Thus, it is pointless to say that the purpose of God’s descension is limited to a specific reason. People have given various reasons based on what appeals to them. But, I would say that the most important reason for the descension of God is only His causeless Grace. God, Who is fully satisfied within Himself, and Who is atmaram-poornkam, has nothing to gain from anyone. He cannot have any kind of desire. Thus His each and every action is only for the benefit of others. God’s nature of causelessly showering His Grace upon the souls is also well-known in the world. It is this nature which causes His descension.
It is very simple to explain how He showered His causeless Grace upon the souls in His descension as Krishn. There are rigid qualifications to enter the path of gyan or non-dualistic devotion to the impersonal aspect of God (nirakar brahm). Such a person who fulfills these qualifications is so rare that he may be only one in millions. Shankaracharya describes in his writings that without devotion to the supreme personality of God, Shree Krishn, heart can never be purified. Without purifying the heart, how could a person become qualified to enter the path of gyan? Even if a person does become qualified, only a mere handful of such souls could actually attain liberation. Therefore, because of His nature of being causelessly Gracious, God descended in this world and, during that time, He revealed His innumerable names, virtues, and His leelas. Thus, by taking their help, uncountable sinful, mayic souls cross the ocean of maya and receive Divine love. There are examples of souls like Valmiki. He could not even repeat the name of Bhagwan Ram. So, he repeated the name backwards. Even then, through the strength of the Divine name, he became a great brahmrishi. In this context Ved Vyasji says in the Bhagwatam (1/8/35),
That because of our interaction from uncountable lifetimes with the material world, the natural inclination of the mind is towards the material world. God therefore descends in this world, and reveals the Divine environment and His Divine pastimes, which become the means of Divine attainment for uncountable souls.
Another reason for the descension of God that is even more dear to me is,
“Although the paramhansas were already absorbed in the Bliss of the impersonal aspect of Divinity, God appeared in this world in His eternal Divine form to immerse them in the Bliss of Divine love.”
There are examples of great paramhansas like Sanakadi, Janak, Shukdev and others, who abandoned their impersonal Bliss and became absorbed in the Bliss of the personal form of God. Just think, even after knowing this fact, some ignorant people still question about the eternity of the personal form of God. Had there been no descension (avatar), the followers of the path of impersonal Divinity would have loudly declared that the personal form of God does not exist.
Actually, the impersonal absolute and the personal form of God are not two separate existences. So, to give them the sweet experience of Divine love is also a reason of His descension. Along with this, it was also established that His impersonal and personal forms are one. This is the reason that the great paramhansas became zealously attracted to the Bliss of the personal form of God. It means detachment from the impersonal form and attachment to the personal form of the same God.
Apart from this, some other well known reasons for God’s descension include the establishment of dharm, destruction of the demons, protection of the Devotees and, in addition to these, there could be innumerable other reasons. In the world, when we go somewhere normally we have several aims to fulfill. But, to count God’s actions and aims during His descension is absolutely impossible. By descending Himself among souls, God reveals His Gracious Divine qualities. Hearing about these, a soul becomes resolute and with his positive faith, he quickly proceeds towards God.
Another point that is necessary to know is that all descensions of God are Divine. “
” According to the Gita, God’s birth (janm) and all His actions are Divine. But for the material souls, God’s body and actions appear to be material. The main and most important point is that all the Divine bodies of all the descensions of God are Divine and therefore they are eternal.
There have been uncountable descensions. One can choose to worship whatever form one desires. If there could be such a form that has never appeared as a descension, you could also accept that form, and God will come to you in that worshipped form. What effort does God have to expend in taking a form? You are completely free to imagine Him in any form, with any kind of complexion, and so on. God is so compassionate that in this regard He has not created any fixed rules or restrictions to which a soul could object. This is why He is described as, “Anant-nam-rupaya.” He is said to have uncountable names and forms. To restrict that unlimited power to a certain limit is just one’s ignorance. Therefore, with regard to conceiving God’s form, you have been given complete freedom.
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The Ramayan says that God remains equally present everywhere. If someone wants to see Him in some special personal form, even that personal form is omnipresent everywhere.
In the same way, whichever abode is to one’s liking, one should remember that abode and not make any differentiation between the abodes.
One should understand that all the descended Saints (acharyas) are one. We may accept a particular acharya, but we should not have any ill-feeling towards other acharyas.
It is important to remember that God’s uncountable names, uncountable forms, uncountable virtues, uncountable leelas, uncountable abodes and uncountable Saints are all one. They all reside within each other, and one can attain God by dedicating to any one of them. To criticize them in any way is a spiritual transgression. A person should devote himself according to where his interest lies, and beyond this he shouldn’t use his intellect.
Normally we see in the world that worshippers of a particular form, name or virtue of God criticize and condemn the worshippers of other names, forms or virtues of God. This is a great mistake. If a person were to say that even in the Puranas this kind of contradiction is seen, one should carefully note that such statements are only simulations. They are written with a specific intention of enhancing devotion to one’s worshipped form of God; it is not criticism. The scriptures say,
The intent of such comments is only to praise one’s own side. Once Surdas humorously asked Tulsidas, “When Shree Krishn is the descension of all the sixteen aspects of Divinity (solah kala), then why do you worship Shree Ram, Who has manifested only twelve Divine aspects?” Tulsidas could have given a proper answer, but he also amusingly said: “Until now I only knew that Ram was my beloved prince; upon learning today that He is an avatar who is the manifestation of twelve Divine aspects, my devotion to Him has increased twelve times more!” It is the language of the rasik Saints who being internally one, sometimes joked with each other, just as you do with others in the world.
Now think of the descensions of Bhagwan Ram and Krishn. We can easily understand that Krishn’s
avatar was the sweetest and that the
leelas manifested during this descension were numerous. Initially, a devotee will not be able to continuously meditate on God’s form. For establishing his mind in Divine subjects, he will have to take the help of the
leelas, and the
leelas of Shree Krishn are so sweet that the devotees’ mind will be naturally attracted to them. Thus, meditating on the
leelas is very easy. During Shree Krishn’s
avatar, the
leelas of all the five kinds of loving emotions
(bhao) were revealed. They are:
shant bhao (the feelings a subject has for a king),
dasya bhao (the love a servant has for his master),
sakhya bhao (the love a friend has for his friend),
vatsalya bhao (the love a mother has for her child), and
madhurya bhao (the love that
Gopis have for Krishn). According to his personal liking, a devotee can think about any kind of
leela. In this way,
sadhana becomes easy.
Another point is that, even though Ram and Krishn are one, the sweetest leela Bliss that was revealed during Shree Krishn’s descension was not revealed in Shree Ram’s descension. This is the reason why the Saints who became God realized during Ram’s descension, chose to come as Gopis during Shree Krishn’s descension so that they could experience the sweetest Bliss of Divine love.
Therefore, from the point of view of experiencing the highest Bliss of Divine love and the ease of practice, devotion to Krishn Who is all-loving and all-beautiful, Who is the stealer of the hearts of the Gopis and Who is the crown-jewel of all the rasik Saints, is most appropriate.
You must understand that same absolute supreme Personality of God (poornatam purushottam brahm) is in two forms, Radha and Krishn. ” Radha and Krishn are one, but, for the sake of leela, They are in two forms. Leelas are eternal, thus the forms of Radha and Krishn are also eternal. Radha is the Soul of Krishn.. Radha is the Swamini of Shree Krishn; She is the life and soul of Shree Krishn.
Now the devotee can meditate upon both, Vrishbhanu-nandini Radhikaji and Nandnandan Shyam Sundar who did maharas in Vrindaban, together or individually, according to his personal choice.
