Why and How does the Lord Incarnate? Day 4 Knoxville Katha

Pujya Bhaishri describes the philosophies of incarnation in-depth on Day 4 of the Knoxville, USA, Bhagavat Katha.

If the Lord is all-powerful, is He not free to and capable of expressing Himself just as you or I are doing so? We are not the body. We are the soul which is ever unmanifest and eternal. Yet we have accepted this body made of material nature to express ourselves with. If we are capable of expressing ourselves in such a way, then why can’t That Highest Reality do the same?

Some people are beset with doubt and wonder what that means for the rest of creation when the Lord manifests into a specific form, such as Ram or Krishna. During that timeframe, the all-expansive essence, That Highest Reality remains intact.

What is Godʼs Form?

Those that accept Iśwar (God) view Him in one of three ways:

1. He is attribute-less and formless;
2. He is formless but qualified with attributes;
3. He is endowed with both form and attributes as well as manifests in accordance with the emotions and needs of His devotees.

The Lordʼs manifestation

Pujya Bhaishri beautifully described the entire process, cause and beauty of the Lordʼs manifestation from being formless and attribute-less to innumerable incarnations with both form and attributes.

He comes when the balance of Dharma is at risk, when the forces of sins increase and when His beloved devotees are in peril. In the Shrimad Bhagavat, He has come innumerable times and these incarnations are described in the first, second, third and eleventh cantos.

The number and descriptions of the incarnations may vary but together, they demonstrate that He is ever-ready to manifest for each and every one of us.

Is God the cause or effect of the entire existence?

Where do we find God? Not only are the deities being worshipped in the temple a manifestation of the Supreme Reality, but every single sensate and insensate being are verily That. He is the trinity of the raw material, the maker as well as the finished product. He is the cause, effect and process of existence.

Thus, everything is the Supreme Reality and bliss-permeated. All that is needed is the adherence to Dharma, a genuine desire and effort for self-realization.

Incarnation of God in our life

The body and mind with which we have falsely identified ourselves to be the soul exist within material nature called Prakṛti and cannot extend beyond its range. The Lord lies beyond the orbit of nature and can only be realized by His grace.

There is nothing but that One Truth in existence. It is only through the grace of the Sadguru that the fault of delusion may be removed, due to which we perceive ‘the manyʼ.

Stay connected to experience the joy of Bhagavat Katha with Pujya Bhaishri from Knoxville USA.