God lives in the form of a luminous flame inside the heart of every being. At the time when there was nothing, only a flame existed, which was pure consciousness, Chaitanya Jyoti. This flame never goes out, even after all other lights have dissolved, this flame remains self-luminous.

When there was no creation, no life, no creatures, no planets or constellations, when there is nothing, in the void there is darkness that spread in all directions and the space was still. In that nothingness permeated with darkness, a flame manifested spontaneously, and it is that flame of consciousness, Chaitanya Jyoti, which has been called devata, the luminous one. Devata is a form of Chaitanya Jyoti. The word devata is derived from the word ‘dev’, meaning to be illumined. That illumined one, that devata is the first manifest form in creation.

God’s form of Satyam-Shivam-Sundaram, truth-auspiciousness-beauty, is what a devotee calls devata. Who is this devata? Devata is addressed by many names. Sadashiva, Parameshwara, Purushottam or Ishwara to mention a few. And the original essence of Devata is the Chaitanya Jyoti.

From: “Bhakti Sadhana” – Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati.

Aim Hrim Klim