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Siddhanta Gnana Ratnavali - ON PATH (LORD, GOD, SIVA)

CHAPTER IV - ON PATH (LORD, GOD, SIVA)


81. Question : What is meant by Pathi? 

Answer : Lord, God, Siva.

82. Question : Is He the One? 

Answer : Yes.

83. Question : What is His name? 

Answer : Siva Peruman.

84 & 85, Question : What are His attributes or qualities? 

Answer : Eight, viz.

 

1. Self existence. 

2. Essential Purity. 

3. Intuitive Wisdom. 

4. Infinite Intelligence. 

5. Immateriality. 

6. Mercy. 

7. Omnipotence. 

8. Limitless Bliss.

86. Question : Give an example of His Omnipresence? 

Answer : As fire is concealed in the firewood, so is God concealed in the universe.

87. Question : Has God form, or no form or both form and formless? 

Answer : He is all the above three and none of these.

88. Question : Is God changebale (Vikari) or unchangeable (nirvikari)? 

Answer : He is unchangable.

89. Question : How does he perform His functions? 

Answer : By His will.

90. Question : From what does God create the world? 

Answer : From maya, cosmic matter.

91. Question : What is the material cause for the world? 

Answer : Maya or matter.

92. Question : What is the Instrumental cause for the world? 

Answer : God's power or Sakti.

93. Question : What is the Efficient cause for the world? 

Answer : God.

94. Question : How is the Lord the first of all? 

Answer : Like the letter 'A' being the first of the Alphabets, the Incomparable Lord is the first of all.

95. Question : Are there any others who are equal to or above the Lord? 

Answer : No.

96. Question : What is the Lord's form? 

Answer : Real Love.

97. Question : Through whom does God create the world? 

Answer : Through Brahma.

98. Question : Through whom does God preserve the world? 

Answer : Through Vishnu.

99. Question : Through whom does God destroy the world? 

Answer : Through Rudra.

100. Question : Who is greater, either the creator or the destroyer? 

Answer : Rudra, the destroyer is the greater.

101. Question : Can soul give any return to God? 

Answer : It cannot just as the world cannot give any return to the rain.

102. Question : What are the eight Forms of God - Ashtamurtham? 

Answer : 

1. Pritivi-Earth 

2. Appu-Water 

3. Theyu-Fire 

4. Vayu-Air 

5. Akas-Ether 

6. Chandra-Moon 

7. Surya-Sun 

8. Atma-Soul.

103. Question : Why is the Lord called Vythianathan? 

Answer : Because He cures us of the incurable disease of birth.

104. Question : To whom will He do good? 

Answer : To those who love Him.

105. Question : How will He judge of every one's action? 

Answer : He will award reward or punishment according to each man's desert.

106. Question : How is God unknown or concealed to the ignorant? 

Answer : He is unseen just as ghee in milk.

107. Question : How is He known to the wise? 

Answer : Just as butter in curd.

108. Question : What darkness does He remove? 

Answer : He removes the darkness of ignorance.

109. Question : Has God got pleasure and pain? 

Answer : No.

110. Question : Can soul's intelligence act without God? 

Answer : No.

111. Question : How is God nirmalan or the Perfect or Pure Being? 

Answer : Just as a perfect mirror.

112. Question : How did God get the name of swami? 

Answer : Because he is self-dependent-Saravaswatantra.

113. Question : How is God united to the soul? 

Answer : Just as life on soul is united to the body.

114. Question : Is body soul? 

Answer : No, because it is an inert matter or object.

115. Question : Can we do anything without the knowledge of God? 

Answer : No, because he is omnipresent.

116. Question : What is His temple? 

Answer : The heart of those that love him.

117. Question : How can we know Him? 

Answer : By Pathignanam or knowledge of God.

118. Question : Has the Lord any beginning or end? 

Answer : No. Just as a circle has no beginning or end.

119. Question : What is His body similar to? 

Answer : Just as fire or red sky.

120. Question : Is there any difference between the Intelligence of God and that of soul? 

Answer : God's Intelligence is like sun's light whereas man's intelligence is like a firefly.

121. Question : Who are Panchakartas? 

Answer : 

1. Brahma 

2. Vishnu 

3. Rudra 

4. Maheswara 

5. Sadasivan

122. Question : How is the Lord hidden in the soul? 

Answer : Just as frog concealed within a stone.

123. Question : Is God male, femlae, nor neuter? 

Answer : He is neither male, nor female, nor neuter.

124. Question : How are Sivam God, Sakti His Power and Atma Soul related to each other? 

Answer : Sivam may be compared to teh Sun; Sakti to the sun's rays and atma to the light of the eyes which combines with Sun's light.

125. Question : Does God possess anava or impurity which is the characteristic of atma or soul? 

Answer : The Lord possesses no impurity just as the Akas does not possess the impurities pertaining to the air.

126 & 127 , Question : How many kinds of Saktis (Powers) does the Lord God possess? 

Answer : 

1. Para Sakti (Divine life) 

2. Tirodana Sakti (Power that conceals) 

3. Kriya Sakti (Divine energy) 

4. Icha Sakti (Divine Will) 

5. Gnana Sakti (Divine Intelligence)

128. Question : What is the form of Parasakti? 

Answer : Form of Intelligence.

129. Question : What is meant by Tirodana Sakti? 

Answer : The Power that conceals anything.

130. Question : How is Lord united to Sakti (Power)? 

Answer : Just as the odor in flowers, the coldness in the water, the heat in the fire.

131. Question : Has God got the actions of Intelligence and Will? 

Answer : Yes.

132. Question : Into how many kinds can God be classed according to the several Divine Powers or Sakti? 

Answer : May be classed into

 

1. Sattar 

2. Uttiyuttar 

3. Piraviruttar.

133. Question : Who is that that performs the Subtle five functions? 

Answer : Sattar.

134. Question : Has Sattar any other name? 

Answer : He is called also Ilayar.

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