THE STRENGTH OF OUR RELIGION

Our religion is usually criticized and ridiculed for its so-called polytheism. 'What a host of gods and goddesses you worship! is a gibe flung at us.  All old religions were said to be polytheistic be fore the advent of the 'reformed' religion. Mohamed abolished the 'many gods" whom his tribesmen worshipped and established 'One God'.

To know the truth about anything, one must turn to the great Poets. They see farther and better than ordinary mortals. Baana and Kaalidaasa are two great poets of our land. Let us see what they say about our 'gods': Speaking of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, Baana says that they are in essence the One God appearing in three forms for a three fold purpose, namely, creation, protection and dissolution determined respectively by the qualities of rajas, sattva and tamas.

The One unborn (aja) takes a threefold shape for a threefold purpose. The three, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, are ultimately and essentially one only. Kaalidaasa says to the same effect, that one moorti appears as three and there is no distinction of superior or inferior among them. If the three, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are one in essence, by the same token, all gods of our pantheon are also one in the ultimate analysis.

Author - H.H. Sri Chandrasekharendra saraswathi

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