Pathi - Siva Peruman

PATHI (LORD, GOD, SIVA)
What is meant by Pathi?
Lord, God, Siva.

Is He the One?
Yes.

What is His name?
Siva Peruman.

What are His attributes or qualities?
Eight
1. Self existence.
2. Essential Purity.
3. Intuitive Wisdom.
4. Infinite Intelligence.
5. Immateriality.
6. Mercy.
7. Omnipotence.
8. Limitless Bliss.

Give an example of His Omnipresence?
As fire is concealed in the firewood, so is God concealed in the universe.

Has God form, or no form or both form and formless?
He is all the above three and none of these.

Is God changebale (Vikari) or unchangeable (nirvikari)?
He is unchangable.

How does he perform His functions?
By His will.

From what does God create the world?
From maya, cosmic matter.

What is the material cause for the world?
Maya or matter.

What is the Instrumental cause for the world?
God's power or Sakti.

What is the Efficient cause for the world?
God.

How is the Lord the first of all?
Like the letter 'A' being the first of the Alphabets, the Incomparable Lord is
the first of all.

Are there any others who are equal to or above the Lord?
No.

What is the Lord's form?
Real Love.

Through whom does God create the world?
Through Brahma.

Through whom does God preserve the world?
Through Vishnu.

Through whom does God destroy the world?
Through Rudra.

Who is greater, either the creator or the destroyer?
Rudra, the destroyer is the greater.

Can soul give any return to God?
It cannot just as the world cannot give any return to the rain.

What are the eight Forms of God - Ashtamurtham?
1. Pritivi-Earth
2. Appu-Water
3. Theyu-Fire
4. Vayu-Air
5. Akas-Ether
6. Chandra-Moon
7. Surya-Sun
8. Atma-Soul.

Why is the Lord called Vythianathan?
Because He cures us of the incurable disease of birth.

To whom will He do good?
To those who love Him.

How will He judge of every one's action?
He will award reward or punishment according to each man's desert.

How is God unknown or concealed to the ignorant?
He is unseen just as ghee in milk.

How is He known to the wise?
Just as butter in curd.

What darkness does He remove?
He removes the darkness of ignorance.

Has God got pleasure and pain?
No.

Can soul's intelligence act without God?
No.

How is God nirmalan or the Perfect or Pure Being?
Just as a perfect mirror.

How did God get the name of swami?
Because he is self-dependent-Saravaswatantra.

How is God united to the soul?
Just as life on soul is united to the body.

Is body soul?
No, because it is an inert matter or object.

Can we do anything without the knowledge of God?
No, because he is omnipresent.

What is His temple?
The heart of those that love him.

How can we know Him?
By Pathignanam or knowledge of God.

Has the Lord any beginning or end?
No. Just as a circle has no beginning or end.

What is His body similar to?
Just as fire or red sky.

Is there any difference between the Intelligence of God and that of soul?
God's Intelligence is like sun's light whereas man's intelligence is like a firefly.

Who are Panchakartas?
1. Brahma
2. Vishnu
3. Rudra
4. Maheswara
5. Sadasivan

How is the Lord hidden in the soul?
Just as frog concealed within a stone.

Is God male, femlae, nor neuter?
He is neither male, nor female, nor neuter.

How are Sivam God, Sakti His Power and Atma Soul related to each other?
Sivam may be compared to teh Sun; Sakti to the sun's rays and atma to the
light of the eyes which combines with Sun's light.

Does God possess anava or impurity which is the characteristic of atma or
soul?
The Lord possesses no impurity just as the Akas does not possess the
impurities pertaining to the air.

How many kinds of Saktis (Powers) does the Lord God possess?
1. Para Sakti (Divine life)
2. Tirodana Sakti (Power that conceals)
3. Kriya Sakti (Divine energy)
4. Icha Sakti (Divine Will)
5. Gnana Sakti (Divine Intelligence)

What is the form of Parasakti?
Form of Intelligence.

What is meant by Tirodana Sakti?
The Power that conceals anything.

How is Lord united to Sakti (Power)?
Just as the odor in flowers, the coldness in the water, the heat in the fire.

Has God got the actions of Intelligence and Will?
Yes.