Hinduism: Manifestations of the Divine

Question 1

What is Saguna Brahman?

Answer 1

• Brahman with attributes
• Personal
• Manifested in the form of deities

Question 2

What is Nirguna Brahman?

Answer 2

• Brahman without attributes
• Impersonal
• Eternal, omnipresent consciousness
• Can be felt, not seen - pure energy
• 100% whatever it is to be God - if He acts in any way, He is not 100% God

Question 3

What is Shakti?

Answer 3

• The Mother Goddess
• Not a god: all female gods are forms of Shakti
• Followers of Vishnu and Shiva see them as female parts of the god community:
• If you believe Vishnu is God, Lakshmi is Vishnu’s female side/If you believe Vishnu is the leader of a pantheon of gods, Lakshmi is his consort.
• If you believe Shiva is God, you believe Parvati (often incarnated by Kali and Durga) is his female side.

Question 4

What are avatars?

Answer 4

Incarnations/manifestations of deities in physical form

Question 5

What are the avatars of Vishnu?

Answer 5

• Vishnu has 10 avatars, including Rama (The Ramayana) and Krishna (The Bhagavad Gita)
• Some people believe Jesus and Buddha were avatars of Vishnu
• When human or animal society is in need, Vishnu will come as an avatar and solve their problems
• As Rama, Vishnu was loyal and brave: a perfect example of how you should behave
• As Krishna, he taught Arjuna Varnashramadharma, and gave humanity the knowledge about the permanence of the Atman and the impermanence of the body.

Question 6

What are Murti?

Answer 6

• Murti are statues of gods that have gone through a ceremony (usually involving painting on their eyes) that infuses them with the presence of a god
• They are treated like a living being: washed and clothed
• Hindus prostrate themselves before them and pray to them - they are in the presence of a god