Book Title: World of Philosophy
Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
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(iv) One in Many : Even though God is one, he is addressed by numerous names and expressed through several features.
Nāmāni te satakrato viśvābhir girbhir imahe
Indra abhi mātisāhye. (RV, 3/37/3) i.e., Operformer of hundred selfless
deeds, we recite your many names in all our hymns for strength and for
the triumph over evils.
Eka evāgnir bahudhā samiddha ekah sūryo viśvam anu prabhūtah Ekaivosah sarvam idam vi bhātyekaṁ vā idam vi babhūva sarvam. (RV, 8/58/2) i.e., One is Agni kindled in many a spot;
One is Surya shining over all; One is Ushas illumining all this.
That which is one has become this All. (v) Multifaceted: Further, there are various other aspects of the divine so beautifully expressed in several Vedic hymns such as follow: (a) Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer: Hiranyagarbhah samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātah patireka āsīt Sa dādhāra prthivim dyāmutemāṁ kasmai devāya havişā vidhema, (RV, 10/ 121/1) i.e. In the beginning was the Divinity in his splendor,
manifested as the sole Lord of creation, and he upheld the earth and the heavens.
Who is the Deity we shall worship with our offerings? (b) Saviour: Yo viśvābhi vipaśyati bhuvanā saṁ ca paśyati Sa nah pūsāvitā bhuvat. (RV, 3/62/9) i.e., He who sees all from above and aside,
sees all living things together, May He, Pushan, be our Saviour. (c) Omnipresent:
Tvaṁ hi visvatomukha viśvatah paribhur asi Apa nah śośucad agham. (RV, 1/97/6)
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