God and Godliness

Many of us around the world believe in God in a myriad ways. A few believe in a God who has form and worship murtis, a few in a formless God. Why do we believe in God, and many others do not?

The Big Bang Theory helps us understand. Modern science cannot completely explain the time before or at the Big Bang. 'Time Zero' is, therefore, just not fully understood. God is also not fully explainable.

The Almighty's existence has been endlessly debated in religion and theology. Aristotle and Plato argued for a being who created the universe, a 'demiurge' or 'unmoved mover'. Rene Descartes held that man is a finite, imperfect being, and this idea did not emanate from man but from a higher, infinite, perfect being, and, hence, God exists.


In Hinduism, there is a wide range of beliefs about the Divine. Hinduism is categorised into several major theistic traditions, each of which worships different gods. Love or devotion to God gave rise to the popular Bhakti movement. Advaita Vedanta holds that God exists in the individual soul of every living being.

If we find God in ourselves, we need not seek external validation. When we worship God in us, we need not seek His favours and blessings, nor stop believing in them, even in tough times. Madhavacharya is said to have explained 'Svayam Bhagavan' as 'He who has Bhagavatta', or the 'quality of possessing all the good qualities'.

Is it, then, possible for us to find the Divine in us if we try to achieve true Bhagavatta, or Godliness?