Does God have a Form?

 

Q128: Swami!  Some say that God has no form.  But we see devotees praying to idols in temples.  The concept of Avatar incarnation of God, is of special significance in our land of Sanatana Dharma.  But followers of other paths argue that God has no form.  We pray to you to clarify this point.

Bhagawan: When you see a doctor, you will be reminded of your physical complaints.  When you meet a lawyer, you think of litigation and court cases, don't you?  Likewise, when you see a gopuram, temple tower, you will be reminded of God.  As I often say, love may not have a form but a loving mother has.  Water may not have form but the tumbler with water has a form; air may not have a form, but the balloon into which it is pumped has a form.  In the same manner, the formless divine has its form or forms.  The formless expresses itself through a form.

A simple example.  You know the screen in a theatre.  You find pictures projected on the screen.  In every picture, there is the screen.  Without the screen, you can't see the picture.  Pictures come and pass.  Not even one remains permanent.  This screen may be described in spiritual parlance as "sad and asad" or "sadasad".  Sat is existence, asat is non-existence.  Like this, these two co-exist, sakara, one with form and nirakara, the formless.

(From "Satyopanisad" Vol. 1 by Prof. K. Anil Kumar)