God is Unknowable

[dattaswami]

God is Unknowable

 

In the beginning Brahman (God) was One and alone. Only Brahman knows about Brahman and this is the meaning of the Vedic statement, “Brahmavit Brahmaiva Bhavati”. But this statement is misinterpreted and people say that “He who knows Brahman becomes Brahman”. This is not the correct meaning because the Veda says that Brahman cannot be known by the senses, mind, intelligence or logic (Yato Vachah, Nachakshusha, Apraapya Manasaa, Namedhayaa, Naisha Tarkena etc.).

 

The Gita says “Maamtu Veda Na kaschana”, which means that no body knows Brahman. The reason for this is that Brahman is beyond space. The imagination or intelligence of any human being cannot cross the three dimensional space. Therefore, no human being can imagine Brahman, which is beyond the space. The space was produced from Brahman as said in the Veda (Aatmanah Akaasah). Unless the space is dissolved, one cannot perceive or imagine Brahman. Unless the pot, which is the effect, is dissolved, its cause, which is the lump of mud cannot be imagined. When space dissolves, the creation also dissolves and no body remains to perceive or know Brahman. The authority for such incapability of human beings is the Veda and the Gita.

 

Now, the atheists may say that that which cannot be known might not exist at all. For this, the Veda answers “Astheetyeva Upalabdhavyah” which means that Brahman makes the people know its existence, if not its details. How? It is done through the human incarnation. If this is not done, all the human beings will be atheists. The human incarnation exhibits certain things, which are beyond our imagination, thereby indicating the existence of that Brahman, which is beyond imagination. Such exhibition is necessary for the atheists and this is the main aim of all the super powers of the human incarnation. There is no need of such exhibition for any theist.

 

Some scholars argue that there is no referrence of human incarnation in the Veda. It is not correct. The Veda says “Ajayamaano Bahudha Vijaayate” which means that the Lord, who has no birth, is born through several forms. The Veda also says “Tadeva Anu Pravisat” which means that Brahman entered the world as an individual soul. Some scholars have misinterpreted this text also, stating that it means that Brahman entered the creation in the form of all living beings and not as the human incarnation. Such interpretation is wrong because the Veda says that a human being is born from the food derived from the plants (Annat Purushah). The plants are modifications of the five elements. Brahman cannot be born from food. Therefore Brahman created the inert universe and the living beings in the beginning itself for entertainment. On seeing the cinema of creation, Brahman was not satisfied and therefore entered the world as a specific soul, which is the human incarnation. Moreover the Gita says that the creation (Prakriti) is of two parts. One part is the inert nature called as Apara. The second part is the life called as Para. Prakriti means creation. The Para Prakriti means the best part of the creation.