Has God any form or is he formless?
Chapter-45
On the tenth day of the first fortnight of the month of Magh of samvant 1876, Shriji Maharaj was seated in the evening facing south on the raised platform near the temple of Shri Vasudev Narayan in the Durbar of Shri Dada Khachar at Gadhada. His body was covered, with a white cotton shawl: A white side cloth was kept about his shoulders. He had put on a white turban on his head. Saints and the devotees from the different places were assembled before him.
Then Gopalanand Swami asked, Oh Maharaj! certain Vedantis hold that God has no form and cite in support of their statement such Shrutis. Whereas devotees like Narad, Shuka and the Sanaks hold that God has form and cite such Pramans of Shrutis. Who out of these is correct?
Shriji Maharaj replying to the question said, "Lord Purushottam is always Sakar and resplendent with divine light. His Antaryami from, which is Satchitanand and which is all prevading is the divine light emanating from the divine form of Shri Purushottam Bhagvan. The Shruti says, The lord looks towards Maya. When the lord sees, has he only eyes and no other limbs? Therefore he is always Sakar. Varuna, the God of water is Sakar in his Loka and in the form of water, he is formless. The God of fire is Sakar in his Loka, Where as the flames emanating have no form and again the Sun God has a form in his Loka, Whereas in the form of rays, he is formless. Similarly
Sat-Chit-Anand, the all pervading divine light of Lord Purushottam, is formless but Lord Purushottam is always Sakar.
Now if a doubt is raised that the Shrutis describe God as having no limbs and is all pervading, one should understand the correct interpretation of such Shrutis which imply that God has no physical limbs but possess, a divine form. The Antaryami form of God who pervades the Jivas and Ishwaras is the divine light emanatimg from the divine form of·Purushottam, and yet, since it
is the giver of fruits to the Jivas and Ishwaras according to their Karmas, Sat-Chit-Anand the divine light Purusottam is also described as Sakar and those who describe it as formless have no knowledge.
Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Gadhada First - 45.
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