Is God Formless or With Form?

Why does God look like a lion riding woman with ten arms holding various weapons slaying a buffalo demon on the field of battle?
Why does God look like a ash besmeared yogi on the tiger-skin mat telling his beads in the highest reaches of the Himālayas?
Why does look like a flute playing mischievous boy who steals the hearts of cowherd-girls?
Or does God "look" like anything at all?

Some schools of Indian philosophy insist that God is formless and impersonal (Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism etc.) and others that God is a person but is formless (Abrahamic faiths etc.) and yet others that God has a form and a particular form at that (Most forms of Vaishnavism, some forms of Shaivism and Shaktism etc.).

Ramakrishna's position with regards to these is most radical: he insists that God is all of the above and so much more besides!

At any rate, in this lecture I try to make a case for God with form. Since God is both formless and with form, it might be better for us, given our mind's predilection for form, to work with the latter! Those of you who are committed to the formless (which is also perfect and valid!), give me a chance to convince you! This lecture happened around the Fall Navaratri last year, I think!

Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and Friday at 6pm PST.  There's Q&A right after the lectures. 
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
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To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM