Functions of the Gods. 53 



Deva, just because of the fact that the God makes 

 the form he wants for the particular work he has upon 

 hand, and that none of those forms bind him. They 

 are merely transitory vehicles created for a definite 

 purpose. Some of these forms are indeed relatively 

 permanent, partly because of the worship which is 

 addressed to them. For the Deva will often graci- 

 ously use a particular form in order to meet the 

 thought of his worshippers. Suppose for instance, 

 taking a lofty example, that Shri Krishna willed 

 to reveal Himself to some Bhakta of His, in order 

 that that devotee might have the joy of consciously 

 realising the presence of his I/ord, He then most 

 certainly would clothe Himself in the form which 

 that Bhakta was in the habit of worshipping and 

 which drew up the deepest emotions of his heart. 

 For these forms are taken for the very purpose of 

 stimulating devotion, for the very object of attract- 

 ing the heart by presenting the illimitable Deity in 

 some conditioned form which the concrete mind of 

 man is able more or less to grasp, to understand, to 

 admire and to worship. You cannot love the void 

 of space. You cannot fix your heart on the depths 

 of infinity ; you deceive yourself if, with your limited 

 intelligence, untrained even in the lowest forms 

 of Yoga, you think that you can realise Brahman, 

 the Supreme. Too often when we speak of THAT, 



