What is God? A Hindu Perspective: Metaphysics & Philosophy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabrahman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Brahman
The Vedas are the supreme authority for all orthodox schools. Six systems (Samkhya,
Yoga, Vedanta, Mimamsa, Nyaya, and Vaiseshika) belong to the
Astika Darsana, the term Darsana literally meaning "vision," vision of the
Absolute Truth. Astika means theist. On the other hand, Charvaka (materialism),
Jainism and Buddhism, for instance are termed
Nastika, i.e. not based on the Vedas. Each of the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur,
Saman and Atharvan) is again divided into four sections, namely, Samhita (collection of hymns), Brahmanas (treatises on sacrifices and rituals), Aranyakas ("forest books" for hermits about sacrifices and contemplation), and the Upanishads, dealing with deeper metaphysics and theosophical speculations.
Reincarnation (samsara) is the practical way in which one reaps the fruits of one's deeds. The self is forced to enter a new material existence until all karmic debt is paid - "By means of thought, touch, sight and passions and by the abundance of food and drink there are birth and development of the (embodied) self. According to his deeds, the embodied self assumes successively various forms in various conditions" (
Shvetashvatara Upanishad 5,11).
Arjuna inquired, "Which are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly engaged in Your devotional service or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifest?" (
Bhagavad Gita 12.1).
Krsna,
Supreme Personality of Godhead said, "Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect." (Bhagavad Gita
12.2)
"For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest, impersonal feature of the
Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied." (Bhagavad Gita 12.5)
Krsna, Supreme Personality of Godhead said,
"Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that
I, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Krsna, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme." (Bhagavad Gita 7.24)
Lord Krsna couldn't have been any clearer,
"
Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be." (Bhagavad Gita
9.11)
Bhagavad Gita, which contains the essence of Vedas and Upanishads, has many Shlokas that echo the Vedic doctrine of oneness of humanity.
Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that He resides in every heart (Ishwar Sarva Bhutanam Hrudyeshe Tishthti).
"Sages call upon God by many names." - (Rigveda 1:164:46). The oldest of all the vedas is Rigveda which is also the one considered most sacred by the Hindus.
Listen to Bhagavad-Gita online:
http://gitamrta.org
Or you can also read it online:
http://bhagavad-gita.us
Highly recommended
Guru:
http://esotericteaching.org