SmartSurat  #  Hinduism

The importance of avatars

Because devotional Hinduism concentrates on the saguna aspects of Brahman, theism is its essential characteristic. At its height such theism is evident in the concept of the ' descent ' of God to the level of humankind - avatars. It is through this concept of avatars that the most anthropomorphic and approachable aspects of the divine are in evidence, and, judging by the immense popularity of aspects of Hinduism which centre round the concept of avatars, it could surely be claimed that humankind finds such a concept a very attractive one because it is one which relates more effectively to human need. It is Visnu who descends to earth for the purpose of correcting any deviance from dharma which is over-threatening to humankind. And it is the particular avatars as Krisna and Ram around which devotionalism centres for Vaisnavites, followers of Visnu. Devotionalism is highly varied and for some it will take the form of worshipping Krisna as a child, lord or parent, or of worshipping Ram, whose devotion to dharma is so exemplary. Whatever path is chosen, the pouring out of love to the deity is essential.      It is the emphasis on love which is important in much of the smriti literature of the devotional era of Hinduism - in the Ramayan the love of Sita for her husband Ram, and of Laksman for his brother Ram, and in the Puranas in the love of Radha for Krisna. These relationships serve as examples to the devotee of how a deity can be loved. In some versions of the Ramayan, for example that of Tulsi Das, Sita is portrayed as the epitome of what a devotee should be - loyal, submissive, devoted, ardent, and agonized when separated from her husband. But the kind of love which exists between Krisna and Radha as lovers is a particular role model for devotees. Such was Radha's ardent love for Krisna that she abandoned her own husband. Her relationship with Krisna vacillates between the ecstacy of erotic physical union and agony and desperation when she is parted from him. So deep is her love for Krisna that Radha has to overcome every obstacle to their union together. But it was not only Radha who loved Krisna so ardently, for all the gopis loved him too.      In Bengali devotionalism especially, this kind of intense and constant love became something to emulate but, importantly, because it was love for God, it was lifted from the worldly sexual level to a love which was holy, a love which, if it were sufficiently intense, could result in moksa. The normal dimensions of maya which cloud reality are lost when devotion to God is at such a depth of intensity. Krisna thus became the means by which experience of earthly love could be transformed into love of the divine and could bring experience of divine love: he was the very embodiment of love and joy, a deity who is sheer delight to all people and, importantly, who is devoted to his worshippers even though he may be hidden and separated from them. Thus, passionate longing for God can bring the devotee to realization of moksa as much as the more introspective path of jnana which we examined in relation to Vedanta. The anthropomorphic appeal of this concept of God is considerable. Krisna is a beautiful God, smiling, charming, handsome and winning, a God whom the devotee, the bhakta, would want to remember, return to, be with forever, and desire. The self is forgotten in the intensity of love for God and people could come to know the divine through the medium of earthly love transformed to the dimensions of sacred love:      In the history of Krisnaism profane love, sensual, human longing, became clearly related to sacred love. Within the Krisna-cults a love mysticism, a love-symbolism, developed. The human and the divine became inextricably interwoven in love, in bhakti, no longer bakti simply as ' devotion ', but bhakti as fervent, passionate love....The mythology of Visnu incarnated as the irresistible and playful cowherd-lover was a sacralization of human love. God became understood as transcendent and yet immanent, wholly distinct from the self and dearly personal, to be desired with all one's heart. Passionate, human love, if it was directed toward Krisna, was sacred.      The love affair between Radha and Krisna, therefore, is a symbol of the ideal relationship between the soul and God, in a love which is reciprocal. Union between the soul and God is the natural blissful state of the soul which, in view of its true nature as atman is but a manifestation of the divine. This is what Radha experienced in union with Krisna. Because all souls, the atman, are considered to be female there is no difficulty .in equating the inner soul with Radha. So men, too, are able to interiorize the same kind of ardour and passion which Radha had for Krisna, but as some have pointed out it is not easy to do. However a converse situation by which male devotees can view the Goddess in any of her forms as a lover, is not acceptable. The aim of the devotees is, as Kinsley aptly states, ' to uncover the Radha dimension within themselves '.