Discover

'Ishvara' (Sanskrit '' ईश्वर "lord, master", from an adjective '' "capable") is a philosophical concept in Hinduism, meaning ''controller'' or the ''Supreme controller''^[1] (i.e. 'God') in a monotheistic sense or as an Ishta-Devata of monistic thought. Ishvara is also used to denote a "lord" in a temporal sense, as any master or king (a dual usage also found in English).
The term is also used in Buddhism, e.g. in Avalokiteśvara, here meaning a powerfull (but not omnipotent) being. When referring to Divine as female, particularly in Shaktism, the feminine '' is sometimes used.

Contents

Schools of thought

Advaita Vedanta

Vishishta Advaita

Dvaita

Notes

See also

Schools of thought

Among the six systems of Hindu philosophy, Samkhya and Mimamsa do not believe in the concept of ''Ishvara''. The four monotheistic schools: Yoga, Vaisheshika, Vedanta and Nyaya believe in the existence of an Ishvara.
The conception of ''Ishvara'' in Hinduism is very much dependent on the particular school of thought. While any god/deva can embody the concept of Ishvara in Advaita Vedanta, Vaishnavites consider only Vishnu and his incarnations as an omnipotent Ishvara.

Advaita Vedanta

Advaitism holds that when human beings think of Brahman, the Supreme Cosmic Spirit is projected upon the limited, finite human mind and appears as ''Ishvara''.^[2] Therefore, the mind projects human attributes, such as personality, motherhood, and fatherhood on the Supreme Being. An interesting metaphor is that when the "reflection" of the Cosmic Spirit falls upon the mirror of ''Maya'' (''; the principle of illusion, which binds the mind), it appears as the Supreme Lord. God (as in ''Brahman'') is not thought to have such attributes in the true sense.^[3] However it may be helpful to project such attributes onto God — the myriad names and forms of God one finds in Hinduism are all human-constructed ways for approaching the divine.

Vishishta Advaita

In Vishishtadvaita, ''Ishvara'' is the Supreme Cosmic Spirit who maintains complete control over the Universe and all the sentient beings, which together also form the pan-organistic body of ''Ishvara''. The triad of ''Ishvara'' along with the universe and the sentient beings is ''Brahman'', which signifies the completeness of existence. ''Ishvara'' is ''Parabrahman'' endowed with innumerable auspicious qualities (''Kalyana Gunas''). Ishvara is perfect, omniscient, omnipresent, incorporeal,^[4] independent, Creator of the world, its active ruler and also the eventual destroyer. He is causeless, eternal and unchangeable — and is yet the material and the efficient cause of the world. He is both immanent (like whiteness in milk) and transcendent (like a watch-maker independent of a watch). He is the subject of worship. He is the basis of morality and giver of the fruits of one's ''Karma''. He rules the world with His ''Māyā'' — His divine power.

Dvaita

According to the Dvaita school, ''Ishvara'' possesses all the qualities seen in Vishishtadvaita. However, ''Ishvara'' is only the efficient but not the material cause of the Universe and the sentient beings. Thus, ''Dvaitism'' does not separate ''Ishwara'' and ''Brahman'', and does not believe that the highest form of ''Brahman'' is attributeless, or that ''Ishwara'' is incorporeal. Instead, ''Ishvara'' is the highest form of truth and worship of God involves belief in God as an infinite and yet personal and loving being.
Thus, in addition to their belief in the abstract principle of Brahman, most Hindus worship God on a day-to-day basis in one of God's less abstract personal forms, such as ''Vishnu'', ''Shiva'', or ''Shakti''. Some Hindus worship these personal forms of God for a practical reason: it is easier to cultivate devotion to a personal being than to an abstract principle. Therefore, the Hindu scriptures depict God not only as an abstract principle or concept, but also as a personal being.

Notes

1. Heart of Hinduism - Concepts "Ishvara – "controller" often used of God"
2. See generally, Sinha, H.P. (1993), ''Bhāratīya Darshan kī rūprekhā'' (Features of Indian Philosophy). Motilal Banarasidas Publ. ISBN 81-208-2144-0.
3. See generally, Swami Bhaskarananda, ''The Essentials of Hinduism'' (Viveka Press 1994) ISBN 1-884852-02-5
4. White Yajurveda 32.3

See also

★ Conceptions of God

★ Absolute (philosophy)