(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

God Exists Eternally In His Divine Form In The Spiritual Realm

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धय: |
परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् ||7.24||

avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mamāvyayam anuttamam|| 7.24||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 7- Ver. 24:

The less knowledgeable believe that I, the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna, was once formless before taking on this personality. They are unaware of My personal form’s imperishable high essence.

Explanation

When we become accustomed to a particular way of thinking or acting, it becomes a disadvantage since that way of thinking begins to limit our outlook. The sense organs – the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin – provide us with information throughout our waking lives. We tend to perceive everything in terms of these 5 senses as a result of our continual exposure. In the end, our perception is limited by our senses.

People sometimes argue strongly over whether the Supreme Lord is a formless God or if He exists in His personal form. Even those who acknowledge both parts of God’s personality are occasionally confused. Which of them is the original God, and which of them comes first? Is it true that God’s personal form emerged from the formless, or is it the other way around?

Shree Krishna settles the issue in this verse by asserting that God exists eternally in His divine form in the spiritual realm. The ignorant are unaware of His personal-magnificence form’s and omnipotence. God’s divine personality is primordial; it has not manifested from the formless Brahman. The formless Brahman is the divine light that emerges from His transcendental body.

There is no difference between the two. They are neither superior nor inferior. God’s name, form, virtues, residence, pastimes, associates, and so forth materialise as extensions of His divine energy in His personal-form. Even while all the divine potencies and energies exist in the formless Brahman, they are in a hidden form.

Verse & what we can learn

Shri Krishna has now clearly explained the difficulty that most individuals encounter, having described their finite goal-seeking mindset. People prefer to see Ishvara as a finite being due to their finite intellect and the prison of the 5 senses. As if this wasn’t bad enough, they grow so loyal to their favourite deity that they adopt an obsessive mentality – “my god is better than your god,” for example. The actual Ishvara is inexplicable to the senses. It is beyond the reach of both our minds and our words. Ishvara is beyond names or forms.

Many of us, however, visit temples to worship deities. Deities are worshipped by spiritual gurus as well. What should we make of this? It’s because temple deities serve as signs or pointers to the limitless. An idol in the shape of a deity assists us in focusing our attention on the deity’s form. However, focusing one’s attention on a limited deity is a prerequisite for contemplating Ishvara’s actual essence, which is limitless, imperishable, and almighty.

To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There are also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

In the Next verse, Shri Krishna tells Arjuna What is the real reason for the problem? Why do most people think of Ishvara in finite terms?

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…