Is the Ganges river considered a god in itself?

[Vrindavana Das]

In the spiritual world, there is conscious personality behind everything.

The personality behind earth is 'Bhu devi' or 'Mother earth.' Bhu devi is a conscious personality. In the scriptures we find instances when mother earth took the form of a cow and went to Supreme Lord, when she was feeling the burden of increased irreligious population. This is one reason for the advent of Lord Kṛṣṇa, to reduce the burden of irreligious population from the face of earth.

Even otherwise if we see, it sustains innumerable plants, trees. Different kind of flora and fauna. A plant (conscious) in a small pot of earth (consciousness) lives happily. Consciousness can come only from consciousness - so the saying goes.

The personality behind sun is 'Surya deva' or 'Sun God.' Scriptures tell us that he travels on an inclined plane on his chariot with his charioteer - Aruna which causes the seasons etc.

Similarly, the conscious personality, the presiding deity of river Ganges is 'Ganga devi.'

:namaste

 

[Shermana]

Vrindavana, are you saying then that the River itself is not a god but that there is a personality and spiritual power which 'presides" over the River, has guardianship over it, and represents it?

 

[Alceste]

Vrindavana, are you saying then that the River itself is not a god but that there is a personality and spiritual power which 'presides" over the River, has guardianship over it, and represents it?

Or...

would you say that a river is a conscious entity that can manifest in a variety of ways, one of which is an anthropomorphic entity humans can relate to?

Or something else?

 

[Sumit]

Vrindavana, are you saying then that the River itself is not a god but that there is a personality and spiritual power which 'presides" over the River, has guardianship over it, and represents it?

well scientifically and in pure form ganga is just H2O as we are just body, but as our body is ruled by our soul in very similar manner every aspect of universe is ruled by devi and devtas and these devi-devtas togather work under governance of what we call brahman (god).

 

[Me Myself]

well scientifically and in pure form ganga is just H2O as we are just body, but as our body is ruled by our soul in very similar manner every aspect of universe is ruled by devi and devtas and these devi-devtas togather work under governance of what we call brahman (god).

It ould be awesome ganga was just H2O! Regretably, I understand she has been severely contaminated :cover:

 

[Shermana]

well scientifically and in pure form ganga is just H2O as we are just body, but as our body is ruled by our soul in very similar manner every aspect of universe is ruled by devi and devtas and these devi-devtas togather work under governance of what we call brahman (god).

So we agree that there are in fact spiritual beings called "gods" (who may be a part/facet of the greater god like interactive, self-willed pieces of a puzzle) who are the rulers of various phenomena?

 

[Madhuri]

So we agree that there are in fact spiritual beings called "gods" (who may be a part/facet of the greater god like interactive, self-willed pieces of a puzzle) who are the rulers of various phenomena?

Absolutely.

 

[Me Myself]

So we agree that there are in fact spiritual beings called "gods" (who may be a part/facet of the greater god like interactive, self-willed pieces of a puzzle) who are the rulers of various phenomena?

Moooooooooooooooost hinduism agree. Again though, as it is not ONE religion, there do exist atheistic forms of hinduism. (I think a very reduced minority, though?)

 

[Sumit]

It ould be awesome ganga was just H2O! Regretably, I understand she has been severely contaminated :cover:

That's why I used word "pure form", I yesterday went Haridwar to celebrate Shivaratri but it was very sad to see that people were throwing statues, polythene and plastics etc in name of prayer on Ganga, all ghats were polluted.

 

[Sumit]

So we agree that there are in fact spiritual beings called "gods" (who may be a part/facet of the greater god like interactive, self-willed pieces of a puzzle) who are the rulers of various phenomena?

It is better to called them demigods. God is only one, the creator, protector and destroyer of Universe.

 

[Sumit]

So we agree that there are in fact spiritual beings called "gods" (who may be a part/facet of the greater god like interactive, self-willed pieces of a puzzle) who are the rulers of various phenomena?

It is better to call them demigods. God is only one, the creator, protector and destroyer of Universe.

 

[Me Myself]

That's why I used word "pure form", I yesterday went Haridwar to celebrate Shivaratri but it was very sad to see that people were throwing statues, polythene and plastics etc in name of prayer on Ganga, all ghats were polluted.

I heard there is a ganesha worship when one summerges iwater a clay ganesh figure, was that in the river Ganga? in any case, of only they could throw clay statues.

 

[Sumit]

I heard there is a ganesha worship when one summerges iwater a clay ganesh figure, was that in the river Ganga?

People submerge Ganesh Statues in rivers close to there cities.

in any case, of only they could throw clay statues.

PEople nowdays use statues made of different substances which results in death of tons of fishes and other creature living in water.

 

[Vinayaka]

I heard there is a ganesha worship when one summerges iwater a clay ganesh figure, was that in the river Ganga? in any case, of only they could throw clay statues.

If you google Ganesha Visarjana, you will get lots of images. The festival coincides with Ganesha Chaturthi, and is especially popular in Mumbai, and all of Maharashtra, where it is huge. It's done almost everywhere, in rivers, lakes, but particularly in oceans. Lately there has been a far greater emphasis on using non-toxic materials. http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=...k9UayXLISiqQGju4CwCQ&ved=0CEgQ9QEwAw&dur=1442

 

[mohinishaktidevi]

Originally Posted by Shermana
So we agree that there are in fact spiritual beings called "gods" (who may be a part/facet of the greater god like interactive, self-willed pieces of a puzzle) who are the rulers of various phenomena?

They are not 'Spiritual Beings with Spirit bodies with spiritual abodes'. They are all here in the material world of matter and energy just as we are. But they are impowered souls born to supervise the functioning of material affairs.

The Police chief, the fire marshall, the Chief Surgeon, the CEO, CFO, the Senator, the school principal, The cross-guard, the bus driver, the captain of the ship, the electrical engineer that designs satellite communications, they all are like demigods to the common folks walking in the streets going about their mundane activities, while all the societal infrastructure seems to occur almost invisablably by un-known people how live and work for the good of society without common people giving it much thought, unless you have direct access to them it is difficult to get favoritism from them.

There is God Almighty of Western Scriptures described in the Vedas.
God Almighty of Western Scriptures and the Vedas is spiritual in body and abode, existing outside the material world of matter, that abode is known as the spiritual eternal kingdom of Godhead.

The Gods that are being asked about are impowered souls with celestial life in celestial planets here in the material world of time and temporary cycles of birth for each soul depending on the speculation that 'enjoying' is all there is to the mystery of life.

Or...

would you say that a river is a conscious entity that can manifest in a variety of ways, one of which is an anthropomorphic entity humans can relate to?

Or something else?

The circumstance and characteristics that this describes is exactly like llife on
earth.

For example, the prison warden can stop the execution of the death row convict, if the Governor of the state says to stay the execution, if the federal Judges said it was constitutional. The criminal had robbed at gun point and when the victim resisted the robber shot dead the victim.

In the same way we have people who 'play God' with our lives everyday.
When was the last time God raised your taxes?

Politicians are often labled demagogues because they are manipulating the common man to follow them because of what they are offerring to do for the public.

Contrarily the Demigods of the Universe live in celestial planetary systems far away. They are the living embodiment of the department of universal affairs for as long as they are alive or competent at their job. Yes, the Vedic Demigods are replace often over the ages (kalpas). The famous name 'Indra' (president of the Vedic Demigods) is a 'Title' and not a personal name.
There is 'Brihaspati' (chaplin of the Vedic Demigods), 'Vishvakarma' (The architect of the Vedic Demigods), 'Brahma' (Grandfather of the Vedic Demigods), Yamaraja (Bailiff of the Vedic Demigods) along with all the others. They are all department heads.

demagogues plural of dem·a·gogue (Noun)

A political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.
(in ancient Greece and Rome) A leader or orator who espoused the cause of the common people.

https://www.google.com/search?q=dem...rome.3.57j5j0l2.4763&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

By comparison, to the homeless guy sleeping in the garden of an office building's outdoor lunch area, the penthouse office is an abode of demigods.