Characteristics of God
One set of attributes (and their common interpretations) are:
-
- Jñāna As used in the Hindu context, esp Advaita, Jnana simply means 'Knowledge' - referring to the absolute knowledge that Brahman is the only Reality and all else is Maya
- Aishvarya (Sovereignty, derived from the word Ishvara), which consists in unchallenged rule over all;
- Shakti (Energy), or power, which is the capacity to make the impossible possible;
- Bala (Strength), which is the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;
- Vīrya (Vigor), or valour which indicates the power to retain immateriality as the supreme being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations; and
- Tejas (Splendor), which expresses his self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by his spiritual effulgence; (cited from Bhakti Schools of Vedanta, by Swami Tapasyānanda.)
A second set of six characteristics are
-
- Jñāna ... see above: absolute knowledge of non-duality
- Vairagya (Detachment),
- Yashas (Fame),
- Aishvarya (Sovereignty, derived from the word Ishvara),
- Srī (Glory) and
- Dharma (Righteousness).
- Other important qualities attributed to God are Gambhīrya (grandeur), Audārya (generosity), and Kārunya (compassion).
Read more about this topic: God In Hinduism
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