It
was Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), the British Mathematician, Philosopher and
more importantly the Godfather of present generation atheists, who stated it so
categorically that he does not see any reason to believe in any form of God. Since
then, the body of human knowledge has increased exponentially. Many more
sub-atomic particles have been discovered, including the God Particle, and
space scientists have literally pushed the contours of our physical reach many
million times into the Space. But all that we have achieved so far gives a
clear-cut idea about the direction of Human development and where we will reach
eventually.
Patterns
of human endeavor for understanding the Universe is a multi-pronged one and
billions of dollars are expended for this every year. The theoretical
Scientists (especially Physicists) will continue with their thought experiments
and applied Physicists and other Scientists will come up with new discoveries
every now and then. Then there is the struggle to correlate the two that will
generate more questions than answers which calls for more future endeavors.
Whatever be our achievements so far, it is certain that experiments by humans
and equipment, with finite capabilities, can never ever find conclusive answers
for questions about our infinite Universe. Leave alone all other questions, we
have not yet defined the expanse and structure of the Universe, even in the
twenty first century. It will never be possible too.
Need
of God
When
our level of understanding the Universe remains so limited at all times, the
need for an undefined infinite entity becomes a bear necessity to fill in the
gaps. Since time immemorial, the concept of such an entity called God has been
an indispensable part in all the tribes and civilizations that have
independently evolved in various parts of our small planet. The reason is
obvious. But for such an unknown undefined entity, their level of knowledge can
never satisfy their quest for understanding the world around them. As Science
and Technology in their times improved and they could understand, explain and
even predict more and more natural phenomena, the quantum of unknown undefined
areas also grew in equal if not more measure. In such a situation, Religion and
Spirituality evolved as natural tools for satisfying their eternal quests in appreciating
the unknown God.
At
all times, we can easily define God as the sum total of all that is unknown or
unexplained so far in this Universe. This is the easiest way to define an
unknown entity whose existence is absolutely required to explain our Universe.
Quite contrary to Russel’s outright rejection of God, the more we explore and
the more we try to understand everything rationally, we are sure to conclude
that there is every reason to believe in some form of God to endure our
rationality in the modern world. This is exactly why most of the cutting-edge
Scientists are ardently against Atheism, which will make them look like fools
against the mounting evidence of an all pervading force that is sustaining this
Universe. The only doubt in their minds is about its name and form.
Form
of God
There
has been no other culture and civilization that has dealt with the concept of
God uninterruptedly for such a long time than Sanatana Hindu Dharma in India. In
fact the definition of God has undergone a systematic evolution during its
discourse in the Dharma stretching over atleast 5000 years. From Dwaita to
Vishita Adwaita, the final verdict was in favour of the much acclaimed Advaita
Philosophy enunciated by Adi Shankara, the revered Malayali Monk who is
considered as one of the most intelligent human beings ever alive. In simple
words, Advaita means that an element of God is present in everything that
constitutes the Universe and like the physical phenomenon of Resonance, those
who can match their resonant frequency with the natural frequency of God can
become God itself (attain Moksha).
Now
the question comes to envisaging such a God for our day-to-day reverence and
worship. There are so many choices, starting with a formless concept (but with
an unchallenged final Prophet) as in Islam to a bearded human like form as in
Christianity (again with a Godson and countless Saints) to the myriad idols as
in Hindu Sanatana Dharma. The first two involve human beings in the form of Godson,
Prophets, Saints and are inherently fallible and error prone. Hindu Sanatana
Dharma also involves Avatars and much divine Rishis, but all of them ultimately
worship and bow down in front of some idols. In the free and liberal frame work
of Hindu Sanatana Dharma, the source code of God is freely available to all its
followers and they can customize it to any idol form they want for worship.
In
Hindu Sanatana Dharma, the believers are actually reflecting on themselves when
they are worshipping in a temple in front of their idol God. In their mind they
have already attributed all the ideal qualities to their chosen idol forms,
which being unliving and non-human are completely infallible and devoid of all
forms of negativity, errors and defects. Idol form of our own personal God can
be as powerful and ideal as we want it to be. When hundreds and millions
believe in the same idol God, it becomes all powerful like the idols at major
temples all over the world. Idols make our lives easy and easier for the poor,
simple and helpless humans to worship, complain to and even curse. And those
whose prayers are sincere, intense and consistent might even ultimately become
one with the deity, whom they have already attributed all the ideal qualities to.
In Hindu Sanatana Dharma, each temple is a representation of our own body with
the presiding deity in the form of the stone idol at the place of our working
heart. What can be more representative of God than that?
