Gods and advaita

[Giri]

>This has given rise to a queston; what is the status of Gods in advaita?
>Are they real (in the same sense that man is real) or are they just
>means for focussing one's attention? Is it possible to acquire Godhood?
>Could someone comment please.

        Please check the archives. The subject has been discussed to some
length before. Saguna Brahman is real in the same sense that man is real
in the vyaavahaarika level. BUT there is a difference. Ishvara is the
controller of maya, He is beyond bondage. jiiva suffers from the illusion
that (s)he is separate from Atman/Brahman. Advaita never says that the
jiiva and Ishvara are the same at the vyaavahaarika level. A devotee can
not be the same as the object of devotion in the vyaavahaarika level.

        But then why does Advaita say that jiiva and Ishvara are the same
in reality ? When all the upaadhis are removed then the jiiva and Ishvara
are the same. That is, Ishvara and I are different in empricial existence
with different roles to play but we are all the same in essence since we
are all ONE. In reality with the removal of all upadhis (limiting
adjuncts) including naama-ruupa (name-form), everything is Divine.

        God is invisible, unmanifest and Nirguna (formless), but to please
his devotees whose mind cannot comprehend His glory, He takes on forms to
bless them. Shankara in his lalita trishati bhashya explains this very
clearly,

bhaktaanugrahaaka vigraha vattam vinaa devataayaa buddhavanaaropeNa
saguNopaasana vigrahavantah aN^gikartavyaa iti pratishhThaapitam

(If the dieties do not possess forms to bless their devotees,
the devotees cannot grasp them mentally and sagunopaasana becomes
impossible..)

But how should we worship ?
Shankara says in the bhashya on how to worship Lalita,

tathaapi tadapavaada purassaram shuddha chaitanyaabheda
dhyana ruupa mukhya bhajanam mukhya meva

A devotee must meditate only on his oneness with pure awareness in worship.

AUM shaantiH