Sunshine and Different forms of God-Realisation

Morning Sunrise

Oh What a beautiful morning, I thought as I looked at the sunshine coming through the glass windows of my living room.I suddenly thought, why am I calling the light as sunshine, I can as well call it Sunlight, Sun rays or Sun and it would not be wrong.Still,Sunrays is the most appropriate description.Similarly, everything we see around including ourself is a manifestation of the energy of the god but, still can't be called as god.Its the energy of the God that took these various forms.The ancient scriptures tell us there there are two types of energies of the the Lord, the Spiritual energy and the material energy.Spiritual energy is eternal, everlasting and intelligent while the material energy is inert, does not have a consciousness and does not undergo six transformations like,manifesting,sustaining, producing by products and dwindling.

As explained in Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2- verse 16,

“nasato vidyate bhavo

nabhavo vidyate satah

ubhayor api drsto ’ntas

tv anayos tattva-darsibhih

Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is no change. This they have concluded by studying the nature of both”.

Srimad Bhagavatam explains that the Supreme absolute truth or God is realised in three different forms.Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan.The Brahman aspect can be compared to the Sun rays or sunlight,which is an impersonal feature which is perceived by many of the Philosophers.

So Brahman realisation can be compared to a mystical experience where you can percieve or feel the presence of god as a light.So more people like to worship god this way, impersonal. God is light, god is everywhere and everything is god.But, God is not impersonal but, formlessness is one aspect of the god.Everything is a manifestation of God's energy but, still everything is not god.That's what is explained by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita by saying 9.4'By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."

The Paramatma feature is explained as the localised aspect of the Supreme Lord.Bhagavad Gita explains that the Supreme Lord as Paramatma is seated in the Heart region and Astanga Yogis realise this, in their deep meditation and practicing Pranayama, controlling their breath. In Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna says this, ‘sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto - I am seated in everyone's heart’ –( as  Paramatma).

The Bhagavan feature or the most complete and spiritual form of the Supreme God is realised by the people practicing Bhakti Yoga or devotional service to the Lord. It is said that when a person's eyes are anointed with the pulp of love and pure devotion to God, then they can see the beautiful form of the God.

Coming back to the example of Sun and the Sun light.When one can see the Sunlight and realises that this is the sunlight coming from Sun, it is called Brahman realisation.When one actually goes out and looks at the blazing ball of light, the Sun planet, he is said to have realised the Paramatma feature of the Lord. And, when actually goes to the Sun planet, meets the presiding deity of the Sun God – Surya Narayana and offer services to him, it is called Bhagavan or the complete realisation.