Relations Between Vaikundar Ekam and Other Lesser Gods
Ayyavazhi believes in one God, but recognizes that the one God can appear to humans in a multiplicity of names and forms. The first half of Akilam asserts the existence and power-status of different god-heads and in the second half after the incarnation of Vaikundar though they have a secondary place, they do exist. Especially, though all powers were surrendered to Vaikundar, Narayana acts a double role throughout the incarnation of Vaikundar, as the Father of Vaikundar. So Akilam accepts that all god-heads exist. But Vaikundar is the only powerful and supreme, which channels Ayyavazhi theology towards Henotheism.
But God is, in the highest sense, one: formless, infinite, and eternal. God is changeless and is the source of consciousness as well as the consciousness itself. God is beyond time, space, and causation and yet exists within everything and every being. Being formless, God is genderless. The name Ekam is mentioned quite often in Ayyavazhi scriptures. But beyond the mere mention of the 'term' several times, no longer description is provided for the word. The term Ekam in Tamil gives simply the meaning, "one and the incomparable supreme". This is some sort of monistic definition about god from Ayyavazhi theology.
There are a series of lesser god-heads mentioned in Akilam with minor powers. Vaikundar is viewed on one hand as the incarnation of Ekam and on the other hand as being equal in powers to him. But during the encounter of Vaikundar with the King of Travancore, a verse of Akilam states that Ekam itself was created by Vaikundar. So Vaikundar would be superior to all.
Regarding Vaikundar, Ekam remains one among the three in the Trinity in Vaikundar during the incarnation. So all qualities of Ekam (changeless attributes etc...) fits also to Vaikundar. Strengthening this view a series of quotes from Arul Nool portraits Vaikundar as eternal and reveals his Universal form.
Read more about this topic: Ayyavazhi Theology
Famous quotes containing the words relations between, relations, lesser and/or gods:
“When one walks, one is brought into touch first of all with the essential relations between one’s physical powers and the character of the country; one is compelled to see it as its natives do. Then every man one meets is an individual. One is no longer regarded by the whole population as an unapproachable and uninteresting animal to be cheated and robbed.”
—Aleister Crowley (1875–1947)
“It is commonplace that a problem stated is well on its way to solution, for statement of the nature of a problem signifies that the underlying quality is being transformed into determinate distinctions of terms and relations or has become an object of articulate thought.”
—John Dewey (1859–1952)
“So hills and valleys into singing break;
And though poor stones have neither speech nor tongue,
While active winds and streams both run and speak,
Yet stones are deep in admiration.
Thus praise and prayer here beneath the Sun
Make lesser mornings when the great are done.”
—Henry Vaughan (1622–1695)
“Whom the gods wish to destroy they first call promising.”
—Cyril Connolly (1903–1974)