Does Ishvara Knows It’s Truth is Brahman?
Is Ishvara aware that it is Brahman (Consciousness)?
I know Ishvara is:
- The dharma field (manifest universe) and came into being by the power of Maya within Brahman.
- Not a personal entity with a mind and agenda – but is the creator, sustainer and destroyer of all.
- Is the all-knowing (omniscient).
Question: Is Ishvara all-knowing of only it’s SUBTLE and GROSS manifestation or Ishvara also knows it's truth is Brahman?
If Ishvara does NOT know of Brahman, then why would He lead one to path of Vedanta (which reveals Brahman)?
ANSWER:
Isvara is aware that it is awareness (Brahman).
As you say, Isvara is not a personal entity with a single mind, but rather the collective of all subtle bodies/minds.
As such, Isvara, which has relatively limitless will, knowledge, and power (relatively limitless because even Isvara resolves into a dormant state at the time of the pralaya, or cosmic dissolution, only to manifest again when the next cycle of manifestation commences) — is not tainted by ignorance.
Technically speaking, Isvara is wholly sattvic in the sense of being the manifestation of pure consciousness without itself being subject to avidya, which is the personal effect of Maya’s influence on those projections that have subtle bodies (ie. sentient beings).
Namaste
“Isvara resolves into a dormant state at the time of the pralaya”
I have not heard this before.
Brahman with the upadhi of Maya ( unmanifest jagat/nama rupas) is named Ishvara.
Only jagat goes into avyakta avastha. Not Ishvara?!
Namaste Arati.
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Only jagat goes into avyakta avastha. Not Ishvara?!
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True. Only jagat resolves into avyakta avastha.
What about Ishvara?
“Ishvara” word = Brahman wielding His power of maya. When this power is resolved into Brahman during avyakta avastha, from that standpoint we can say “Ishvara” is in dormant state.
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From another standpoint, can say, “Jagat resolves into Ishvara”. Long as “jagat” is interpreted as power-of-maya-in-manifest and “Ishvara” as sat-cit Brahman.
Depends on context.
Hi Andre,
I’m having trouble understanding Ishvara as the collective of all subtle bodies. If Ishvara is aware of its nature as Consciousness (if it has no avidya), I can’t help but imagine Ishvara as an entity with a mind that has Self-Knowledge.
If Ishvara is just the collection of minds, how can we say that a collection of minds has Self-Knowledge?
Hi Nicholas,
Ishvara means “Cause of universe”. It does NOT mean “collective subtle bodies”. The “collective subtle bodies” is just one part within Ishvara’s order. We can NOT equate “collective subtle bodies” with the word “Ishvara”. They are not synonyms.
“Cause of universe” means specifically: All-knowledge, all-power.
All-knowledge/power means it not only has blueprint how to create the sun, and connect it’s relationship to the plants, but also the truth of itself which is Existence-Awareness.
So far, “All knowledge/power” has no connection to the word “Mind”.
The word “Mind” only comes when physical universe is manifest (big bang) and a sentient being (jiva) is born in it. Obviously the sentient-being is born ignorant. For example baby doesn’t know a single word. Not even how to eat or walk.
Thus the sentient-being is taken through a learning process. It begins to acquire knowledge. But acquire knowledge from where? From the universe. And where does universe comes from? From all-knowledge, all-power; that from which the universe of laws/orders came from and is being sustained by.
Therefore whole life becomes about transferring knowledge from all-knowledge (Isvara) to our limited mind.
Even understanding who and what I am. From where do we learn that? From the Vedas. Where does Vedas come from? From all-knowledge (Isvara).
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Finally, in whom does the universe of all sentient beings (including their subtle-bodies) and insentient objects such as periodic-table-of-elements abide? In Ishvara.
Therefore, Ishvara is everything. Including our individual subtle-bodies, our individual physical bodies, time and space.