AM I GOD?

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AM I GOD?

 

WHO AM I?

 

 

 

I am certainly not the perishable body. I am also not the three 'Shariras', i.e.

gross, subtle and causal bodies because they are made up of matter enlivened by

the spirit as their substratum. Likewise, I also cannot be the 'Panch Koshas'

--- Annamaya (food sheath), Pranamaya (vital air sheath), Manomaya (mental

sheath), Vijnanmaya (intellectual sheath), and Anandamaya (bliss sheath). Then

who am I? I am Atma, which is of the nature of Sat-Chit-Ananda

(Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute) distinct and untouched by the elements

mentioned above but in whose presence every thing, seen, unseen etc., function.

 

 

 

This statement, "I AM GOD" is a misinterpretation and misrepresentation of one

of the four Mahavakyas of the Vedas, "AHAM BRAHMASMI". Aham Brahmasmi is a

transcendental statement made by the seeker upon realization, who is on a

different plane of consciousness than that of the plane of body consciousness.

These two planes of consciousness do not exist simultaneously and at the same

time. At the level of body consciousness, I am God, is a far fetched cry and is

absolutely untenable.

 

 

 

God, Krishna, Brahman, Atman, Self, Consciousness, Awareness, Truth, Reality

etc. these are synonymous terms and therefore interchangeable. Truth in fact is

beyond the reach of words, mind, and the intellect. It cannot therefore be

described. Upanishads very clearly say that it is a state from where the speech

comes back etc. One can only go into that state and experience It. That is why

it is said to be my own essential nature or I am That. When we say Atman is of

the nature of Bliss Absolute etc., this is only to point out to the seeker the

nature and the direction of his goal. In fact the goal, the path, and the seeker

are one and the same. It is the consciousness walking within Itself to reach

Itself. Atma shines the same at all times, it can never be conditioned. In fact

every thing functions in the light of this self effulgent Atma. Sun may not be

visible due to the covering of the clouds. This does not mean that the sun is

not shining. In fact the clouds are seen only because of the presence of the

sun. Similarly our mind, intellect, and even our ignorance functions due to the

light of the Atma alone. We have become forgetful of our own Self due to our

miss-identification with the body, that I am the body. Therefore the process of

Self realization demands that we shed our ignorance bit by bit and all the tools

available to us (such as Bhakti, Jnana, Yoga etc.) help us in this direction.

Once all the ignorance or conditioning is gone, we realize our own essential

nature, the self effulgent Atma.

 

 

 

To make things easier for us let us call this Atman as the 'life principle'. Now

the life principle is one and the same throughout the creation. It is the same

life principle that functions in an ant, an elephant, or a human being. The

visible difference is only in the names and forms and not in the Atma. Atma is

the one substratum upon which all existence is superimposed. Atma can exist

independent of every thing else but nothing can exist without the presence of

the Atma as its substratum. Rope can exist by itself but the illusory snake

superimposed upon the rope cannot exist without its substratum the rope. Remove

the rope, the snake disappears also. Remove God, nothing else remains. Therefore

God alone is the truth, God alone is, the visible names and forms are just

illusory superimpositions or at best the Lila of the Lord. Friends, there is

Unity in creation and that Unity is God, by whatever name you may like to call

Him.

 

 

 

WHO AM I? This cannot really be answered positively because all the equipments,

such as speech, mind, intellect etc., that we have, get the power for their

functioning from the Self that we are trying to visualize. That is why the Vedas

answer this question in a negative sense by saying "Neti Neti", i.e. not this,

not this. The first negation refers to 'Murta' (form) and the second negation

refers to 'Amurta' (formless). That means anything and everything that we can

visualize and beyond must be negated and what is left is the Reality or the

Truth and this Truth is said to be my own essential nature and is of the nature

of Bliss Absolute.

 

 

 

Hence the final equation is if am not the body, then who am I? In the relative

existence, I am a Jiva or an Ego center but in the Absolute, the Veda says, TAT

TWAM ASI or YOU ARE THAT. If I still believe that I am the body then there is a

long haul ahead of me through the 8.4M (84 lakh), good luck!

 

 

 

HARI OM,

 

radhakutir

 

 

 

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Know the Lord to be the only real thing in the midst of things unreal. Remember

God.Take His name always. Meditate upon Him. Feel His presence everywhere.

Surrender yourself to Him. He will bless you with peace, bliss, plenty,

prosperity and immortality. ----Swami Sivananda

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