[Shivani Devi]

hmmm..thinking a bit more about the Tao Teh Ching vs Ananda Lahari by Adi Shankaracharya.

Although I am a very strange one, a Shaivite who follows the path of Ramanuja and Madhava as far as Vishishtadvatia and Achinya Bedha Abheda or Qualified Monism is concerned (Disagreeing with Abhivinagupta and the Trika School of Tantra on quite a few points along the way), I'm also taking into full account the pretext to the Isha Upanishad here:

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate
Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:
1: Om, That (Outer World) is Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); This (Inner World) is also Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); From Purna comes Purna (From the Fullness of Divine Consciousness the World is manifested) ,
2: Taking Purna from Purna, Purna Indeed Remains (Because Divine Consciousness is Non-Dual and Infinite).
3: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

Namam and rupam (Devata) or the 'Tao that can be named' is a representation of Brahman!

God isn't Brahman in the whole experiential sense of the word.

What Brahman is, according to Veda, is Satchitananda - Truth, Pure Consciousness and Bliss.

For some, this is also what the Anandamaya Kosha represents. For others, this is what an external Deity with attribute (guna) also represents: Ultimate Truth, Ultimate Consciousness and Ultimate Bliss - Brahman.

Thus Brahman can be known through Iswara (God) as the representation of the Energy or effulgence of Brahman (Purusha) combined with the Shakti of Brahman which is Maya (Prakriti) according to the Rig Veda...and of course, Shiva can only be known through Shakti and Shakti can only be known through Shiva.

Confused you all enough yet with what I know about my own religion? :P

JAI ARDHARNARISHWARA! Jai Shiva Shakti!!