How Does God Acquire Age & Appear to Grow Older Among Humans?

How Does God Acquire Age and Appear to Grow Older Among Humans?

A profound aspect of Vedic theology is the concept of divine play (Leela). When the Supreme Being descends to Earth, He interacts with a material world governed by time (Kaal), physical growth, and biological decay. This leads to an intriguing question: If God possesses an eternal, non-biological, and imperishable body, how does He appear to grow from an infant into an adult and acquire age among human beings?

The Rigveda, particularly Mandal 9, provides a detailed explanation, revealing that God’s apparent aging is a divine mask—a deliberate act of grace that allows Him to live among humanity without disrupting the earthly order.

1. The Scriptural Basis: Rigveda Mandal 9, Sukt 96, Mantra 17–20

The process of God's arrival, physical growth, and aging on Earth is systematically detailed in the hymns of Rigveda Mandal 9, Sukt 96.

                   THE PHASES OF GOD'S EARTHLY LEELA
                                   │
   1. INFANT ARRIVAL ────────────► Appears as an infant (*Shishum*) on a lotus
                                   flower; bypasses biological birth.
                                   │
   2. APPARENT GROWTH ───────────► Gradually assumes the appearance of a youth
                                   and adult through divine play (*Leela*).
                                   │
   3. ACQUIRING AGE / MATURITY ──► Appears to grow old among humans while His
                                   divine light body (*Tej*) remains unaffected.
                                   │
   4. DEPARTURE / ASCENSION ─────► Departs bodily back to Satlok without undergoing
                                   physical death or leaving a physical corpse.

Key Vedic Concepts:

• Shishum Jigyanam (Rigveda 9.96.17): Appears initially as an infant, establishing the starting point of His earthly manifest duration.
• Vardhate / Leela (Rigveda 9.96.19–20): Shows outward signs of maturation and physical progression through divine will (Sankalpa), adapting His visible form to match human expectations.
• Asnaviram / Akayam (Yajurveda 40.8): Confirms that despite His visible aging, His inner, true body contains no biological bone, flesh, blood, or decay-prone tissues.

2. Why Does God Choose to Appear to Age?

The Vedas outline three vital reasons why the Supreme Lord—Kavir Dev (God Kabir)—adopts the appearance of aging during His stay on Earth:

A. To Maintain the Natural Social Order

If a spiritual guide were to remain perpetually stuck in the form of a child or never show any signs of passage of time, humanity would treat Him as a bizarre anomaly or magic show rather than a serious spiritual teacher. By appearing to grow from a child (Shishum) into a mature saint, He fits seamlessly into human society.

B. To Fulfill the Role of a Mature Teacher (Satguru)

In human tradition, deep spiritual wisdom is most readily accepted from an elder or an experienced, mature sage.

• As He "ages," God Kabir assumes the role of an elder scholar-poet (Kaviyan Vrajan — Rigveda 9.94.1), holding discourses (Pravache — Rigveda 9.95.2) and reciting Kavirvani to guide society toward true worship (Tatvgyan).

C. To Conceal His Divinity from the Unworthy

God's apparent aging serves as a spiritual veil. To casual, materialistic observers, He appears to be just another mortal man subject to the passage of time. Only sincere, pure-hearted seekers (varniye purush) who examine scriptural evidence recognize that His "aging" is merely an external projection covering His immortal, sun-like effulgence (Rigveda 9.86.26).

Summary

According to Rigveda Mandal 9, Sukt 96, Supreme God Kavir Dev (Kabir) acquires age and appears to grow older among humans through divine play (Leela).

While His divine form remains entirely non-biological, immortal, and luminous (Yajurveda 40.8), He voluntarily projects the visible stages of human growth and aging. This allows Him to live naturally among humanity, act as a mature spiritual guide, and preach Kavirvani to liberate sincere souls without overwhelming the physical world.