In the Samvat year 1876 on the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Magh in the evening. Shreeji Maharaj was seated facing the south on the platform in front of the temple of Shree Vasudev Narayan in the Durbar of Dada Khachar in Gadhada. He had put a white turban on His head and covered His body with a white cotton shawl. He had put a white upper garment over His shoulder. Saints and devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.
Then Gopalanand Swami said, “Some followers of Vedant philosophy say that God is formless. They cite quotations also from scriptures in support of their view. And there are devotees of God like Narad Shuk. Sanak and others who establish that God has a definite form. Please tell us which of the two views is correct.”
Shreeji Maharaj replied. “Bhagavan Purushottam has a definite form”. His image is very very luminescent. And Brahm which is Sachchidanand [existence, consciousness and bliss] and pervades everywhere, and which is full and complete, is the divine luster of Bhagavan Purushottam. It is also said in the scriptures, The Lord then cast a glance at Maya.’ Now if the Lord can cast a glance at something, is it possible that the Lord has eyes only? He must have hands and feet also. This proves that the Lord has a definite form.
Varun the god of the oceans is the soul of waters. Now water is formless, but Varun has a definite form. Similarly the flame of the fire is shapeless, but the god of fire Agnidev has a definite form. Similarly the sunshine is formless. but Sun god residing in his orb of luminosity has a definite form.
In the same manner Sachchidanand Brahm is formless. But Purushottam Bhagavan has a definite form and the all-pervading Brahm is His divine luster. Some people may cite the Veda as saying that Parameshwar-God has no hands and feet. But that does not mean that the text denies the fact that God possesses hands and feet. The reference in the text is to the hands and feet as seen through Maya. The form of the Lord is divine and not the least affected by Maya. And the divine luster of Bhagavan Purushottam. i.e. Brahm pervades through and resides in jeev-soul and Ishwar. It is this luster that is formless. And yet Brahm is capable of governing the destiny of souls add awarding them the fruits of their deeds. It governs just in the manner of an entity which has a definite form. And that is why this luster also must be considered to be possessing a definite form. Thus Bhagavan Purushottam always possesses a definite form. He is, not formless. And those who say that He is formless do not know the real thing.”
