On Teaching Krishna and the One God: Appreciations by June, Mona, and Dan

Uploaded on May 31, 2006by gumbootspearlz
"Didn't you like like painting in the sand when you were young. Childhood carvings to be washed up by the sea."

June/Pearlz photos on flickr

June/Pearlz of Bess teacher journal and Pearlzocreativity (see her blog at its new home and in all its Wordpress glory here) wrote in a comment on Baha'i Views a few weeks ago: I have found that in sharing spiritual stories with children you learn so much from them as well, "wisdom from the mouths of Babes" and on top of that learning stories from many Faiths just enriches the stories you can share with them as well. I have learnt so much about Krishna and Buddha in the last few weeks.

Mona wrote in posting on her blog Inkbot: Interpret As You Will back in March:

Also, people totally misunderstand Hinduism. Hinduism is inclusive monotheism, not polytheism. Says Wikipedia:"This system common in Hinduism is perceived as polytheistic; rather it is a form of inclusive monotheism, where one God is perceived as having many forms. In contrast, a polytheist thinks that two gods are different, i.e., Zeus and Poseidon, for example. An inclusive monotheist such as a Smarta, on the other hand, thinks that Vishnu and Shiva are differents aspects of the one and same God."

Would you call the Trinity a form of polytheism? No...

Krishna says some interesting things:

"Abandoning all duties, come to Me alone for shelter."

"Leave all things behind, and come to Me for thy salvation. I will make thee free from the bondage of sin. Fear no more." -BG 18:36

"When Righteousness
Declines, O Bharata! when Wickedness
Is strong, I rise, from age to age, and take
Visible shape, and move a man with men,
Succouring the good, thrusting the evil back,
And setting Virtue on her seat again."
...
"Who cleave, who seek in Me
Refuge from birth and death, those have the Truth!
Those know Me BRAHMA: know Me Soul of Souls,
The ADHYATMAN: know KARMA, my work;
Know I am ADHIBHUTA, Lord of Life,
And ADHIDAIVA, Lord of all the Gods,
And ADHIYAJNA, Lord of Sacrifice;
Worship Me well, with hearts of love and faith,
And find and hold me in the hour of death."
(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr))

There is much proclamation by Krishna to be the representative of the one God, calling the people to himself alone as their protector, savior, granter of eternal life and freedom from the bonds of sin. However, he also clarifies that his eternal spirit comes to dwell among men from age to age. Wow!

How very interesting! I love reading the Bhagavad Gita!

To which Dan G commented on Mona's post with another quote:

Then Vidagdha Sakalya questioned him. "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?
"He answered in accord with the following Nivid [invocationary formula] : "As many as are mentioned in the Nivid of the 'Hymn to All the Gods,' namely, three hundred and three, and three thousand and three [=3306]."

"Yes," said he, "but just how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"Thirty three."

"Yes," said he, "but just how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"Six."

"Yes," said he, "but just how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"Three."

"Yes," said he, "but just how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"Two."

"Yes," said he, "but just how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"One and a half."

"Yes," said he, "but just how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?"

"One."

......."Which is the one god?"

"Breath," said he. "They call him Brahman, the Yon."