The God of the Upanishads

Vanitha Vaidialingam explains the Upanishadic concept of Brahman: the unmanifest reality that is the Source

- Vanitha Vaidialingam

While theocratic religions of the world may tell you that God created I man in his image, I personally think man created God in his image. God was objectified onto familiar forms, so that man could interact with the divine in ways that he interacts with people around him. Democratic Hinduism, consequently, is willing to accept any form as God into its pantheon, including the formless version. Interestingly, the Vedas and Upanishads are not focussed upon Who is God?' They are rather absorbed in understanding 'What is God?'

What is God?

Let us first see what the Vedas have to say about God. Here are a few sample statements. God is

• a singular being who is diversely spoken of (Ekam Sat-Viprah Bahudha Vadanti; Rig Veda, Book 1).

• a personal and impersonal being who can be manifest and unmanifest; who exists or can be non-existent and who is interminable. (Rig Veda, Book 10).

• a being who manifests as the universe and all the eyes and ears of all beings and whose cosmic body transcends into infinity (Purusha Sukta).

• all visible and invisible matter (Narayana Sukta).

• the Creator, the created, and the collective totality (Hiranyagarbha Sukta).

• all that is animate or inanimate (Satarudriya or Rudra Adhyaya of the Yajur Veda).