentient material world :

  We know for sure that the world or the universe exists as we can see, feel and experience it. This world as we know is plural and consists of multitude of different entities. Every such entity or object is unique and different. All these objects exist in space and time. That implies that every such entity can only exist at one place at any given point of time. Thus they are limited by space and time. In addition every entity in this world is unique and they are all constantly changing or interacting with each other. Everything is an effect and has a cause. In fact, everything in the material world is an endless series of causes and effects. Every effect has a cause and every cause is an effect.

It is also interesting to note that the events that are happening in this universe are not really in chaos. There is some kind of a pattern and order in all the processes. They are all governed by Natural laws. Things are held together by force. Planets, stars etc., are in place and also moving because of various forces acting on them. Day and night, periodic changes of seasons, interdependence of plants and animals and all other ecological systems prove that this universe is working as a perfect system. The entire universe can therefore be considered as a continuous chain of cause and effect governed by immutable natural laws.

It is also true that matter or energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Therefore all changes that are happening in the universe are just transformations from one state to another and nothing essentially is newly “created”.

The countless sentient entities:

In addition to insentient matter, we see that there are countless living entities in this world. They are all sentient and embodied. All these living entities belong to so many different species in nature and there is constant competition among them for thriving. They are all unique and different. Each one is trying to out power the other and one depends on the other for living. Only the intelligent and powerful ones can survive and weaklings lose and learn new ways of survival.

If plants are producing beautiful flowers with colorful petals and fragrance they must be aware of the fact that there are insects out there that get attracted to it and the insects while enjoying the nectar unknowingly help in pollination! All the vital processes like digestion, circulation, cell growth and decay etc., in the bodies of all the living entities are controlled by nature. The individual living entities seem to have no control over those processes.  The phenomenon of adaptation and symbiosis in nature displays so much of creativity and proves that nature must have some kind of intelligent awareness working behind it. The universe is thus self-aware. More information about the self aware universe can be obtained from Dr. Amit Goswamy’s home page.  (http://www.amitgoswami.org/).

 The physical bodies of all the living entities including humans are made of the same inert matter that is found in nature. Matter in the form of food, air, water etc., is therefore the material cause of our bodies. The body obeys all the natural laws like any other matter in the external world. Food, air and water are the basic necessities for the survival of the body. Thus all the embodied living entities depend on nature/universe and are thus controlled by nature/universe.

But still living entities seem to have their own little “freedom” (though not an absolute freedom). They use their voluntary organs and move around exploring things in nature. They are constantly engaged in action, in pursuit of their various needs, triggered by their inner instincts or urges. The living entities have memory and learn from their previous actions. Every action that the living entity engages in sets up a counteraction or reaction from the world. They either enjoy pleasure or pain based on the kind of action they engage in. The inner needs of the living entities can be said to be the cause for their action and every such action will leave a subtle inner impression in their inner being which influences their needs. This seems to go on continuously.

But one striking fact is that we as “individual” living conscious beings are witnessing this change or transformation that is happening in the universe. We see that days and nights are passing and seasons are changing. We also see that our own physical body is constantly changing but we as conscious beings have always remained the same. This is possible only when we are not essentially part of that external change and so different from the changing material world. The seer of change cannot change. Thus the core of all living beings does not belong to the external material world of space and time that constantly changes.

From this it follows that all the “individual” conscious beings are different from their physical bodies and though belonging to an unchanging dimension, seem to be manifesting and expressing through their own individual bodies. The desire to enjoy the sense experience and also the various needs of the body like hunger, thirst etc., seems to be the centripetal force that is keeping them constantly engaged in actions.

Thus the insentient matter can be said to be the material cause and the sentient beings are efficient cause behind all actions and reactions and transformations in the phenomenal world.

The cause of all causes :

The physical body is both a source of pleasure and pain. No living being wants pain or death. We also know that happiness is not just external but something that is subjective or internal to all the living beings. Perhaps this common symptom of seeking happiness depicted by all living beings proves that originally or essentially they are blissful and eternal. But somehow they seem to be disconnected from their real nature and “trapped” in a physical body which is subject to change, decay and death. Driven by the madness to enjoy sensual pleasure they engage in action to satisfy their needs. They constantly interact with the material world and undergo pain or pleasure. Material life is therefore nothing but a chain of experiences, one leading to another going endlessly. 

Now the question arises as to what is the force that is keeping them tied to a physical body? How come that the living entity or the subject which is basically conscious and non-material is making “contact” with a material object which is located in space and time and is experiencing pain and pleasure? If it is said that all experiences ultimately are psychological, contact with the mind which is also material is a must to produce any kind of mental experience also.

We therefore have to accept a third entity which is establishing this connection or union or yoga between the enjoying subjects and enjoyed objects. This third reality therefore is responsible for keeping the living entities tied to their respective physical bodies.

This third entity acting as the “connecting link” between the subject and object, must be indwelling in the both thus pervading the entire universe. It must also be the source of all existence, consciousness and bliss as the sentient subjects and the objects are rooted in it.

Cognition in all living beings becomes impossible without this pre-existent link between the subjects and the objects. As it is a vital link between the infinite subjects and infinite objects it must be different from both and should also transcend and include both. The fact that it is all pervading and all inclusive proves that it is all controlling. It must also be intelligent and powerful as it integrates both the conscious subject and the inert object. Thus this third entity forms an absolute necessity for any kind of action that happens in this world. It must also be the cause of both the subject and the object and therefore the cause of all causes.

Every action in this world therefore will have two components; the objective and subjective realities in the space-time universe and the indwelling spiritual (absolute) entity that sustains, supports and connects everything.

This absolute cause seems to be present behind all the orderly workings of nature and this alone must be the sole support and the prime cause for all the ceaseless transformations that are happening in the material world. It is nothing but the real ‘I am’ or the Self in all living beings. There is no you, me, he, she in the realm of this Universal Consciousness as it pervades all of them. It is the one universal ‘I am’ that shines in all the living beings.

It is the ONE absolute reality that does not depend on anything and exists by its own right. It is the ONE reality that silently oversees all the happenings in Nature, including the actions performed by innumerable sentient beings in all their three states of existence like waking, dreaming and deep sleep. All the individual beings are like drops in this ocean of absolute Self and therefore it is the ground of all existence. The Universe is therefore this absolute Self in action.

This intelligent and eternal absolute cause at the back of all the events or causes in this universe and that which pervades, includes and has absolute control over everything is what is designated as God or paramathma or supreme SELF in the Indian spiritual tradition.

The symptoms of this SELF are mainly changelessness or reality, existence by its own right, absolute independence and purity due to unaffectedness, knowledge or awareness and blissfulness. As these are found though in different measure in all “individual” conscious living beings, it can be said that every being is established in that and is a manifestation of that alone. The individual consciousness only gets blunted or covered according to the respective nature of the body of individual living beings which is a function of accumulated effects of its own actions.

As cause and effect is a continuous phenomenon in this universe this God who is defined as the cause of all causes should be at the basis of all causes, all the time. Though He does not interfere in any way, His mere presence is an absolute necessity for all the actions in the universe. He is thus the all pervading unchanging reality that continuously supports and sustains this universe consisting of subjects and objects. He is like the one integrating string that connects or passes through all the infinite subjects and objects in the Universe.

The physical bodies of all living beings belong to the material world of space and time. The individual living entities are rooted in Absolute Consciousness or the ‘I am’ of the universe or GOD who is beyond space and time. Therefore the one ‘I am’ of the universe can be said to be manifesting in all the infinite beings. The individual living beings derive their “individual” Consciousness from this universal ‘I am’ and due to the force of the unexplainable ignorance, identify with the physical body and mind. Driven by their inner instincts and urges they are tied to their respective material bodies which are under the strong control of nature. The inner instincts and urges are again the effects of their own actions. As the physical bodies are perishable, the individual conscious beings must continue to take on other bodies based on their accumulated instincts and urges.

God is thus the ‘I am’ of the Universe, the real ‘I’ and the controller in all living beings and everything in the world of space and time including the individual subjects stand in relation to this absolute ‘I’ who is the one witness and the cause of all causes.

One All inclusive God :

The above points establish that every cause in this universe has directly the Universal SELF or God as its absolute cause. This includes all the so called good and bad actions which always serves the cosmic purpose! Dualities transmute in the realm of Spiritual consciousness! But still good alone wins ultimately and standing by good or dharma alone can lead us to the realm of eternal peace and perfection! Thus God as Consciousness who is behind everything in this material universe is the unchanging reality that sustains and supports the changing universe. As He is beyond space and time he must be all pervading and infinite. As we know that infinity and absolute reality can be only ONE, this all pervading God must be only ONE and does not exclude anything. All sentient subjects and insentient objects in this universe including ourselves are included in Him and He transcends them all also. That is the reason why this infinite God cannot be experienced through our sense organs. If the cause behind a living body can be called the self of the body (who is the sentient entity) then God as the cause of all causes animating the entire universe can be called the ‘I am’ or the ‘SELF’ of the Universe.

Many gods in Nature:

It is important to note that this universe comprising of infinite subjects and objects are not negated in the light of God established as the SELF of all. Instead everything gets included and stands in relation to Him and is sustained and supported by Him. The universe thus becomes an instrument in the hands of God.

As discussed earlier our physical bodies which are composed of purely material elements are completely controlled by natural laws. The inner vital functions of the body are also controlled by nature. Only certain voluntary functions are under our control. As this voluntary control depends absolutely on the involuntary workings of the body, it cannot be the absolute control ultimately. Sometimes we seem to live in our body when we are engaged in satisfying our bodily needs. Some other times we live in our minds when we are seeking emotional satisfaction. When we give in to emotions like anger, we go mad, totally out of control. So losing control implies being controlled; again by nature!

There are countless number of entities and forces in Nature, both internal and external that controls our body and mind. We depend on so many natural entities like food, water, air etc., and bodily existence is impossible without them. In fact we depend on air so much that if there is no air to breathe our body dies immediately. We also know how our thought process changes with the kind of food that we eat. As we have defined God as the ‘I am’ or SELF of the universe, He is the same All pervading God that is working behind all the different natural forces which are all constantly controlling and also sustaining us.

The external nature or the universe is thus the body of God and this all pervading and controlling God ( the primary cause) manifests as many different Gods (secondary causes) working behind the various forces of nature.

Thus the many Gods concept appears very logical and natural. All of our sense organs including the mind can cognize only external objective knowledge. As objects are many in this universe, there cannot be one God externally. We therefore have to worship many Gods only as the external universe is plural and there are so many diverse natural entities that controls and sustains us. But all these many external Gods are only different aspects of the One all pervading infinite God who is the inner spirit SELF of all .

As the physical body and mind are sustained by all the many entities in nature the intelligent approach is to first recognize, respect, serve and surrender to all those natural forces on which we depend.

As discussed earlier it is the One Supreme Universal Conscious SELF alone that is indwelling and manifesting as many entities in the objective universe. Therefore everything in the universe should be looked upon as Divine. This gives rise to many Gods or DevathAs.

 

The Eternal Ideal path:

Thus all the natural forces like Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Space, Sun, Planets, Mountains, Oceans, Rivers etc., as a system acting in an integral manner powered by the God who indwells in them, influence or control our lives. The very same material elements of nature are the building blocks of our own physical body which is vital and full of life. In addition we see that all of our needs are satisfied by these constructive natural forces. It is natural for any civilized person to show gratitude to all those who help us directly or indirectly. This natural feeling to show our gratitude and express our deepest sense of thanks is another reason behind revering and worshipping all the multifarious positive forces of nature as multiple Gods. Venerating and expressing a deepest feeling of gratitude for all those from whom we obtain help and sustenance in life is what is called as Sanathana dharma, the eternal religion (Sri Valmiki Ramayana - Sundara kanda – Chapter 1 – Sloka 113).

The very first benefit that results from such an attitude of venerating nature is austerity and regulation in our consumption. Because of the love and respect for all the different forces of nature one becomes global, selfless and broad minded. Such a person will try to conserve natural resources and lives with complete harmony with his surroundings. This results in conservation, sumptuousness and happiness.

On the other hand if we do not entertain this kind of gratitude for all the forces of nature in the form of many Gods and look upon nature as something that is dumb and created for mere enjoyment, then we will turn out to be outright materialists. This might also lead to unrestricted exploitation of nature which hits back to us as natural calamities! Again unrestricted use of natural forces for sense enjoyment will lead to personal degradation, decay and destruction. It is important to note that nature always remains powerful whatever may be our effort to conquer it. Adherents of one-God theory, while still living in a plural world of nature will naturally tend to become fanatic and constricted in their thinking.

It implies therefore that any civilized person (Arya) should feel that he is a citizen of the universe and should show reverence and be grateful to all the many forces of nature. This Universe is ONE connected whole and every action of ours will have its own influence on the surroundings. The moral motive to shower love and compassion for animals, plants, fellow human beings, rivers, mountains, oceans etc., and the universe at large and to engage in the service of nature and society selflessly with a live and let live attitude, is rooted in the idea of God who is indwelling in them. Thus everything in nature at once becomes spiritual and worthy of worship.

The material cause for our physical bodies are our parents and therefore Mother and Father should be venerated and respected as Gods. The Teacher who gives knowledge is looked upon as a living God. In the same way guests, relatives, society, nation, the world and the universe at large, all have to be venerated. As a result the entire world will stand out as ONE extended family. If we look upon the world as our own, the world also treats us as its own. We become aliens in the world if we look upon it as something external.

Obviously there is no need for any kind of book or scripture, or a prophet or a belief to practice this lifestyle of respecting the world as divine. But to understand the nature of the God who is established as the SELF of all, the need for a living master or Rishi who has transcended his selfishness and rooted in the SELF,  becomes inevitable. The nurturing words of such a realized person, is the very source of knowledge or vEdAs.

If worshiping or revering all the multifarious entities of universe is called polytheism, then it is the perfect system to be followed by all civilized people. Concepts like Equanimity, Respecting diversity, Universal brotherhood, Unconditional love etc., claimed to be the central theme of other monotheistic beliefs are all different forms of polytheism only.

Why one should love and respect everything in the world if it is not divine? Even hating certain things in the world indirectly establishes love for God who is indwelling as the SELF. Living in harmony with equanimity therefore is the key to success and peace and this is possible only by considering oneself as a citizen of the universe and looking at all beings as God or one’s own SELF.

This is the eternal or sanathana dharma or culture of India or Bharath.