||  Shree Hari   ||

God with Form and Attributes and His Devotion

भगवान्‌का सगुण स्वरूप और भक्ति

continued.......

In the path of knowledge,  knowing is with the Essence (tattva) and to enter that ‒ there is only the two,  but in the path of devotion, besides knowing God in Essence (ज्ञातुम्) and entering That, there is also talks of beholding Him[1]. Though God is not the subject of the senses, He becomes the subject of the senses -  this is God’s exceptional characteristic.  This is His unusual grace ! This extra-ordinariness is only in devotion.   

When there is predominance of knowledge,  an aspirant only gets to know God without attributes (nirgun),  but when there is predominance of devotion, an aspirant gets to know God’s universal form.   Just as a calf,  drinks milk from one of the cow’s udder,  then milk starts oozing out from the other udders.  In the same way,  a devotee has attraction (love)  towards God, then God out of His grace, reveals His universal form.    He removes the darkness of ignorance of the devotee.  [2]  His upliftment is also done by God[3] It means that a devotee with exclusive devotion towards God, does not have have to do anything for his upliftment.   The responsibility is shouldered by God, for making him attain knowledge,  for making him attain salvation.   A devotee even on doing all actions,  remains ever immersed in God.  He remains situated in God.   [4] Not only that, a devotee does not become “yog brasht”, because,   without relying of his spiritual practice,  He places reliance only on God.   Therefore God says ‒

सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मदव्यपाश्रय: ।

मत्प्रसादादवाप्नोति    शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम् ॥

                                                (गीता १८ । ५६)

‘A devotee who takes refuge in Me, though doing work all the time, out of My grace,  attains the imperishable eternal post.’

मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि ।

                                                   (गीता १८ । ५८)

‘Engaging His mind in Me,  out of Muy grace,  you will cross the ocean of all विघ्नोंको’

It means that God showers His immense grace on the devotees,  He removes all the obstacles and विघ्न of his spiritual practice, and makes the devotee realize God.   Therefore it is said in the Brahmasutras ‒‘विशेषानुग्रहश्च’ (३ । ४ । ३८) ‘By being devoted and doing spiritual practices, God can be experienced in an exceptional way’

Wherever there is devotion and love, there there knowledge and detachment takes place on its own.   Therefore one does not have to make an effort for the attainment of knowledge and detachment.   In the glories of Srimad Bhagwat -  Knowledge (Jnana) and Detachment (Vairagya) are shown to be the children of Devotion (Bhakti) Mahatmai ‒

अहं भक्तिरिति ख्याता इमौ मे तनयौ मतौ ।

ज्ञानवैराग्यनामानौ      कालयोगेन जर्जरौ ॥

                                                          (१ । ४५)

---

   [1] भक्त्या त्वनन्यया शक्य अहमेवंविधोऽर्जुन ।

         ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं  च   तत्त्वेन  प्रवेष्टुं  च परन्तप ॥ (गीता ११ । ५४)

  [2] तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं    तम:       ।

     नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता ॥ (गीता १० । ११)

 [3] तेषामहं    समुद्धर्ता   मृत्युसंसारसागरात्  ।

     भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ (गीता १२ । ७)

 [4] सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थित: ।

     सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि   स योगी मयि वर्तते ॥ (गीता ६ । ३१)

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

God with Form and Attributes and His Devotion

भगवान्‌का सगुण स्वरूप और भक्ति

continued.......

At the beginning of every spiritual practice, devotion comes as an attraction towards the form of God,  because without having attraction for God, no man can ever be engaged in spiritual practice.    At the end of spiritual practice, devotion arises in the form of ever increasing love ‒‘मद्धक्तिं लभते पराम्’ (गीता १८ । ५४), ‘madbhakti labhate paraam’ (Gita 18/54),  because only in its attainment, there is fulfillment in his  spiritual practice.    Therefore, as compared to all the religious practices, the religious practice pertaining to devotion of the Lord, as addressed in the Brahmasutra,  is considered best of all,  ‒‘अतस्लितरज्यायो लिङ्गाच्च’ (३ । ४ । ३९) ‘Ataslitarajyaayo lingaach’ (3/4/39)    Even in the Gita,  a question was asked of God,  what is best of all spiritual practices -  worshiping God with attributes or worshiping the attributeless One.  To this question,  the Lord answered ‒ that worship of God with attributes is itself best of all ‒

मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ।

श्रद्धया  परयोपेतास्ते  मे  युक्ततमा  मता: ॥

                                                        (१२ । २)

maiyyaveshya mano ye maam, nityayukta upaasate;  shradhayaa parayopetaaste me yuktatama mataah          (Gita 12/2)

"I consider them to be the best, who endowed with Supreme faith and ever united through meditation with Me, worships Me, with mind centered on Me." (Gita 12:2) 

In the end, every aspirant will have to turn towards the path of devotion, because in fact the path of non-duality is in the path of devotion.    It has come in the Gita ‒

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं         कामं    क्रोध  परिग्रहम् ।

विमुच्य निर्मम: शान्तो         ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥

ब्रह्मभूत:  प्रसन्नात्मा     न  शोचति न काङ्क्षति ।

सम:  सर्वेषु   भूतेषु     मद्धक्तिं   लभते   पराम् ॥

भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वत: ।

ततो मां  तत्त्वतो  ज्ञात्वा   विशते    तदनन्तरम् ॥

                                                 (१८ । ५३‒५५)

Ahankaaram balam darpan, kaamam krodham parigraham, Vimuchyanirmamah shaanto, Brahmabhooyaaya kalpate . (Gita 18/53)

Brahmabhootah prasannaatma, na sochati na kaankshati,  Samah sarveshu bhooteshu, madbhaktim sabhate paraam" (Gita 18/54)

 Bhaktyaa maambhijaanaati yaavaanyaschasmi tattvatah

Tato maam tattvato gnyaatvaa vishate tadanantaram || (Gita 18/55) 

‘Having given up egotism, violence, arrogance, lust, anger and luxuries,  devoid of the feeling of mine and tranquil of heart – such a man becomes qualified for oneness with Brahma, who is Truth,  Consciousness and Bliss.’

‘Established in identity with Brahma (who is Truth,  Consciousness ad Bliss solidified), and cheerful in mind, the Sankhyayogi no longer grieves nor craves for anything.  The same to all beings,  such a Yogi attains supreme devotion to Me.’

‘Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am;   and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being.’

‘As I am and whatever I am’ (यावान् यश्चास्मि)‒ this point is only for God with attributes, because as I am and whatever I am,  can never be for attributeless God, rather it can only be in God with attributes.    [1]  From this the exceptional qualities of God with Attributes is proven.  

---

[1] चतुःश्लोकी भागवतमें भी भगवान्‌ने ‘यावान्’ पदका प्रयोग करते हुए ब्रह्माजीसे कहा है‒

    यावानहं यथाभावो   यद्रूपगुणकर्मक: ।

    तथैव तत्त्वविज्ञानमस्तु ते मदनुग्रहात् ॥ (श्रीमद्भा॰ २ । ९ । ३१)

‘मैं जितना हूँ, जिस भावसे युक्त हूँ, जिन रूप, गुण और लीलाओंसे समन्वित हूँ, उन सबके तत्त्वका विज्ञान तुम्हें मेरी कृपासे ज्यों-का-त्यों प्राप्त हो जाय ।’

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

God with Form and Attributes and His Devotion

भगवान्‌का सगुण स्वरूप और भक्ति

continued.......

If one thinks deeply,  then the significance of God with attributes only appears to be proper.  Believing only in the importance of attributeless One,  understanding of all aspects does not quite fit in.  When assuming only the significance of God with attributes,  there remains no doubt whatsoever.   Nowadays,  regarding God with attributes as endowed with illusory power,  one condemns Him -  this is not proper.  God with attributes is not endowed with illusory powers,  rather he is the master (owner) [4] Enlightened great souls Sankadik,  Sukhdeva,  Janak etc.,  felt love for and were naturally inclined towards God with attributes (sagun), That manifests from time to time.   It has comes in Srimad Bhagwat  ‒

आत्मारामाश्र मुनयो निर्ग्रन्धा अप्यूरुक्रमे ।

कुर्वज्यहैतुकीं भक्ति मित्थष्णुतगुणो हरि: ॥

                                                  (१ । ७ । १०)

‘He whose worldly knot is cut,  such a contemplative one who remains established in the self,  he too is selflessly devoted to God, because God’s qualities are such that He attracts all beings towards Him.’ 

2. God is the base of all powers

That by which the entire universe is sustained,  creation-establishment-destruction takes place,  such power,  one must accept in God.  If one accepts no power in God,   then the smooth functioning of this universe etc.  and other work could not be accomplished.   ! The founder, operator and patron of Gita Press organization,   Shri Jayadayal Goyandka,  used to consider God without attributes as main.  Once he told me in private,  that one will have to regard some power in God,  without accepting so, the work will not get done. 

Some people believe that on negating everything,  the one silence alone prevails.   In other words, besides that silence that is nothing else.    If it is true that there is nothing else besides that one silence,   than who has knowledge of this point?    The knower of that emptiness cannot be emptiness.  Secondly,  if there is nothing else besides emptiness,  then how was this world created ?   How can non-existence arise from existence ?‒ ‘कथमसतः सज्जायेतेति’ (छान्दोग्य॰ ६ । २ । २) Therefore in the very beginning it has come in the Brahmasutra ‒‘अथातो ब्रह्मजिज्ञासा । जन्माद्यस्य यत: ।’ (१ । १ । १-२)

‘From here onwards, inquiry into the topic of Brahma  will begin.    That from which this world is created, sustained and destroyed, That is Brahma.’  

सर्वोपेता च तद्दर्शनात् । (२ । १ । ३०)

‘That Brahma is the most powerful of all  powers,  because that is what is seen in the Shrutis.’

[4] प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥ (गीता ४ । ६)

   मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृति: सूयते सचराचरम् ॥ (गीता ९ । १०)

जगत प्रकास्य प्रकासक रामू । मायाधीस ग्यान गुन धामू ॥

                                                     (मानस, बाल॰ ११७ । ४)

माया बस्य जीव अभिमानी । ईस बस्य माया गुनखानी ॥

परबस जीव स्वबस भगवंता । जीव अनेक एक श्रीकंता ॥

                                                   (मानस, उत्तर॰ ७८ । ३-४)

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

God with Form and Attributes and His Devotion

भगवान्‌का सगुण स्वरूप और भक्ति

continued.......

The assumed relationship with the body is the main obstacle in the oneness between the ‘jeev’ (embodied soul) and Brahma.   Therefore, success in the worship of attributeless God is very difficult and takes a long time, for those that have pride of the body,   ‒ ‘अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दु:खं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते’ (गीता १२ । ५)  But, in worship of God with attributes,  the relationship with the body is not an obstacle,  rather disinclination for God is an obstacle.   From the very beginning, a devotee believes that ‘I am God’s and God is mine’  and in this manner, he becomes inclined towards God.   Thus,  with God’s grace, a devotee that worships God with attributes, attains salvation very quickly and easily.[1]  As, instead of relying on his spiritual practice, a devotee, relies only on God.  This is the extra-ordinariness of worship of the God with attributes !  Another exceptional thing about worship of God with attributes is that the devotee does not place weight on the world as being illusory,  and tries to renounce it, because in his belief the inert – sentient, movable-immovable,  real-unreal are all only God   ‒ ‘अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन’      (गीता १ । ११)  Therefore, worship of God with attributes, is worship of God in totality.   In Gita, God with attributes is assumed to be totality,  and Brahma, embodied soul, actions, World, Hirayagarbh Brahma and the indweller Vishnu -  these are all called universal, totality (samagra), the limbs of God only.   (७ । २९-३०) With this it appears that worship of Attributeless Brahma,  is worship of one limb of God,  and worship of God with attributes, is itself worship of God in totality. [2] !

The attributeless-formless Brahma and the perishable World – are both the opulence (aishwarya) of universal God[3] । A devotee, does not love due to opulence, rather he loves the opulent One.   Therefore God has regarded the worshippers of Universal form of God as best of all (Gita

 

 (Gita 6/47,  12/2) and ‘Everything is only God.’ ‒ it means that the great soul who realizes that all is God, is considered to be extremely rare -    ‒ ‘वासुदेव: सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभ’ (गीता ७ । ११) ‘Vasudevah sarvamiti sa mahatma sudurlabh’ (Gita 7/11).

---

[1] तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता      मृत्युसंसारसागरात् ।

   भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ (गीता १२ । ७)

‘हे पार्थ ! मेरेमें आविष्ट चित्तवाले उन भक्तोंका मैं मृत्युरूप संसार-समुद्रसे शीघ्र ही उद्धार करनेवाला बन जाता हूँ ।’

 

   अनन्यचेता: सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यश: ।

   तस्याहं सुलभ: पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिनः ॥ (गीता ८ । १४)

‘हे पृथानन्दन ! अनन्य चित्तवाला जो मनुष्य मेरा नित्य-निरन्तर स्मरण करता है, उस नित्ययुक्त योगीके लिये मैं सुलभ हूँ ।’

[2] जो समग्र भगवान्‌के एक अंगकी उपासना करता है उसको भी अन्तमें समग्रकी प्राप्ति हो जाती है (गीता १२ । ३-४; १८ । ५३‒५५) । अत: जिसको निर्गुण अच्छा लगता हो, वह निर्गुणकी उपासना करे, पर उसको निर्गुणका आग्रह रखकर सगुणका तिरस्कार नहीं करना चाहिये । सगुणका तिरस्कार, निन्दा, खण्डन करना निर्गुणोपासकके लिये बहुत घातक है ।

 

  [3] विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् ॥ (गीता १० । ४२)

‘मैं अपने किसी एक अंशसे सम्पूर्ण जगत्‌को व्यास करके स्थित हूँ ।’

       इहैकस्थं जगकृत्स्नं पश्याद्य सचराचरम् ।

       मम देहे गुडाकेश यच्चान्यद्‌द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ॥ (गीता ११ । ७)

‘हे गुडाकेश ! मेरे इस शरीरके एक देशमें चराचरसहित सम्पूर्ण जगत्‌को अभी देख ले । इसके सिवाय तू और भी जो कुछ देखना चाहता है, वह भी देख ले ।’

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

God with Form and Attributes and His Devotion

भगवान्‌का सगुण स्वरूप और भक्ति

continued.......

In Gita,  in many different places, God has spoken about birth and death cycle, but “jara maran” has been addressed only in this verse.   It means that he who is devoted to God,  he becomes liberated from birth and death.  In other words,  that while the body is there,  even the pain and suffering of old age,  will not cause any sorrow,  wondering what will be my state after death?     He takes the support of God and does endeavors,  therefore he gets to know the Universal Form of God.  In other words, he realizes knowledge with manifest divinity.    Brahma (without attributes and without form),  adhyaatma (infinite being),  and karma (actions in the form of creation of the world)[1]‒ there is a department for this  ‘jnana’  knowledge (without attributes) and “adhibhoot” (infinite Universes),  “adhidaiva”  (Hiranyagarbh Brahma) and “Adhiyagya” (Omniscient Vishnu)‒ this is the department of ‘Knowledge of Manifest Divinity’ ‘Vigyaan’ (God with Attributes) ‒ Both these divisions are known by the devotee that has taken refuge in God.  Because the knowledge of totality, does not take place from thoughts, rather on taking refuge in God, it takes place out of God’s grace. Here one needs to pay special attention, that the name of Brahma, without attributes and without form is within the realm of God’s Universal form.   People are of the belief that God with attributes is encompassed within attributeless and formless Brahma. Brahma is free of any illusory powers and Ishvar is with His illusory powers.   Therefore Ishvar is within a fraction (ansh) of Brahma.  However, God says in Gita,  that within a fraction (ansh) of my universal form is Brahma !  Therefore God has called himself the support of Brahma.  ‒‘ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाहम्’ (गीता १४ । २७) ‘I am the support of Brahma’ and ‘मया ततमिद सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना’ (गीता १ । ४)  ‘Maya tatmidam sarvam jagadavyaktamootina’ (Gita 9/4).  "All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest form".  The meaning in God’s message is that I am not an “ansh” of Brahma, rather Brahma is my “ansh”.  Therefore when one thinks without any  biases, it appears that there is not just the significance of Brahma in the Gita,  rather there is significance of God, in His Universal Form.       Total Essense (divinity) is universal only.   The universal encompasses both God with attributes and without attributes,  with form and without form,  In fact if seen, then the universal form can only be of God with attributes;  because,  encompassed within God with attributes can be one without attributes,  but within the attributeless divinity,  there cannot be one with attributes.  Therefore universality can only be in God with attributes, not in attributeless One. 

He who believes in God without qualities and form, they  regard  “jeev” (being) and Brahma as one by the “self”.[2]  Even in Gita,  the qualities of embodied soul and Brahma are equally described.   The qualities of  a being with a body (dehi), the very same qualities have been addressed for Brahma (one without a body).[3]   It means that the being that is with a body, that very same being free of the body, is Brahma.  In other words,  other than the bodily problems, a being is none other than Brahma.    Therefore, the one with a body,  who is a  worshipper of God without attributes,  he is a worshipper,  and one who is free of body, is the “worshipped”. 

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[1] भगवान्‌का यह सृष्टि-रचनारूप कर्म वास्तवमें ‘अकर्म’ ही है । भगवान्‌ने कहा भी है‒‘तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्’ (गीता ४ । १३) ‘उस सृष्टिरचनाका कर्ता होनेपर भी मुझ अव्यय परमेश्वरको तू अकर्ता जान ।’ इसीलिये इस कर्मको भगवान्‌ने ‘त्याग’ कहा है‒‘विसर्ग: कर्मसञ्ज्ञित: (८ । ३) ।

[2] ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः ।

   अनेन वेद्यं सच्छास्त्रमिति वेदान्तडिण्डिम: ॥

                                   (ब्रह्मज्ञानावलीमाला २०) 

[3] उदाहरणार्थ‒गीतामें भगवान्‌ने दूसरे अध्यायके सत्रहवें श्लोकमें ‘अव्यय’, बीसवें श्लोकमें ‘पुराण’, चौबीसवें श्लोकमें‘सर्वगत’, ‘अचल’ और ‘सनातन’ तथा पचीसवें श्लोकमें ‘अव्यक्त’ और ‘अचिन्त्य’ आदि लक्षण जीवात्माके बताये हैं । यही लक्षण परमात्माके लिये भी बताये हैं, जैसे‒‘अव्यय’ (१८ । २०), ‘पुराण’ (८ । १), ‘सर्वगत’ (३ । १५), ‘अचल’ (१२ । ३), ‘सनातन’ (४ । ३१),‘अव्यक्त’ (१२ । ५) और ‘अचिन्त्य’ ( ८ । ९, १२ । ३) आदि । भगवान्‌ने जैसे‒‘येन सर्वमिदं ततम्’ (२ । १७) कहकर जीवात्माको सर्वव्यापक बताया है, ऐसे ही ‘येन सर्वमिदं ततम्’ (८ । २२; १८ । ४६) कहकर परमात्माको भी सर्वव्यापक बताया है ।

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

God with Form and Attributes and His Devotion

भगवान्‌का सगुण स्वरूप और भक्ति

continued.......

एतस्माज्जायते प्राणो    मन: सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च ।

खं वायुर्ज्योतिरापः पृथिवी विश्वस्य धारिणी ॥

                                                                         (मुण्डक॰ २ । १ । ३)

‘From God, comes life-breath, mind (inner-sense), and all the sense-organs, space, air, fire, water, and earth that upholds all beings.’

 

The best of all talks from the Upanishads are about God with attributes, not about the attributeless Aatma (spirit).  In Gita too, the creation of this world etc.  is shown to be from God with attributes  ‒

 

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम् ।

कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि  कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम् ॥

प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य     विसृजामि   पुन: पुन: ।

भूतग्राममिमं       कृत्स्नमवशं     प्रकृतेर्वशात् ॥

                                                                                    (९ । ७-८)

 

 ‘O’ Kuntinandan ! during the final dissolution,  all beings enter my Prakriti (the prime cause, My Nature), and at the beginning of creation (kalpa) etc. I send them forth again.  Wielding my Nature,  I realease them again an again (according to their respective karmas),  all this multitude of beings subject to the influence of their own nature.’

 

मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृति: सूयते सचराचरम् ।

                                                                                   (१ । १०)

 

 ‘With me as their supervisor,  Nature brings forth the whole creation,  consisting of both sentient and insentient beings.’

 

अहं कृत्सस्य जगत: प्रभव: प्रलयस्तथा ॥

                                                                                 (१७ । ६)

 

 ‘I am the source of the entire creation,  and into Me it all disappears.  ’

 

3. The source of all is God

 

The world that we are residing in, it’s source, Swami,  is God with attributes.  Just as in the kingdom, the king is most important, in the same way, in this world, the God with attributes and form is most important.  Just as, there is a ruler in every kingdom,  in the same way,  there should be a ruler of this universe.     The ruler cannot be without attributes, without form, because nodesires arises in attributeless and formless.   Even in the Upanishads,  God is the said to be the ruler,  Swami of all ‒

 

क्षर प्रधानममृताक्षरं हर: क्षरात्मानावीशते देव एक: ।

                                                                              (श्वेताश्वतर॰ १ । १०)

 

 ‘Nature is perishable and the enjoyer of it, the ‘Jeev’ (embodied soul),   is form of imperishable nectar.  The One God,  keeps the two (क्षर और अक्षर) under His शासनमें’

 

क्षरं त्वविद्या ह्यमृतं तु विद्या विद्याविद्ये ईशते यस्तु सोऽन्य: ॥ (श्वेताश्वतर॰ ५ । १)

 

 ‘The perishable inert (insentient) has been called by the name of ignorance and the imperishable “jeev”  (embodied soul) is called by the name of knowledge. He who rules over both knowledge and ignorance, That God is inseparable from these two ‒ it is altogether exceptional.’

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

God with Form and Attributes and His Devotion

भगवान्‌का सगुण स्वरूप और भक्ति

continued.......

Then the gods sent Indra to get acquainted with the Yaksh (demi-god).  But when Indra reached there,  Yaksh (demigod) disappeared,  and there Umadevi from Himachal manifested herself.  When Indra asked,  Umadevi said that the Eternal God Himself has manifested in the from of Yaksh, to get rid of your pride.   It means that  God Himself is the root of all powers.   It has come in the Upanishads ‒

परास्य शक्तिर्विविधैव श्रूयते स्वाभाविकी ज्ञान- बलक्रिया च ॥ ( श्वेताश्वतर॰ ६ । ८)

‘One can hear of the various natural divine powers of God’s knowledge,  strength and actions.’

एव सर्वेश्वर एव सर्वज्ञ एषोऽन्तर्याम्येष योनि: सर्वस्य प्रभवाप्ययौ हि भूतानाम् ॥ (माण्डूक्य॰ ६)

‘He is the God of all, He is omnipresent,  the in-dweller, and the cause of this whole universe, because the field  of creation, sustenance and destruction of all creatures is right here’

यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते येन जातानि जीवन्ति । 

यत्प्रयन्त्यभिसंविशन्ति । तद्विजिज्ञासस्व । तद् ब्रह्मेति । (तैत्तिरीय॰ ३ । १)

‘This is all evidently seen, by which creatures arise, and after being born,  by Whose support they remains alive, and after being born,  in the end, they depart from this world, and desiring to understand That Essence, and that alone is Brahma.’  

तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाश: सम्भूतः । आकाशाद्वायुः । वायोरग्निः । अग्नेरापः । 

अद्‌भ्य: पृथिवी । पृथिव्या ओषधय: । ओषधीभ्योऽन्नम् । अन्नात्युरुष: ।  (तैत्तिरीय॰ २ । १)

‘With certainty, before That Essence,   the space-element was born. From space to air, from air to fire,  from fire to water, from water-element to earth.   From earth, all the plants, from plants to food, from food, this human body was born.’

स विश्वकृद् विश्वविदात्मयोनिर्ज्ञः कालकालो गुणी सर्वविद् यः । (श्वेताश्वतर॰ ६ । १६)

‘That God, an embodiment of knowledge, the creator of this entire world,  the all pervading, who aids in His own manifestation,  the destroyer of even the god of death,  who is an embodiment of divine qualities and the knower of all.’

यः सर्वज्ञ: सर्वविद्यस्य    ज्ञानमय तय: ।

तस्मादेतदब्रह्म नाम रूपमत्र च जायते ॥

                                              (मुण्डक॰ १ । १ । ९)

‘Who is all pervading, the knower of all, whose knowledge-filled austerities,  that God, in the form of this Universal World and from whom comes name, form and food.  

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji