What are the Three Features of the Divine? (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

The Three Features of the Divine

• For Hindus, God has three main features

• Brahman (residing everywhere), Antaryami (residing within), and Bhagavan (residing outside, beyond)

  • Firstly, God is Brahman, the Ultimate Reality or truth

    • Brahman refers to the all-pervading aspect of God, often called ‘the all-pervading world-soul’

    • Since everything comes from God, it is not different from Him

    • Scripture states “everything is Brahman.” This eternal aspect of God is realised by understanding that everyone has an atman which is part of the one divine reality

  • Secondly, God is the Lord within a person’s heart, or all-pervading Antaryami

    • Many Hindus meditate on Antaryami in order to be aware of Brahman

    • Meditating on Antaryami helps to bring balance and realisation of God

  • Thirdly, Hindus view God as Bhagavan or Ishvara, a supreme being who lives beyond the world

    • Many Hindus believe that they can develop a personal and direct relationship with Bhagavan

    • They also believe that Bhagavan possesses qualities that include knowledge and strength

• Most Hindu traditions teach these three aspects of God, but will understand the relationships between them differently

  • They often stress one feature as more important than the others

  • They also differ as to the exact identity of God and their understanding of the many gods and goddesses