Why has God been give thousands of names to describe the physical aspect when God is in the form of energy and doesn’t have any form?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are two things you must remember.
One is the Quantum Physics: everything is made up of atoms, everything is wave functions.
The other thing is the Classical Chemistry: any particular thing has only a particular effect.
For example, if you have a cold or sore throat you can’t just pick up any leaf. You have to pick only Tulsi (basil) leaf that works on that part of your body.
If you have a stomach problem, only Bilva fruit will work for that. Specific plants are for specific aspect of our body.
Similarly, specific sounds work on specific parts of our body. The ancient masters knew, out of the many forms, some form would evoke a particular type of energy in you.
In fact it is not about the form so much but the name of the form that is important. When you sing ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, it creates a different energy. When you sing ‘Om Namo Narayana’, it is a different energy. Since the sounds are different, each sound has a different impact but in total all are the same. Every sound is going to uplift you, but they are only a little different in quality.
It is like you going to an ice cream parlor and saying, what is the difference between strawberry ice cream and vanilla ice cream. These are just flavors but the substance is the same. In the same way people in the past have just created different flavors to make life more colorful, that is all.
It is not necessary that you have to go through all the forms. Any form, any name is good enough.
One is the Quantum Physics: everything is made up of atoms, everything is wave functions.
The other thing is the Classical Chemistry: any particular thing has only a particular effect.
For example, if you have a cold or sore throat you can’t just pick up any leaf. You have to pick only Tulsi (basil) leaf that works on that part of your body.
If you have a stomach problem, only Bilva fruit will work for that. Specific plants are for specific aspect of our body.
Similarly, specific sounds work on specific parts of our body. The ancient masters knew, out of the many forms, some form would evoke a particular type of energy in you.
In fact it is not about the form so much but the name of the form that is important. When you sing ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, it creates a different energy. When you sing ‘Om Namo Narayana’, it is a different energy. Since the sounds are different, each sound has a different impact but in total all are the same. Every sound is going to uplift you, but they are only a little different in quality.
It is like you going to an ice cream parlor and saying, what is the difference between strawberry ice cream and vanilla ice cream. These are just flavors but the substance is the same. In the same way people in the past have just created different flavors to make life more colorful, that is all.
It is not necessary that you have to go through all the forms. Any form, any name is good enough.
