Finding God Within  Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha Volume 13  Number 19 11 May 2017

You say: “I am a devotee!” Now, the very reference ‘I’ – can you tell me whom it refers to? (Devotees: It refers to myself; ‘ātmā’.(soul)) That ātmā is God! If this is true, is there any distance between God who is remembered and ‘I’ who remembers Him? Also, tell me, who is the real God? The remembered entity is God, or the remembering ‘I’ is God? My dear children, this is called the path of jñāna(knowledge). In the path of jñāna, there is no additional need to remember God at all! Years back I had made some ‘classic propositions’ to God. Listen to me with attention. I gave two challenges to God. One is: “Banish me from your territory, if you can!”.  And the second is: “Exit from my heart, if you will!” And till today, ‘poor God’ has not been able to meet any of the two challenges! Are you able to appreciate the power of Self-realization that enables me to ‘challenge Him’ like this? I am saying this because I know that He cannot do it! For, if He is able to do it, then he ceases to be God. That is the strength of my Knowledge. Generally, none will think of God like this! This statement cannot be, or will not be, made by all; but I am making it! You have to be a Knower of Truth to say like this! When you are enlightened, when you find God so dear, you can even play with God like this. (Swamiji laughs heartily …) There is one more thing I want you to hear from me. I tell God: “My dear God, I cannot always remember you. Do I have to? It is you who has put me into the world; I never wanted to come to this world! Now that I have to live in the world, I have to deal with other things of the world. Whatever actions and interactions I have to undergo, let me do them very well. So, I cannot always remember you. Nor do I propose to remember you always. “Either I will remember you directly, or, I will remember you indirectly through the world, your own product. What difference does it make? It makes no difference to me. If it makes any difference to ‘you’, it is ‘your’ headache, not mine!” My dear children, are you understanding these statements well? And is the understanding giving you some sort of comfort and consolation? So, tell me; what is preventing you from saying like this? (Swamiji pauses, awaiting response from devotees. But there is no reply.) When you communicate with God with this kind of intimacy, will not your whole personality undergo devotional transformation? Nothing will trouble you. Not only that. You will become invincible! (Excerpt from the monthly magazine Vicharasethu published by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha. Subscriptions to Vicharasethu are available at Rs 100 for 12 issues and Rs 1000 for 12 Years.)