Guest guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body – which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) The essence of belief (aastik tattva) itself is Paramatma. Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief (aastik tattva)? Reasoning-deliberation-discussion (tark), proof- evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body – which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body – which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body – which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your “ Begum Sahibaa†appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say “ I am the Highestâ€. Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this “highness†end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is “highestâ€. God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some “shelter†to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as “ Highest Shelter available†! God is “ PARAM ASHRAYA DATA††" Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact “to err is human†-this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say “ I am satisfiedâ€. As regards your observation that “Nature†also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has “knowledgeâ€? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don’t know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don’t mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of “terminologyâ€. If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called “ GOD/ PARAMATMA†. Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated … thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace … as always … Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a good quality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed in its lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of " God " ? Do you urge for " God " ? If " YES " to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can't stick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that your current logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimed excellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess can claim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench your desires. If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity is warranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If " NO " to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why are you confusing yourself with these questions. That " NO " becomes meaningless just because you are incapable of letting the very questions go! The very reason you are raising these questions prove that you are infested either by fear or by desire or by both regarding " God " . THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is " YOUR " primary responsibility to address the same. As I mentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping you out. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect the ignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But, the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let an individual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms of themselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are not applying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it is common sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to be happy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are you really interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with these questions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If you really need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the only way out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? If you have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of all actions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it out yourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific " is a devine forum " as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity, everything is devine. If not, some may claim " divinity " as if the rest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if you really want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question your questions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE IT WITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for IT within. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remained futile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine is not receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myself of more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any " psyche " as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if you want ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible by our physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God. If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There are many ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it. Then after you never deny God. 2. Who has seen Him? I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talk to birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me. 3. How is He? He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied my existence. He wants everyone happy. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expect anything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in your mind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God whenever you want deny God. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. If you know this much of God you should not deny God. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basic concept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn God God comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see the electricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you ever enquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think about TV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not function without electricity. Even you can not ask these questions without that power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier than denying God. Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------ Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi ji We all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving an opportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by all sadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers. since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstacles to understanding the truth since it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing or seeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we may have gone through this period. But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with some guidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and the answers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplating exercise on the questions first for example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? what could be the place where it could be, why it can not be hear with us? Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourself repeatedly who am I? Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important so contemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it? What could it look like? What should it be? Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don't know? Do I know all? How can I know more? Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplate on: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Why we need to fear the word God to be good? Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? What is the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophets have to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learning exercise......answers are within and we must practice to start listening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............best wishes......Thank you.... Sushil Jain ---------------------------- Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there is nothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things that exist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns to mankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I also have the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove that there is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my tests and verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all those tools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD and all the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. That means, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusual thing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that is bothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have the seriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questions should be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the quest to know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quick conclusions like " There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc., " because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the right sources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying " I asked a question which this forum is not able to answer " Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history of mankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admitted to have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who was earnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (Swami Vivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not have questions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind, one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levels of Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, A RAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might be fulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till such time, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you, Sincerely, Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy) Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying " I am very good " . FYI! I was not entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. You don't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it. Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with your logic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also called you inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji, Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should think over it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But for this one need guts, because you will have to keep aside your prejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able to prove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, we can only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do not respect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how can you accept and respect the biggest father (Param-Pita Parmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems to be upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have any shame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitude you are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passing judgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making me think. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji has correctly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an open mind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directed you to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are not interested in knowing or learning anything, you are only asking these questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. He is only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything about Gita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita 18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel your existence as " I AM " , right? Then why can't you prove it with your logic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did not get any reply. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ---------------------Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding " flower of sky " - because it does not exist. You yourself said that. You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talked about God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions in this forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about " flower of sky " ? As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even if they were dead immediately after your birth, because there is a basis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of their existence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents means your grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In the end you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is " Param Pita " - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ---------------------- Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunji is correct. You , yourself, are " sample " of God ! Because like God, you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody " experiences " that - I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking about experience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are not existing ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct any test to determine whether you exist or not. You never experience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may say that " I don't know " , but you can't say " I didn't exist " ! How can you say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your " self " to be non existing. Non existence of your " self " has never come into your experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deep sleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were non existent. But at the same time you experience directly the absence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist. So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in your body. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which is permanent and changeless and who is looking separately can experience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You are not body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is also changeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in your body. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? In which part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact you are existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere in the body. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ By summery of GITA: " Tat Twam Asi " or 'That You Are' This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : " Keep your self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you " As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by our Senses. No machine can prove Logic. By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gain energy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during a meditative state. Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can say positive Energy in us and arround is GOD. This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will grow only to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' ! The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre of this World. The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' is also what we see in us. Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning and Creating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in our Youth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. At the end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs with the help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the next birth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible and change form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(non believer of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idol worshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self ! -- Regards Swapan PURKAYASTHA -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a good quality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed in its lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of " God " ? Do you urge for " God " ? If " YES " to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can't stick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that your current logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimed excellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess can claim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench your desires. If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity is warranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If " NO " to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why are you confusing yourself with these questions. That " NO " becomes meaningless just because you are incapable of letting the very questions go! The very reason you are raising these questions prove that you are infested either by fear or by desire or by both regarding " God " . THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is " YOUR " primary responsibility to address the same. As I mentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping you out. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect the ignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But, the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let an individual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms of themselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are not applying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it is common sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to be happy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are you really interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with these questions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If you really need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the only way out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? If you have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of all actions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it out yourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific " is a devine forum " as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity, everything is devine. If not, some may claim " divinity " as if the rest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if you really want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question your questions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE IT WITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for IT within. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remained futile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine is not receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myself of more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any " psyche " as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if you want ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is, I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on the back of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of what it is. Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the false reality reflected on the wall of the cave. Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Is this all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself, say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they have nothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as it were, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems to be a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and a spiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth that India had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: " Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousand people starting with the words: " Sisters and Brothers of America... " , and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture with standing ovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes....... " If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe you could read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (If you require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of your soul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict, do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, other Sadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about that which does not exist etc. Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. I have, I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cry for him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, when your heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ----------------------------- Dear Sadaks, I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The one who has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.Sherphod Vedanta/Upanashids. 1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, one needs TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower 2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as a temple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind has electricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent. Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender. 3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS. Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or for that matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give you answers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a different issue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru who can help you. I do not see from your postings you have this expectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could be anohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible by our physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God. If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There are many ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it. Then after you never deny God. 2. Who has seen Him? I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talk to birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me. 3. How is He? He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied my existence. He wants everyone happy. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expect anything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in your mind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God whenever you want deny God. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. If you know this much of God you should not deny God. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basic concept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn God God comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see the electricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you ever enquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think about TV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not function without electricity. Even you can not ask these questions without that power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier than denying God. Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------ Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi ji We all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving an opportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by all sadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers. since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstacles to understanding the truth since it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing or seeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we may have gone through this period. But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with some guidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and the answers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplating exercise on the questions first for example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? what could be the place where it could be, why it can not be hear with us? Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourself repeatedly who am I? Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important so contemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it? What could it look like? What should it be? Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don't know? Do I know all? How can I know more? Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplate on: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Why we need to fear the word God to be good? Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? What is the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophets have to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learning exercise......answers are within and we must practice to start listening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............best wishes......Thank you.... Sushil Jain ---------------------------- Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there is nothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things that exist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns to mankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I also have the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove that there is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my tests and verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all those tools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD and all the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. That means, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusual thing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that is bothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have the seriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questions should be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the quest to know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quick conclusions like " There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc., " because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the right sources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying " I asked a question which this forum is not able to answer " Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history of mankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admitted to have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who was earnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (Swami Vivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not have questions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind, one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levels of Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, A RAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might be fulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till such time, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you, Sincerely, Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy) Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying " I am very good " . FYI! I was not entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. You don't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it. Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with your logic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also called you inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji, Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should think over it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But for this one need guts, because you will have to keep aside your prejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able to prove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, we can only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do not respect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how can you accept and respect the biggest father (Param-Pita Parmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems to be upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have any shame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitude you are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passing judgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making me think. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji has correctly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an open mind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directed you to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are not interested in knowing or learning anything, you are only asking these questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. He is only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything about Gita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita 18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel your existence as " I AM " , right? Then why can't you prove it with your logic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did not get any reply. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia --------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding " flower of sky " - because it does not exist. You yourself said that. You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talked about God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions in this forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about " flower of sky " ? As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even if they were dead immediately after your birth, because there is a basis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of their existence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents means your grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In the end you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is " Param Pita " - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ---------------------- Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunji is correct. You , yourself, are " sample " of God ! Because like God, you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody " experiences " that - I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking about experience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are not existing ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct any test to determine whether you exist or not. You never experience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may say that " I don't know " , but you can't say " I didn't exist " ! How can you say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your " self " to be non existing. Non existence of your " self " has never come into your experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deep sleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were non existent. But at the same time you experience directly the absence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist. So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in your body. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which is permanent and changeless and who is looking separately can experience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You are not body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is also changeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in your body. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? In which part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact you are existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere in the body. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ By summery of GITA: " Tat Twam Asi " or 'That You Are' This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : " Keep your self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you " As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by our Senses. No machine can prove Logic. By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gain energy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during a meditative state. Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can say positive Energy in us and arround is GOD. This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will grow only to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' ! The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre of this World. The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' is also what we see in us. Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning and Creating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in our Youth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. At the end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs with the help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the next birth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible and change form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(non believer of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idol worshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self ! -- Regards Swapan PURKAYASTHA -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a good quality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed in its lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of " God " ? Do you urge for " God " ? If " YES " to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can't stick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that your current logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimed excellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess can claim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench your desires. If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity is warranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If " NO " to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why are you confusing yourself with these questions. That " NO " becomes meaningless just because you are incapable of letting the very questions go! The very reason you are raising these questions prove that you are infested either by fear or by desire or by both regarding " God " . THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is " YOUR " primary responsibility to address the same. As I mentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping you out. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect the ignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But, the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let an individual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms of themselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are not applying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it is common sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to be happy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are you really interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with these questions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If you really need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the only way out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? If you have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of all actions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it out yourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific " is a devine forum " as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity, everything is devine. If not, some may claim " divinity " as if the rest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if you really want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question your questions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE IT WITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for IT within. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remained futile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine is not receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myself of more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any " psyche " as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if you want ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 23, 2008 Report Share Posted December 23, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Hari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is no thirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed by you. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can " see " God, and one who has thirst for world only, " sees " the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can not see- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which in reality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can not see God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because I didnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young in this stage - by experience and by learning. However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I should at least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us - all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children that god is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us has the responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity, looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in my maid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs me every time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me and has made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla - who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see him every day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise that it was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime you meet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection of GOD. So, see god in all and see all in him. 2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of us are in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me. And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined by this supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are not able to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowable force/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, your neighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that light in them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would be there with you! Anita Sharma ------------------------- Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little too Aussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly you would understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's clever little dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress, The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness: Pure silence echoed between the galaxies, Eons of eons vanished in a second, Withered trees bloomed in fires, Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry, Thusness scattered in sixty directions, Space became Time, time became things, Black Holes filled with Nirvana, A billion samadhi mirrors shattered, Galaxies snuggled within a single skull, Many became One, One only, only One. Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All Beings Opened Her clouded Eye, to see: Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor -------------------------- Hari Om. Respected sir, I've studied from my childhood that mother is our first GOd. We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru. Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb? If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof, I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided you have the permission to see Krushna. Rest in my next. Hari Om. With Regards, Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says. I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible. thanks Wilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whether there is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has also been answered by various people in various ways in all the ages. But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma does exist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond the Universe. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Him with his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, every living being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super- intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things and created wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anything that is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand, is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a special feature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time after which it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. We see planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. This never ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation and re-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely, Ram Bhai ------------------------------ Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchiji about I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellow seeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as needed to grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points. Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makes so much difference in our understanding! I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake up and find all answers about Truth of God, this world and " you " . All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers! Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellow sadhaks, I remain prayerful! Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is, I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on the back of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of what it is. Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the false reality reflected on the wall of the cave. Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Is this all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself, say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they have nothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as it were, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems to be a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and a spiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth that India had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: " Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousand people starting with the words: " Sisters and Brothers of America... " , and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture with standing ovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes....... " If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe you could read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (If you require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of your soul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict, do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, other Sadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about that which does not exist etc. Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. I have, I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cry for him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, when your heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ----------------------------- Dear Sadaks, I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The one who has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.Sherphod Vedanta/Upanashids. 1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, one needs TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower 2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as a temple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind has electricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent. Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender. 3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS. Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or for that matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give you answers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a different issue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru who can help you. I do not see from your postings you have this expectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could be anohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible by our physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God. If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There are many ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it. Then after you never deny God. 2. Who has seen Him? I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talk to birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me. 3. How is He? He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied my existence. He wants everyone happy. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expect anything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in your mind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God whenever you want deny God. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. If you know this much of God you should not deny God. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basic concept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn God God comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see the electricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you ever enquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think about TV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not function without electricity. Even you can not ask these questions without that power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier than denying God. Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------ Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi ji We all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving an opportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by all sadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers. since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstacles to understanding the truth since it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing or seeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we may have gone through this period. But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with some guidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and the answers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplating exercise on the questions first for example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? what could be the place where it could be, why it can not be hear with us? Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourself repeatedly who am I? Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important so contemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it? What could it look like? What should it be? Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don't know? Do I know all? How can I know more? Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplate on: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Why we need to fear the word God to be good? Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? What is the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophets have to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learning exercise......answers are within and we must practice to start listening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............best wishes......Thank you.... Sushil Jain ---------------------------- Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there is nothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things that exist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns to mankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I also have the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove that there is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my tests and verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all those tools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD and all the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. That means, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusual thing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that is bothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have the seriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questions should be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the quest to know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quick conclusions like " There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc., " because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the right sources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying " I asked a question which this forum is not able to answer " Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history of mankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admitted to have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who was earnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (Swami Vivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not have questions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind, one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levels of Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, A RAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might be fulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till such time, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you, Sincerely, Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy) Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying " I am very good " . FYI! I was not entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. You don't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it. Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with your logic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also called you inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji, Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should think over it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But for this one need guts, because you will have to keep aside your prejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able to prove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, we can only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do not respect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how can you accept and respect the biggest father (Param-Pita Parmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems to be upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have any shame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitude you are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passing judgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making me think. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji has correctly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an open mind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directed you to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are not interested in knowing or learning anything, you are only asking these questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. He is only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything about Gita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita 18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel your existence as " I AM " , right? Then why can't you prove it with your logic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did not get any reply. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia --------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding " flower of sky " - because it does not exist. You yourself said that. You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talked about God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions in this forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about " flower of sky " ? As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even if they were dead immediately after your birth, because there is a basis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of their existence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents means your grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In the end you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is " Param Pita " - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ---------------------- Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunji is correct. You , yourself, are " sample " of God ! Because like God, you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody " experiences " that - I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking about experience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are not existing ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct any test to determine whether you exist or not. You never experience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may say that " I don't know " , but you can't say " I didn't exist " ! How can you say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your " self " to be non existing. Non existence of your " self " has never come into your experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deep sleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were non existent. But at the same time you experience directly the absence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist. So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in your body. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which is permanent and changeless and who is looking separately can experience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You are not body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is also changeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in your body. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? In which part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact you are existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere in the body. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ By summery of GITA: " Tat Twam Asi " or 'That You Are' This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : " Keep your self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you " As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by our Senses. No machine can prove Logic. By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gain energy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during a meditative state. Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can say positive Energy in us and arround is GOD. This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will grow only to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' ! The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre of this World. The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' is also what we see in us. Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning and Creating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in our Youth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. At the end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs with the help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the next birth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible and change form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(non believer of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idol worshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self ! -- Regards Swapan PURKAYASTHA -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a good quality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed in its lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of " God " ? Do you urge for " God " ? If " YES " to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can't stick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that your current logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimed excellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess can claim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench your desires. If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity is warranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If " NO " to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why are you confusing yourself with these questions. That " NO " becomes meaningless just because you are incapable of letting the very questions go! The very reason you are raising these questions prove that you are infested either by fear or by desire or by both regarding " God " . THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is " YOUR " primary responsibility to address the same. As I mentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping you out. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect the ignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But, the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let an individual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms of themselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are not applying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it is common sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to be happy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are you really interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with these questions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If you really need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the only way out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? If you have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of all actions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it out yourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific " is a devine forum " as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity, everything is devine. If not, some may claim " divinity " as if the rest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if you really want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question your questions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE IT WITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for IT within. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remained futile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine is not receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myself of more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any " psyche " as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if you want ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 23, 2008 Report Share Posted December 23, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Jai Hanuman I agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writing regularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is Sister Anita- absolutely correct and " really " .practical and therefore on the path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai ! O Daddy the Great ! Let such " Divinity " continue flowing unto this GT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons to exclaim with pleasure- " Brilliant " ! Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make her cry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? " Anguish of your soul " is most of the times " your sin " - also ! Almost Always! Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proof that Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/ REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL- " KNOWLEDGE " ? No body, come what may, has been able to " prove " in the past, nor can they do so in the present , nor will they be able to " prove " that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of proving that. If you can't " prove " the existence of your even this father on earth, how can you prove the existence of your " eternal father " ? Reason: " Self " Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego ! " Acceptance " / " Faith " / " Belief " - is the only remedy. If some body wants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you Brother Wilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in this Satsanga forum! Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latest message - 1 An Aussie ! 2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in the center. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! ) Above all - 3 Flowers in the Sky !!!! (What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed ! So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours of posting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible ! Yet so easily available ! But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timely and exactly ? Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse for a long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about its manifestation !! ) Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! " DIVINE " !! Do you get us Mr Sarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only " Sadhaks " ! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala --- Dear Vyasji, You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi ji is more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatory comments from others (as is evident from his second mail). Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? is Tabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If he knows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, the problem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know " ko aham (who am I) " May I quote from Shankara ? " KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA ME JANANI KO ME TATAH " (who are you, who am I, from where have I come, who is my mother and who is my father). Kind regards, Suresh C Sharma PRIOR POSTING Hari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is no thirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed by you. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can " see " God, and one who has thirst for world only, " sees " the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can not see- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which in reality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can not see God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because I didnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young in this stage - by experience and by learning. However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I should at least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us - all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children that god is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us has the responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity, looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in my maid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs me every time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me and has made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla - who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see him every day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise that it was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime you meet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection of GOD. So, see god in all and see all in him. 2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of us are in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me. And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined by this supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are not able to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowable force/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, your neighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that light in them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would be there with you! Anita Sharma ------------------------- Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little too Aussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly you would understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's clever little dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress, The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness: Pure silence echoed between the galaxies, Eons of eons vanished in a second, Withered trees bloomed in fires, Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry, Thusness scattered in sixty directions, Space became Time, time became things, Black Holes filled with Nirvana, A billion samadhi mirrors shattered, Galaxies snuggled within a single skull, Many became One, One only, only One. Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All Beings Opened Her clouded Eye, to see: Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor -------------------------- Hari Om. Respected sir, I've studied from my childhood that mother is our first GOd. We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru. Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb? If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof, I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided you have the permission to see Krushna. Rest in my next. Hari Om. With Regards, Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says. I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible. thanks Wilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whether there is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has also been answered by various people in various ways in all the ages. But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma does exist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond the Universe. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Him with his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, every living being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super- intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things and created wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anything that is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand, is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a special feature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time after which it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. We see planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. This never ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation and re-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely, Ram Bhai ------------------------------ Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchiji about I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellow seeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as needed to grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points. Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makes so much difference in our understanding! I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake up and find all answers about Truth of God, this world and " you " . All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers! Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellow sadhaks, I remain prayerful! Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is, I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on the back of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of what it is. Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the false reality reflected on the wall of the cave. Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Is this all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself, say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they have nothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as it were, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems to be a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and a spiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth that India had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: " Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousand people starting with the words: " Sisters and Brothers of America... " , and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture with standing ovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes....... " If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe you could read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (If you require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of your soul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict, do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, other Sadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about that which does not exist etc. Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. I have, I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cry for him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, when your heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ----------------------------- Dear Sadaks, I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The one who has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.Sherphod Vedanta/Upanashids. 1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, one needs TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower 2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as a temple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind has electricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent. Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender. 3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS. Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or for that matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give you answers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a different issue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru who can help you. I do not see from your postings you have this expectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could be anohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible by our physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God. If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There are many ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it. Then after you never deny God. 2. Who has seen Him? I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talk to birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me. 3. How is He? He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied my existence. He wants everyone happy. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expect anything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in your mind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God whenever you want deny God. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. If you know this much of God you should not deny God. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basic concept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn God God comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see the electricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you ever enquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think about TV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not function without electricity. Even you can not ask these questions without that power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier than denying God. Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------ Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi ji We all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving an opportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by all sadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers. since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstacles to understanding the truth since it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing or seeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we may have gone through this period. But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with some guidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and the answers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplating exercise on the questions first for example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? what could be the place where it could be, why it can not be hear with us? Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourself repeatedly who am I? Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important so contemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it? What could it look like? What should it be? Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don't know? Do I know all? How can I know more? Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplate on: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Why we need to fear the word God to be good? Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? What is the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophets have to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learning exercise......answers are within and we must practice to start listening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............best wishes......Thank you.... Sushil Jain ---------------------------- Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there is nothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things that exist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns to mankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I also have the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove that there is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my tests and verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all those tools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD and all the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. That means, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusual thing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that is bothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have the seriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questions should be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the quest to know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quick conclusions like " There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc., " because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the right sources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying " I asked a question which this forum is not able to answer " Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history of mankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admitted to have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who was earnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (Swami Vivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not have questions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind, one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levels of Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, A RAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might be fulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till such time, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you, Sincerely, Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy) Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying " I am very good " . FYI! I was not entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. You don't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it. Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with your logic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also called you inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji, Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should think over it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But for this one need guts, because you will have to keep aside your prejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able to prove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, we can only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do not respect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how can you accept and respect the biggest father (Param-Pita Parmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems to be upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have any shame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitude you are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passing judgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making me think. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji has correctly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an open mind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directed you to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are not interested in knowing or learning anything, you are only asking these questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. He is only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything about Gita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita 18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel your existence as " I AM " , right? Then why can't you prove it with your logic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did not get any reply. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia --------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding " flower of sky " - because it does not exist. You yourself said that. You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talked about God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions in this forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about " flower of sky " ? As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even if they were dead immediately after your birth, because there is a basis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of their existence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents means your grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In the end you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is " Param Pita " - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ---------------------- Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunji is correct. You , yourself, are " sample " of God ! Because like God, you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody " experiences " that - I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking about experience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are not existing ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct any test to determine whether you exist or not. You never experience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may say that " I don't know " , but you can't say " I didn't exist " ! How can you say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your " self " to be non existing. Non existence of your " self " has never come into your experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deep sleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were non existent. But at the same time you experience directly the absence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist. So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in your body. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which is permanent and changeless and who is looking separately can experience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You are not body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is also changeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in your body. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? In which part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact you are existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere in the body. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ By summery of GITA: " Tat Twam Asi " or 'That You Are' This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : " Keep your self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you " As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by our Senses. No machine can prove Logic. By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gain energy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during a meditative state. Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can say positive Energy in us and arround is GOD. This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will grow only to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' ! The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre of this World. The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' is also what we see in us. Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning and Creating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in our Youth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. At the end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs with the help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the next birth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible and change form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(non believer of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idol worshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self ! -- Regards Swapan PURKAYASTHA -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a good quality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed in its lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of " God " ? Do you urge for " God " ? If " YES " to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can't stick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that your current logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimed excellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess can claim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench your desires. If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity is warranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If " NO " to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why are you confusing yourself with these questions. That " NO " becomes meaningless just because you are incapable of letting the very questions go! The very reason you are raising these questions prove that you are infested either by fear or by desire or by both regarding " God " . THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is " YOUR " primary responsibility to address the same. As I mentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping you out. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect the ignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But, the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let an individual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms of themselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are not applying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it is common sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to be happy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are you really interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with these questions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If you really need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the only way out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? If you have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of all actions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it out yourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific " is a devine forum " as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity, everything is devine. If not, some may claim " divinity " as if the rest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if you really want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question your questions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE IT WITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for IT within. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remained futile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine is not receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myself of more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any " psyche " as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if you want ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 25, 2008 Report Share Posted December 25, 2008 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Dear Sadhak, Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what my Krishna says-- Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna! Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16) O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : The afflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment and the wise. Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge. The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you are using wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, which itself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the difference between Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everything which is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnect himself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body, senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped there remains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing..... From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothing emerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga. And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my beloved Krishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When we see HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case of Dropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as in the case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculous being, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in a statue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,and without forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our own limited vision. When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wish to see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him in everything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist, money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become non existence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination in His regime. He just " IS " . I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. Somewhere Swamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this " IS " remains the same in both the statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...How blessed this human form is!!! How divine this forum is!!! Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss ! Shivoham! Shivoham!! With lots of Love, A Sadhika Sadhna Karigar ------------------------------ 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is an object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive that scientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years old there are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knew without scientific proof. 2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. 3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devote needs. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know. Still your if you fail- It Gods will. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals as shakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understand it. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidance you will progress. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them? You want to make something you gather material and put your effort to make project. So there is someone who is behind all and your thinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ------------------------------ Pranam God exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you search on " milkmiracle " You will see for your self. bvm Jai Shree Ram ------------------------------ Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For those who yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; in fact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God! Doubting God takes one nowhere. Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proof of the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in the sense of all these existing objects, you see. WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE: Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you see love, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible? WHO HAS SEEN HIM? A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity has revealed 'itself'. WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE? He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable in that experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute among the experiences. IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT? The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can't see them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest in answering these abstract questions. GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS. God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindness etc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good future and for building in them the moral character which saves our society. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person can see God. THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THE LOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD? We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God as transcendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in the disbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience while born as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all those things of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We can afford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try? If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them the spiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadutta Maharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God. You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'. I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted to share with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people the best of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year. Dr Shastry -------------------------------- 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOT an object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive that scientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years old there are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knew without scientific proof. 2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when Sri Krishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM as God except Duryodhan who told it was illusion. 3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devote needs. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know. Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishna with love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller. Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable to tie up. It is the way you accept. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan PRIOR POSTING Jai Hanuman I agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writing regularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is Sister Anita- absolutely correct and " really " .practical and therefore on the path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai ! O Daddy the Great ! Let such " Divinity " continue flowing unto this GT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons to exclaim with pleasure- " Brilliant " ! Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make her cry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? " Anguish of your soul " is most of the times " your sin " - also ! Almost Always! Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proof that Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/ REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL- " KNOWLEDGE " ? No body, come what may, has been able to " prove " in the past, nor can they do so in the present , nor will they be able to " prove " that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of proving that. If you can't " prove " the existence of your even this father on earth, how can you prove the existence of your " eternal father " ? Reason: " Self " Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego ! " Acceptance " / " Faith " / " Belief " - is the only remedy. If some body wants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you Brother Wilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in this Satsanga forum! Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latest message - 1 An Aussie ! 2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in the center. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! ) Above all - 3 Flowers in the Sky !!!! (What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed ! So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours of posting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible ! Yet so easily available ! But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timely and exactly ? Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse for a long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about its manifestation !! ) Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! " DIVINE " !! Do you get us Mr Sarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only " Sadhaks " ! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala --- Dear Vyasji, You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi ji is more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatory comments from others (as is evident from his second mail). Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? is Tabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If he knows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, the problem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know " ko aham (who am I) " May I quote from Shankara ? " KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA ME JANANI KO ME TATAH " (who are you, who am I, from where have I come, who is my mother and who is my father). Kind regards, Suresh C Sharma PRIOR POSTING Hari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is no thirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed by you. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can " see " God, and one who has thirst for world only, " sees " the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can not see- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which in reality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can not see God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because I didnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young in this stage - by experience and by learning. However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I should at least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us - all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children that god is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us has the responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity, looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in my maid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs me every time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me and has made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla - who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see him every day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise that it was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime you meet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection of GOD. So, see god in all and see all in him. 2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of us are in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me. And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined by this supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are not able to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowable force/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, your neighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that light in them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would be there with you! Anita Sharma ------------------------- Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little too Aussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly you would understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's clever little dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress, The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness: Pure silence echoed between the galaxies, Eons of eons vanished in a second, Withered trees bloomed in fires, Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry, Thusness scattered in sixty directions, Space became Time, time became things, Black Holes filled with Nirvana, A billion samadhi mirrors shattered, Galaxies snuggled within a single skull, Many became One, One only, only One. Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All Beings Opened Her clouded Eye, to see: Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor -------------------------- Hari Om. Respected sir, I've studied from my childhood that mother is our first GOd. We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru. Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb? If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof, I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided you have the permission to see Krushna. Rest in my next. Hari Om. With Regards, Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says. I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible. thanks Wilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whether there is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has also been answered by various people in various ways in all the ages. But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma does exist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond the Universe. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Him with his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, every living being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super- intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things and created wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anything that is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand, is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a special feature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time after which it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. We see planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. This never ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation and re-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely, Ram Bhai ------------------------------ Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchiji about I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellow seeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as needed to grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points. Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makes so much difference in our understanding! I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake up and find all answers about Truth of God, this world and " you " . All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers! Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellow sadhaks, I remain prayerful! Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is, I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on the back of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of what it is. Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the false reality reflected on the wall of the cave. Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Is this all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself, say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they have nothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as it were, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems to be a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and a spiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth that India had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: " Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousand people starting with the words: " Sisters and Brothers of America... " , and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture with standing ovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes....... " If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe you could read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (If you require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of your soul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict, do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, other Sadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about that which does not exist etc. Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. I have, I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cry for him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, when your heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ----------------------------- Dear Sadaks, I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The one who has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.Sherphod Vedanta/Upanashids. 1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, one needs TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower 2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as a temple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind has electricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent. Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender. 3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS. Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or for that matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give you answers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a different issue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru who can help you. I do not see from your postings you have this expectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could be anohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible by our physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God. If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There are many ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it. Then after you never deny God. 2. Who has seen Him? I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talk to birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me. 3. How is He? He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied my existence. He wants everyone happy. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expect anything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in your mind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God whenever you want deny God. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. If you know this much of God you should not deny God. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basic concept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn God God comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see the electricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you ever enquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think about TV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not function without electricity. Even you can not ask these questions without that power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier than denying God. Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------ Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi ji We all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving an opportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by all sadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers. since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstacles to understanding the truth since it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing or seeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we may have gone through this period. But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with some guidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and the answers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplating exercise on the questions first for example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? what could be the place where it could be, why it can not be hear with us? Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourself repeatedly who am I? Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important so contemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it? What could it look like? What should it be? Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don't know? Do I know all? How can I know more? Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplate on: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Why we need to fear the word God to be good? Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? What is the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophets have to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learning exercise......answers are within and we must practice to start listening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............best wishes......Thank you.... Sushil Jain ---------------------------- Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there is nothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things that exist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns to mankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I also have the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove that there is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my tests and verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all those tools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD and all the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. That means, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusual thing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that is bothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have the seriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questions should be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the quest to know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quick conclusions like " There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc., " because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the right sources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying " I asked a question which this forum is not able to answer " Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history of mankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admitted to have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who was earnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (Swami Vivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not have questions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind, one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levels of Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, A RAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might be fulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till such time, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you, Sincerely, Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy) Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying " I am very good " . FYI! I was not entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. You don't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it. Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with your logic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also called you inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji, Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should think over it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But for this one need guts, because you will have to keep aside your prejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able to prove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, we can only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do not respect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how can you accept and respect the biggest father (Param-Pita Parmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems to be upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have any shame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitude you are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passing judgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making me think. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji has correctly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an open mind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directed you to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are not interested in knowing or learning anything, you are only asking these questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. He is only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything about Gita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita 18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel your existence as " I AM " , right? Then why can't you prove it with your logic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did not get any reply. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia --------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding " flower of sky " - because it does not exist. You yourself said that. You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talked about God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions in this forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about " flower of sky " ? As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even if they were dead immediately after your birth, because there is a basis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of their existence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents means your grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In the end you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is " Param Pita " - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ---------------------- Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunji is correct. You , yourself, are " sample " of God ! Because like God, you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody " experiences " that - I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking about experience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are not existing ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct any test to determine whether you exist or not. You never experience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may say that " I don't know " , but you can't say " I didn't exist " ! How can you say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your " self " to be non existing. Non existence of your " self " has never come into your experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deep sleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were non existent. But at the same time you experience directly the absence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist. So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in your body. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which is permanent and changeless and who is looking separately can experience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You are not body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is also changeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in your body. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? In which part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact you are existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere in the body. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ By summery of GITA: " Tat Twam Asi " or 'That You Are' This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : " Keep your self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you " As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by our Senses. No machine can prove Logic. By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gain energy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during a meditative state. Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can say positive Energy in us and arround is GOD. This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will grow only to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' ! The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre of this World. The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' is also what we see in us. Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning and Creating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in our Youth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. At the end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs with the help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the next birth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible and change form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(non believer of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idol worshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self ! -- Regards Swapan PURKAYASTHA -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a good quality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed in its lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of " God " ? Do you urge for " God " ? If " YES " to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can't stick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that your current logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimed excellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess can claim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench your desires. If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity is warranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If " NO " to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why are you confusing yourself with these questions. That " NO " becomes meaningless just because you are incapable of letting the very questions go! The very reason you are raising these questions prove that you are infested either by fear or by desire or by both regarding " God " . THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is " YOUR " primary responsibility to address the same. As I mentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping you out. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect the ignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But, the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let an individual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms of themselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are not applying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it is common sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to be happy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are you really interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with these questions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If you really need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the only way out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? If you have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of all actions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it out yourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific " is a devine forum " as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity, everything is devine. If not, some may claim " divinity " as if the rest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if you really want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question your questions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE IT WITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for IT within. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remained futile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine is not receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myself of more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any " psyche " as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if you want ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Shree Hari, Ram Ram A couple of extra emails today.... clearing up pending messages. From Gita Talk Moderators Ram Ram ------------------------------ My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING To Respected Sadhaks of this really divine , perhaps the only of its kind across the globe, Satsanga Group! It is me, Dear Brothers, with my Dear Begum Sahibaa respectfully thanking you all for gems of wisdom which you imparted to me and to the world. An association of people like you, group like yours, is or can only be God willed. Indeed, with people like Vyasji, ( extremely polished and never contradicting. Must be the one who has seen/ touched the " dukhalayam " very closely, very wisely and won over the same), Mike Keenor ( You are pride of the very humanity) Varun, ( I am sure he is younger than many of us- his impetuosity/ quick reaction reflects that, but very clever and very organised- Refer Gita 16/1 - jnanayogarvyavasthitam- an ideal young follower) Pratapji Bhatt ( Spl regards for you, for not firing me back) , that real fire brand Dear Sister of all of us Shashikalajee ( What a sharp discrimination you have been blessed with ! ), Mira Dassji ( An impartial devotee /follower of Respected Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaaj), Rajaji, Baiyaji and dozens like them, are the jewels of this divine forum. My heartfelt pranaams to Vineetji Sarvottam. His comments were innocent and correct. Thanks Again Sarphod Tabalchi Raseeli Rani Tabalchi -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhak, Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what my Krishna says-- Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna! Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16) O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : The afflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment and the wise. Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge. The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you are using wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, which itself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the difference between Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everything which is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnect himself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body, senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped there remains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing..... From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothing emerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga. And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my beloved Krishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When we see HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case of Dropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as in the case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculous being, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in a statue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,and without forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our own limited vision. When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wish to see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him in everything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist, money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become non existence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination in His regime. He just " IS " . I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. Somewhere Swamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this " IS " remains the same in both the statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...How blessed this human form is!!! How divine this forum is!!! Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss ! Shivoham! Shivoham!! With lots of Love, A Sadhika Sadhna Karigar ------------------------------ 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is an object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive that scientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years old there are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knew without scientific proof. 2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. 3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devote needs. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know. Still your if you fail- It Gods will. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals as shakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understand it. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidance you will progress. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them? You want to make something you gather material and put your effort to make project. So there is someone who is behind all and your thinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ------------------------------ Pranam God exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you search on " milkmiracle " You will see for your self. bvm Jai Shree Ram ------------------------------ Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For those who yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; in fact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God! Doubting God takes one nowhere. Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proof of the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in the sense of all these existing objects, you see. WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE: Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you see love, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible? WHO HAS SEEN HIM? A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity has revealed 'itself'. WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE? He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable in that experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute among the experiences. IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT? The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can't see them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest in answering these abstract questions. GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS. God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindness etc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good future and for building in them the moral character which saves our society. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person can see God. THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THE LOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD? We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God as transcendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in the disbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience while born as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all those things of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We can afford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try? If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them the spiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadutta Maharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God. You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'. I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted to share with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people the best of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year. Dr Shastry -------------------------------- 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOT an object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive that scientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years old there are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knew without scientific proof. 2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when Sri Krishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM as God except Duryodhan who told it was illusion. 3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devote needs. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know. Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishna with love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller. Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable to tie up. It is the way you accept. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan PRIOR POSTING Jai Hanuman I agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writing regularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is Sister Anita- absolutely correct and " really " .practical and therefore on the path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai ! O Daddy the Great ! Let such " Divinity " continue flowing unto this GT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons to exclaim with pleasure- " Brilliant " ! Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make her cry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? " Anguish of your soul " is most of the times " your sin " - also ! Almost Always! Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proof that Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/ REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL- " KNOWLEDGE " ? No body, come what may, has been able to " prove " in the past, nor can they do so in the present , nor will they be able to " prove " that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of proving that. If you can't " prove " the existence of your even this father on earth, how can you prove the existence of your " eternal father " ? Reason: " Self " Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego ! " Acceptance " / " Faith " / " Belief " - is the only remedy. If some body wants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you Brother Wilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in this Satsanga forum! Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latest message - 1 An Aussie ! 2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in the center. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! ) Above all - 3 Flowers in the Sky !!!! (What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed ! So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours of posting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible ! Yet so easily available ! But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timely and exactly ? Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse for a long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about its manifestation !! ) Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! " DIVINE " !! Do you get us Mr Sarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only " Sadhaks " ! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala --- Dear Vyasji, You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi ji is more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatory comments from others (as is evident from his second mail). Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? is Tabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If he knows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, the problem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know " ko aham (who am I) " May I quote from Shankara ? " KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA ME JANANI KO ME TATAH " (who are you, who am I, from where have I come, who is my mother and who is my father). Kind regards, Suresh C Sharma PRIOR POSTING Hari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is no thirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed by you. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can " see " God, and one who has thirst for world only, " sees " the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can not see- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which in reality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can not see God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because I didnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young in this stage - by experience and by learning. However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I should at least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us - all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children that god is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us has the responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity, looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in my maid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs me every time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me and has made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla - who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see him every day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise that it was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime you meet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection of GOD. So, see god in all and see all in him. 2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of us are in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me. And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined by this supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are not able to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowable force/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, your neighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that light in them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would be there with you! Anita Sharma ------------------------- Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little too Aussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly you would understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's clever little dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress, The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness: Pure silence echoed between the galaxies, Eons of eons vanished in a second, Withered trees bloomed in fires, Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry, Thusness scattered in sixty directions, Space became Time, time became things, Black Holes filled with Nirvana, A billion samadhi mirrors shattered, Galaxies snuggled within a single skull, Many became One, One only, only One. Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All Beings Opened Her clouded Eye, to see: Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor -------------------------- Hari Om. Respected sir, I've studied from my childhood that mother is our first GOd. We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru. Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb? If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof, I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided you have the permission to see Krushna. Rest in my next. Hari Om. With Regards, Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says. I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible. thanks Wilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whether there is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has also been answered by various people in various ways in all the ages. But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma does exist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond the Universe. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Him with his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, every living being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super- intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things and created wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anything that is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand, is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a special feature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time after which it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. We see planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. This never ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation and re-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely, Ram Bhai ------------------------------ Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchiji about I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellow seeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as needed to grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points. Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makes so much difference in our understanding! I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake up and find all answers about Truth of God, this world and " you " . All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers! Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellow sadhaks, I remain prayerful! Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is, I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on the back of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of what it is. Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the false reality reflected on the wall of the cave. Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Is this all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself, say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they have nothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as it were, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems to be a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and a spiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth that India had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: " Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousand people starting with the words: " Sisters and Brothers of America... " , and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture with standing ovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes....... " If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe you could read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (If you require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of your soul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict, do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, other Sadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about that which does not exist etc. Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. I have, I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cry for him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, when your heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ----------------------------- Dear Sadaks, I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The one who has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.Sherphod Vedanta/Upanashids. 1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, one needs TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower 2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as a temple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind has electricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent. Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender. 3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS. Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or for that matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give you answers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a different issue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru who can help you. I do not see from your postings you have this expectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could be anohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible by our physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God. If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There are many ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it. Then after you never deny God. 2. Who has seen Him? I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talk to birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me. 3. How is He? He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied my existence. He wants everyone happy. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expect anything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in your mind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God whenever you want deny God. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. If you know this much of God you should not deny God. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basic concept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn God God comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see the electricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you ever enquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think about TV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not function without electricity. Even you can not ask these questions without that power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier than denying God. Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------ Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi ji We all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving an opportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by all sadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers. since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstacles to understanding the truth since it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing or seeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we may have gone through this period. But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with some guidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and the answers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplating exercise on the questions first for example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? what could be the place where it could be, why it can not be hear with us? Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourself repeatedly who am I? Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important so contemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it? What could it look like? What should it be? Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don't know? Do I know all? How can I know more? Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplate on: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Why we need to fear the word God to be good? Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? What is the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophets have to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learning exercise......answers are within and we must practice to start listening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............best wishes......Thank you.... Sushil Jain ---------------------------- Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there is nothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things that exist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns to mankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I also have the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove that there is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my tests and verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all those tools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD and all the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. That means, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusual thing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that is bothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have the seriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questions should be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the quest to know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quick conclusions like " There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc., " because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the right sources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying " I asked a question which this forum is not able to answer " Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history of mankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admitted to have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who was earnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (Swami Vivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not have questions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind, one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levels of Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, A RAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might be fulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till such time, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you, Sincerely, Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy) Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying " I am very good " . FYI! I was not entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. You don't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it. Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with your logic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also called you inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji, Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should think over it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But for this one need guts, because you will have to keep aside your prejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able to prove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, we can only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do not respect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how can you accept and respect the biggest father (Param-Pita Parmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems to be upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have any shame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitude you are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passing judgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making me think. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji has correctly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an open mind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directed you to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are not interested in knowing or learning anything, you are only asking these questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. He is only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything about Gita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita 18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel your existence as " I AM " , right? Then why can't you prove it with your logic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did not get any reply. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia --------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding " flower of sky " - because it does not exist. You yourself said that. You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talked about God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions in this forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about " flower of sky " ? As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even if they were dead immediately after your birth, because there is a basis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of their existence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents means your grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In the end you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is " Param Pita " - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ---------------------- Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunji is correct. You , yourself, are " sample " of God ! Because like God, you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody " experiences " that - I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking about experience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are not existing ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct any test to determine whether you exist or not. You never experience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may say that " I don't know " , but you can't say " I didn't exist " ! How can you say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your " self " to be non existing. Non existence of your " self " has never come into your experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deep sleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were non existent. But at the same time you experience directly the absence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist. So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in your body. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which is permanent and changeless and who is looking separately can experience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You are not body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is also changeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in your body. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? In which part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact you are existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere in the body. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ By summery of GITA: " Tat Twam Asi " or 'That You Are' This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : " Keep your self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you " As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by our Senses. No machine can prove Logic. By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gain energy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during a meditative state. Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can say positive Energy in us and arround is GOD. This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will grow only to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' ! The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre of this World. The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' is also what we see in us. Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning and Creating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in our Youth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. At the end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs with the help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the next birth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible and change form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(non believer of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idol worshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self ! -- Regards Swapan PURKAYASTHA -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a good quality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed in its lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of " God " ? Do you urge for " God " ? If " YES " to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can't stick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that your current logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimed excellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess can claim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench your desires. If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity is warranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If " NO " to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why are you confusing yourself with these questions. That " NO " becomes meaningless just because you are incapable of letting the very questions go! The very reason you are raising these questions prove that you are infested either by fear or by desire or by both regarding " God " . THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is " YOUR " primary responsibility to address the same. As I mentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping you out. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect the ignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But, the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let an individual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms of themselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are not applying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it is common sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to be happy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are you really interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with these questions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If you really need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the only way out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? If you have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of all actions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it out yourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific " is a devine forum " as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity, everything is devine. If not, some may claim " divinity " as if the rest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if you really want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question your questions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE IT WITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for IT within. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remained futile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine is not receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myself of more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any " psyche " as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if you want ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super natural power called " God " ? At least how to explain that. How to correlate His existence with the character of the world? Children now a days need more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which we can establish that God exists. If some body says say : 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? 2. Who has seen Him? 3. How is He? 4. If I dont know how do I accept? 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Hare Krishna God is worshipped in 3 forms: 1. Attributeless-Formless (Nirgun-Nirakar) 2. Attribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar) 3. Attribute-Form (Sagun-Sakar) Goswami Tulsidasji has said " NIRGUN ROOP SULABH ATI SAGUN JAAN NAHI KOI " " The attributeless form of Parmatma is very easy to understand but no one can know the form of Parmatma with attributes. " The first form of Attributeless-Formless Pramatma can be proved by logic of uninterrupted existence (akhand satta). The second form of Attribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar) Parmatma can be proved by logic of conscious and sentient Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. But the third form of Parmatma with form and attributes (Ram, Krishna, Shiva etc.) cannot be proved by any logic, rationale etc. They can only be believed with purport of Gita, Ramayan, Sadhak- Sanjivani etc. If anyone argues over Ram being God then questions like these will arise " In forest how did Lord Ram get deceived by a gold-deer? If He is deceived then how is He Omniscient? Why did Lord take the help of Sugreev's army? If He takes help then how come is He Almighty?.... " When Lord Ram killed Ravan's mighty brothers Khar and Dushan, Ravan decided to examine whether the Omniscient and Almighty Parmatma has taken Ram-avatar. He kidnapped Sitaji (with disguise of an ascetic) by deceiving Lord with a golden-deer. Lord failed in the examination and Ravan was successful in his evil plan, but what was the end result? Lord Ram destroyed the entire clan of Lankan demons alongwith Ravan. That is why Goswamiji has said " RAM ATARKYA BUDDHI KAR JAANI " " Lord Ram cannot be known by intellect. " Faith in Parmatma with form and attributes (known as Bhagwan) can only be developed when one does satsang. Reading scriptures is also one form of Satsang. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia Hare Krishna Dear Sarphod Uncle, I sincerely apologize to you and your family for the language I have used. I thought you were just trying to outsmart us with your intellectual prowess so I used the same ploy on you; but Sir you are a true sadhak. Sadhanaji, Mikeji recognized you but because of my so- called cleverness I did not recognize you. Again my sincere apologies for the usage of harsh words and blunt language. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Om, God = generator orgniser destroyer.Do you see the air? No suppose you don't see the air then you can't see the energies in the air that sustain our body. Suppose you want to hold a grand party of 5000 people continuing 15 days, then how much work you have to do, you will distribute your work among your relatives. Think of God is a organising 600 crores or more ( not only about earth but think about whole universe). Think who has that Supreme organizing power ! You or God. God is in every thing from atom to Everest. Suppose you made a car that each and every thing came from you means each part of car made from you, by you. That is God. He is colourless, touchless, soundless, shapeless because he is supreme energy. If you trust and have faith in God. you will trust on god.this is the one kind of work of god. because hi is ruling on us.Whether you go to the church or any mandir or masjid, your needs by pleading to your superior… He is That. And you say upon fulfilling your wish - " thank God " What is that power that is fulfilling your needs? Whether small or a big one, it is fulfilled and often no by your effort Hari Om, nilesh popat mali, ------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING To Respected Sadhaks of this really divine , perhaps the only of its kind across the globe, Satsanga Group! It is me, Dear Brothers, with my Dear Begum Sahibaa respectfully thanking you all for gems of wisdom which you imparted to me and to the world. An association of people like you, group like yours, is or can only be God willed. Indeed, with people like Vyasji, ( extremely polished and never contradicting. Must be the one who has seen/ touched the " dukhalayam " very closely, very wisely and won over the same), Mike Keenor ( You are pride of the very humanity) Varun, ( I am sure he is younger than many of us- his impetuosity/ quick reaction reflects that, but very clever and very organised- Refer Gita 16/1 - jnanayogarvyavasthitam- an ideal young follower) Pratapji Bhatt ( Spl regards for you, for not firing me back) , that real fire brand Dear Sister of all of us Shashikalajee ( What a sharp discrimination you have been blessed with ! ), Mira Dassji ( An impartial devotee /follower of Respected Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaaj), Rajaji, Baiyaji and dozens like them, are the jewels of this divine forum. My heartfelt pranaams to Vineetji Sarvottam. His comments were innocent and correct. Thanks Again Sarphod Tabalchi Raseeli Rani Tabalchi -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhak, Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what my Krishna says-- Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna! Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16) O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : The afflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment and the wise. Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge. The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you are using wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, which itself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the difference between Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everything which is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnect himself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body, senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped there remains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing..... From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothing emerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga. And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my beloved Krishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When we see HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case of Dropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as in the case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculous being, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in a statue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,and without forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our own limited vision. When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wish to see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him in everything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist, money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become non existence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination in His regime. He just " IS " . I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. Somewhere Swamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this " IS " remains the same in both the statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...How blessed this human form is!!! How divine this forum is!!! Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss ! Shivoham! Shivoham!! With lots of Love, A Sadhika Sadhna Karigar ------------------------------ 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is an object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive that scientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years old there are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knew without scientific proof. 2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. 3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devote needs. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know. Still your if you fail- It Gods will. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals as shakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understand it. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidance you will progress. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them? You want to make something you gather material and put your effort to make project. So there is someone who is behind all and your thinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ------------------------------ Pranam God exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you search on " milkmiracle " You will see for your self. bvm Jai Shree Ram ------------------------------ Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For those who yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; in fact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God! Doubting God takes one nowhere. Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proof of the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in the sense of all these existing objects, you see. WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE: Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you see love, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible? WHO HAS SEEN HIM? A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity has revealed 'itself'. WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE? He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable in that experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute among the experiences. IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT? The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can't see them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest in answering these abstract questions. GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS. God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindness etc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good future and for building in them the moral character which saves our society. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person can see God. THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THE LOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD? We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God as transcendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in the disbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience while born as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all those things of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We can afford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try? If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them the spiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadutta Maharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God. You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'. I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted to share with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people the best of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year. Dr Shastry -------------------------------- 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOT an object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive that scientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years old there are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knew without scientific proof. 2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when Sri Krishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM as God except Duryodhan who told it was illusion. 3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devote needs. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know. Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishna with love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller. Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable to tie up. It is the way you accept. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan PRIOR POSTING Jai Hanuman I agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writing regularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is Sister Anita- absolutely correct and " really " .practical and therefore on the path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai ! O Daddy the Great ! Let such " Divinity " continue flowing unto this GT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons to exclaim with pleasure- " Brilliant " ! Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make her cry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? " Anguish of your soul " is most of the times " your sin " - also ! Almost Always! Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proof that Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/ REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL- " KNOWLEDGE " ? No body, come what may, has been able to " prove " in the past, nor can they do so in the present , nor will they be able to " prove " that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of proving that. If you can't " prove " the existence of your even this father on earth, how can you prove the existence of your " eternal father " ? Reason: " Self " Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego ! " Acceptance " / " Faith " / " Belief " - is the only remedy. If some body wants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you Brother Wilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in this Satsanga forum! Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latest message - 1 An Aussie ! 2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in the center. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! ) Above all - 3 Flowers in the Sky !!!! (What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed ! So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours of posting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible ! Yet so easily available ! But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timely and exactly ? Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse for a long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about its manifestation !! ) Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! " DIVINE " !! Do you get us Mr Sarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only " Sadhaks " ! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala --- Dear Vyasji, You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi ji is more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatory comments from others (as is evident from his second mail). Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? is Tabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If he knows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, the problem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know " ko aham (who am I) " May I quote from Shankara ? " KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA ME JANANI KO ME TATAH " (who are you, who am I, from where have I come, who is my mother and who is my father). Kind regards, Suresh C Sharma PRIOR POSTING Hari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is no thirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed by you. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can " see " God, and one who has thirst for world only, " sees " the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can not see- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which in reality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can not see God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because I didnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young in this stage - by experience and by learning. However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I should at least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us - all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children that god is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us has the responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity, looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in my maid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs me every time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me and has made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla - who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see him every day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise that it was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime you meet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection of GOD. So, see god in all and see all in him. 2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of us are in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me. And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined by this supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are not able to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowable force/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, your neighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that light in them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would be there with you! Anita Sharma ------------------------- Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little too Aussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly you would understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's clever little dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress, The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness: Pure silence echoed between the galaxies, Eons of eons vanished in a second, Withered trees bloomed in fires, Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry, Thusness scattered in sixty directions, Space became Time, time became things, Black Holes filled with Nirvana, A billion samadhi mirrors shattered, Galaxies snuggled within a single skull, Many became One, One only, only One. Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All Beings Opened Her clouded Eye, to see: Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor -------------------------- Hari Om. Respected sir, I've studied from my childhood that mother is our first GOd. We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru. Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb? If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof, I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided you have the permission to see Krushna. Rest in my next. Hari Om. With Regards, Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says. I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible. thanks Wilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whether there is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has also been answered by various people in various ways in all the ages. But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma does exist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond the Universe. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Him with his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, every living being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super- intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things and created wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anything that is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand, is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a special feature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time after which it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. We see planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. This never ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation and re-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely, Ram Bhai ------------------------------ Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchiji about I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellow seeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as needed to grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points. Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makes so much difference in our understanding! I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake up and find all answers about Truth of God, this world and " you " . All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers! Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellow sadhaks, I remain prayerful! Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is, I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on the back of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of what it is. Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the false reality reflected on the wall of the cave. Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Is this all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself, say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they have nothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as it were, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems to be a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and a spiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth that India had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: " Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousand people starting with the words: " Sisters and Brothers of America... " , and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture with standing ovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes....... " If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe you could read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (If you require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of your soul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict, do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, other Sadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about that which does not exist etc. Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. I have, I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cry for him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, when your heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ----------------------------- Dear Sadaks, I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The one who has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.Sherphod Vedanta/Upanashids. 1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, one needs TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower 2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as a temple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind has electricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent. Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender. 3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS. Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or for that matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give you answers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a different issue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru who can help you. I do not see from your postings you have this expectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could be anohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible by our physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God. If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There are many ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it. Then after you never deny God. 2. Who has seen Him? I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talk to birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me. 3. How is He? He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied my existence. He wants everyone happy. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expect anything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in your mind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God whenever you want deny God. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. If you know this much of God you should not deny God. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basic concept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn God God comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see the electricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you ever enquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think about TV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not function without electricity. Even you can not ask these questions without that power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier than denying God. Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------ Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi ji We all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving an opportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by all sadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers. since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstacles to understanding the truth since it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing or seeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we may have gone through this period. But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with some guidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and the answers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplating exercise on the questions first for example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? what could be the place where it could be, why it can not be hear with us? Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourself repeatedly who am I? Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important so contemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it? What could it look like? What should it be? Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don't know? Do I know all? How can I know more? Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplate on: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Why we need to fear the word God to be good? Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? What is the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophets have to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learning exercise......answers are within and we must practice to start listening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............best wishes......Thank you.... Sushil Jain ---------------------------- Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there is nothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things that exist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns to mankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I also have the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove that there is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my tests and verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all those tools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD and all the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. That means, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusual thing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that is bothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have the seriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questions should be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the quest to know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quick conclusions like " There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc., " because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the right sources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying " I asked a question which this forum is not able to answer " Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history of mankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admitted to have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who was earnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (Swami Vivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not have questions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind, one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levels of Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, A RAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might be fulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till such time, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you, Sincerely, Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy) Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying " I am very good " . FYI! I was not entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. You don't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it. Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with your logic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also called you inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji, Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should think over it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But for this one need guts, because you will have to keep aside your prejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able to prove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, we can only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do not respect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how can you accept and respect the biggest father (Param-Pita Parmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems to be upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have any shame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitude you are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passing judgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making me think. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji has correctly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an open mind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directed you to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are not interested in knowing or learning anything, you are only asking these questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. He is only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything about Gita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita 18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel your existence as " I AM " , right? Then why can't you prove it with your logic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did not get any reply. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia --------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding " flower of sky " - because it does not exist. You yourself said that. You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talked about God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions in this forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about " flower of sky " ? As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even if they were dead immediately after your birth, because there is a basis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of their existence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents means your grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In the end you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is " Param Pita " - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ---------------------- Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunji is correct. You , yourself, are " sample " of God ! Because like God, you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody " experiences " that - I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking about experience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are not existing ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct any test to determine whether you exist or not. You never experience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may say that " I don't know " , but you can't say " I didn't exist " ! How can you say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your " self " to be non existing. Non existence of your " self " has never come into your experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deep sleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were non existent. But at the same time you experience directly the absence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist. So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in your body. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which is permanent and changeless and who is looking separately can experience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You are not body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is also changeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in your body. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? In which part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact you are existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere in the body. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ By summery of GITA: " Tat Twam Asi " or 'That You Are' This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : " Keep your self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you " As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by our Senses. No machine can prove Logic. By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gain energy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during a meditative state. Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can say positive Energy in us and arround is GOD. This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will grow only to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' ! The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre of this World. The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' is also what we see in us. Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning and Creating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in our Youth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. At the end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs with the help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the next birth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible and change form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(non believer of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idol worshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self ! -- Regards Swapan PURKAYASTHA -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a good quality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed in its lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of " God " ? Do you urge for " God " ? If " YES " to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can't stick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that your current logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimed excellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess can claim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench your desires. If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity is warranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If " NO " to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why are you confusing yourself with these questions. That " NO " becomes meaningless just because you are incapable of letting the very questions go! The very reason you are raising these questions prove that you are infested either by fear or by desire or by both regarding " God " . THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is " YOUR " primary responsibility to address the same. As I mentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping you out. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect the ignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But, the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let an individual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms of themselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are not applying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it is common sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to be happy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are you really interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with these questions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If you really need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the only way out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? If you have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of all actions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it out yourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific " is a devine forum " as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity, everything is devine. If not, some may claim " divinity " as if the rest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if you really want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question your questions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE IT WITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for IT within. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remained futile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine is not receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myself of more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any " psyche " as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if you want ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTING Dear " Sadhaks " (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajee asked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon the advice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead of responding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and his mother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and again read that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her another question. I have not desired to smell " flower of sky " , because it does not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and you Sadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee has asked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn " t exist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B is giving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But the best among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. He adviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hanging on. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gave him a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhatt is rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simply giving me round round answers. On other hand you are passing judgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Or say - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. My Begum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her at least. But Mike praised me. He called me " brilliant " . Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi --------------------------- We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical is this: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call that something Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call it random nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to know That Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradox and answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you, within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that we control our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had to see the Universal form to get over the final hurdle. Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh ------------------------------- Dear devotees of Lord Krishna, The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better after seeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan of Lord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a sloka from 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30 days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded in Tamil, and can be shared with the group if interested. With kind regards, Sincerely, P.Vivekanandan ------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you will see for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: " Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman is not attainable by a weak man. " In the Gita you will find: " Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring which Brahmacharya is performed " (Chap. VIII-11). " Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayam tyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive of the Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce these three " (Chap. XVI-21). " Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam - Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance of Brahmacharya " (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a pure life, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts, concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even a bit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot be completely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord. You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Grace is needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot be grasped by him. You can read more about this in the " Easy Steps to Yoga " by Sri Swami Sivananda. chirag almoula -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may point out that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if that person doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent upon seeing God in the way you want to see. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. It seems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, with the desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, it means you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinent questions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responses indicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if you cannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has to see that " seeing God " means deep understanding of intuitive nature in this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It has to be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable of grasping truth. Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make you see the pointers. I said one cannot say " I don't see God " without knowing what God he is looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants to see, right? One can say " I don't know God, tell me what/where I should look, and how to recognize " . It is different than show me God, right? Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflected in our experience of " I am " right now as you read these words. In first posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proof one cannot deny. There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect is not capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, there is proof of God more reliable than that. But this point didn't make any impression. I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see what happens! Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and only discuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your body has changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr. Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly not changing with it because if you were changing then who would have known the change in body? You are that changeless element who knows the change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are the changing phases of the body but you are that changeless element who is witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changeless element can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - What is the basis of your never-changing existence? If you consider body's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic, because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example you consider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you never consider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, my legs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' and simultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feeling well. You establish two transversal relationships with the body, that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart (separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, how can it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call it as I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself??? Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. I want to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In other words, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself. According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr. Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body or yourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence. 2. The basis of your existence. 3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time, those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions, they are requested to read this Sadhaka posting sadhaka/message/2108 Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji- Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14) ( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Mom to Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn't it? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Pls tell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Father only for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Then totally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs, nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour , form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form, my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, nor any beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is my Father, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have any caste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what can be His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves, nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neither any juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entire exhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall you are His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on the front gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won't understand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountable universes can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate, if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son! Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has no organs, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element) person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas- 1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient and insentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannot search. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I am false. I am asat. I am non existent. My " not being " is my " being " . Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats off to you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of the world that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you - Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed " actually " Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose power you run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, of Whose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountable universes, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do run this circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Bless me , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva became tranquilised and then in the background divine music played- " MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- -Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by the Divine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, I could be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just by reading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE. Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path of fire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', and yes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in the Indian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I will stay using the terminology to which I am most familiar. You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have not deserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a light shining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away you tears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can be mended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those that have felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combined with your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The Dark Night...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one that rescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTING Hari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationale which establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help all in being definitive, have reference material and it will also strengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree that easily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era of Kaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom I have solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To " live for ever " . This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear of death is the indicator of that desire. 2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This is desire for CHIT (Knowledge). 3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire for ANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element to fulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one / some element which enables you to " live for ever " , to be all knowing and to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we would not have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti " modern so called educated " people want a little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge in meaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot be discussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (give It/Her/Him any name) is beyond description. Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a " full stomach " tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu, or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirsty you will not indulge in such childish questions about water, but will try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (a physic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature about God, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well known expert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time and space. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate Dr Edington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious about exploring the great Absolute Truth. Become " jyan-vijyan-triptah " and only then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards, Suresh C. Sharma ------------------------ Sir, You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See around you, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designed this project and process. Your father and mother only are tools. Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal -------------------------------- Mitro, Why has this God become famous as " HE " why not " she " or " IT " or " Nothing " ? Today's generation will not believe in gibberish bakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that God is ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods (many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differences and the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------ I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I have asked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know How is that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaa also told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me. But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version. I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mind fixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept my parents because even if I dont remember my birth, they remember that. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feel them. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why they are my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the grounds that since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and I accepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. They dont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaa could not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with you She said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am not satisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, then what? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me. She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cant accept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling or experiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feel or experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth, still I would accept that because how can I come without them on this earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike or Shashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observations of Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this self proclaimed " Divine " site. Dont go by my name. Even my Begum Saahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding my name Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish (Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar), a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!! According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Him and also enter into Him. Arjuna said O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya said The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear. Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, nor even by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as You have seen Me. O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can be seen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even entered into. My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me, is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towards all beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answer your question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife has stated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji's words. Hare Krishna Varun P. Paprunia ------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully and should learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have given excellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers and will continue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca that there must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as Mr Vineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. But still questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd but still should be respected. Your " Begum Sahibaa " appears to have directed herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affection in the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are more logics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In every field a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you will find this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say " I am the Highest " . Always a better /higher person than you is existing. Now where does this " highness " end. If there is sense of highness , then there must be an element which is " highest " . God is that element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some " shelter " to survive. In the childhood you need shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability, wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife, children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but not the need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , then there must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimate shelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such in principle points. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty , there must be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always some shelter or other, then there must be an element which can be described as " Highest Shelter available " ! God is " PARAM ASHRAYA DATA " Giver of that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will be necessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But there is also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact " to err is human " -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial. Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist an element which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was a difference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise and Sun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be more perfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say " I am satisfied " As regards your observation that " Nature " also creates/controls- answer is that whether you believe that nature has " knowledge " ? If yes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know your religion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERT NATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inert nature take care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to so many creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God. After all it is a matter only of " terminology " . If no then you must accept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKE SHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfil that desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA " . Logical ? Does it appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaa and come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- be sure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I was startled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated " thanks for triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace as always. " Son goes to father and asks, " Father, what is God? " Father answered, " Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your life and whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think about It! " The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The son promptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, " Father, fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbs all the life. Therefore, fear should be the god. " Father remarks, " Good job! Keep thinking. " The son not knowing whether his revelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comes back to father and declares, " Father, desire drives all the lives, desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives. Therefore, the desire should be the god. " Father remarks again, Good job! Keep thinking. " The son does not feel the conclusive appreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continues to contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all the lives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs all the lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt the wisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can be taught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is the notion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is the deliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is the appreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. The son, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, senses and mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorption power in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. He sees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,and absorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears, desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe of knowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested - mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst the three phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these three divinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force or Sustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches his father, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of The God. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wondering aloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. The new driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digs up an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivion of the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed post of The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny. The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder if it absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself. The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. The absorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kind above lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the absorption power could ever be. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenance strength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdom does its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenance power in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strength which provides strength to all the life around starts wondering what is the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source of the strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source of strength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold to another all around the universe that is within its control to seek itself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. It returns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenance strength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their own true nature around, the throne of The God starts fading into silence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not the driving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as the absorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkation between the three divinities that was once so thick and opaque starts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power of creation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in every thing that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore your fears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore your happiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as you are. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joys and hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within as well as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating your notions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being what you are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturally transcends all the barriers built by your cognition across everything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then the very post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed the most troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vain searching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, better pause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … be what you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... not just a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHING WITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive. If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In other words, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in your perception. Respects. Naga Narayana -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses of sadhakas received so far! To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeing anything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for what one " thinks " God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be " that " it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think is so limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is not logical, right? Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, what does it mean? It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequent realization that " my God, there is nothing else but only God IS in the disguise of the Cosmos " that sees through that individual. The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she saw objects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the same forms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tend to see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when we understand God, this " Understanding " opens up the very mind who sees God everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using. Other aspects of issues will see later.... Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt ------------------------ -Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant! I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full of divine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past it dear friend). If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn, what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the whole tree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak tree have an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree? Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the other question can be answered it seems to me. I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that was by my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn. I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about 3am in a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the room at that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(to do annual technical checks). There across the room was this controller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he was performing asanas, (within the restriction), " trying to stay awake? " I asked, " no he boomed " , we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common, we developed a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I read Bhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also). He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, " Mike if people could her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'. What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, and the courage, 'to ride the tiger " . We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, me an Anglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we were brothers of the spirit. There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respected moderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor - Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. How did she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according to you. Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way did you ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “ flower of sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired to smell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you always believe only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. What methodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regarding this world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you such a big world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governing this world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments on EACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will we know whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consult your Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us what your Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t you tell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will that not be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee Jee Shashikala Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered based on what sadhakas already have echoed in their responses. The most important thing is to know that God is not " something " , " somewhere " and " some times " . It is at the core of our being, an intimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known. In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object, nevertheless, is known as " knowingness " in us by virtue of just being. For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace, Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc " out there " ? You cann't! They are experiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etc outside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said " From the beginning, not a thing is! " Please, please, see the truth of this. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious of something or other which we conceptualize as subject experiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought as separate. Such division is not experiential. Just as these experiences are not seen " out there " , but are truely happening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate from Consciousness. Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat, conceptualized as " Sun " out there, for practical purpose. This is also true for all apparant objects of the world. God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of the most intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though! When people engage in services to help others who are victims of disasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivates their actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! People who help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etc are also inspired by the same Love and Goodness! Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God? Are those who bring such disasters to " apparant others " also God, if all is God? They are also, yes, but unfortunately " they " have not understood yet that they are! In God's world, only God exists playing " others " , so who does what to whom? Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us, nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt - PRIOR POSITING Dear Sadhak, Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent! If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids? Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepak with us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need another deepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can be seen/experienced through the " SELF " but to know this SELF we donot need anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELF knows it SELF. 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? He is not HE, He is " I " . When we can see/know who am I we can see/know who is God. Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe! Ch10:15 2. Who has seen Him? All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seen HIM too. Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have you seen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said- " Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now. " Listening to this Narendra became his disciple. 3. How is He? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.Ch10:42 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realized soul, and know Him first, then accept. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness. What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna or donot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita- Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Lead yr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Before giving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit with them and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn by the character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If they can learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and will get their realization at their own speed. with lots of Love, a sadhika Sadhna Karigar -------------------------------- Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of the questioner!! " Sarphod " in Hindi means skull breaker ! " Tablachi " means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !! Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classic name Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted some one to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't say please- " that children now a days need more than belief to accept " . That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even your kind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solid belief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanity on this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind of proof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your father or some name to be mine or for that purpose by " the children of now a days " - say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you " know " as to who is your father and who is your mother? What proof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr X as your father? You asked " from where to pick the thread " . I reply to you that you pick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee Jee Shashikala ------------------------------- Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.It is very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanation in his books- " Autobiography of a yogi " and " Man's eternal quest " which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectly describes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He is the Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God is indescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul. Ami Chhowala -------------------------------- I still remain unsatisfied in this " divine " forum. How and why Paramatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in your scriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also " see " God ? My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your Swami Ramsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddar had " darshanas " of God. Was His statement right or your reference of good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known? How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need an instruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to be fair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manner is focal point! None of the " sadhaks " are convincing so far. I asked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear and incomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were like me in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not a divine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist. Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What else we are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature " made oceans, Sun Moon etc and when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Why cant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God is beyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr Pratap Bhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? " Sadhaks " - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfy my knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi -------------------------------- Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body as real self and not the outer sheath of immortal " real self " which contains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal God is Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine. Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of " Sun and Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet " and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of the people who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaise God as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on this earth are " Thy " tiny living cells. We have several billions living cells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who we are? But those who find human soul as " real self " have no difficulty in knowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul (Parmatma) and His subtle body " Mahadeva " is omnipotent Supreme Spirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. His spirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matter consisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spirit prevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani- pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides in our subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Those who consider material gross body as the real self will always find difficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- name derived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras. Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind. with regards, Prem Sabhlok -------------------------------- Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwelling everywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If we can tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we can feel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body with life is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far we are only establishing the things which are existing, but we are unable to establish about the source of the existence. Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with the nature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought about god. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the senses attached to our body always act against our realisation process.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life. Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,think naturally and live naturally. with regards Ramana kothuri ------------------------------- -------------------------------- The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I too dont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers or logics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dont agree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His beloved ones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers of Supreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas' message that before " big bang " too something existed or that if there is creation then there must be a creator. But how that is exclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptom and authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Please elaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about five elements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing the transformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions are warranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. First the logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi ---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by " No one knows about time!!! " Also, I am unclear as to how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea about time, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred by him? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree Hari Ram Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him? Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one can simply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given the name Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or all Names are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him? Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in future too Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has stated that Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond this whatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He? Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regarding Parmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot be described at all. 4) What are you able to know " Time " (samay). This question has been asked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). It is not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not only you, but no one understands anything about " time " . They can say nothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarly believe and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment of laws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyone continues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, and according to one's own convenience and conformance giving that tattva a " form " . You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportive arguments and evidence exist to establish the existence of 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get the support of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning- deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be of that thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot ever be known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not in conformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual or an aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual. Leaving the search, become engaged in " Chup Saadhan " (Effortless Awareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will be quietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / words used. Vineet Sarvottam -------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always a creator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine, house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible. Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth, Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle, machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earth also moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sun rises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller of them also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot " create " anything! It is only " nature " which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covert gold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can't create gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two or more elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . You can " discover " only. To be continued. Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B ------------------------- Kindly read bertrand russel Aranha Roy --------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakas have said. Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humble us! Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object has to exist in the first place. Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. This knowing of an existence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes, function etc. The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be one Existence fundamentally. Individual objects within it are individual existences localized in space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms, continuing the existences. When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the word Universe points to the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Only by being aware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awareness of Existence. To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness to know whether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has to be beginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no, because to say it, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there is Awareness of non-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, the Existence(without division into many objects), is eternally free of time and space containing all objects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowing it with this ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says the real never ceases to be. Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent, Beautiful, full of Love and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God? God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and love unconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, and those who preach God's message! Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of Eternal Oneness, GOD! Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ---------------------------- My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectly asked: " Why can't I see Him? " Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It is subjective awareness. The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose a distinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal- consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you really are, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective, and you'll find what you're looking for. Rishi Handa ---------------------------- Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understanding this..... Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions? " " Who wants to know God? " ....and wait for the answer.... see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating the questions.... In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourself who is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows....... Best wishes Sushil Jain -------------------------------- I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, I went through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around 22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. I do not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I can ever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am open to all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I had them before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now - with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I am gradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding them through others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. There are great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash also amongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas and explanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to find God and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in my life? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? It depends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas for humanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they are asking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. I doubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divine power appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can I imagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (Alpha Centauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine that distance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which is full of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I see God, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes of explanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending on where you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so please discuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questions before) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through the oscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincere you will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of your questions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through this until now. Venu Gopal -------------------------------- PRIOR POSTING I will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I am blessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled full circle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? From where to pick the thread? O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell me S. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliant physicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk about the 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was there substance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'? I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out what then?, I would press the point home that the Great Indians Traditions had a good explanation for all this many millennium before the present time, and is probably a good guide for the scientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws of physics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to be spot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicist seem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider to build the perfect web according to its kind, without actually being taught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, be mercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take you where it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you, maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children know water is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them to show hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd) and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets. Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- " God is apprameyam " that which cannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, as God can be only known by Gyana (knowledge) 2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per above examples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God as shown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna 3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai, Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form that the devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/Sri Rama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HE is in all shapes and forms. 4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept that there is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing whole universe, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrol or fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept- Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan ----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a question either he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already has or he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking a question relating to God, first he has to explain what is in his mind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think and feel that we are separated from the rest. This is an optical illusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. All the sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and our mind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there. When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superior knowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supreme realisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death is the most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of the cage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional view and linear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge with God H. Subair ------------------------------ dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.person like you are really god's gift to us. bhargav mehta ------------------------ PRIOR POSTING Re: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? What is the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, what and how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwith enters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran --------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste! When someone says " where is God? I have never seen Him " , that person has to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannot ask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumption that God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in the mind and what I see out there is definitely not " God " . So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first. When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will get answered. Consider the following dialogue: Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence? A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious to me! Q: How do you know you exist? A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO! Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or some logical explanation to confirm you do exist? A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do, because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need any sense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of " beingness " we all feel within us, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objects of knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us, never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind- world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always! I just have to find out that ultimately this " I " is Impersonal and is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God! Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal! Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular object among many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect. It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE! It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know their existence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes place automatically by just Being. Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization! Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod, There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I have heard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, " I want you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will be at stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is God doing right now? The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searching through various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job the next day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father's perplexity, inquired, " What troubles you, father? " The father responded, " Oh, this is not something you would understand. " At the child's persistence, the father finally explained. The small child smiled, and simply said, " Father, that is so easy to answer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answer these inquiries, and I will then give him my responses " . The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way to respond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested the king, " First, please have a pot of milk brought forth. " The king did so. Then the child inquired, " Is there ghee in this milk? " The king said, " Yes, it is there. " Then the child explained, " It is there, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee? " The king said, " There is a process by which the ghee will be brought forth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, then the butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to the surface......only after one patiently follows this process will he see the ghee. " As the king was speaking, slowly realization came into his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at this moment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, who does not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He will certainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept the process of " bringing forth the ghee " . The child then said, " You are asking me what God is doing. That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple. So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if you are learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the child on the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understand his next lesson. " This is what God is doing " ....he said. " He is taking someone from a low position and putting him into a high position, according to the results of his work, and taking someone else from a high position and putting him into a low position. " The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded him and his father. So, one may say, " I don't accept such simplistic responses " .....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord, unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of a sadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one truly comes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a God consscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explain what happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability to analyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide, and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them. It is not a mechanical process. I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....it is truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our children become somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of the Lord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. We can only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends for them that we can possibly be. respectfully, Mahalaksmi Dasi ------------------------------- Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book " the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi " published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes -------------------------------- Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! In this posting I would like to build on my previous post. We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, what is the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain to our children. I would shy away to tell children that because it is said in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such and such. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That which always IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth, thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experience always, not some states we experience that come and go, rather That in which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understanding of that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality of whatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather than later. What is Reality, then? If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful, or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressed situations, " I am " always present and " knowingness " of these various situations I am in is also always present too, which I never notice due to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situations eventually disappear but not " I " . What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring to ourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the most certain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeing is the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(or hear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing is synanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceive out there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of our experience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONE Undivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience. Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objects for practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding, our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotion and to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see God everywhere our eyes fall upon! This is God relization. Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram ------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super naturalpower called "God" ? At least how to explain that. How to correlateHis existence with the character of the world? Children now a daysneed more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which wecan establish that God exists. If some body says say :1. Where is God I have never seen Him?2. Who has seen Him?3. How is He?4. If I dont know how do I accept?5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING To my beloved sadhaks,Where is God? Who has seen Him? How is God? How do I accept Him? What logic points towards God? Let us look at Gita 7/19"After taking many births and acquiring the human form and realizing that God is Everything, should such a knower (Jnanavan) surrender to Me, indeed such a great soul is a rarity. "Repeat such a great soul is a rarity. My question is how can one not see God, who cannot be aware of where He is, how He is, but to accept Him is a good place to start and how to do this is by establishing a direct affinity for God.Everything is God. God has in simple words, expounded to us the innermost secrets of the hearts of great souls of Vasudev Sarvam. God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)Bhagavan says(Gita 18/55)" After realizing my quintessence (Tattva) man immediately merges into Me."Those who want to attain God do so by Discipline of Action, Knowledge and Devotion.For more info on God realization go to Swamiramsukhdasjis site and read on how to attain God with humility.catherine andersen ------------------------- Shree Hari:Ram Ram. By Grace of God these questions are on my computer: 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? God is in your mind. You can't see God with your eyes as mental conceptions are not seen by us. 2. Who has seen Him? Nobody ever declared he/she has seen God. 3. How is He? Nobody ever described how is God. 4. If I don't know how do I accept? If you don't know accept or don't accept, choice is yours. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles on us so that we may indulge in goodness. What harm is there if you indulge in goodness? Indulge in goodness or not, choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for His existence. What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? from where to pick the thread? Existence of Existence (termed Tattva, Sattaa by Swamijee Shree Ramsukhdasjee) needs no basis for its existence. Existence of Existence is all logic and all illogic but they can't point towards Existence of Existence similarly as you can't mix water into water when you are under water only. You are the beginning and you are the end of the thread. Pick it up and go. You shall finish at the other end of thread and shall be surprised to experience that what you sought is the seeker. Vasudev: Sarvam. (Gita 7:19). If you conceive God, you fail to experience the experience as experience is experience only (Swamijee in God IS Everything page 2 last para "Similarly in this world, men, animals, birds, trees, mountains, stones, bricks, sand, lime, earth etc. are of diverse kinds, yet what resides intrinsically within, has no form and that formless essence is God".). Bandhu, if anything is easiest it is Realizing God (Existence, not any human with four hands etc they are NOT God as they don't reside in everything, they come and go.) Who is ever Realized as You can't deny your existence. Ram Ram. Kachcha Sadhaka Sarvottam.---- 5 Fallacies & Realities about God Fallacies* Ego Consciousness Realities of Self Consciousness 1 Humans believe that God needs something. Humans know that God needs nothing. God is beyond needs and demands. 2 Humans believe that God can fail to get what He needs. Humans know that God can never fail to get what He does not need. He has no needs. God is his own measure beyond failures & successes. 3 Humans believe that God has separated them from Him because they have not given Him what He needs. Humans know that God has integrated them from Him because they are God in human form. God is beyond form and non-form as one Living Consciousness. 4 Humans believe that God still needs what He needs so badly that God now requires them, from their separated position, to give it to Him. Humans know that God never needs any thing from humans other that what they are and have. God is in human form. 5 Humans believe that God will destroy them if they do not meet His requirements. Humans know for God there is no destruction and creation but infinite manifestations of energy of Living Consciousness. Dance of Living consciousness is appearance & disappearance of Physical Universe. *Neale Donald Walsch (The New Revelations) Sushil Jain PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna God is worshipped in 3 forms:1. Attributeless-Formless (Nirgun-Nirakar)2. Attribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar)3. Attribute-Form (Sagun-Sakar) Goswami Tulsidasji has said"NIRGUN ROOP SULABH ATI SAGUN JAAN NAHI KOI""The attributeless form of Parmatma is very easy to understand butno one can know the form of Parmatma with attributes." The first form of Attributeless-Formless Pramatma can be proved bylogic of uninterrupted existence (akhand satta). The second form ofAttribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar) Parmatma can be proved by logicof conscious and sentient Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. But the third form of Parmatma with form and attributes (Ram,Krishna, Shiva etc.) cannot be proved by any logic, rationale etc.They can only be believed with purport of Gita, Ramayan, Sadhak-Sanjivani etc.If anyone argues over Ram being God then questions like these willarise "In forest how did Lord Ram get deceived by a gold-deer? If Heis deceived then how is He Omniscient? Why did Lord take the help ofSugreev's army? If He takes help then how come is He Almighty?...." When Lord Ram killed Ravan's mighty brothers Khar and Dushan, Ravandecided to examine whether the Omniscient and Almighty Parmatma hastaken Ram-avatar. He kidnapped Sitaji (with disguise of an ascetic)by deceiving Lord with a golden-deer. Lord failed in the examinationand Ravan was successful in his evil plan, but what was the endresult? Lord Ram destroyed the entire clan of Lankan demonsalongwith Ravan. That is why Goswamiji has said"RAM ATARKYA BUDDHI KAR JAANI""Lord Ram cannot be known by intellect." Faith in Parmatma with form and attributes (known as Bhagwan) canonly be developed when one does satsang. Reading scriptures is alsoone form of Satsang. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia Hare KrishnaDear Sarphod Uncle, I sincerely apologize to you and your family for the language I haveused. I thought you were just trying to outsmart us with yourintellectual prowess so I used the same ploy on you; but Sir you area true sadhak. Sadhanaji, Mikeji recognized you but because of my so-called cleverness I did not recognize you. Again my sincereapologies for the usage of harsh words and blunt language. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------Om, God = generator orgniser destroyer.Do you see the air? Nosuppose you don't see the air then you can't see the energies in theair that sustain our body. Suppose you want to hold a grand partyof 5000 people continuing 15 days, then how much work you have todo, you will distribute your work among your relatives. Think ofGod is a organising 600 crores or more ( not only about earth butthink about whole universe). Think who has that Supreme organizingpower ! You or God. God is in every thing from atom to Everest.Suppose you made a car that each and every thing came from you meanseach part of car made from you, by you. That is God. He iscolourless, touchless, soundless, shapeless because he is supremeenergy. If you trust and have faith in God. you will trust ongod.this is the one kind of work of god. because hi is ruling onus.Whether you go to the church or any mandir or masjid, your needsby pleading to your superior… He is That. And you say uponfulfilling your wish - "thank God" What is that power that isfulfilling your needs? Whether small or a big one, it is fulfilledand often no by your effort Hari Om,nilesh popat mali, -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING To Respected Sadhaks of this really divine , perhaps the only of itskind across the globe, Satsanga Group! It is me, Dear Brothers, with my Dear Begum Sahibaa respectfullythanking you all for gems of wisdom which you imparted to me and tothe world. An association of people like you, group like yours, isor can only be God willed. Indeed, with people like Vyasji, (extremely polished and never contradicting. Must be the one who hasseen/ touched the "dukhalayam" very closely, very wisely and wonover the same), Mike Keenor ( You are pride of the very humanity)Varun, ( I am sure he is younger than many of us- his impetuosity/quick reaction reflects that, but very clever and very organised-Refer Gita 16/1 - jnanayogarvyavasthitam- an ideal young follower)Pratapji Bhatt ( Spl regards for you, for not firing me back) , thatreal firebrand Dear Sister of all of us Shashikalajee ( What asharp discrimination you have been blessed with ! ), Mira Dassji (An impartial devotee /follower of Respected Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaaj), Rajaji, Baiyaji and dozens like them, are the jewels ofthis divine forum. My heartfelt pranaams to Vineetji Sarvottam. Hiscomments were innocent and correct. Thanks AgainSarphod TabalchiRaseeli Rani Tabalchi --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhak,Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what myKrishna says-- Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna!Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16) O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : Theafflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment andthe wise. Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge. The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you areusing wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, whichitself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the differencebetween Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everythingwhich is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnecthimself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body,senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped thereremains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing.....From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothingemerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga. And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my belovedKrishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When wesee HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case ofDropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as inthe case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculousbeing, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in astatue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,andwithout forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our ownlimited vision.When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wishto see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him ineverything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist,money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become nonexistence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination inHis regime. He just "IS". I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. SomewhereSwamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this "IS" remains the same in boththe statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...Howblessed this human form is!!! How divine this forum is!!!Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss !Shivoham! Shivoham!!With lots of Love,A SadhikaSadhna Karigar------------------------------ 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is anobject. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals asshakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understandit. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidanceyou will progress.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them?You want to make something you gather material and put your effortto make project. So there is someone who is behind all and yourthinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan------------------------------Pranam God exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you searchon "milkmiracle" You will see for your self. bvmJai Shree Ram------------------------------ Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For thosewho yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; infact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God!Doubting God takes one nowhere. Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proofof the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in thesense of all these existing objects, you see. WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE:Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you seelove, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible? WHO HAS SEEN HIM?A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity hasrevealed 'itself'. WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE?He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable inthat experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute amongthe experiences. IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT?The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can'tsee them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest inanswering these abstract questions. GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS.God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindnessetc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good futureand for building in them the moral character which saves oursociety. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person cansee God. THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THELOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD?We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God astranscendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in thedisbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience whileborn as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all thosethings of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We canafford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try?If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them thespiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, NisargaduttaMaharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God.You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'. I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted toshare with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people thebest of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year. Dr Shastry--------------------------------1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOTan object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when SriKrishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM asGod except Duryodhan who told it was illusion.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishnawith love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller.Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable totie up. It is the way you accept.Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayanPRIOR POSTINGJai Hanuman I agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writingregularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is SisterAnita- absolutely correct and "really" .practical and therefore onthe path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai !O Daddy the Great ! Let such "Divinity" continue flowing unto thisGT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons toexclaim with pleasure- "Brilliant" ! Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make hercry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? "Anguishof your soul" is most of the times " your sin" - also ! AlmostAlways! Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proofthat Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL-"KNOWLEDGE"? No body, come what may, has been able to "prove" in the past, norcan they do so in the present , nor will they be able to "prove"that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of provingthat. If you can't "prove" the existence of your even this father onearth, how can you prove the existence of your "eternal father"? Reason: "Self" Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego ! "Acceptance"/ "Faith" / "Belief" - is the only remedy. If some bodywants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you BrotherWilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in thisSatsanga forum! Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latestmessage - 1 An Aussie !2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in thecenter. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! ) Above all - 3 Flowers in the Sky !!!! (What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed !So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours ofposting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible !Yet so easily available ! But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timelyand exactly ? Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse fora long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about itsmanifestation !! ) Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! "DIVINE" !! Do you get us MrSarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only "Sadhaks" ! Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala--- Dear Vyasji, You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi jiis more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatorycomments from others (as is evident from his second mail). Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? isTabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If heknows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, theproblem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know "koaham (who am I)" May I quote from Shankara ? "KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA MEJANANI KO ME TATAH" (who are you, who am I, from where have I come,who is my mother and who is my father). Kind regards,Suresh C SharmaPRIOR POSTINGHari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is nothirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed byyou. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can "see" God, andone who has thirst for world only, "sees" the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can notsee- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which inreality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can notsee God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because Ididnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young inthis stage - by experience and by learning.However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I shouldat least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us -all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children thatgod is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us hasthe responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity,looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in mymaid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs meevery time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me andhas made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla -who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see himevery day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise thatit was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime youmeet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection ofGOD. So, see god in all and see all in him.2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of usare in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me.And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined bythis supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are notable to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowableforce/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, yourneighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that lightin them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would bethere with you! Anita Sharma-------------------------Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little tooAussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly youwould understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's cleverlittle dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress,The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness:Pure silence echoed between the galaxies,Eons of eons vanished in a second,Withered trees bloomed in fires,Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry,Thusness scattered in sixty directions,Space became Time, time became things,Black Holes filled with Nirvana,A billion samadhi mirrors shattered,Galaxies snuggled within a single skull,Many became One, One only, only One.Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All BeingsOpened Her clouded Eye, to see:Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor --------------------------Hari Om. Respected sir,I've studied from my childhood that motheris our first GOd.We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru.Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb?If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof,I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided youhave the permission to see Krushna.Rest in my next.Hari Om.With Regards,Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says.I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible.thanksWilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whetherthere is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has alsobeen answered by various people in various ways in all the ages.But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma doesexist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond theUniverse. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Himwith his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, everyliving being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super-intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things andcreated wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anythingthat is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand,is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a specialfeature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time afterwhich it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. Wesee planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. Thisnever ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation andre-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely,Ram Bhai------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchijiabout I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellowseeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as neededto grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points.Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makesso much difference in our understanding!I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake upand find all answers about Truth of God, this world and "you".All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers!Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellowsadhaks, I remain prayerful!Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING-Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is,I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on theback of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of whatit is.Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the falsereality reflected on the wall of the cave.Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Isthis all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself,say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they havenothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as itwere, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems tobe a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and aspiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth thatIndia had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: "Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousandpeople starting with the words: "Sisters and Brothers of America...",and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture withstandingovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes......." If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe youcould read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (Ifyou require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of yoursoul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict,do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, otherSadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about thatwhichdoes not exist etc.Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. Ihave,I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cryfor him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, whenyour heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor-----------------------------Dear Sadaks,I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The onewho has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.SherphodVedanta/Upanashids.1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, oneneeds TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as atemple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind haselectricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent.Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender.3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS.Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or forthat matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give youanswers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a differentissue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru whocan help you. I do not see from your postings you have thisexpectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could beanohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi,1. Where is God I have never seen Him?It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible byour physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God.If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There aremany ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it.Then after you never deny God.2. Who has seen Him?I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talkto birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me.3. How is He?He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied myexistence. He wants everyone happy.4. If I dont know how do I accept?Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expectanything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in yourmind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God wheneveryou want deny God.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.If you know this much of God you should not deny God.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basicconcept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn GodGod comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see theelectricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you everenquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think aboutTV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not functionwithout electricity. Even you can not ask these questions withoutthat power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier thandenying God.Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi jiWe all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving anopportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by allsadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers.since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstaclesto understanding the truthsince it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing orseeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we mayhave gone through this period.But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with someguidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and theanswers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplatingexercise on the questions firstfor example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? whatcould be the place where it could be,why it can not be hear with us?Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourselfrepeatedly who am I?Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important socontemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it?What could it look like? What should it be?Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don'tknow? Do I know all? How can I know more?Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplateon: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Whywe need to fear the word God to be good?Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? Whatis the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophetshave to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learningexercise......answers are within and we must practice to startlistening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............bestwishes......Thank you....Sushil Jain ----------------------------Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there isnothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things thatexist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns tomankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I alsohave the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove thatthere is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my testsand verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all thosetools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD andall the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. Thatmeans, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusualthing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that isbothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have theseriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questionsshould be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the questto know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quickconclusions like "There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc.,"because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the rightsources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying "I askeda question which this forum is not able to answer" Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history ofmankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admittedto have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who wasearnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (SwamiVivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not havequestions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind,one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levelsof Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, ARAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might befulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till suchtime, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you,Sincerely,Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy)Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying "I am very good". FYI! I wasnot entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. Youdon't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it.Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with yourlogic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also calledyou inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji,Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should thinkover it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But forthis one need guts, because you will have to keep aside yourprejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able toprove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, wecan only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do notrespect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how canyou accept and respect the biggest father (Param-PitaParmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems tobe upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have anyshame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitudeyou are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passingjudgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making methink. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji hascorrectly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an openmind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directedyou to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are notinterested in knowing or learning anything, you are only askingthese questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. Heis only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything aboutGita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel yourexistence as "I AM", right? Then why can't you prove it with yourlogic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did notget any reply. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia--------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding "flower of sky"- because it does not exist. You yourself said that.You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talkedabout God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions inthis forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about "flower of sky"?As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even ifthey were dead immediately after your birth, because there is abasis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of theirexistence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents meansyour grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In theend you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is "Param Pita" - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee JeeShashikala ----------------------Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunjiis correct. You , yourself, are "sample" of God ! Because like God,you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody "experiences" that -I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking aboutexperience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are notexisting ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct anytest to determine whether you exist or not. You neverexperience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may saythat "I don't know", but you can't say "I didn't exist" ! How canyou say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your"self" tobe non existing. Non existence of your"self" has never come intoyour experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deepsleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were nonexistent. But at the same time you experience directly theabsence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist.So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in yourbody. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which ispermanent and changeless and who is looking separately canexperience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You arenot body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is alsochangeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in yourbody. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? Inwhich part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact youare existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere inthe body. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------By summery of GITA: "Tat Twam Asi" or 'That You Are'This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : "Keepyour self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you"As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by ourSenses.No machine can prove Logic.By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gainenergy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during ameditative state.Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can saypositive Energy in us and arround is GOD.This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will growonly to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' !The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics ofRamayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre ofthis World.The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' isalso what we see in us.Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning andCreating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in ourYouth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. Atthe end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs withthe help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the nextbirth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible andchange form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(nonbeliever of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idolworshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self !--RegardsSwapan PURKAYASTHA --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a goodquality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed inits lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of "God"? Do you urgefor "God"? If "YES" to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can'tstick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that yourcurrent logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimedexcellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess canclaim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench yourdesires.If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity iswarranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If "NO" to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why areyou confusing yourself with these questions. That "NO" becomesmeaningless just because you are incapable of letting the veryquestions go! The very reason you are raising these questions provethat you are infested either by fear or by desire or by bothregarding "God". THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is "YOUR" primary responsibility to address the same. As Imentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping youout. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect theignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But,the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let anindividual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms ofthemselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are notapplying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it iscommon sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to behappy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are youreally interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with thesequestions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If youreally need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the onlyway out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? Ifyou have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of allactions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it outyourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific "is adevine forum" as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity,everything is devine. If not, some may claim "divinity" as if therest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if youreally want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question yourquestions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONSREGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE ITWITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for ITwithin. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remainedfutile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine isnot receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myselfof more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any"psyche" as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if youwant ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTINGDear "Sadhaks" (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajeeasked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon theadvice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead ofresponding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and hismother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and againread that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her anotherquestion. I have not desired to smell "flower of sky" , because itdoes not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and youSadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee hasasked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn"texist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B isgiving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But thebest among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. Headviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hangingon. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gavehim a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhattis rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simplygiving me round round answers. On other hand you are passingjudgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Orsay - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. MyBegum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her atleast. But Mike praised me. He called me "brilliant". Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi---------------------------We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical isthis: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call thatsomething Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call itrandom nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to knowThat Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradoxand answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you,within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that wecontrol our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had tosee the Universal form to get over the final hurdle.Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh-------------------------------Dear devotees of Lord Krishna,The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better afterseeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan ofLord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a slokafrom 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded inTamil, and can be shared with the group if interested.With kind regards,Sincerely,P.Vivekanandan------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, bywhich one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you willsee for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: "Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman isnot attainable by a weak man." In the Gita you willfind: "Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring whichBrahmacharya is performed" (Chap. VIII-11). "Trividham narakasyedamdvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayamtyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive ofthe Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce thesethree" (Chap. XVI-21). "Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam -Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance ofBrahmacharya" (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a purelife, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts,concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even abit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot becompletely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord.You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Graceis needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot begrasped by him. You can read more about this in the "Easy Steps to Yoga" by SriSwami Sivananda.chirag almoula --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may pointout that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if thatperson doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent uponseeing God in the way you want to see.Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. Itseems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, withthe desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, itmeans you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinentquestions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responsesindicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if youcannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has tosee that "seeing God" means deep understanding of intuitive naturein this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It hasto be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable ofgrasping truth.Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make yousee the pointers.I said one cannot say "I don't see God" without knowing what God heis looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants tosee, right? One can say "I don't know God, tell me what/where Ishould look, and how to recognize". It is different than show meGod, right?Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflectedin our experience of "I am" right now as you read these words. Infirst posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proofone cannot deny.There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect isnot capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, thereis proof of God more reliable than that.But this point didn't make any impression.I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see whathappens!Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt-------------------------------Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and onlydiscuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your bodyhas changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr.Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly notchanging with it because if you were changing then who would haveknown the change in body? You are that changeless element who knowsthe change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are thechanging phases of the body but you are that changeless element whois witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changelesselement can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - Whatis the basis of your never-changing existence? If you considerbody's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic,because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example youconsider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you neverconsider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, mylegs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' andsimultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feelingwell. You establish two transversal relationships with the body,that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart(separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, howcan it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call itas I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself???Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. Iwant to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In otherwords, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself.According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr.Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body oryourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence.2. The basis of your existence.3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time,those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions,they are requested to read this Sadhaka postingsadhaka/message/2108 Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji-Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14)( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Momto Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn'tit? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Plstell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Fatheronly for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Thentotally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs,nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour ,form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form,my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, norany beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is myFather, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have anycaste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what canbe His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves,nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neitherany juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entireexhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall youare His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on thefront gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won'tunderstand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountableuniverses can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate,if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son!Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has noorgans, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element)person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas-1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient andinsentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannotsearch. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I amfalse. I am asat. I am non existent. My "not being" is my "being".Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats offto you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of theworld that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you -Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed "actually" Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose poweryou run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, ofWhose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountableuniverses, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do runthis circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Blessme , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva becametranquilised and then in the background divine music played- "MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee JeeShashikala--------------------------------Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by theDivine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, Icould be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just byreading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE.Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path offire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', andyes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in theIndian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I willstay using the terminology to which I am most familiar.You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have notdeserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a lightshining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away youtears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can bemended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those thathave felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combinedwith your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The DarkNight...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one thatrescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTINGHari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationalewhich establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help allin being definitive, have reference material and it will alsostrengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree thateasily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era ofKaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom Ihave solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To "live for ever". This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear ofdeath is the indicator of that desire.2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This isdesire for CHIT (Knowledge).3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire forANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element tofulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one /some element which enables you to "live for ever", to be all knowingand to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we wouldnot have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti "modern so called educated" people wanta little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge inmeaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot bediscussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (giveIt/Her/Him any name) is beyond description.Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a "fullstomach" tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu,or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirstyyou will not indulge in such childish questions about water, butwill try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (aphysic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature aboutGod, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well knownexpert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time andspace. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate DrEdington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious aboutexploring the great Absolute Truth. Become "jyan-vijyan-triptah" andonly then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards,Suresh C. Sharma------------------------ Sir,You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See aroundyou, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designedthis project and process. Your father and mother only are tools.Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal-------------------------------- Mitro,Why has this God become famous as "HE" why not "she" or "IT"or "Nothing"? Today's generation will not believe in gibberishbakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that Godis ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods(many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differencesand the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I haveasked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know Howis that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaaalso told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me.But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version.I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mindfixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept myparents because even if I dont remember my birth, they rememberthat. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feelthem. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why theyare my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the groundsthat since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and Iaccepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. Theydont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaacould not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with youShe said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am notsatisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, thenwhat? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me.She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cantaccept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling orexperiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feelor experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth,still I would accept that because how can I come without them onthis earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike orShashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observationsof Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this selfproclaimed "Divine" site. Dont go by my name. Even my BegumSaahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding myname Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTINGHare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish(Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar),a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!!According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Himand also enter into Him. Arjuna saidO universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Yourfour-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch andlotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya saidThe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus toArjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed Histwo-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said:My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is verydifficultto behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to seethis form, which is so dear.Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, noreven by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as Youhave seen Me.O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can beseen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even enteredinto.My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me,is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towardsall beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answeryour question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife hasstated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji'swords. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully andshould learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have givenexcellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers andwillcontinue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca thatthere must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as MrVineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. Butstill questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd butstill should be respected. Your "Begum Sahibaa" appears to havedirected herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affectionin the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are morelogics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In everyfield a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you willfind this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say"I am the Highest". Always a better /higher person than you isexisting. Now where does this "highness" end. If there is sense ofhighness , then there must be an element which is "highest". God isthat element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some "shelter" to survive. In the childhood youneed shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability,wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife,children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but notthe need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , thenthere must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimateshelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such inprinciplepoints. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty ,theremust be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always someshelter or other, then there must be an element which can bedescribedas " Highest Shelter available "! God is "PARAM ASHRAYA DATA" Giverof that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will benecessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But thereis also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact "to err ishuman" -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial.Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist anelement which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was adifference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise andSun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be moreperfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say "I am satisfied" As regards your observation that "Nature" also creates/controls-answer is that whether you believe that nature has "knowledge"? Ifyes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know yourreligion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERTNATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inertnaturetake care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to somany creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God.After all it is a matter only of "terminology". If no then you mustaccept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKESHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfilthat desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA" . Logical ?Doesit appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaaand come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- besure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I wasstartled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated "thanksfor triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace asalways." Son goes to father and asks, "Father, what is God?" Fatheranswered, "Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your lifeand whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think aboutIt!" The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The sonpromptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, "Father,fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbsall the life. Therefore, fear should be the god." Fatherremarks, "Good job! Keep thinking." The son not knowing whether hisrevelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comesback to father and declares, "Father, desire drives all the lives,desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives.Therefore, the desire should be the god." Father remarks again, Goodjob! Keep thinking." The son does not feel the conclusiveappreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continuesto contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all thelives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs allthe lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt thewisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can betaught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is thenotion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is thedeliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is theappreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. Theson, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, sensesand mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorptionpower in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. Hesees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,andabsorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears,desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe ofknowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested -mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst thethree phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these threedivinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force orSustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches hisfather, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of TheGod. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wonderingaloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. Thenew driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digsup an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivionof the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding whatthe driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed postof The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny.The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder ifit absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself.The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. Theabsorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kindabove lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back infrustration not withstanding what the absorption power could everbe. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenancestrength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdomdoes its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenancepower in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strengthwhich provides strength to all the life around starts wondering whatis the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source ofthe strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source ofstrength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold toanother all around the universe that is within its control to seekitself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. Itreturns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenancestrength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their owntrue nature around, the throne of The God starts fading intosilence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not thedriving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as theabsorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkationbetween the three divinities that was once so thick and opaquestarts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power ofcreation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in everything that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore yourfears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore yourhappiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as youare. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joysand hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within aswell as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating yournotions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being whatyou are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturallytranscends all the barriers built by your cognition acrosseverything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then thevery post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed themost troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vainsearching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, betterpause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … bewhat you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... notjust a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHINGWITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive.If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In otherwords, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in yourperception. Respects. Naga Narayana--------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses ofsadhakas received so far!To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeinganything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for whatone "thinks" God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be"that" it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think isso limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is notlogical, right?Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, whatdoes it mean?It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequentrealization that "my God, there is nothing else but only God IS inthe disguise of the Cosmos" that sees through that individual.The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she sawobjects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the sameforms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tendto see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when weunderstand God, this "Understanding" opens up the very mind who seesGod everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using.Other aspects of issues will see later....Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt -------------------------Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant!I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full ofdivine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past itdear friend).If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn,what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the wholetree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak treehave an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree?Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the otherquestion can be answered it seems to me.I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that wasby my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn.I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about3amin a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the roomat that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(todo annual technical checks). There across the room was thiscontroller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he wasperforming asanas, (within the restriction), "trying to stay awake?"Iasked, "no he boomed", we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common,wedeveloped a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I readBhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also).He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, "Mike if peoplecould her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'.What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, andthe courage, 'to ride the tiger".We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, meanAnglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we werebrothers of the spirit.There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respectedmoderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor-Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. Howdid she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according toyou.Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way didyou ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “flowerof sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired tosmell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you alwaysbelieve only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. Whatmethodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regardingthis world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you suchabig world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governingthis world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments onEACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will weknow whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consultyour Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us whatyour Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t youtell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will thatnot be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee JeeShashikalaDear Sadhakas, Namaste!Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered basedonwhat sadhakas already have echoed in their responses.The most important thing is to know that God is not "something","somewhere" and "some times". It is at the core of our being, anintimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known.In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object,nevertheless, is known as "knowingness" in us by virtue of justbeing.For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace,Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc "out there"? You cann't! They areexperiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etcoutside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said"From the beginning, not a thing is!" Please, please, see the truthofthis. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious ofsomething or other which we conceptualize as subjectexperiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought asseparate. Such division is not experiential.Just as these experiences are not seen "out there", but are truelyhappening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate fromConsciousness.Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat,conceptualized as "Sun" out there, for practical purpose. This isalsotrue for all apparant objects of the world.God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of themost intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though!When people engage in services to help others who are victims ofdisasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivatestheir actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! Peoplewho help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etcare also inspired by the same Love and Goodness!Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God?Are those who bring such disasters to "apparant others" also God, ifall is God?They are also, yes, but unfortunately "they" have not understood yetthat they are!In God's world, only God exists playing "others", so who does what towhom?Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us,nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt -PRIOR POSITINGDear Sadhak,Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent!If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids?Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepakwith us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need anotherdeepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can beseen/experienced through the "SELF" but to know this SELF we donotneed anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELFknows it SELF.1. Where is God I have never seen Him?He is not HE, He is "I". When we can see/know who am I we cansee/know who is God.Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin ofall, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of theuniverse! Ch10:152. Who has seen Him?All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seenHIM too.Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have youseen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said-"Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now."Listening to this Narendra became his disciple.3. How is He?With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entireuniverse.Ch10:424. If I dont know how do I accept?Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realizedsoul, and know Him first, then accept.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna ordonot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita-Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Leadyr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Beforegiving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit withthem and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn bythe character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If theycan learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and willget their realization at their own speed.with lots of Love,a sadhikaSadhna Karigar --------------------------------Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of thequestioner!! "Sarphod" in Hindi means skull breaker ! "Tablachi"means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !!Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classicname Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted someone to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't sayplease- "that children now a days need more than belief to accept".That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even yourkind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solidbelief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanityon this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind ofproof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your fatheror some name to be mine or for that purpose by "the children of nowa days"- say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you "know" as to who is your father and who is your mother? Whatproof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr Xas your father? You asked "from where to pick the thread". I reply to you that youpick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee JeeShashikala-------------------------------Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.Itis very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanationin his books-"Autobiography of a yogi" and "Man's eternal quest"which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectlydescribes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He isthe Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God isindescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul.Ami Chhowala --------------------------------I still remain unsatisfied in this "divine" forum. How and whyParamatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in yourscriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also "see" God ?My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your SwamiRamsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddarhad "darshanas" of God. Was His statement right or your referenceof good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known?How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need aninstruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to befair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manneris focal point! None of the "sadhaks" are convincing so far. Iasked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear andincomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were likeme in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not adivine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist.Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What elsewe are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature" made oceans, Sun Moon etcand when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Whycant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God isbeyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr PratapBhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? "Sadhaks" - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfymy knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi--------------------------------Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body asreal self and not the outer sheath of immortal "real self" whichcontains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal Godis Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine.Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of "Sunand Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet"and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of thepeople who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaiseGod as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on thisearth are "Thy" tiny living cells. We have several billions livingcells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who weare? But those who find human soul as "real self" have no difficulty inknowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul(Parmatma) and His subtle body "Mahadeva" is omnipotent SupremeSpirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. Hisspirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matterconsisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spiritprevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani-pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides inour subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Thosewho consider material gross body as the real self will always finddifficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- namederived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras.Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind.with regards,Prem Sabhlok --------------------------------Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwellingeverywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If wecan tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we canfeel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body withlife is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far weare only establishing the things which are existing, but we areunable to establish about the source of the existence.Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with thenature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought aboutgod. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the sensesattached to our body always act against our realisationprocess.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life.Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,thinknaturally and live naturally. with regardsRamana kothuri ------------------The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I toodont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers orlogics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dontagree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His belovedones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers ofSupreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas'message that before "big bang" too something existed or that ifthere is creation then there must be a creator. But how that isexclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptomand authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Pleaseelaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about fiveelements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing thetransformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions arewarranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. Firstthe logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by "No one knows about time!!!" Also, I am unclear asto how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea abouttime, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred byhim? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree HariRam Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him?Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one cansimply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given thename Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or allNames are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him?Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in futuretoo Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has statedthat Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond thiswhatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He?Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regardingParmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot bedescribed at all. 4) What are you able to know "Time" (samay). This question has beenasked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). Itis not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not onlyyou, but no one understands anything about "time". They can saynothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarlybelieve and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment oflaws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyonecontinues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, andaccording to one's own convenience and conformance giving thattattva a "form". You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportivearguments and evidence exist to establish the existenceof 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get thesupport of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning-deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be ofthat thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot everbe known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not inconformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual oran aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught upin the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual.Leaving the search, become engaged in "Chup Saadhan" (EffortlessAwareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will bequietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / wordsused. Vineet Sarvottam-------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always acreator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine,house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible.Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth,Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle,machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earthalso moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sunrises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller ofthem also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot "create" anything! It is only "nature"which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covertgold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can'tcreate gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two ormore elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . Youcan "discover" only. To be continued. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B-------------------------Kindly read bertrand russelAranha Roy ---------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakashave said.Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humbleus!Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object hasto exist inthe first place.Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. Thisknowing of anexistence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes,function etc.The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be oneExistencefundamentally. Individual objects within it are individualexistences localizedin space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms,continuingthe existences.When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the wordUniverse pointsto the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Onlyby beingaware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awarenessof Existence.To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness toknowwhether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has tobebeginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no,because to sayit, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there isAwareness ofnon-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, theExistence(withoutdivision into many objects), is eternally free of time and spacecontaining allobjects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowingit withthis ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says thereal neverceases to be.Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent,Beautiful, full ofLove and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God?God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and loveunconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, andthose whopreach God's message!Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of EternalOneness, GOD!Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ----------------------------My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectlyasked: "Why can't I see Him?"Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It issubjective awareness.The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose adistinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal-consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you reallyare, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective,and you'll find what you're looking for.Rishi Handa ----------------------------Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understandingthis.....Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions?""Who wants to know God?" ....and wait for the answer....see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating thequestions....In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourselfwho is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows.......Best wishesSushil Jain --------------------------------I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, Iwent through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. Ido not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I canever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am opento all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I hadthem before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now -with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I amgradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding themthrough others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. Thereare great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash alsoamongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas andexplanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to findGod and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in mylife? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? Itdepends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas forhumanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they areasking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. Idoubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divinepower appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can Iimagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (AlphaCentauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine thatdistance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which isfull of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I seeGod, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes ofexplanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending onwhere you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so pleasediscuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questionsbefore) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through theoscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincereyou will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of yourquestions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through thisuntil now. Venu Gopal-------------------------------- PRIOR POSTINGI will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I amblessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled fullcircle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What arethe logics which point towards the existence of God? From where topick the thread?O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell meS. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliantphysicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk aboutthe 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was theresubstance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'?I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out whatthen?, I would press the point home that the Great IndiansTraditions had a good explanation for all this many millenniumbefore the present time, and is probably a good guide for thescientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws ofphysics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to bespot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicistseem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider tobuild the perfect web according to its kind, without actually beingtaught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, bemercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take youwhere it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you,maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children knowwater is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them toshow hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd)and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets.Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- "God is apprameyam" that whichcannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, asGod can be only known by Gyana (knowledge)2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per aboveexamples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God asshown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai,Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form thatthe devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/SriRama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HEis in all shapes and forms.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept thatthere is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing wholeuniverse, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrolor fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept-Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a questioneither he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already hasor he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking aquestion relating to God, first he has to explain what is in hismind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think andfeel that we are separated from the rest. This is an opticalillusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. Allthe sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and ourmind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there.When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superiorknowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supremerealisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death isthe most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of thecage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional viewandlinear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge withGod H. Subair ------------------------------dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.personlike you are really god's gift to us.bhargav mehta------------------------PRIOR POSTINGRe: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? Whatis the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, whatand how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwithenters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran--------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste!When someone says "where is God? I have never seen Him", that personhas to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannotask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumptionthat God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in themind and what I see out there is definitely not "God".So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first.When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will getanswered.Consider the following dialogue:Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence?A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious tome!Q: How do you know you exist?A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO!Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or somelogical explanation to confirm you do exist?A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do,because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need anysense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of "beingness" we all feel withinus, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objectsof knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us,never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind-world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always!I just have to find out that ultimately this "I" is Impersonal andis of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God!Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal!Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular objectamong many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect.It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE!It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know theirexistence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes placeautomatically by just Being.Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization!Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod,There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I haveheard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, "Iwant you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will beat stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is Goddoing right now?The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searchingthrough various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job thenext day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father'sperplexity, inquired, "What troubles you, father?" The fatherresponded, "Oh, this is not something you would understand." Atthe child's persistence, the father finally explained. The smallchild smiled, and simply said, "Father, that is so easy toanswer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answerthese inquiries, and I will then give him my responses".The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way torespond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested theking, "First, please have a pot of milk brought forth." The king didso. Then the child inquired, "Is there ghee in this milk?" Theking said, "Yes, it is there." Then the child explained, "It isthere, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee?" Theking said, "There is a process by which the ghee will be broughtforth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, thenthe butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to thesurface......only after one patiently follows this process will hesee the ghee." As the king was speaking, slowly realization cameinto his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at thismoment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, whodoes not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He willcertainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept theprocess of "bringing forth the ghee".The child then said, "You are asking me what God is doing.That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple.So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if youare learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the childon the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understandhis next lesson. "This is what God is doing"....he said. "He istaking someone from a low position and putting him into a highposition, according to the results of his work, and taking someoneelse from a high position and putting him into a low position."The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded himand his father.So, one may say, "I don't accept such simplisticresponses".....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord,unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of asadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one trulycomes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a Godconsscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explainwhat happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability toanalyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide,and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them.It is not a mechanical process.I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....itis truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our childrenbecome somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of theLord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. Wecan only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends forthem that we can possibly be. respectfully,Mahalaksmi Dasi -------------------------------Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book "the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi"published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes--------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!In this posting I would like to build on my previous post.We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, whatis the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain toour children. I would shy away to tell children that because it issaid in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such andsuch. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That whichalways IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth,thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experiencealways, not some states we experience that come and go, rather Thatin which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understandingof that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality ofwhatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather thanlater. What is Reality, then?If we continue to inquire, we may find that whether I am in joyful,or painful or sad or indifference or even in depressedsituations, "I am" always present and "knowingness" of these varioussituations I am in is also always present too, which I never noticedue to my attachments/aversions to situations. These situationseventually disappear but not "I".What is the nature of this I that we all say I when referring toourselves? Whatever it is, for sure it IS! This ISNESS-I is the mostcertain experience and is Truth. Even if I see illusion, I or seeingis the truth. This seeing then is communicated as I see an object(orhear, taste, smell, touch, think, feel etc). I and seeing issynanymous as consciousness. Now extend this to outer world. Regardless of objects we perceiveout there, Being Conscious of them is the only truth of ourexperience. Thus, alleged external world is nothing but ONEUndivided/Whole Existence/Consciousness(Absolute) in our experience.Mind is given to us to divide the Existence into different objectsfor practical and Divine play. When we come to this understanding,our attitude towards world changes to one of dispassion, devotionand to serve it as God, in whatever ways we can. We see Godeverywhere our eyes fall upon!This is God relization.Namaskar.............Pratap BhattGITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES:1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubtsrelated to Gitaji shlokas. Therefore, responses which furtherclarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted.2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures tosubstantiate your response.3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to theextent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respectingsadhaka's time.5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only.6. Please do not include links to the other sites or otherorganizations.7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phonenumber, address etc.8. Please do not address the response to a particular individualsince the message is going to the entire group.9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted.10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if contentis unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group.11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth,westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskritwords only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketedwherever possible. MODERATORRam Ram------------------------ Post message: Subscribe: - Unsubscribe: - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 My question is that how to prove that there exists a super naturalpower called "God" ? At least how to explain that. How to correlateHis existence with the character of the world? Children now a daysneed more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which wecan establish that God exists. If some body says say :1. Where is God I have never seen Him?2. Who has seen Him?3. How is He?4. If I dont know how do I accept?5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Chapter ten of Bhgavata Gita explains every aspects of Almighty GodNo more explanations required Thanks truly yours S S Bhatt ---- " Ahankaram balam darpam, kamam krodham parigraham,Vimucya nirmamah santo, brahma bhuyaya kalpate" ( gita 18, 53). Which means " one who is deyached , free from false ego, false strength, pride, ownership and one who is always peaceful, such a person is eligible for brahma swarupam."When one is free from false ego and becomes non attached to material things, then that one reached " brahma bhuta stage". A pure devotee goes still further and becomed engaged in devotional service. Pure devotional service is the key to attain the lord. There are examples to prove God's presence. Sant tukaram went back to lord's kingdom on garuda vahana', sent by pandu ranga. Composer singer annamacharya saw lord venkateswara. Hare krishna. Prasad iragavarapu m.d --- Sutra 1Parambrahma (Spirit or God) is everlasting, complete, without beginning or end.It is one, indivisible Being.The Eternal Father, God, Swami Prarmbrahma, is the only Real Substance, Sat, andis all in all in the universe.Why God is not comprenhensible;Man possesses eternal faith and believes intuitively in the existence of aSubstance, of which the objects of sense - sound, touch, sight, taste and smell,the component parts of theis visible world - are but properties. As manidentifies himself with his material body, composed of the aforesaid properties,he is able to comprhend by these impercect organs these properties only, and notthe Substance to which these properties belong. The Eternal Father, God, theonly Substance in the Universe, is therefore not comprehensible by man of thismaterial world, unless he becomes divine by lifting his self above this creationof Darkness or Maya. See Hebrews 11:1 and John 8:28."Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things notsee.""Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the son of man (human ego),then shall ye know that, I am he."Sutra 2In it (Parambrahma) is the origin of all kowledge and love, the root of allpower and joy.Prakriti or Nature of God;The Almighty Force, Shakti, or in other words the Eternal Joy, Ananda, whichproduces the world; and the Omniscient Feeling, Chit, which makes this worldconscious, demonstrate the Nature, Prakriti, of God the Father.How God is comprehended.As man is the likness of God, directing his attention inward he can comprehendwithin him the said Force and Feeling, the sole properties of his Self - theForce Almighty as his will, Vasana, with enjoyment, Bhoga; and the FeelingOmniscient as his Consciousness, Chetana, that enjoys, Bhokta. See Genesis 1:27."In this way God created man in his own image, in the image of God created hehim; male and female created he them."So says Swami Sri Yukteswarji in his book, "The Holy Science". Haley Haynes --------- Sarphod Tabalchi, you have raised some very pertinent questions, which clearly do away with the concept of an anthropomorphic just and merciful Father – one is reminded of the Epicurean Riddle:"Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; Or He can, but does not want to.If He wants to, but cannot, He is impotent. If He can, but does not want to, He is wicked.If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?"The irrational, the tissue of whose brain is of a coarse quality, will try to offer some very stupid explanations to this riddle, leaning on the spurious law of Karma.I am shocked to see educated people attach more weight to blind faith and vulgar superstition than to facts which lie in hand – this is something Charles Darwin had bemoaned as well. Raja Ram Mohan Roy had hoped that Western education wouldrid Indians of blind faith: he was wrong. Western education has succeeded only in creating a profusion of literate fools.I was reading some Indian Scripture in which there was mention of "the God who brings rain and the demons that withhold it" – this disgusted me so much that I just threw that useless book away. Science has done half the job to cure peoplefrom the disease of God and Religion; the other half can be achieved by reading Western Philosophy. I would definitely attach more weight to men of science and logic than to the buffoons who write about Gods and demons bringing rain. Ifbitten by a venomous snake, where would you rush to – a modern hospital stocking the anti-venom, or some dim-witted idiot who would parrot out Scriptures in an attempt to cure you? Until modern science developed snake anti venom, and manyother cures, our Scriptures and obsolete medical techniques were quite ineffective and useless when it came to most medical problems."God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)" – this quote by Catherine Anderson just proves Epicurus right – it means God is harmful bacteria, virus, and all the evil that pervades the world.If anyone really wishes to enlighten themselves, I suggest you stop reading trash and go for books by great men like David Hume and Arthur Schopenhauer.P Srivastava--- Shree Hari Ram Ram Srivastavaji, Namaskaar! Please share with us if you have read the Bhagavad Gita. (By read, we mean - not just superficially scanning...but questioning, inquirying and seeing if the answers are available in it)..... Simply speaking.... if we have not done DNA testing of our father... we are living in blind faith.... As we recollect - ARthur Schopenhauer was deeply influenced by the Bhagavad Gita, he has made comments to that effect. Education feeds the mind/intellect which are insentient. It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means. Ram Ram ------ God is an Anglo-Saxon noun and refers to a Male (as opposed to Goddess), Creator Being. There is no provable God (or Goddess). As Hindus, what do we know? Tat Tvam Asi. This Mahavakya means that we are No-Thing (Tat). This Tat is also referred to as ParaBrahman and sometimes Nirguna Brahman. What can be said about Tat? Nothing. "Mouna vakya ParaBrahaman tattwam." Tat may also be defined as Om Tat Sat(chidananda). This Saguna Brahaman experience is provable. Energy/Light/Bliss is our Atmana. This we know. God we do not know. As Hindus, we have our Ishta Devatas and this good and this is personal. One does not (and cannot) have to prove the existence of our Ishta Devata. Thus, Hinduism is a monistic polymorphism and not the lesser understanding of Monotheism. Swami Param ------ Shree Hari Ram Ram Swami Paramji, Kindly explain what exactly is meant by monistic polymorphism. Ram Ram ------ is obvious that there is NO GOD. The characters attributed to GOD are Omnipresent Omnipotent Merciful All Knowing. There is so much misery and injustice in this world that either God does not know it in which case he is not all knowing, or he knows and does not do any thing about it. In that case he is not merciful. Or he can not do any thing then he is not omnipotent. I take a recent case of a 10 years old girl being raped by her father. What was God doing? It has been said that the girl was being punished for what she might have done in her previous life. How can a merciful God punish a child of ten ? In any case what she did in her previous life could not have been done if God did not will it to be done. If we agree that it was a punishment for some act for previous life than the father can not be blamed for the this act. He was only an instrument in the WILL of God. Let us face it God is nothing but an inversion of Man to explain things he could not explain, create an absolute authority and may be give hope when there is none arun sharma --- Shree Hari Ram Ram Arunji... have you read the Bhagavad Gita? Paramatma is not the doer, nor a punisher ! There have been previous discussions on this subject... in Gita Talk...you can search by topic. Ram Ram ---- PRIOR POSTING To my beloved sadhaks, Where is God? Who has seen Him? How is God? How do I accept Him? What logic points towards God? Let us look at Gita 7/19"After taking many births and acquiring the human form and realizing that God is Everything, should such a knower (Jnanavan) surrender to Me, indeed such a great soul is a rarity. "Repeat such a great soul is a rarity. My question is how can one not see God, who cannot be aware of where He is, how He is, but to accept Him is a good place to start and how to do this is by establishing a direct affinity for God.Everything is God. God has in simple words, expounded to us the innermost secrets of the hearts of great souls of Vasudev Sarvam. God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)Bhagavan says(Gita 18/55)" After realizing my quintessence (Tattva) man immediately merges into Me."Those who want to attain God do so by Discipline of Action, Knowledge and Devotion.For more info on God realization go to Swamiramsukhdasjis site and read on how to attain God with humility.catherine andersen ------------------------- Shree Hari:Ram Ram. By Grace of God these questions are on my computer: 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? God is in your mind. You can't see God with your eyes as mental conceptions are not seen by us. 2. Who has seen Him? Nobody ever declared he/she has seen God. 3. How is He? Nobody ever described how is God. 4. If I don't know how do I accept? If you don't know accept or don't accept, choice is yours. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles on us so that we may indulge in goodness. What harm is there if you indulge in goodness? Indulge in goodness or not, choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for His existence. What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? from where to pick the thread? Existence of Existence (termed Tattva, Sattaa by Swamijee Shree Ramsukhdasjee) needs no basis for its existence. Existence of Existence is all logic and all illogic but they can't point towards Existence of Existence similarly as you can't mix water into water when you are under water only. You are the beginning and you are the end of the thread. Pick it up and go. You shall finish at the other end of thread and shall be surprised to experience that what you sought is the seeker. Vasudev: Sarvam. (Gita 7:19). If you conceive God, you fail to experience the experience as experience is experience only (Swamijee in God IS Everything page 2 last para "Similarly in this world, men, animals, birds, trees, mountains, stones, bricks, sand, lime, earth etc. are of diverse kinds, yet what resides intrinsically within, has no form and that formless essence is God".). Bandhu, if anything is easiest it is Realizing God (Existence, not any human with four hands etc they are NOT God as they don't reside in everything, they come and go.) Who is ever Realized as You can't deny your existence. Ram Ram. Kachcha Sadhaka Sarvottam.---- 5 Fallacies & Realities about God Fallacies* Ego Consciousness Realities of Self Consciousness 1 Humans believe that God needs something. Humans know that God needs nothing. God is beyond needs and demands. 2 Humans believe that God can fail to get what He needs. Humans know that God can never fail to get what He does not need. He has no needs. God is his own measure beyond failures & successes. 3 Humans believe that God has separated them from Him because they have not given Him what He needs. Humans know that God has integrated them from Him because they are God in human form. God is beyond form and non-form as one Living Consciousness. 4 Humans believe that God still needs what He needs so badly that God now requires them, from their separated position, to give it to Him. Humans know that God never needs any thing from humans other that what they are and have. God is in human form. 5 Humans believe that God will destroy them if they do not meet His requirements. Humans know for God there is no destruction and creation but infinite manifestations of energy of Living Consciousness. Dance of Living consciousness is appearance & disappearance of Physical Universe. *Neale Donald Walsch (The New Revelations) Sushil Jain PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna God is worshipped in 3 forms:1. Attributeless-Formless (Nirgun-Nirakar)2. Attribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar)3. Attribute-Form (Sagun-Sakar) Goswami Tulsidasji has said"NIRGUN ROOP SULABH ATI SAGUN JAAN NAHI KOI""The attributeless form of Parmatma is very easy to understand butno one can know the form of Parmatma with attributes." The first form of Attributeless-Formless Pramatma can be proved bylogic of uninterrupted existence (akhand satta). The second form ofAttribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar) Parmatma can be proved by logicof conscious and sentient Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. But the third form of Parmatma with form and attributes (Ram,Krishna, Shiva etc.) cannot be proved by any logic, rationale etc.They can only be believed with purport of Gita, Ramayan, Sadhak-Sanjivani etc.If anyone argues over Ram being God then questions like these willarise "In forest how did Lord Ram get deceived by a gold-deer? If Heis deceived then how is He Omniscient? Why did Lord take the help ofSugreev's army? If He takes help then how come is He Almighty?...." When Lord Ram killed Ravan's mighty brothers Khar and Dushan, Ravandecided to examine whether the Omniscient and Almighty Parmatma hastaken Ram-avatar. He kidnapped Sitaji (with disguise of an ascetic)by deceiving Lord with a golden-deer. Lord failed in the examinationand Ravan was successful in his evil plan, but what was the endresult? Lord Ram destroyed the entire clan of Lankan demonsalongwith Ravan. That is why Goswamiji has said"RAM ATARKYA BUDDHI KAR JAANI""Lord Ram cannot be known by intellect." Faith in Parmatma with form and attributes (known as Bhagwan) canonly be developed when one does satsang. Reading scriptures is alsoone form of Satsang. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia Hare KrishnaDear Sarphod Uncle, I sincerely apologize to you and your family for the language I haveused. I thought you were just trying to outsmart us with yourintellectual prowess so I used the same ploy on you; but Sir you area true sadhak. Sadhanaji, Mikeji recognized you but because of my so-called cleverness I did not recognize you. Again my sincereapologies for the usage of harsh words and blunt language. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------Om, God = generator orgniser destroyer.Do you see the air? Nosuppose you don't see the air then you can't see the energies in theair that sustain our body. Suppose you want to hold a grand partyof 5000 people continuing 15 days, then how much work you have todo, you will distribute your work among your relatives. Think ofGod is a organising 600 crores or more ( not only about earth butthink about whole universe). Think who has that Supreme organizingpower ! You or God. God is in every thing from atom to Everest.Suppose you made a car that each and every thing came from you meanseach part of car made from you, by you. That is God. He iscolourless, touchless, soundless, shapeless because he is supremeenergy. If you trust and have faith in God. you will trust ongod.this is the one kind of work of god. because hi is ruling onus.Whether you go to the church or any mandir or masjid, your needsby pleading to your superior… He is That. And you say uponfulfilling your wish - "thank God" What is that power that isfulfilling your needs? Whether small or a big one, it is fulfilledand often no by your effort Hari Om,nilesh popat mali, -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING To Respected Sadhaks of this really divine , perhaps the only of itskind across the globe, Satsanga Group! It is me, Dear Brothers, with my Dear Begum Sahibaa respectfullythanking you all for gems of wisdom which you imparted to me and tothe world. An association of people like you, group like yours, isor can only be God willed. Indeed, with people like Vyasji, (extremely polished and never contradicting. Must be the one who hasseen/ touched the "dukhalayam" very closely, very wisely and wonover the same), Mike Keenor ( You are pride of the very humanity)Varun, ( I am sure he is younger than many of us- his impetuosity/quick reaction reflects that, but very clever and very organised-Refer Gita 16/1 - jnanayogarvyavasthitam- an ideal young follower)Pratapji Bhatt ( Spl regards for you, for not firing me back) , thatreal firebrand Dear Sister of all of us Shashikalajee ( What asharp discrimination you have been blessed with ! ), Mira Dassji (An impartial devotee /follower of Respected Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaaj), Rajaji, Baiyaji and dozens like them, are the jewels ofthis divine forum. My heartfelt pranaams to Vineetji Sarvottam. Hiscomments were innocent and correct. Thanks AgainSarphod TabalchiRaseeli Rani Tabalchi --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhak,Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what myKrishna says-- Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna!Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16) O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : Theafflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment andthe wise. Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge. The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you areusing wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, whichitself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the differencebetween Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everythingwhich is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnecthimself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body,senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped thereremains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing.....From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothingemerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga. And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my belovedKrishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When wesee HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case ofDropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as inthe case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculousbeing, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in astatue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,andwithout forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our ownlimited vision.When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wishto see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him ineverything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist,money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become nonexistence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination inHis regime. He just "IS". I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. SomewhereSwamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this "IS" remains the same in boththe statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...Howblessed this human form is!!! How divine this forum is!!!Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss !Shivoham! Shivoham!!With lots of Love,A SadhikaSadhna Karigar------------------------------ 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is anobject. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals asshakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understandit. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidanceyou will progress.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them?You want to make something you gather material and put your effortto make project. So there is someone who is behind all and yourthinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan------------------------------Pranam God exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you searchon "milkmiracle" You will see for your self. bvmJai Shree Ram------------------------------ Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For thosewho yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; infact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God!Doubting God takes one nowhere. Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proofof the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in thesense of all these existing objects, you see. WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE:Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you seelove, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible? WHO HAS SEEN HIM?A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity hasrevealed 'itself'. WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE?He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable inthat experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute amongthe experiences. IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT?The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can'tsee them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest inanswering these abstract questions. GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS.God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindnessetc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good futureand for building in them the moral character which saves oursociety. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person cansee God. THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THELOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD?We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God astranscendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in thedisbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience whileborn as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all thosethings of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We canafford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try?If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them thespiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, NisargaduttaMaharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God.You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'. I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted toshare with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people thebest of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year. Dr Shastry--------------------------------1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOTan object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when SriKrishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM asGod except Duryodhan who told it was illusion.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishnawith love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller.Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable totie up. It is the way you accept.Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayanPRIOR POSTINGJai Hanuman I agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writingregularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is SisterAnita- absolutely correct and "really" .practical and therefore onthe path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai !O Daddy the Great ! Let such "Divinity" continue flowing unto thisGT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons toexclaim with pleasure- "Brilliant" ! Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make hercry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? "Anguishof your soul" is most of the times " your sin" - also ! AlmostAlways! Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proofthat Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL-"KNOWLEDGE"? No body, come what may, has been able to "prove" in the past, norcan they do so in the present , nor will they be able to "prove"that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of provingthat. If you can't "prove" the existence of your even this father onearth, how can you prove the existence of your "eternal father"? Reason: "Self" Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego ! "Acceptance"/ "Faith" / "Belief" - is the only remedy. If some bodywants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you BrotherWilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in thisSatsanga forum! Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latestmessage - 1 An Aussie !2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in thecenter. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! ) Above all - 3 Flowers in the Sky !!!! (What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed !So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours ofposting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible !Yet so easily available ! But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timelyand exactly ? Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse fora long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about itsmanifestation !! ) Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! "DIVINE" !! Do you get us MrSarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only "Sadhaks" ! Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala--- Dear Vyasji, You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi jiis more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatorycomments from others (as is evident from his second mail). Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? isTabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If heknows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, theproblem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know "koaham (who am I)" May I quote from Shankara ? "KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA MEJANANI KO ME TATAH" (who are you, who am I, from where have I come,who is my mother and who is my father). Kind regards,Suresh C SharmaPRIOR POSTINGHari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is nothirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed byyou. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can "see" God, andone who has thirst for world only, "sees" the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can notsee- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which inreality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can notsee God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because Ididnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young inthis stage - by experience and by learning.However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I shouldat least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us -all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children thatgod is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us hasthe responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity,looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in mymaid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs meevery time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me andhas made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla -who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see himevery day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise thatit was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime youmeet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection ofGOD. So, see god in all and see all in him.2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of usare in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me.And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined bythis supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are notable to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowableforce/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, yourneighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that lightin them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would bethere with you! Anita Sharma-------------------------Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little tooAussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly youwould understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's cleverlittle dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress,The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness:Pure silence echoed between the galaxies,Eons of eons vanished in a second,Withered trees bloomed in fires,Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry,Thusness scattered in sixty directions,Space became Time, time became things,Black Holes filled with Nirvana,A billion samadhi mirrors shattered,Galaxies snuggled within a single skull,Many became One, One only, only One.Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All BeingsOpened Her clouded Eye, to see:Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor --------------------------Hari Om. Respected sir,I've studied from my childhood that motheris our first GOd.We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru.Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb?If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof,I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided youhave the permission to see Krushna.Rest in my next.Hari Om.With Regards,Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says.I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible.thanksWilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whetherthere is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has alsobeen answered by various people in various ways in all the ages.But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma doesexist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond theUniverse. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Himwith his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, everyliving being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super-intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things andcreated wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anythingthat is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand,is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a specialfeature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time afterwhich it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. Wesee planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. Thisnever ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation andre-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely,Ram Bhai------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchijiabout I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellowseeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as neededto grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points.Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makesso much difference in our understanding!I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake upand find all answers about Truth of God, this world and "you".All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers!Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellowsadhaks, I remain prayerful!Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING-Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is,I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on theback of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of whatit is.Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the falsereality reflected on the wall of the cave.Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Isthis all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself,say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they havenothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as itwere, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems tobe a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and aspiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth thatIndia had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: "Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousandpeople starting with the words: "Sisters and Brothers of America...",and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture withstandingovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes......." If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe youcould read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (Ifyou require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of yoursoul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict,do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, otherSadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about thatwhichdoes not exist etc.Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. Ihave,I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cryfor him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, whenyour heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor-----------------------------Dear Sadaks,I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The onewho has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.SherphodVedanta/Upanashids.1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, oneneeds TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as atemple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind haselectricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent.Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender.3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS.Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or forthat matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give youanswers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a differentissue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru whocan help you. I do not see from your postings you have thisexpectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could beanohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi,1. Where is God I have never seen Him?It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible byour physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God.If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There aremany ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it.Then after you never deny God.2. Who has seen Him?I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talkto birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me.3. How is He?He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied myexistence. He wants everyone happy.4. If I dont know how do I accept?Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expectanything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in yourmind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God wheneveryou want deny God.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.If you know this much of God you should not deny God.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basicconcept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn GodGod comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see theelectricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you everenquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think aboutTV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not functionwithout electricity. Even you can not ask these questions withoutthat power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier thandenying God.Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi jiWe all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving anopportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by allsadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers.since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstaclesto understanding the truthsince it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing orseeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we mayhave gone through this period.But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with someguidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and theanswers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplatingexercise on the questions firstfor example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? whatcould be the place where it could be,why it can not be hear with us?Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourselfrepeatedly who am I?Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important socontemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it?What could it look like? What should it be?Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don'tknow? Do I know all? How can I know more?Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplateon: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Whywe need to fear the word God to be good?Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? Whatis the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophetshave to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learningexercise......answers are within and we must practice to startlistening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............bestwishes......Thank you....Sushil Jain ----------------------------Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there isnothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things thatexist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns tomankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I alsohave the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove thatthere is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my testsand verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all thosetools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD andall the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. Thatmeans, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusualthing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that isbothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have theseriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questionsshould be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the questto know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quickconclusions like "There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc.,"because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the rightsources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying "I askeda question which this forum is not able to answer" Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history ofmankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admittedto have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who wasearnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (SwamiVivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not havequestions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind,one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levelsof Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, ARAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might befulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till suchtime, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you,Sincerely,Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy)Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying "I am very good". FYI! I wasnot entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. Youdon't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it.Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with yourlogic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also calledyou inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji,Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should thinkover it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But forthis one need guts, because you will have to keep aside yourprejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able toprove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, wecan only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do notrespect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how canyou accept and respect the biggest father (Param-PitaParmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems tobe upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have anyshame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitudeyou are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passingjudgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making methink. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji hascorrectly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an openmind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directedyou to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are notinterested in knowing or learning anything, you are only askingthese questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. Heis only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything aboutGita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel yourexistence as "I AM", right? Then why can't you prove it with yourlogic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did notget any reply. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia--------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding "flower of sky"- because it does not exist. You yourself said that.You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talkedabout God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions inthis forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about "flower of sky"?As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even ifthey were dead immediately after your birth, because there is abasis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of theirexistence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents meansyour grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In theend you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is "Param Pita" - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee JeeShashikala ----------------------Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunjiis correct. You , yourself, are "sample" of God ! Because like God,you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody "experiences" that -I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking aboutexperience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are notexisting ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct anytest to determine whether you exist or not. You neverexperience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may saythat "I don't know", but you can't say "I didn't exist" ! How canyou say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your"self" tobe non existing. Non existence of your"self" has never come intoyour experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deepsleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were nonexistent. But at the same time you experience directly theabsence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist.So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in yourbody. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which ispermanent and changeless and who is looking separately canexperience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You arenot body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is alsochangeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in yourbody. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? Inwhich part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact youare existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere inthe body. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------By summery of GITA: "Tat Twam Asi" or 'That You Are'This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : "Keepyour self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you"As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by ourSenses.No machine can prove Logic.By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gainenergy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during ameditative state.Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can saypositive Energy in us and arround is GOD.This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will growonly to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' !The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics ofRamayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre ofthis World.The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' isalso what we see in us.Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning andCreating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in ourYouth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. Atthe end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs withthe help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the nextbirth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible andchange form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(nonbeliever of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idolworshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self !--RegardsSwapan PURKAYASTHA --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a goodquality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed inits lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of "God"? Do you urgefor "God"? If "YES" to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can'tstick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that yourcurrent logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimedexcellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess canclaim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench yourdesires.If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity iswarranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If "NO" to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why areyou confusing yourself with these questions. That "NO" becomesmeaningless just because you are incapable of letting the veryquestions go! The very reason you are raising these questions provethat you are infested either by fear or by desire or by bothregarding "God". THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is "YOUR" primary responsibility to address the same. As Imentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping youout. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect theignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But,the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let anindividual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms ofthemselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are notapplying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it iscommon sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to behappy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are youreally interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with thesequestions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If youreally need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the onlyway out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? Ifyou have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of allactions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it outyourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific "is adevine forum" as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity,everything is devine. If not, some may claim "divinity" as if therest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if youreally want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question yourquestions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONSREGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE ITWITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for ITwithin. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remainedfutile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine isnot receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myselfof more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any"psyche" as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if youwant ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTINGDear "Sadhaks" (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajeeasked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon theadvice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead ofresponding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and hismother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and againread that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her anotherquestion. I have not desired to smell "flower of sky" , because itdoes not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and youSadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee hasasked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn"texist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B isgiving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But thebest among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. Headviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hangingon. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gavehim a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhattis rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simplygiving me round round answers. On other hand you are passingjudgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Orsay - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. MyBegum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her atleast. But Mike praised me. He called me "brilliant". Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi---------------------------We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical isthis: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call thatsomething Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call itrandom nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to knowThat Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradoxand answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you,within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that wecontrol our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had tosee the Universal form to get over the final hurdle.Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh-------------------------------Dear devotees of Lord Krishna,The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better afterseeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan ofLord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a slokafrom 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded inTamil, and can be shared with the group if interested.With kind regards,Sincerely,P.Vivekanandan------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, bywhich one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you willsee for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: "Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman isnot attainable by a weak man." In the Gita you willfind: "Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring whichBrahmacharya is performed" (Chap. VIII-11). "Trividham narakasyedamdvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayamtyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive ofthe Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce thesethree" (Chap. XVI-21). "Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam -Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance ofBrahmacharya" (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a purelife, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts,concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even abit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot becompletely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord.You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Graceis needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot begrasped by him. You can read more about this in the "Easy Steps to Yoga" by SriSwami Sivananda.chirag almoula --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may pointout that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if thatperson doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent uponseeing God in the way you want to see.Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. Itseems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, withthe desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, itmeans you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinentquestions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responsesindicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if youcannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has tosee that "seeing God" means deep understanding of intuitive naturein this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It hasto be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable ofgrasping truth.Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make yousee the pointers.I said one cannot say "I don't see God" without knowing what God heis looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants tosee, right? One can say "I don't know God, tell me what/where Ishould look, and how to recognize". It is different than show meGod, right?Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflectedin our experience of "I am" right now as you read these words. Infirst posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proofone cannot deny.There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect isnot capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, thereis proof of God more reliable than that.But this point didn't make any impression.I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see whathappens!Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt-------------------------------Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and onlydiscuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your bodyhas changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr.Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly notchanging with it because if you were changing then who would haveknown the change in body? You are that changeless element who knowsthe change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are thechanging phases of the body but you are that changeless element whois witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changelesselement can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - Whatis the basis of your never-changing existence? If you considerbody's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic,because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example youconsider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you neverconsider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, mylegs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' andsimultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feelingwell. You establish two transversal relationships with the body,that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart(separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, howcan it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call itas I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself???Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. Iwant to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In otherwords, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself.According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr.Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body oryourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence.2. The basis of your existence.3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time,those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions,they are requested to read this Sadhaka postingsadhaka/message/2108 Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji-Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14)( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Momto Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn'tit? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Plstell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Fatheronly for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Thentotally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs,nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour ,form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form,my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, norany beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is myFather, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have anycaste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what canbe His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves,nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neitherany juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entireexhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall youare His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on thefront gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won'tunderstand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountableuniverses can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate,if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son!Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has noorgans, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element)person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas-1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient andinsentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannotsearch. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I amfalse. I am asat. I am non existent. My "not being" is my "being".Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats offto you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of theworld that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you -Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed "actually" Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose poweryou run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, ofWhose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountableuniverses, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do runthis circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Blessme , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva becametranquilised and then in the background divine music played- "MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee JeeShashikala--------------------------------Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by theDivine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, Icould be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just byreading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE.Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path offire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', andyes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in theIndian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I willstay using the terminology to which I am most familiar.You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have notdeserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a lightshining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away youtears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can bemended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those thathave felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combinedwith your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The DarkNight...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one thatrescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTINGHari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationalewhich establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help allin being definitive, have reference material and it will alsostrengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree thateasily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era ofKaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom Ihave solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To "live for ever". This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear ofdeath is the indicator of that desire.2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This isdesire for CHIT (Knowledge).3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire forANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element tofulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one /some element which enables you to "live for ever", to be all knowingand to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we wouldnot have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti "modern so called educated" people wanta little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge inmeaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot bediscussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (giveIt/Her/Him any name) is beyond description.Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a "fullstomach" tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu,or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirstyyou will not indulge in such childish questions about water, butwill try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (aphysic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature aboutGod, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well knownexpert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time andspace. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate DrEdington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious aboutexploring the great Absolute Truth. Become "jyan-vijyan-triptah" andonly then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards,Suresh C. Sharma------------------------ Sir,You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See aroundyou, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designedthis project and process. Your father and mother only are tools.Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal-------------------------------- Mitro,Why has this God become famous as "HE" why not "she" or "IT"or "Nothing"? Today's generation will not believe in gibberishbakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that Godis ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods(many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differencesand the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I haveasked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know Howis that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaaalso told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me.But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version.I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mindfixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept myparents because even if I dont remember my birth, they rememberthat. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feelthem. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why theyare my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the groundsthat since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and Iaccepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. Theydont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaacould not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with youShe said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am notsatisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, thenwhat? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me.She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cantaccept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling orexperiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feelor experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth,still I would accept that because how can I come without them onthis earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike orShashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observationsof Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this selfproclaimed "Divine" site. Dont go by my name. Even my BegumSaahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding myname Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTINGHare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish(Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar),a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!!According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Himand also enter into Him. Arjuna saidO universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Yourfour-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch andlotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya saidThe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus toArjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed Histwo-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said:My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is verydifficultto behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to seethis form, which is so dear.Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, noreven by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as Youhave seen Me.O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can beseen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even enteredinto.My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me,is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towardsall beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answeryour question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife hasstated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji'swords. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully andshould learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have givenexcellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers andwillcontinue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca thatthere must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as MrVineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. Butstill questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd butstill should be respected. Your "Begum Sahibaa" appears to havedirected herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affectionin the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are morelogics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In everyfield a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you willfind this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say"I am the Highest". Always a better /higher person than you isexisting. Now where does this "highness" end. If there is sense ofhighness , then there must be an element which is "highest". God isthat element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some "shelter" to survive. In the childhood youneed shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability,wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife,children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but notthe need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , thenthere must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimateshelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such inprinciplepoints. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty ,theremust be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always someshelter or other, then there must be an element which can bedescribedas " Highest Shelter available "! God is "PARAM ASHRAYA DATA" Giverof that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will benecessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But thereis also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact "to err ishuman" -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial.Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist anelement which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was adifference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise andSun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be moreperfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say "I am satisfied" As regards your observation that "Nature" also creates/controls-answer is that whether you believe that nature has "knowledge"? Ifyes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know yourreligion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERTNATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inertnaturetake care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to somany creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God.After all it is a matter only of "terminology". If no then you mustaccept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKESHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfilthat desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA" . Logical ?Doesit appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaaand come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- besure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I wasstartled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated "thanksfor triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace asalways." Son goes to father and asks, "Father, what is God?" Fatheranswered, "Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your lifeand whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think aboutIt!" The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The sonpromptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, "Father,fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbsall the life. Therefore, fear should be the god." Fatherremarks, "Good job! Keep thinking." The son not knowing whether hisrevelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comesback to father and declares, "Father, desire drives all the lives,desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives.Therefore, the desire should be the god." Father remarks again, Goodjob! Keep thinking." The son does not feel the conclusiveappreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continuesto contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all thelives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs allthe lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt thewisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can betaught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is thenotion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is thedeliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is theappreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. Theson, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, sensesand mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorptionpower in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. Hesees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,andabsorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears,desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe ofknowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested -mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst thethree phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these threedivinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force orSustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches hisfather, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of TheGod. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wonderingaloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. Thenew driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digsup an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivionof the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding whatthe driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed postof The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny.The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder ifit absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself.The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. Theabsorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kindabove lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back infrustration not withstanding what the absorption power could everbe. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenancestrength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdomdoes its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenancepower in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strengthwhich provides strength to all the life around starts wondering whatis the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source ofthe strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source ofstrength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold toanother all around the universe that is within its control to seekitself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. Itreturns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenancestrength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their owntrue nature around, the throne of The God starts fading intosilence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not thedriving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as theabsorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkationbetween the three divinities that was once so thick and opaquestarts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power ofcreation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in everything that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore yourfears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore yourhappiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as youare. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joysand hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within aswell as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating yournotions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being whatyou are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturallytranscends all the barriers built by your cognition acrosseverything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then thevery post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed themost troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vainsearching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, betterpause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … bewhat you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... notjust a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHINGWITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive.If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In otherwords, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in yourperception. Respects. Naga Narayana--------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses ofsadhakas received so far!To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeinganything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for whatone "thinks" God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be"that" it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think isso limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is notlogical, right?Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, whatdoes it mean?It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequentrealization that "my God, there is nothing else but only God IS inthe disguise of the Cosmos" that sees through that individual.The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she sawobjects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the sameforms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tendto see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when weunderstand God, this "Understanding" opens up the very mind who seesGod everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using.Other aspects of issues will see later....Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt -------------------------Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant!I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full ofdivine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past itdear friend).If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn,what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the wholetree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak treehave an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree?Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the otherquestion can be answered it seems to me.I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that wasby my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn.I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about3amin a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the roomat that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(todo annual technical checks). There across the room was thiscontroller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he wasperforming asanas, (within the restriction), "trying to stay awake?"Iasked, "no he boomed", we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common,wedeveloped a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I readBhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also).He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, "Mike if peoplecould her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'.What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, andthe courage, 'to ride the tiger".We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, meanAnglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we werebrothers of the spirit.There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respectedmoderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor-Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. Howdid she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according toyou.Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way didyou ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “flowerof sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired tosmell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you alwaysbelieve only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. Whatmethodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regardingthis world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you suchabig world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governingthis world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments onEACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will weknow whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consultyour Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us whatyour Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t youtell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will thatnot be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee JeeShashikalaDear Sadhakas, Namaste!Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered basedonwhat sadhakas already have echoed in their responses.The most important thing is to know that God is not "something","somewhere" and "some times". It is at the core of our being, anintimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known.In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object,nevertheless, is known as "knowingness" in us by virtue of justbeing.For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace,Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc "out there"? You cann't! They areexperiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etcoutside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said"From the beginning, not a thing is!" Please, please, see the truthofthis. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious ofsomething or other which we conceptualize as subjectexperiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought asseparate. Such division is not experiential.Just as these experiences are not seen "out there", but are truelyhappening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate fromConsciousness.Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat,conceptualized as "Sun" out there, for practical purpose. This isalsotrue for all apparant objects of the world.God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of themost intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though!When people engage in services to help others who are victims ofdisasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivatestheir actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! Peoplewho help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etcare also inspired by the same Love and Goodness!Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God?Are those who bring such disasters to "apparant others" also God, ifall is God?They are also, yes, but unfortunately "they" have not understood yetthat they are!In God's world, only God exists playing "others", so who does what towhom?Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us,nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt -PRIOR POSITINGDear Sadhak,Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent!If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids?Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepakwith us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need anotherdeepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can beseen/experienced through the "SELF" but to know this SELF we donotneed anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELFknows it SELF.1. Where is God I have never seen Him?He is not HE, He is "I". When we can see/know who am I we cansee/know who is God.Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin ofall, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of theuniverse! Ch10:152. Who has seen Him?All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seenHIM too.Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have youseen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said-"Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now."Listening to this Narendra became his disciple.3. How is He?With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entireuniverse.Ch10:424. If I dont know how do I accept?Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realizedsoul, and know Him first, then accept.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna ordonot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita-Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Leadyr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Beforegiving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit withthem and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn bythe character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If theycan learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and willget their realization at their own speed.with lots of Love,a sadhikaSadhna Karigar --------------------------------Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of thequestioner!! "Sarphod" in Hindi means skull breaker ! "Tablachi"means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !!Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classicname Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted someone to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't sayplease- "that children now a days need more than belief to accept".That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even yourkind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solidbelief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanityon this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind ofproof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your fatheror some name to be mine or for that purpose by "the children of nowa days"- say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you "know" as to who is your father and who is your mother? Whatproof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr Xas your father? You asked "from where to pick the thread". I reply to you that youpick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee JeeShashikala-------------------------------Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.Itis very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanationin his books-"Autobiography of a yogi" and "Man's eternal quest"which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectlydescribes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He isthe Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God isindescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul.Ami Chhowala --------------------------------I still remain unsatisfied in this "divine" forum. How and whyParamatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in yourscriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also "see" God ?My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your SwamiRamsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddarhad "darshanas" of God. Was His statement right or your referenceof good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known?How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need aninstruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to befair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manneris focal point! None of the "sadhaks" are convincing so far. Iasked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear andincomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were likeme in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not adivine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist.Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What elsewe are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature" made oceans, Sun Moon etcand when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Whycant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God isbeyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr PratapBhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? "Sadhaks" - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfymy knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi--------------------------------Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body asreal self and not the outer sheath of immortal "real self" whichcontains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal Godis Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine.Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of "Sunand Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet"and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of thepeople who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaiseGod as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on thisearth are "Thy" tiny living cells. We have several billions livingcells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who weare? But those who find human soul as "real self" have no difficulty inknowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul(Parmatma) and His subtle body "Mahadeva" is omnipotent SupremeSpirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. Hisspirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matterconsisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spiritprevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani-pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides inour subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Thosewho consider material gross body as the real self will always finddifficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- namederived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras.Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind.with regards,Prem Sabhlok --------------------------------Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwellingeverywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If wecan tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we canfeel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body withlife is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far weare only establishing the things which are existing, but we areunable to establish about the source of the existence.Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with thenature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought aboutgod. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the sensesattached to our body always act against our realisationprocess.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life.Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,thinknaturally and live naturally. with regardsRamana kothuri ------------------The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I toodont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers orlogics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dontagree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His belovedones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers ofSupreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas'message that before "big bang" too something existed or that ifthere is creation then there must be a creator. But how that isexclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptomand authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Pleaseelaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about fiveelements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing thetransformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions arewarranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. Firstthe logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by "No one knows about time!!!" Also, I am unclear asto how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea abouttime, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred byhim? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree HariRam Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him?Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one cansimply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given thename Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or allNames are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him?Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in futuretoo Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has statedthat Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond thiswhatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He?Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regardingParmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot bedescribed at all. 4) What are you able to know "Time" (samay). This question has beenasked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). Itis not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not onlyyou, but no one understands anything about "time". They can saynothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarlybelieve and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment oflaws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyonecontinues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, andaccording to one's own convenience and conformance giving thattattva a "form". You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportivearguments and evidence exist to establish the existenceof 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get thesupport of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning-deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be ofthat thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot everbe known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not inconformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual oran aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught upin the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual.Leaving the search, become engaged in "Chup Saadhan" (EffortlessAwareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will bequietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / wordsused. Vineet Sarvottam-------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always acreator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine,house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible.Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth,Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle,machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earthalso moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sunrises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller ofthem also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot "create" anything! It is only "nature"which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covertgold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can'tcreate gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two ormore elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . Youcan "discover" only. To be continued. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B-------------------------Kindly read bertrand russelAranha Roy ---------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakashave said.Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humbleus!Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object hasto exist inthe first place.Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. Thisknowing of anexistence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes,function etc.The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be oneExistencefundamentally. Individual objects within it are individualexistences localizedin space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms,continuingthe existences.When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the wordUniverse pointsto the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Onlyby beingaware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awarenessof Existence.To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness toknowwhether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has tobebeginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no,because to sayit, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there isAwareness ofnon-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, theExistence(withoutdivision into many objects), is eternally free of time and spacecontaining allobjects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowingit withthis ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says thereal neverceases to be.Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent,Beautiful, full ofLove and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God?God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and loveunconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, andthose whopreach God's message!Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of EternalOneness, GOD!Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ----------------------------My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectlyasked: "Why can't I see Him?"Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It issubjective awareness.The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose adistinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal-consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you reallyare, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective,and you'll find what you're looking for.Rishi Handa ----------------------------Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understandingthis.....Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions?""Who wants to know God?" ....and wait for the answer....see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating thequestions....In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourselfwho is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows.......Best wishesSushil Jain --------------------------------I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, Iwent through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. Ido not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I canever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am opento all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I hadthem before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now -with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I amgradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding themthrough others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. Thereare great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash alsoamongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas andexplanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to findGod and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in mylife? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? Itdepends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas forhumanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they areasking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. Idoubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divinepower appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can Iimagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (AlphaCentauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine thatdistance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which isfull of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I seeGod, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes ofexplanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending onwhere you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so pleasediscuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questionsbefore) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through theoscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincereyou will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of yourquestions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through thisuntil now. Venu Gopal-------------------------------- PRIOR POSTINGI will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I amblessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled fullcircle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What arethe logics which point towards the existence of God? From where topick the thread?O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell meS. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliantphysicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk aboutthe 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was theresubstance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'?I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out whatthen?, I would press the point home that the Great IndiansTraditions had a good explanation for all this many millenniumbefore the present time, and is probably a good guide for thescientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws ofphysics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to bespot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicistseem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider tobuild the perfect web according to its kind, without actually beingtaught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, bemercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take youwhere it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you,maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children knowwater is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them toshow hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd)and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets.Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- "God is apprameyam" that whichcannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, asGod can be only known by Gyana (knowledge)2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per aboveexamples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God asshown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai,Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form thatthe devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/SriRama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HEis in all shapes and forms.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept thatthere is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing wholeuniverse, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrolor fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept-Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a questioneither he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already hasor he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking aquestion relating to God, first he has to explain what is in hismind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think andfeel that we are separated from the rest. This is an opticalillusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. Allthe sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and ourmind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there.When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superiorknowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supremerealisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death isthe most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of thecage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional viewandlinear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge withGod H. Subair ------------------------------dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.personlike you are really god's gift to us.bhargav mehta------------------------PRIOR POSTINGRe: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? Whatis the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, whatand how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwithenters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran--------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste!When someone says "where is God? I have never seen Him", that personhas to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannotask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumptionthat God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in themind and what I see out there is definitely not "God".So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first.When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will getanswered.Consider the following dialogue:Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence?A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious tome!Q: How do you know you exist?A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO!Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or somelogical explanation to confirm you do exist?A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do,because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need anysense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of "beingness" we all feel withinus, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objectsof knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us,never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind-world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always!I just have to find out that ultimately this "I" is Impersonal andis of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God!Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal!Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular objectamong many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect.It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE!It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know theirexistence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes placeautomatically by just Being.Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization!Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod,There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I haveheard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, "Iwant you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will beat stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is Goddoing right now?The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searchingthrough various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job thenext day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father'sperplexity, inquired, "What troubles you, father?" The fatherresponded, "Oh, this is not something you would understand." Atthe child's persistence, the father finally explained. The smallchild smiled, and simply said, "Father, that is so easy toanswer.....just tell the king that even a small child can answerthese inquiries, and I will then give him my responses".The father had no choice, as he didn't know the way torespond. So, when the child came before the king, he requested theking, "First, please have a pot of milk brought forth." The king didso. Then the child inquired, "Is there ghee in this milk?" Theking said, "Yes, it is there." Then the child explained, "It isthere, but you cannot see it. Why can you not see the ghee?" Theking said, "There is a process by which the ghee will be broughtforth, of course, first one must churn the milk into butter, thenthe butter is slowly heated until the ghee rises to thesurface......only after one patiently follows this process will hesee the ghee." As the king was speaking, slowly realization cameinto his heart, that similarly, one cannot demand to see God at thismoment....there is a process. One who's heart is not pure, whodoes not have love and devotion, cannot see the Lord, but He willcertainly reveal Himself to those who are willing to accept theprocess of "bringing forth the ghee".The child then said, "You are asking me what God is doing.That is putting me in the postion of teacher, and you as disciple.So, is it appropriate for you to be sitting on your throne, if youare learning from me? " The wise King immediately pleced the childon the throne, and sat in front of him, ready to try to understandhis next lesson. "This is what God is doing"....he said. "He istaking someone from a low position and putting him into a highposition, according to the results of his work, and taking someoneelse from a high position and putting him into a low position."The king was very pleased with the child's answers, and rewarded himand his father.So, one may say, "I don't accept such simplisticresponses".....well, then, such a person will never see the Lord,unless and until he is fortunate enough to get the association of asadhu, by whose association one's heart melts. When one trulycomes into contact and develops some sukrti by contact with a Godconsscious person, there is no material, anaytical way to explainwhat happens. It is beyond our mundane intelligence, our ability toanalyze. So, simply pray for the youth you are hoping to guide,and gradually perhaps the mercy of the sadhus will come to them.It is not a mechanical process.I hope my words have been gentle, encouraging, and helpful.....itis truly a sadness which we all share as parents if our childrenbecome somewhat agnostic or doubtful of the underestanding of theLord's presence, and the need for ancient, eternal tradition. Wecan only pray to be the best examples of loving, patient friends forthem that we can possibly be. respectfully,Mahalaksmi Dasi -------------------------------Sarphod, Read Paramahansa Yogananda's book "the Autoibgraphy of a Yogi"published by Self Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA. Haley H. Haynes--------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!In this posting I would like to build on my previous post.We as parents must deeply understand the truth of who we are, whatis the nature of world and God first. Then only we can explain toour children. I would shy away to tell children that because it issaid in our scriptures, you have to believe in God being such andsuch. We can begin on the path of knowledge with the premise. That whichalways IS irrespective of time, location or cause, is Truth. Truth,thus, cannot be denied and has to be our continuous experiencealways, not some states we experience that come and go, rather Thatin which all states of experiences happen. In the beginning it may sound like intellectual, but understandingof that which always IS, has to be our real nature, or Reality ofwhatever we all seem to experience dawns on us sooner rather thanlater. What is Real Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Shree Hari Ram Ram Dear Sadhaks, NAMASKAR! In light of recent feedback... lengthy messages will be shortened at the discretion of the moderators. We appreciate your attention to this. Thank you, From Gita Talk Moderators, Ram Ram ------------------------- My question is that how to prove that there exists a super naturalpower called "God" ? At least how to explain that. How to correlateHis existence with the character of the world? Children now a daysneed more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which wecan establish that God exists. If some body says say :1. Where is God I have never seen Him?2. Who has seen Him?3. How is He?4. If I dont know how do I accept?5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING Namaste. The only way to 'prove that there exists a super natural power called "God" ' is to find God, in yourself, and everywhere. Others may explain and provide as much information as you wish but in the final analysis, you have to discover God, yourself. You must bear in mind that you cannot "challenge" God to prove He exists; this is human thought and action, on the human plane. I suggest you start with the Nasadiya - The Creation Hymn, Rig Veda Book 10 Hymn 129: 1. THEN was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it. What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?2 Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day's and night's divider.That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.3 Darkness there was: at first concealed in darkness this All was indiscriminated chaos.All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.4 Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit.Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.5 Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder6 Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not. Read it several times, sing it loud, ponder the significance and meaning of it, study it, and then ask questions about the Creation of this world, of human life, and the purpose of your existence. Then, go to Geeta for answers. Rest assured you will find God and all answers you seek. Ram Ram Deosaran Bisnath ----------- Narain ! Narain !! Issue raised by Shrivastavaji and Sharmaji is : If there is God prevalent in the world, why there is sorrow existing ? God is known to be the kindest, all knowing and all powerful. If He knows about our sorrows but is not powerful then one can understand. He will also cry with us, as we do when some one dies.But He is all powerful. If He is powerful but is ignorant, one can understand. He can say I did not know ? But He is all knowing. If He is all powerful and all knowing but if He is cruel, then one can understand. Damn care. Each is suffering due to one's own karmas. Why He should bother? But He is the kindest. He cant say to a 5 year old child, you are suffering because of your past deeds. Even we as normal fathers dont refuse to give milk to the child even if by carelessness he has split earlier given glass of milk. This is the issue raised by these two gentlemen. Narain ! Narain !! Error clearly visible in their statements is total lack of normal intellect and sheer arrogance. They instead of going for reasons and instead of asking soberly a question have sat on the chair of judge and started giving verdicts. They have presumed themselves to be the only wise person, while the fact is that every human on this earth has some speciality which is unique to him. They have concluded certain things without any application of Viveka or even mind or intellect. They are , thus, neither here nor there. They have faith, as does every human being, but they dont know how and where to apply the same. They are standing in dark and feel that there is no light possible. Their views therefore are full of stupidity and lack of knowledge. Without going into that stupidity, we should in fact address the issues raised by them. WHY SORROW EXISTS, IF GOD IS THERE ? Either sorrow is not there or God is not there. If sorrow is there, then either God is not therte.. If still God is there, then He is not all knowing, all powerful and the kindest. Which status is true? Let us deliberate. Sadhak Sarphod Tabalchi ! Like my name, your name is also getting immortal. Join us now, you too ! Narain ! Narain !! Naarad N Maharishi ---- Hari OmDear Mr SrivastavaWhy are you thinking about God? Can you think for an element which does not exist? Are you not fully independent in acceptance? What made you express your self before this forum? What made you read these messages? What made you still recollect and narrate the book which you threw? You threw the book, but your mind did not ! Why?Catherine has faith. Do you not have faith? If you don't have, then prove your own existence ! Tell me can you live without faith in you. Can you justify existence of faith in you? You have faith in science, and some western writers you named, isn't it? She has faith in God! How you can say your faith is correctly placed, and her faith is not? What gives anyone the right to call another.... fool, or vulgar or bacteria or idiot ! Think about this..... !!! Prove to me by science ( as developed till date) as to who is your father ! Can you prove it, based on your personal knowledge? You are talking about Eternal Father , I am talking about of this birth father. Bring all of your knowledge, science, intellect, mind, expertise, capacity, imagination to prove to me as to who is your this father. Prove to me as to who are you.... Body, nose, ear, heart what are you ? Now prove !Now that you are in the forum... don't run away - let us see how how long these words last .... trash, misplaced, illogical, arising out of darkness and ignorance, blind, irrational, literate fools or lack of belief in God, I say that you believe that there is God. Now prove your disbelief ! Don't run away ! Are you ready for it? Then prove to us as to who is your this birth father , by your personal knowledge !! There should not be any "belief" on anything because your "science" does not recognise belief , it goes on the basis of proof. You should tell us how Mr So and So is your father based on a proof acquired out of your knowledge and not out of any belief on anything. Science goes on facts and acquired knowledge not on any belief. And it is a fact that you exist. How is that "you" who exists? We shall talk about your Eternal Father- Paramatma ( Your father's father's father's ...... Father of Adam and Eve) afterwards. First prove your this birth father. Bring Darwin's theories also in deliberations if that help you in correctly answering to us. Now come on! Let us have healthy deliberations.Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B ------- Jai HanumanVery good, Jee, Very good ! There is one idiom in Hindi:Maa ka pata hi nahin hai, mausi ki chinta karate hain !Whereabouts of mother is not known, and people are worrying about mausi (mother's sister) !Raam ! Raam!! Raam!!! There is another idiom in Hindi :Andhe ko andhere main, badi door ki soojhi !A Blind person standing in darkness has claimed himself to be a visionary. Mr Shrivastava ! The best thing which has happened to you is that you have somehow reached to this forum. You were reading the messages , isn't it? Why? Now you should read more intensely and surely Daddy's grace will work like magic ! We have Sister Catherine as examples showing us how to live - devoid of hatred, negativity, frustration, brooding, fretting, ignorance, stupidity, pride. She is sober, intelligent, wise,organised, sharp,knowledgeable, determined, cool and composed. It is obvious to any one who reads her statement. What has made her so? Where lies the difference? Faith in God ! What else the difference can be? Think, if you can.Namaste Jee, Jee JeeShashikala ---- Dear Friend,I have been studying (not just reading) the Gita for 20 years now. There is some profound wisdom contained within it, and according to me a whole lot of redundant verses as well. Per what I understand, in the 11th century AD, with the advent of the Vaishnav cult, a lot of verses apotheosizing Krishna were added to the Gita. Moreover, many have commented that there would not have been sufficient time just before commencement of battle to discourse 700 verses. Even a child can guess, none of the Deities could move even a finger in their defence over the centuries, many invaders and conquerors from central Asia plundered and demolished Hindu temples... This should convince one of the non-existence of Hindu Deities, and the irrationality behind this myth. And regarding your comment on DNA testing - haven't you heard of so many cases where DNA testing has showed people that they were wrongly believing someone else to be their father? And if someone wants proof of their parentage, don't they resort to DNA testing? Moreover, we are talking about a father that exists in flesh and blood – not an imaginary invention. You said - "It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means," either confused the meaning of the word sentient, or have invented your own meaning to it. And it is very obvious thatyou think nothing of blind faith, or of remedying it. Little knowledge is dangerous. You write about Schopenhauer being influenced by the Gita. He was influenced by Eastern philosophy, but with the essence, and not with the rituals and blind faith contained therein, Per my understanding of his writings he believed real deductions themselves are by no means to be found in Hindu Scriptures. He regarded the world as a prison, as a place of suffering, a theme central to Hindu Scriptures. He had the sense to take matters to their logical conclusion. Based on what I understand of his writings he indicated that if the world is a place of suffering, and freeing the soul is the ultimate goal, then it is highly immoral to give birth to a child and trap a soul in a mortal prison. - Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), On the Sufferings of the World (1851). Sadly, most of the people who read our Scriptures lack the insight of people like Schopenhauer to understand simple truths. My understanding is that Schopenhauer detested Religion, the concept of God, and for this very reason described the masses as the "natural and universal league of the stupid". (other paragraphs excluded by moderators due to lack of relevance to the TOPIC and length). P Srivastava Shree Hari Ram Ram Srivastavaji, Namaskar ! Our question is not about others... Have you personally done DNA testing of your father or are you just believing that the person you call father is your father? If you have not done DNA testing ,,, then how are you much different? Also, kindly share your explanation of "sentient" Here is the quote - "In the whole world there is no study, except that of the originals, so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Oupnekhat. It is the most rewarding and elevating reading possible: it has been the comfort of my life and it will be the one of my death." Arthur Schopenhauer (said about the Upanishads). Ram Ram PRIOR POSTING Chapter ten of Bhagavata Gita explains every aspects of Almighty GodNo more explanations required Thanks truly yours S S Bhatt---- " Ahankaram balam darpam, kamam krodham parigraham,Vimucya nirmamah santo, brahma bhuyaya kalpate" ( gita 18, 53). Which means " one who is deyached , free from false ego, false strength, pride, ownership and one who is always peaceful, such a person is eligible for brahma swarupam." When one is free from false ego and becomes non attached to material things, then that one reached " brahma bhuta stage". A pure devotee goes still further and becomed engaged in devotional service. Pure devotional service is the key to attain the lord. There are examples to prove God's presence. Sant tukaram went back to lord's kingdom on garuda vahana', sent by pandu ranga. Composer singer annamacharya saw lord venkateswara. Hare krishna. Prasad iragavarapu m.d --- Sutra 1 Parambrahma (Spirit or God) is everlasting, complete, without beginning or end.It is one, indivisible Being. The Eternal Father, God, Swami Prarmbrahma, is the only Real Substance, Sat, andis all in all in the universe. Why God is not comprenhensible;Man possesses eternal faith and believes intuitively in the existence of aSubstance, of which the objects of sense - sound, touch, sight, taste and smell,the component parts of theis visible world - are but properties. As manidentifies himself with his material body, composed of the aforesaid properties,he is able to comprhend by these impercect organs these properties only, and notthe Substance to which these properties belong. The Eternal Father, God, theonly Substance in the Universe, is therefore not comprehensible by man of thismaterial world, unless he becomes divine by lifting his self above this creationof Darkness or Maya. See Hebrews 11:1 and John 8:28. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things notsee." "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the son of man (human ego),then shall ye know that, I am he." Sutra 2 In it (Parambrahma) is the origin of all kowledge and love, the root of allpower and joy. Prakriti or Nature of God;The Almighty Force, Shakti, or in other words the Eternal Joy, Ananda, whichproduces the world; and the Omniscient Feeling, Chit, which makes this worldconscious, demonstrate the Nature, Prakriti, of God the Father. How God is comprehended. As man is the likness of God, directing his attention inward he can comprehendwithin him the said Force and Feeling, the sole properties of his Self - theForce Almighty as his will, Vasana, with enjoyment, Bhoga; and the FeelingOmniscient as his Consciousness, Chetana, that enjoys, Bhokta. See Genesis 1:27. "In this way God created man in his own image, in the image of God created hehim; male and female created he them." So says Swami Sri Yukteswarji in his book, "The Holy Science". Haley Haynes --------- Sarphod Tabalchi, you have raised some very pertinent questions, which clearly do away with the concept of an anthropomorphic just and merciful Father – one is reminded of the Epicurean Riddle: "Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; Or He can, but does not want to.If He wants to, but cannot, He is impotent. If He can, but does not want to, He is wicked.If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?" The irrational, the tissue of whose brain is of a coarse quality, will try to offer some very stupid explanations to this riddle, leaning on the spurious law of Karma. I am shocked to see educated people attach more weight to blind faith and vulgar superstition than to facts which lie in hand – this is something Charles Darwin had bemoaned as well. Raja Ram Mohan Roy had hoped that Western education wouldrid Indians of blind faith: he was wrong. Western education has succeeded only in creating a profusion of literate fools. I was reading some Indian Scripture in which there was mention of "the God who brings rain and the demons that withhold it" – this disgusted me so much that I just threw that useless book away. Science has done half the job to cure peoplefrom the disease of God and Religion; the other half can be achieved by reading Western Philosophy. I would definitely attach more weight to men of science and logic than to the buffoons who write about Gods and demons bringing rain. Ifbitten by a venomous snake, where would you rush to – a modern hospital stocking the anti-venom, or some dim-witted idiot who would parrot out Scriptures in an attempt to cure you? Until modern science developed snake anti venom, and manyother cures, our Scriptures and obsolete medical techniques were quite ineffective and useless when it came to most medical problems. "God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)" – this quote by Catherine Anderson just proves Epicurus right – it means God is harmful bacteria, virus, and all the evil that pervades the world. If anyone really wishes to enlighten themselves, I suggest you stop reading trash and go for books by great men like David Hume and Arthur Schopenhauer. P Srivastava--- Shree Hari Ram Ram Srivastavaji, Namaskaar! Please share with us if you have read the Bhagavad Gita. (By read, we mean - not just superficially scanning...but questioning, inquirying and seeing if the answers are available in it)..... Simply speaking.... if we have not done DNA testing of our father... we are living in blind faith.... As we recollect - ARthur Schopenhauer was deeply influenced by the Bhagavad Gita, he has made comments to that effect. Education feeds the mind/intellect which are insentient. It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means. Ram Ram ------ God is an Anglo-Saxon noun and refers to a Male (as opposed to Goddess), Creator Being. There is no provable God (or Goddess). As Hindus, what do we know? Tat Tvam Asi. This Mahavakya means that we are No-Thing (Tat). This Tat is also referred to as ParaBrahman and sometimes Nirguna Brahman. What can be said about Tat? Nothing. "Mouna vakya ParaBrahaman tattwam." Tat may also be defined as Om Tat Sat(chidananda). This Saguna Brahaman experience is provable. Energy/Light/Bliss is our Atmana. This we know. God we do not know. As Hindus, we have our Ishta Devatas and this good and this is personal. One does not (and cannot) have to prove the existence of our Ishta Devata. Thus, Hinduism is a monistic polymorphism and not the lesser understanding of Monotheism. Swami Param------Shree Hari Ram RamSwami Paramji, Kindly explain what exactly is meant by monistic polymorphism. Ram Ram ------ is obvious that there is NO GOD. The characters attributed to GOD areOmnipresentOmnipotentMercifulAll Knowing.There is so much misery and injustice in this world that either God does not know it in which case he is not all knowing, or he knows and does not do any thing about it. In that case he is not merciful. Or he can not do any thing then he is not omnipotent.I take a recent case of a 10 years old girl being raped by her father. What was God doing?It has been said that the girl was being punished for what she might have done in her previous life. How can a merciful God punish a child of ten ? In any case what she did in her previous life could not have been done if God did not will it to be done. If we agree that it was a punishment for some act for previous life than the father can not be blamed for the this act. He was only an instrument in the WILL of God. Let us face it God is nothing but an inversion of Man to explain things he could not explain, create an absolute authority and may be give hope when there is nonearun sharma--- Shree Hari Ram Ram Arunji... have you read the Bhagavad Gita? Paramatma is not the doer, nor a punisher ! There have been previous discussions on this subject... in Gita Talk...you can search by topic. Ram Ram ---- PRIOR POSTING To my beloved sadhaks, Where is God? Who has seen Him? How is God? How do I accept Him? What logic points towards God? Let us look at Gita 7/19"After taking many births and acquiring the human form and realizing that God is Everything, should such a knower (Jnanavan) surrender to Me, indeed such a great soul is a rarity. "Repeat such a great soul is a rarity. My question is how can one not see God, who cannot be aware of where He is, how He is, but to accept Him is a good place to start and how to do this is by establishing a direct affinity for God.Everything is God. God has in simple words, expounded to us the innermost secrets of the hearts of great souls of Vasudev Sarvam. God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)Bhagavan says(Gita 18/55)" After realizing my quintessence (Tattva) man immediately merges into Me."Those who want to attain God do so by Discipline of Action, Knowledge and Devotion.For more info on God realization go to Swamiramsukhdasjis site and read on how to attain God with humility.catherine andersen ------------------------- Shree Hari:Ram Ram. By Grace of God these questions are on my computer: 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? God is in your mind. You can't see God with your eyes as mental conceptions are not seen by us. 2. Who has seen Him? Nobody ever declared he/she has seen God. 3. How is He? Nobody ever described how is God. 4. If I don't know how do I accept? If you don't know accept or don't accept, choice is yours. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles on us so that we may indulge in goodness. What harm is there if you indulge in goodness? Indulge in goodness or not, choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for His existence. What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? from where to pick the thread? Existence of Existence (termed Tattva, Sattaa by Swamijee Shree Ramsukhdasjee) needs no basis for its existence. Existence of Existence is all logic and all illogic but they can't point towards Existence of Existence similarly as you can't mix water into water when you are under water only. You are the beginning and you are the end of the thread. Pick it up and go. You shall finish at the other end of thread and shall be surprised to experience that what you sought is the seeker. Vasudev: Sarvam. (Gita 7:19). If you conceive God, you fail to experience the experience as experience is experience only (Swamijee in God IS Everything page 2 last para "Similarly in this world, men, animals, birds, trees, mountains, stones, bricks, sand, lime, earth etc. are of diverse kinds, yet what resides intrinsically within, has no form and that formless essence is God".). Bandhu, if anything is easiest it is Realizing God (Existence, not any human with four hands etc they are NOT God as they don't reside in everything, they come and go.) Who is ever Realized as You can't deny your existence. Ram Ram. Kachcha Sadhaka Sarvottam.---- 5 Fallacies & Realities about God Fallacies* Ego Consciousness Realities of Self Consciousness 1 Humans believe that God needs something. Humans know that God needs nothing. God is beyond needs and demands. 2 Humans believe that God can fail to get what He needs. Humans know that God can never fail to get what He does not need. He has no needs. God is his own measure beyond failures & successes. 3 Humans believe that God has separated them from Him because they have not given Him what He needs. Humans know that God has integrated them from Him because they are God in human form. God is beyond form and non-form as one Living Consciousness. 4 Humans believe that God still needs what He needs so badly that God now requires them, from their separated position, to give it to Him. Humans know that God never needs any thing from humans other that what they are and have. God is in human form. 5 Humans believe that God will destroy them if they do not meet His requirements. Humans know for God there is no destruction and creation but infinite manifestations of energy of Living Consciousness. Dance of Living consciousness is appearance & disappearance of Physical Universe. *Neale Donald Walsch (The New Revelations) Sushil Jain PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna God is worshipped in 3 forms:1. Attributeless-Formless (Nirgun-Nirakar)2. Attribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar)3. Attribute-Form (Sagun-Sakar) Goswami Tulsidasji has said"NIRGUN ROOP SULABH ATI SAGUN JAAN NAHI KOI""The attributeless form of Parmatma is very easy to understand butno one can know the form of Parmatma with attributes." The first form of Attributeless-Formless Pramatma can be proved bylogic of uninterrupted existence (akhand satta). The second form ofAttribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar) Parmatma can be proved by logicof conscious and sentient Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. But the third form of Parmatma with form and attributes (Ram,Krishna, Shiva etc.) cannot be proved by any logic, rationale etc.They can only be believed with purport of Gita, Ramayan, Sadhak-Sanjivani etc.If anyone argues over Ram being God then questions like these willarise "In forest how did Lord Ram get deceived by a gold-deer? If Heis deceived then how is He Omniscient? Why did Lord take the help ofSugreev's army? If He takes help then how come is He Almighty?...." When Lord Ram killed Ravan's mighty brothers Khar and Dushan, Ravandecided to examine whether the Omniscient and Almighty Parmatma hastaken Ram-avatar. He kidnapped Sitaji (with disguise of an ascetic)by deceiving Lord with a golden-deer. Lord failed in the examinationand Ravan was successful in his evil plan, but what was the endresult? Lord Ram destroyed the entire clan of Lankan demonsalongwith Ravan. That is why Goswamiji has said"RAM ATARKYA BUDDHI KAR JAANI""Lord Ram cannot be known by intellect." Faith in Parmatma with form and attributes (known as Bhagwan) canonly be developed when one does satsang. Reading scriptures is alsoone form of Satsang. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia Hare KrishnaDear Sarphod Uncle, I sincerely apologize to you and your family for the language I haveused. I thought you were just trying to outsmart us with yourintellectual prowess so I used the same ploy on you; but Sir you area true sadhak. Sadhanaji, Mikeji recognized you but because of my so-called cleverness I did not recognize you. Again my sincereapologies for the usage of harsh words and blunt language. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------Om, God = generator orgniser destroyer.Do you see the air? Nosuppose you don't see the air then you can't see the energies in theair that sustain our body. Suppose you want to hold a grand partyof 5000 people continuing 15 days, then how much work you have todo, you will distribute your work among your relatives. Think ofGod is a organising 600 crores or more ( not only about earth butthink about whole universe). Think who has that Supreme organizingpower ! You or God. God is in every thing from atom to Everest.Suppose you made a car that each and every thing came from you meanseach part of car made from you, by you. That is God. He iscolourless, touchless, soundless, shapeless because he is supremeenergy. If you trust and have faith in God. you will trust ongod.this is the one kind of work of god. because hi is ruling onus.Whether you go to the church or any mandir or masjid, your needsby pleading to your superior… He is That. And you say uponfulfilling your wish - "thank God" What is that power that isfulfilling your needs? Whether small or a big one, it is fulfilledand often no by your effort Hari Om,nilesh popat mali, -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING To Respected Sadhaks of this really divine , perhaps the only of itskind across the globe, Satsanga Group! It is me, Dear Brothers, with my Dear Begum Sahibaa respectfullythanking you all for gems of wisdom which you imparted to me and tothe world. An association of people like you, group like yours, isor can only be God willed. Indeed, with people like Vyasji, (extremely polished and never contradicting. Must be the one who hasseen/ touched the "dukhalayam" very closely, very wisely and wonover the same), Mike Keenor ( You are pride of the very humanity)Varun, ( I am sure he is younger than many of us- his impetuosity/quick reaction reflects that, but very clever and very organised-Refer Gita 16/1 - jnanayogarvyavasthitam- an ideal young follower)Pratapji Bhatt ( Spl regards for you, for not firing me back) , thatreal firebrand Dear Sister of all of us Shashikalajee ( What asharp discrimination you have been blessed with ! ), Mira Dassji (An impartial devotee /follower of Respected Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaaj), Rajaji, Baiyaji and dozens like them, are the jewels ofthis divine forum. My heartfelt pranaams to Vineetji Sarvottam. Hiscomments were innocent and correct. Thanks AgainSarphod TabalchiRaseeli Rani Tabalchi --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhak,Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what myKrishna says-- Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna!Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16) O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : Theafflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment andthe wise. Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge. The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you areusing wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, whichitself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the differencebetween Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everythingwhich is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnecthimself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body,senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped thereremains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing.....From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothingemerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga. And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my belovedKrishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When wesee HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case ofDropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as inthe case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculousbeing, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in astatue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,andwithout forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our ownlimited vision.When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wishto see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him ineverything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist,money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become nonexistence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination inHis regime. He just "IS". I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. SomewhereSwamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this "IS" remains the same in boththe statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...Howblessed this human form is!!! How divine this forum is!!!Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss !Shivoham! Shivoham!!With lots of Love,A SadhikaSadhna Karigar------------------------------ 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is anobject. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals asshakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understandit. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidanceyou will progress.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them?You want to make something you gather material and put your effortto make project. So there is someone who is behind all and yourthinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan------------------------------Pranam God exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you searchon "milkmiracle" You will see for your self. bvmJai Shree Ram------------------------------ Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For thosewho yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; infact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God!Doubting God takes one nowhere. Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proofof the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in thesense of all these existing objects, you see. WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE:Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you seelove, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible? WHO HAS SEEN HIM?A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity hasrevealed 'itself'. WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE?He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable inthat experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute amongthe experiences. IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT?The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can'tsee them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest inanswering these abstract questions. GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS.God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindnessetc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good futureand for building in them the moral character which saves oursociety. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person cansee God. THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THELOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD?We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God astranscendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in thedisbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience whileborn as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all thosethings of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We canafford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try?If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them thespiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, NisargaduttaMaharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God.You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'. I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted toshare with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people thebest of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year. Dr Shastry--------------------------------1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOTan object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when SriKrishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM asGod except Duryodhan who told it was illusion.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishnawith love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller.Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable totie up. It is the way you accept.Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayanPRIOR POSTINGJai Hanuman I agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writingregularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is SisterAnita- absolutely correct and "really" .practical and therefore onthe path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai !O Daddy the Great ! Let such "Divinity" continue flowing unto thisGT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons toexclaim with pleasure- "Brilliant" ! Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make hercry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? "Anguishof your soul" is most of the times " your sin" - also ! AlmostAlways! Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proofthat Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL-"KNOWLEDGE"? No body, come what may, has been able to "prove" in the past, norcan they do so in the present , nor will they be able to "prove"that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of provingthat. If you can't "prove" the existence of your even this father onearth, how can you prove the existence of your "eternal father"? Reason: "Self" Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego ! "Acceptance"/ "Faith" / "Belief" - is the only remedy. If some bodywants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you BrotherWilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in thisSatsanga forum! Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latestmessage - 1 An Aussie !2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in thecenter. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! ) Above all - 3 Flowers in the Sky !!!! (What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed !So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours ofposting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible !Yet so easily available ! But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timelyand exactly ? Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse fora long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about itsmanifestation !! ) Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! "DIVINE" !! Do you get us MrSarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only "Sadhaks" ! Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala--- Dear Vyasji, You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi jiis more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatorycomments from others (as is evident from his second mail). Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? isTabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If heknows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, theproblem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know "koaham (who am I)" May I quote from Shankara ? "KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA MEJANANI KO ME TATAH" (who are you, who am I, from where have I come,who is my mother and who is my father). Kind regards,Suresh C SharmaPRIOR POSTINGHari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is nothirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed byyou. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can "see" God, andone who has thirst for world only, "sees" the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can notsee- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which inreality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can notsee God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because Ididnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young inthis stage - by experience and by learning.However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I shouldat least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us -all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children thatgod is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us hasthe responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity,looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in mymaid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs meevery time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me andhas made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla -who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see himevery day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise thatit was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime youmeet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection ofGOD. So, see god in all and see all in him.2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of usare in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me.And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined bythis supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are notable to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowableforce/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, yourneighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that lightin them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would bethere with you! Anita Sharma-------------------------Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little tooAussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly youwould understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's cleverlittle dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress,The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness:Pure silence echoed between the galaxies,Eons of eons vanished in a second,Withered trees bloomed in fires,Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry,Thusness scattered in sixty directions,Space became Time, time became things,Black Holes filled with Nirvana,A billion samadhi mirrors shattered,Galaxies snuggled within a single skull,Many became One, One only, only One.Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All BeingsOpened Her clouded Eye, to see:Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor --------------------------Hari Om. Respected sir,I've studied from my childhood that motheris our first GOd.We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru.Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb?If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof,I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided youhave the permission to see Krushna.Rest in my next.Hari Om.With Regards,Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says.I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible.thanksWilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whetherthere is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has alsobeen answered by various people in various ways in all the ages.But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma doesexist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond theUniverse. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Himwith his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, everyliving being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super-intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things andcreated wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anythingthat is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand,is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a specialfeature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time afterwhich it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. Wesee planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. Thisnever ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation andre-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely,Ram Bhai------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchijiabout I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellowseeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as neededto grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points.Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makesso much difference in our understanding!I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake upand find all answers about Truth of God, this world and "you".All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers!Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellowsadhaks, I remain prayerful!Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING-Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is,I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on theback of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of whatit is.Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the falsereality reflected on the wall of the cave.Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Isthis all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself,say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they havenothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as itwere, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems tobe a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and aspiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth thatIndia had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: "Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousandpeople starting with the words: "Sisters and Brothers of America...",and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture withstandingovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes......." If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe youcould read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (Ifyou require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of yoursoul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict,do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, otherSadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about thatwhichdoes not exist etc.Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. Ihave,I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cryfor him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, whenyour heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor-----------------------------Dear Sadaks,I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The onewho has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.SherphodVedanta/Upanashids.1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, oneneeds TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as atemple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind haselectricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent.Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender.3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS.Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or forthat matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give youanswers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a differentissue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru whocan help you. I do not see from your postings you have thisexpectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could beanohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi,1. Where is God I have never seen Him?It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible byour physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God.If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There aremany ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it.Then after you never deny God.2. Who has seen Him?I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talkto birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me.3. How is He?He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied myexistence. He wants everyone happy.4. If I dont know how do I accept?Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expectanything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in yourmind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God wheneveryou want deny God.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.If you know this much of God you should not deny God.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basicconcept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn GodGod comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see theelectricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you everenquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think aboutTV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not functionwithout electricity. Even you can not ask these questions withoutthat power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier thandenying God.Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi jiWe all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving anopportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by allsadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers.since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstaclesto understanding the truthsince it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing orseeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we mayhave gone through this period.But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with someguidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and theanswers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplatingexercise on the questions firstfor example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? whatcould be the place where it could be,why it can not be hear with us?Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourselfrepeatedly who am I?Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important socontemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it?What could it look like? What should it be?Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don'tknow? Do I know all? How can I know more?Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplateon: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Whywe need to fear the word God to be good?Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? Whatis the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophetshave to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learningexercise......answers are within and we must practice to startlistening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............bestwishes......Thank you....Sushil Jain ----------------------------Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there isnothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things thatexist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns tomankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I alsohave the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove thatthere is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my testsand verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all thosetools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD andall the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. Thatmeans, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusualthing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that isbothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have theseriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questionsshould be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the questto know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quickconclusions like "There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc.,"because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the rightsources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying "I askeda question which this forum is not able to answer" Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history ofmankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admittedto have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who wasearnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (SwamiVivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not havequestions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind,one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levelsof Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, ARAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might befulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till suchtime, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you,Sincerely,Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy)Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying "I am very good". FYI! I wasnot entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. Youdon't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it.Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with yourlogic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also calledyou inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji,Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should thinkover it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But forthis one need guts, because you will have to keep aside yourprejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able toprove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, wecan only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do notrespect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how canyou accept and respect the biggest father (Param-PitaParmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems tobe upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have anyshame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitudeyou are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passingjudgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making methink. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji hascorrectly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an openmind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directedyou to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are notinterested in knowing or learning anything, you are only askingthese questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. Heis only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything aboutGita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel yourexistence as "I AM", right? Then why can't you prove it with yourlogic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did notget any reply. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia--------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding "flower of sky"- because it does not exist. You yourself said that.You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talkedabout God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions inthis forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about "flower of sky"?As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even ifthey were dead immediately after your birth, because there is abasis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of theirexistence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents meansyour grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In theend you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is "Param Pita" - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee JeeShashikala ----------------------Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunjiis correct. You , yourself, are "sample" of God ! Because like God,you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody "experiences" that -I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking aboutexperience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are notexisting ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct anytest to determine whether you exist or not. You neverexperience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may saythat "I don't know", but you can't say "I didn't exist" ! How canyou say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your"self" tobe non existing. Non existence of your"self" has never come intoyour experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deepsleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were nonexistent. But at the same time you experience directly theabsence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist.So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in yourbody. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which ispermanent and changeless and who is looking separately canexperience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You arenot body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is alsochangeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in yourbody. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? Inwhich part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact youare existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere inthe body. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------By summery of GITA: "Tat Twam Asi" or 'That You Are'This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : "Keepyour self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you"As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by ourSenses.No machine can prove Logic.By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gainenergy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during ameditative state.Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can saypositive Energy in us and arround is GOD.This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will growonly to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' !The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics ofRamayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre ofthis World.The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' isalso what we see in us.Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning andCreating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in ourYouth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. Atthe end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs withthe help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the nextbirth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible andchange form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(nonbeliever of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idolworshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self !--RegardsSwapan PURKAYASTHA --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a goodquality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed inits lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of "God"? Do you urgefor "God"? If "YES" to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can'tstick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that yourcurrent logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimedexcellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess canclaim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench yourdesires.If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity iswarranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If "NO" to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why areyou confusing yourself with these questions. That "NO" becomesmeaningless just because you are incapable of letting the veryquestions go! The very reason you are raising these questions provethat you are infested either by fear or by desire or by bothregarding "God". THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is "YOUR" primary responsibility to address the same. As Imentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping youout. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect theignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But,the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let anindividual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms ofthemselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are notapplying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it iscommon sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to behappy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are youreally interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with thesequestions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If youreally need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the onlyway out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? Ifyou have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of allactions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it outyourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific "is adevine forum" as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity,everything is devine. If not, some may claim "divinity" as if therest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if youreally want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question yourquestions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONSREGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE ITWITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for ITwithin. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remainedfutile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine isnot receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myselfof more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any"psyche" as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if youwant ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTINGDear "Sadhaks" (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajeeasked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon theadvice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead ofresponding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and hismother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and againread that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her anotherquestion. I have not desired to smell "flower of sky" , because itdoes not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and youSadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee hasasked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn"texist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B isgiving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But thebest among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. Headviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hangingon. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gavehim a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhattis rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simplygiving me round round answers. On other hand you are passingjudgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Orsay - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. MyBegum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her atleast. But Mike praised me. He called me "brilliant". Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi---------------------------We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical isthis: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call thatsomething Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call itrandom nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to knowThat Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradoxand answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you,within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that wecontrol our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had tosee the Universal form to get over the final hurdle.Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh-------------------------------Dear devotees of Lord Krishna,The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better afterseeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan ofLord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a slokafrom 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded inTamil, and can be shared with the group if interested.With kind regards,Sincerely,P.Vivekanandan------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, bywhich one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you willsee for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: "Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman isnot attainable by a weak man." In the Gita you willfind: "Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring whichBrahmacharya is performed" (Chap. VIII-11). "Trividham narakasyedamdvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayamtyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive ofthe Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce thesethree" (Chap. XVI-21). "Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam -Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance ofBrahmacharya" (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a purelife, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts,concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even abit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot becompletely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord.You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Graceis needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot begrasped by him. You can read more about this in the "Easy Steps to Yoga" by SriSwami Sivananda.chirag almoula --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may pointout that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if thatperson doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent uponseeing God in the way you want to see.Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. Itseems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, withthe desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, itmeans you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinentquestions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responsesindicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if youcannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has tosee that "seeing God" means deep understanding of intuitive naturein this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It hasto be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable ofgrasping truth.Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make yousee the pointers.I said one cannot say "I don't see God" without knowing what God heis looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants tosee, right? One can say "I don't know God, tell me what/where Ishould look, and how to recognize". It is different than show meGod, right?Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflectedin our experience of "I am" right now as you read these words. Infirst posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proofone cannot deny.There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect isnot capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, thereis proof of God more reliable than that.But this point didn't make any impression.I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see whathappens!Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt-------------------------------Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and onlydiscuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your bodyhas changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr.Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly notchanging with it because if you were changing then who would haveknown the change in body? You are that changeless element who knowsthe change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are thechanging phases of the body but you are that changeless element whois witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changelesselement can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - Whatis the basis of your never-changing existence? If you considerbody's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic,because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example youconsider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you neverconsider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, mylegs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' andsimultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feelingwell. You establish two transversal relationships with the body,that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart(separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, howcan it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call itas I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself???Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. Iwant to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In otherwords, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself.According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr.Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body oryourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence.2. The basis of your existence.3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time,those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions,they are requested to read this Sadhaka postingsadhaka/message/2108 Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji-Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14)( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Momto Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn'tit? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Plstell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Fatheronly for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Thentotally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs,nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour ,form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form,my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, norany beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is myFather, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have anycaste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what canbe His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves,nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neitherany juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entireexhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall youare His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on thefront gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won'tunderstand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountableuniverses can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate,if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son!Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has noorgans, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element)person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas-1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient andinsentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannotsearch. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I amfalse. I am asat. I am non existent. My "not being" is my "being".Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats offto you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of theworld that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you -Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed "actually" Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose poweryou run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, ofWhose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountableuniverses, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do runthis circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Blessme , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva becametranquilised and then in the background divine music played- "MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee JeeShashikala--------------------------------Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by theDivine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, Icould be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just byreading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE.Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path offire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', andyes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in theIndian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I willstay using the terminology to which I am most familiar.You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have notdeserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a lightshining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away youtears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can bemended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those thathave felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combinedwith your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The DarkNight...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one thatrescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTINGHari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationalewhich establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help allin being definitive, have reference material and it will alsostrengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree thateasily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era ofKaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom Ihave solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To "live for ever". This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear ofdeath is the indicator of that desire.2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This isdesire for CHIT (Knowledge).3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire forANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element tofulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one /some element which enables you to "live for ever", to be all knowingand to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we wouldnot have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti "modern so called educated" people wanta little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge inmeaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot bediscussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (giveIt/Her/Him any name) is beyond description.Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a "fullstomach" tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu,or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirstyyou will not indulge in such childish questions about water, butwill try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (aphysic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature aboutGod, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well knownexpert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time andspace. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate DrEdington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious aboutexploring the great Absolute Truth. Become "jyan-vijyan-triptah" andonly then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards,Suresh C. Sharma------------------------ Sir,You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See aroundyou, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designedthis project and process. Your father and mother only are tools.Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal-------------------------------- Mitro,Why has this God become famous as "HE" why not "she" or "IT"or "Nothing"? Today's generation will not believe in gibberishbakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that Godis ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods(many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differencesand the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I haveasked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know Howis that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaaalso told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me.But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version.I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mindfixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept myparents because even if I dont remember my birth, they rememberthat. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feelthem. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why theyare my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the groundsthat since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and Iaccepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. Theydont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaacould not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with youShe said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am notsatisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, thenwhat? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me.She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cantaccept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling orexperiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feelor experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth,still I would accept that because how can I come without them onthis earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike orShashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observationsof Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this selfproclaimed "Divine" site. Dont go by my name. Even my BegumSaahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding myname Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTINGHare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish(Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar),a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!!According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Himand also enter into Him. Arjuna saidO universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Yourfour-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch andlotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya saidThe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus toArjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed Histwo-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said:My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is verydifficultto behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to seethis form, which is so dear.Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, noreven by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as Youhave seen Me.O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can beseen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even enteredinto.My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me,is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towardsall beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answeryour question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife hasstated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji'swords. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully andshould learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have givenexcellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers andwillcontinue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca thatthere must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as MrVineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. Butstill questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd butstill should be respected. Your "Begum Sahibaa" appears to havedirected herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affectionin the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are morelogics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In everyfield a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you willfind this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say"I am the Highest". Always a better /higher person than you isexisting. Now where does this "highness" end. If there is sense ofhighness , then there must be an element which is "highest". God isthat element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some "shelter" to survive. In the childhood youneed shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability,wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife,children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but notthe need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , thenthere must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimateshelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such inprinciplepoints. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty ,theremust be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always someshelter or other, then there must be an element which can bedescribedas " Highest Shelter available "! God is "PARAM ASHRAYA DATA" Giverof that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will benecessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But thereis also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact "to err ishuman" -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial.Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist anelement which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was adifference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise andSun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be moreperfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say "I am satisfied" As regards your observation that "Nature" also creates/controls-answer is that whether you believe that nature has "knowledge"? Ifyes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know yourreligion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERTNATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inertnaturetake care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to somany creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God.After all it is a matter only of "terminology". If no then you mustaccept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKESHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfilthat desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA" . Logical ?Doesit appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaaand come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- besure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I wasstartled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated "thanksfor triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace asalways." Son goes to father and asks, "Father, what is God?" Fatheranswered, "Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your lifeand whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think aboutIt!" The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The sonpromptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, "Father,fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbsall the life. Therefore, fear should be the god." Fatherremarks, "Good job! Keep thinking." The son not knowing whether hisrevelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comesback to father and declares, "Father, desire drives all the lives,desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives.Therefore, the desire should be the god." Father remarks again, Goodjob! Keep thinking." The son does not feel the conclusiveappreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continuesto contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all thelives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs allthe lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt thewisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can betaught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is thenotion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is thedeliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is theappreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. Theson, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, sensesand mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorptionpower in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. Hesees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,andabsorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears,desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe ofknowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested -mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst thethree phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these threedivinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force orSustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches hisfather, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of TheGod. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wonderingaloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. Thenew driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digsup an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivionof the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding whatthe driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed postof The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny.The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder ifit absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself.The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. Theabsorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kindabove lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back infrustration not withstanding what the absorption power could everbe. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenancestrength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdomdoes its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenancepower in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strengthwhich provides strength to all the life around starts wondering whatis the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source ofthe strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source ofstrength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold toanother all around the universe that is within its control to seekitself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. Itreturns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenancestrength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their owntrue nature around, the throne of The God starts fading intosilence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not thedriving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as theabsorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkationbetween the three divinities that was once so thick and opaquestarts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power ofcreation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in everything that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore yourfears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore yourhappiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as youare. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joysand hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within aswell as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating yournotions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being whatyou are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturallytranscends all the barriers built by your cognition acrosseverything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then thevery post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed themost troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vainsearching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, betterpause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … bewhat you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... notjust a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHINGWITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive.If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In otherwords, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in yourperception. Respects. Naga Narayana--------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses ofsadhakas received so far!To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeinganything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for whatone "thinks" God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be"that" it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think isso limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is notlogical, right?Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, whatdoes it mean?It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequentrealization that "my God, there is nothing else but only God IS inthe disguise of the Cosmos" that sees through that individual.The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she sawobjects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the sameforms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tendto see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when weunderstand God, this "Understanding" opens up the very mind who seesGod everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using.Other aspects of issues will see later....Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt -------------------------Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant!I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full ofdivine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past itdear friend).If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn,what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the wholetree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak treehave an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree?Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the otherquestion can be answered it seems to me.I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that wasby my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn.I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about3amin a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the roomat that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(todo annual technical checks). There across the room was thiscontroller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he wasperforming asanas, (within the restriction), "trying to stay awake?"Iasked, "no he boomed", we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common,wedeveloped a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I readBhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also).He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, "Mike if peoplecould her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'.What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, andthe courage, 'to ride the tiger".We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, meanAnglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we werebrothers of the spirit.There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respectedmoderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor-Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. Howdid she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according toyou.Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way didyou ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “flowerof sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired tosmell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you alwaysbelieve only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. Whatmethodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regardingthis world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you suchabig world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governingthis world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments onEACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will weknow whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consultyour Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us whatyour Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t youtell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will thatnot be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee JeeShashikalaDear Sadhakas, Namaste!Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered basedonwhat sadhakas already have echoed in their responses.The most important thing is to know that God is not "something","somewhere" and "some times". It is at the core of our being, anintimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known.In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object,nevertheless, is known as "knowingness" in us by virtue of justbeing.For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace,Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc "out there"? You cann't! They areexperiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etcoutside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said"From the beginning, not a thing is!" Please, please, see the truthofthis. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious ofsomething or other which we conceptualize as subjectexperiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought asseparate. Such division is not experiential.Just as these experiences are not seen "out there", but are truelyhappening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate fromConsciousness.Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat,conceptualized as "Sun" out there, for practical purpose. This isalsotrue for all apparant objects of the world.God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of themost intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though!When people engage in services to help others who are victims ofdisasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivatestheir actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! Peoplewho help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etcare also inspired by the same Love and Goodness!Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God?Are those who bring such disasters to "apparant others" also God, ifall is God?They are also, yes, but unfortunately "they" have not understood yetthat they are!In God's world, only God exists playing "others", so who does what towhom?Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us,nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt -PRIOR POSITINGDear Sadhak,Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent!If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids?Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepakwith us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need anotherdeepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can beseen/experienced through the "SELF" but to know this SELF we donotneed anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELFknows it SELF.1. Where is God I have never seen Him?He is not HE, He is "I". When we can see/know who am I we cansee/know who is God.Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin ofall, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of theuniverse! Ch10:152. Who has seen Him?All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seenHIM too.Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have youseen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said-"Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now."Listening to this Narendra became his disciple.3. How is He?With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entireuniverse.Ch10:424. If I dont know how do I accept?Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realizedsoul, and know Him first, then accept.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna ordonot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita-Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Leadyr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Beforegiving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit withthem and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn bythe character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If theycan learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and willget their realization at their own speed.with lots of Love,a sadhikaSadhna Karigar --------------------------------Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of thequestioner!! "Sarphod" in Hindi means skull breaker ! "Tablachi"means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !!Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classicname Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted someone to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't sayplease- "that children now a days need more than belief to accept".That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even yourkind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solidbelief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanityon this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind ofproof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your fatheror some name to be mine or for that purpose by "the children of nowa days"- say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you "know" as to who is your father and who is your mother? Whatproof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr Xas your father? You asked "from where to pick the thread". I reply to you that youpick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee JeeShashikala-------------------------------Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.Itis very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanationin his books-"Autobiography of a yogi" and "Man's eternal quest"which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectlydescribes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He isthe Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God isindescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul.Ami Chhowala --------------------------------I still remain unsatisfied in this "divine" forum. How and whyParamatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in yourscriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also "see" God ?My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your SwamiRamsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddarhad "darshanas" of God. Was His statement right or your referenceof good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known?How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need aninstruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to befair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manneris focal point! None of the "sadhaks" are convincing so far. Iasked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear andincomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were likeme in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not adivine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist.Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What elsewe are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature" made oceans, Sun Moon etcand when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Whycant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God isbeyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr PratapBhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? "Sadhaks" - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfymy knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi--------------------------------Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body asreal self and not the outer sheath of immortal "real self" whichcontains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal Godis Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine.Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of "Sunand Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet"and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of thepeople who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaiseGod as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on thisearth are "Thy" tiny living cells. We have several billions livingcells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who weare? But those who find human soul as "real self" have no difficulty inknowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul(Parmatma) and His subtle body "Mahadeva" is omnipotent SupremeSpirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. Hisspirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matterconsisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spiritprevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani-pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides inour subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Thosewho consider material gross body as the real self will always finddifficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- namederived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras.Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind.with regards,Prem Sabhlok --------------------------------Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwellingeverywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If wecan tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we canfeel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body withlife is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far weare only establishing the things which are existing, but we areunable to establish about the source of the existence.Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with thenature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought aboutgod. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the sensesattached to our body always act against our realisationprocess.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life.Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,thinknaturally and live naturally. with regardsRamana kothuri ------------------The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I toodont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers orlogics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dontagree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His belovedones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers ofSupreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas'message that before "big bang" too something existed or that ifthere is creation then there must be a creator. But how that isexclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptomand authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Pleaseelaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about fiveelements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing thetransformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions arewarranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. Firstthe logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by "No one knows about time!!!" Also, I am unclear asto how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea abouttime, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred byhim? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree HariRam Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him?Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one cansimply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given thename Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or allNames are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him?Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in futuretoo Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has statedthat Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond thiswhatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He?Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regardingParmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot bedescribed at all. 4) What are you able to know "Time" (samay). This question has beenasked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). Itis not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not onlyyou, but no one understands anything about "time". They can saynothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarlybelieve and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment oflaws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyonecontinues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, andaccording to one's own convenience and conformance giving thattattva a "form". You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportivearguments and evidence exist to establish the existenceof 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get thesupport of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning-deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be ofthat thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot everbe known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not inconformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual oran aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught upin the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual.Leaving the search, become engaged in "Chup Saadhan" (EffortlessAwareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will bequietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / wordsused. Vineet Sarvottam-------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always acreator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine,house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible.Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth,Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle,machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earthalso moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sunrises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller ofthem also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot "create" anything! It is only "nature"which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covertgold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can'tcreate gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two ormore elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . Youcan "discover" only. To be continued. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B-------------------------Kindly read bertrand russelAranha Roy ---------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakashave said.Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humbleus!Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object hasto exist inthe first place.Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. Thisknowing of anexistence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes,function etc.The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be oneExistencefundamentally. Individual objects within it are individualexistences localizedin space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms,continuingthe existences.When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the wordUniverse pointsto the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Onlyby beingaware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awarenessof Existence.To see what is prior to such Existence, there has to be Awareness toknowwhether or not such Existence IS. Thus Awareness as Existence has tobebeginningless! What is after the Existence, non-existence? no,because to sayit, there has to be Awareness of non-existence. If there isAwareness ofnon-existence, IS-ness is established. Thus that which IS, theExistence(withoutdivision into many objects), is eternally free of time and spacecontaining allobjects(names/forms) in time and space by creating mind and endowingit withthis ability in terms of thoughts/feelings. Gita in 2:16 says thereal neverceases to be.Such Awareful Existence has to be most Powerful, Intelligent,Beautiful, full ofLove and Blissful which is our experience. Can we not call this God?God means Such Intelligence as seen through those who serve, and loveunconditionally, those who fight for Dharma, the righteousness, andthose whopreach God's message!Evil actions come out from not realizing the Truth of EternalOneness, GOD!Namaskar.............Pratap Bhatt ----------------------------My answer is simply to a question which has been indirectlyasked: "Why can't I see Him?"Because He is the Seer. You are what you are looking for. It issubjective awareness.The problem lies with the word 'God' because we then suppose adistinct being like a tribal deity. No, it is Awareness, Supernal-consciousness. This is the Vedantic way. Find out who you reallyare, not how others see you, but from your subjective perspective,and you'll find what you're looking for.Rishi Handa ----------------------------Wonderful expression by Pratap (Bhatt) Bhai Further, a simple but serious exercise could help in understandingthis.....Sarphodji, ask yourself " who is asking these questions?""Who wants to know God?" ....and wait for the answer....see what comes from deep inside..... but you have to have patience.....and keep asking/repeating thequestions....In fact when you come across any such question, ask yourselfwho is this who wants to know this, who is asking the question?.... and wait for the answers and experience that follows.......Best wishesSushil Jain --------------------------------I am a believer of God. Like one person said in the e-mail below, Iwent through that 'show me God to believe' stage when I was around22 years - 26 years. I was God lover before and again lover now. Ido not really know and I do not think with my limited ablity I canever know. At the same time I am not blind follower too. I am opento all these 6 questions coming from a logical person because I hadthem before too and have them now too. Before - with doubt, now -with wonder and amazement. Knowing God is a long journey. I am on the journey, I beleive I amgradually understanding the divine concept. I am understanding themthrough others, specially our ancestors, Indian scriptures. Thereare great concepts, ideas and explanations, there are trash alsoamongst them. I am amazed at the power of those ideas andexplanations. They attempted volumes and spent 100s of years to findGod and explain the divinity. Can I really understand all this in mylife? I doubt, which is why its a journey for me. Can I see God? Itdepends on. I feel divinity in some great people, in their ideas forhumanity - around me. OK, when somebody asks the question 'show me God', what they areasking us is 'show me Jesus, Show me Shiva or show me Vishnu'. Idoubt if any one has seen God in these forms. Unless the divinepower appears so for any. As for God in its full form - Can Iimagine the distance between the Earth and the nearest star (AlphaCentauri - about 4 light years away). I cannot imagine thatdistance - however logically I think. Can I see God then - which isfull of this universe? Impossible to imagine. Then how can I seeGod, unless God willingly appears to me. My dear friend, answers to those 6 questions need volumes ofexplanation or simply experiecing of the divine power - depending onwhere you stand on the quest for God. Its a journey, so pleasediscuss with people who have done the research (of your 6 questionsbefore) and experience the facts yourself. You still go through theoscillations of belief and disbeliefs, but if your quest is sincereyou will start seeing light at the end of tunnel. The above does not give straight answers to even one of yourquestions. So thanks for your time, if at all you read through thisuntil now. Venu Gopal-------------------------------- PRIOR POSTINGI will come at these questions in a hard nosed manner, maybe I amblessed as I too waved aside religions when younger but traveled fullcircle to The Beloved, who I dearly love with my absolute being. Question 6: There has to be some basis for his existence? What arethe logics which point towards the existence of God? From where topick the thread?O.K. I would ask the skeptical young, (I will call him S. ), tell meS. how did this Godless Universe begin? He may be a brilliantphysicist, good chance though, regardless S will start to talk aboutthe 'big bang', the question would then be, o.k. S. was theresubstance, was there energy, and was there time, before the 'Event'?I would ask S. also when this energy of the bang runs out whatthen?, I would press the point home that the Great IndiansTraditions had a good explanation for all this many millenniumbefore the present time, and is probably a good guide for thescientists. Oh! I would ask my young friend S. where did the laws ofphysics come from? Apparently they are unique, the laws had to bespot on for there to be an existance, that is what the physicistseem to be saying. I would ask S. one other thing, how is it possible for a spider tobuild the perfect web according to its kind, without actually beingtaught. I would say to S., think about it, think about it, be tenacious, bemercilessness, and be brave, let your desire for the truth take youwhere it will, just hang in there! S. my friend I was once like you,maybe one day we can really talk. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor------------------------ Dear Sadak, 1. Where is God I have never seen Him?EXAMPLES Most children knowwater is H2O (Hydrogen 2 parts and Oxygen 1 part) ask them them toshow hydrogen and oxygen showing water. Next show them Yogurt (Curd)and ask them to show milk. Bigger children ask them to show planets.Then tell then from Sanskrit slokas-- "God is apprameyam" that whichcannot be seen or known by senses as in case of above examples, asGod can be only known by Gyana (knowledge)2. Who has seen Him? Like in case of scientist tell as per aboveexamples, so does Saints tell. Only a saint (Guru) can show God asshown to Vivekananda by Swamy Ramakrishna3. How is He? Slokas say: Aroopamai, Aksharamai. Roopam, Akandamai,Viratroopamai Etc. No definite shape as HE appears in the form thatthe devotee wants. HE is in sounds - Om, HE is like Sri Krishna/SriRama Etc, Omnipresent (That cosmic energy filled in everything), HEis in all shapes and forms.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Contemplate. If you accept thatthere is Galaxies then contemplate what energy is performing wholeuniverse, like in the case of any toy needs battery, car need petrolor fuel, computer need electricity etc. Still do not want to accept-Leave it. Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayan----------------------------- All questions arise out of answers. When one asks a questioneither he needs a confirmation of the answer which he already hasor he is answering his own question. When somebody is asking aquestion relating to God, first he has to explain what is in hismind when he says or thinks of GOD. Einstein said that the world is an optical illusion. We think andfeel that we are separated from the rest. This is an opticalillusion. We have no direct contact with the outside world. Allthe sensorial data has to filter through our optical nerve and ourmind (delusion). So we have no idea of what is exactly out there.When one realizes this he comes closer to God or some superiorknowledge. To realise that we are the debris of God is the supremerealisation. The most mysterious thing holds the most important key. Death isthe most mysterious thing. Death holds the most important key. When death happens. The soul/consciousness releases out of thecage (body � which is always subjected to three dimensional viewandlinear concept of time and space), one will realize or merge withGod H. Subair ------------------------------dear pratapji,thank u for giving us such wonderful knowledge.personlike you are really god's gift to us.bhargav mehta------------------------PRIOR POSTINGRe: Does God (Paramatma) Exist? Where is the Proof? Whatis the logic ? Through that supreme devotion he comes to know Me in reality, whatand how great I am; and thereby knowing Me in essence he forthwithenters into My being. Gita - Chapter 18 Sloka : 55 Sundara Raghavendran--------------------------- Deaar Sadhakas, Namaste!When someone says "where is God? I have never seen Him", that personhas to know what God is that he expect to see, otherwise he cannotask the question. The question comes from the implicit assumptionthat God is some imagination, ideas, knowledge, belief, etc. in themind and what I see out there is definitely not "God".So it is better to rephrase the question back to What God is first.When that is understood, all questions by Tabalchiji will getanswered.Consider the following dialogue:Q: Do you have a doubt about your own existence?A: No, I know I exist beyond a shadow of doubt. It is so obvious tome!Q: How do you know you exist?A: I don't know HOW, but I am sure I DO!Q: Do you need any help of another person, scripture, or somelogical explanation to confirm you do exist?A: Definitely not, even if they say I don't exist, I know I do,because it is experiential within me now. I don't even need anysense organs-mind-intellect to tell me I exist! So, it is self-evident existence, of "beingness" we all feel withinus, and by which we know what is knowable in this world as objectsof knowledge. This experience of Being Conscious is always with us,never are we away from IT, not even in our sleep when body-mind-world are all gone no one knows where! But I am always!I just have to find out that ultimately this "I" is Impersonal andis of the nature of Existence-Consciousness which we call God!Personal God of Bhakta appears in this Impersonal!Based on this, I can conclude that God is not a particular objectamong many objects we know through sense organs, mind and intellect.It is THE UNIQUE and objectless EXPERIENCE!It is like our eyes who cannot see themselves and yet know theirexistence beyond any shadow of doubt because SEEING takes placeautomatically by just Being.Once it is grasped, it can lead to God Realization!Namaskar... Pratap Bhatt ------------------------------- My dear Sarphod,There is a very beautiful story from ancient times that I haveheard from my guru. Once, a king called his minister and said, "Iwant you to answer two questions.....otherwise your position will beat stake.....first, can you show me God. Secondly, what is Goddoing right now?The minister was in anxiety. He went home, began searchingthrough various scriptures....wondering if he would have a job thenext day. His small son approached him, and noticing his father'sperplexity, inquired, "What trou (Message over 64k, truncated.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Shree Hari Ram Ram Dear Sadhaks, NAMASKAR! In light of recent feedback... lengthy messages will be shortened at the discretion of the moderators. We appreciate your attention to this. Thank you, From Gita Talk Moderators, Ram Ram ------------------------- My question is that how to prove that there exists a super naturalpower called "God" ? At least how to explain that. How to correlateHis existence with the character of the world? Children now a daysneed more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which wecan establish that God exists. If some body says say :1. Where is God I have never seen Him?2. Who has seen Him?3. How is He?4. If I dont know how do I accept?5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Sarphod Tabalchi NEW POSTING WHO IS ASKING THIS QUESTION? WHO WANTS TO KNOW? DARE AND HAVE COURAGE TO KNOW HIM FIRST......... ANSWER TO ALL QUESTIONS LIES THERE..... ENCOUNTER THE "SELF".... KNOWING SELF LEADS TO KNOWING GOD..... IT IS SIMPLE..... Sushil Jain --- -Shree Hari-When I saw this post re-emerge, originally from Sarphod Tabalchi, and he hadeveryone spinning on the spot. I said to myself, No way, I have been there! ButI decided, 'That hell has frozen over'.Talking of Hell, that advocate of the Devil has re-emerged in the guise of P Srivastava.Straight away I have noticed something:The Patriarch Jacob wrestled with GOD all night long, God then finished the fight by putting Jacobs hip out of joint, could have obliterated Jacob, but just I minor wound. Interesting to note that Jacob did not realize who he was wrestling with. Now this is allegorical, but universal at that level. Some Sadhaks seem angry, I do not know why because you see, these beloved souls, are witnessing you wrestling with Bhagwan. And if you keep wrestling, and don't run away, HE, 'The Beloved', will break your heart and tear you down, with Love,and Grace.How do I know this? You work it out.Coming to science and logic, there is a problem, regardless of scientific principles, modern science is Christocentric, (I think I have just invented a word), there is an older ancient knowledge, one simple example is the solar system, understood in India approximately 1500 years (at least), before being understood in the West, and it was declared a heresy. Oh! and re-incarnationdeclared a heresy 500 years after Christ within Christendom, now the scientist are talking about cellular memory, (they will get there just give them time). These are early times with this debate with you, keep debating, and with Divine Grace, you will understand the things that science can't, just think how wonderful that would be!With Respect and Divine Love,Mike (Keenor).------------ Dear Sadak Sarphod Tabalchi & other sadaks,This is what you said,"" God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness."" Presume you are correct, then indulge goodness total pure goodness. God surely illuminates HIMSELF to you, like in the case of Vivekanadha who asked similar questions to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Do you know one truth that you will surely know God existence faster than me. Your craving is higher to see God. Where as I think I know about God and making myself fool by giving all descriptions and sastras. Sinners are potential saints- the proverb. Great men like Tukaram, Chaitaniya Maha Prabu when someone pointed mistake (Not really mistake) they readily accepted and tried to change for no fault of their`s. They are Sub Zero in Ego. Example: When Kasi Pandit critisied Tukaram Abang for no sanskrit value in it and ordered to be thrown in river colse by, Turaram accepted and threw the scripts in river. But to surprise of all, the total abang came in opposite direction running water to Tukaram. Pandit body statred itchy and he fell at feet of Tukaram. Sadaks dont change even to pronounce God name as requested, but call it Bavana is important. For sake of God I should change my habbit and try when some one tells me something. By doing so I loose Ego and get Bagavan Sankalp. Zero ego. Get that Egoless God comes to you.No man on earth can describe GOD says Chandokiya Upnashid and Vedas. Vedas may say how water came, fire came etc but it says one can establish in GOD only by Gyana.What efforts did Ajaamilan do? Srimath Bagavatyh clearly says he called Narayana his son. Earnestly studing further it says, Ajamilan was given Gyana first by Vishnu Doots. Anjamilan hearing Vishnu Doots speach given to Yama Doots, his heart felt tears and utmost repentance by thinking that for calling his son Narayana if this grace could flow, what it would be if Narayana was thought during life.God benovolence making you to ask those questions. Present days there people asking so many things and matters except GOD.Jai Sri KrishnaB.Sathyanarayan ------------------------------- ALL WORDS REMAIN WORDS, my friends , till the One word blossoms in the self to merge into the Silence that is God ............. and then ................ all is known ............ and this knowing has to become your knowing ................ if you today feel separate from the Self that you are .............. you are the ultimate proof of your own being ............ whatever you feel you are ! even though the aspirant , the means, and the sadhya are ONE , not-two ! Have always been so. Will ever be so ; even so........................ the blossomimg of the One Word , the silent sound of Aum, the unheard melody ever resounding in the self, is the Gift recieved from the Self , when the self is willing to die to the self ................ if the aspirant wants the direct experience of the Self ..................... meditation is the way. .................... meditate, meditate, meditate ............. watch the ' doings' of the self in you .............. be a witness, be a watcher , and wait ................... just wait .................. doing nothing ............. just watch, with the focus of your watching, " who in me is the watcher ? who am I ?" this is the shortest way ........... such is the experience and advice of all the knowers of Silence .............. including Ramanna Maharishi. Swami Ramsukhdas jee means the same , when he speaks of ' self-remembrance'...................... pleaae meditate on Swami Ramsukhdasjee's words.............. BUT ........................ there is a catch .............. this method of the Direct Inquiry is not for all........... Karamyoga is the Way for the majority to move into higher steps of purification of the self .......... each person has to strive to ' understand' what he is at the present moment now. A live Guru is the greatest help, if you cannot yourself become aware of what you are NOW , were you stand on this Path of spiritual seeking, this moment . it is narinder, who is presently deluded... it is nari, who is presently feeling the separation from the Self...... it is he , who has to become free from the delusion that the self is separate from the Self ............. and Krishna , through His song Celestial, the Bhagvada Geetha, beckons him with the advice " Abandoning all the Dharmas ( of body, mind and intellect), take refuge in me alone ........" and goes on to say that to those, who will so do, the reward will be ' freedom from action' ( Sh 11 of Ch3) AUM narinder bhandari ---------------- PRIOR POSTING Namaste. The only way to 'prove that there exists a super natural power called "God" ' is to find God, in yourself, and everywhere. Others may explain and provide as much information as you wish but in the final analysis, you have to discover God, yourself. You must bear in mind that you cannot "challenge" God to prove He exists; this is human thought and action, on the human plane. I suggest you start with the Nasadiya - The Creation Hymn, Rig Veda Book 10 Hymn 129: 1. THEN was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it. What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?2 Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day's and night's divider.That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.3 Darkness there was: at first concealed in darkness this All was indiscriminated chaos.All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.4 Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit.Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.5 Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder6 Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not. Read it several times, sing it loud, ponder the significance and meaning of it, study it, and then ask questions about the Creation of this world, of human life, and the purpose of your existence. Then, go to Geeta for answers. Rest assured you will find God and all answers you seek. Ram Ram Deosaran Bisnath----------- Narain ! Narain !! Issue raised by Shrivastavaji and Sharmaji is : If there is God prevalent in the world, why there is sorrow existing ? God is known to be the kindest, all knowing and all powerful. If He knows about our sorrows but is not powerful then one can understand. He will also cry with us, as we do when some one dies.But He is all powerful. If He is powerful but is ignorant, one can understand. He can say I did not know ? But He is all knowing. If He is all powerful and all knowing but if He is cruel, then one can understand. Damn care. Each is suffering due to one's own karmas. Why He should bother? But He is the kindest. He cant say to a 5 year old child, you are suffering because of your past deeds. Even we as normal fathers dont refuse to give milk to the child even if by carelessness he has split earlier given glass of milk. This is the issue raised by these two gentlemen. Narain ! Narain !! Error clearly visible in their statements is total lack of normal intellect and sheer arrogance. They instead of going for reasons and instead of asking soberly a question have sat on the chair of judge and started giving verdicts. They have presumed themselves to be the only wise person, while the fact is that every human on this earth has some speciality which is unique to him. They have concluded certain things without any application of Viveka or even mind or intellect. They are , thus, neither here nor there. They have faith, as does every human being, but they dont know how and where to apply the same. They are standing in dark and feel that there is no light possible. Their views therefore are full of stupidity and lack of knowledge. Without going into that stupidity, we should in fact address the issues raised by them. WHY SORROW EXISTS, IF GOD IS THERE ? Either sorrow is not there or God is not there. If sorrow is there, then either God is not therte.. If still God is there, then He is not all knowing, all powerful and the kindest. Which status is true? Let us deliberate. Sadhak Sarphod Tabalchi ! Like my name, your name is also getting immortal. Join us now, you too ! Narain ! Narain !!Naarad N Maharishi ----Hari OmDear Mr Srivastava Why are you thinking about God? Can you think for an element which does not exist? Are you not fully independent in acceptance? What made you express your self before this forum? What made you read these messages? What made you still recollect and narrate the book which you threw? You threw the book, but your mind did not ! Why? Catherine has faith. Do you not have faith? If you don't have, then prove your own existence ! Tell me can you live without faith in you. Can you justify existence of faith in you? You have faith in science, and some western writers you named, isn't it? She has faith in God! How you can say your faith is correctly placed, and her faith is not? What gives anyone the right to call another.... fool, or vulgar or bacteria or idiot ! Think about this..... !!! Prove to me by science ( as developed till date) as to who is your father ! Can you prove it, based on your personal knowledge? You are talking about Eternal Father , I am talking about of this birth father. Bring all of your knowledge, science, intellect, mind, expertise, capacity, imagination to prove to me as to who is your this father. Prove to me as to who are you.... Body, nose, ear, heart what are you ? Now prove ! Now that you are in the forum... don't run away - let us see how how long these words last .... trash, misplaced, illogical, arising out of darkness and ignorance, blind, irrational, literate fools or lack of belief in God, I say that you believe that there is God. Now prove your disbelief ! Don't run away ! Are you ready for it? Then prove to us as to who is your this birth father , by your personal knowledge !! There should not be any "belief" on anything because your "science" does not recognise belief , it goes on the basis of proof. You should tell us how Mr So and So is your father based on a proof acquired out of your knowledge and not out of any belief on anything. Science goes on facts and acquired knowledge not on any belief. And it is a fact that you exist. How is that "you" who exists? We shall talk about your Eternal Father- Paramatma ( Your father's father's father's ...... Father of Adam and Eve) afterwards. First prove your this birth father. Bring Darwin's theories also in deliberations if that help you in correctly answering to us. Now come on! Let us have healthy deliberations. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B -------Jai Hanuman Very good, Jee, Very good ! There is one idiom in Hindi: Maa ka pata hi nahin hai, mausi ki chinta karate hain ! Whereabouts of mother is not known, and people are worrying about mausi (mother's sister) ! Raam ! Raam!! Raam!!! There is another idiom in Hindi : Andhe ko andhere main, badi door ki soojhi ! A Blind person standing in darkness has claimed himself to be a visionary. Mr Shrivastava ! The best thing which has happened to you is that you have somehow reached to this forum. You were reading the messages , isn't it? Why? Now you should read more intensely and surely Daddy's grace will work like magic ! We have Sister Catherine as examples showing us how to live - devoid of hatred, negativity, frustration, brooding, fretting, ignorance, stupidity, pride. She is sober, intelligent, wise,organised, sharp,knowledgeable, determined, cool and composed. It is obvious to any one who reads her statement. What has made her so? Where lies the difference? Faith in God ! What else the difference can be? Think, if you can.Namaste Jee, Jee JeeShashikala ---- Dear Friend, I have been studying (not just reading) the Gita for 20 years now. There is some profound wisdom contained within it, and according to me a whole lot of redundant verses as well. Per what I understand, in the 11th century AD, with the advent of the Vaishnav cult, a lot of verses apotheosizing Krishna were added to the Gita. Moreover, many have commented that there would not have been sufficient time just before commencement of battle to discourse 700 verses. Even a child can guess, none of the Deities could move even a finger in their defence over the centuries, many invaders and conquerors from central Asia plundered and demolished Hindu temples... This should convince one of the non-existence of Hindu Deities, and the irrationality behind this myth. And regarding your comment on DNA testing - haven't you heard of so many cases where DNA testing has showed people that they were wrongly believing someone else to be their father? And if someone wants proof of their parentage, don't they resort to DNA testing? Moreover, we are talking about a father that exists in flesh and blood – not an imaginary invention. You said - "It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means," either confused the meaning of the word sentient, or have invented your own meaning to it. And it is very obvious thatyou think nothing of blind faith, or of remedying it. Little knowledge is dangerous. You write about Schopenhauer being influenced by the Gita. He was influenced by Eastern philosophy, but with the essence, and not with the rituals and blind faith contained therein, Per my understanding of his writings he believed real deductions themselves are by no means to be found in Hindu Scriptures. He regarded the world as a prison, as a place of suffering, a theme central to Hindu Scriptures. He had the sense to take matters to their logical conclusion. Based on what I understand of his writings he indicated that if the world is a place of suffering, and freeing the soul is the ultimate goal, then it is highly immoral to give birth to a child and trap a soul in a mortal prison. - Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), On the Sufferings of the World (1851). Sadly, most of the people who read our Scriptures lack the insight of people like Schopenhauer to understand simple truths. My understanding is that Schopenhauer detested Religion, the concept of God, and for this very reason described the masses as the "natural and universal league of the stupid". (other paragraphs excluded by moderators due to lack of relevance to the TOPIC and length). P Srivastava Shree Hari Ram Ram Srivastavaji, Namaskar ! Our question is not about others... Have you personally done DNA testing of your father or are you just believing that the person you call father is your father? If you have not done DNA testing ,,, then how are you much different? Also, kindly share your explanation of "sentient" Here is the quote - "In the whole world there is no study, except that of the originals, so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Oupnekhat. It is the most rewarding and elevating reading possible: it has been the comfort of my life and it will be the one of my death." Arthur Schopenhauer (said about the Upanishads). Ram Ram PRIOR POSTING Chapter ten of Bhagavata Gita explains every aspects of Almighty GodNo more explanations required Thanks truly yours S S Bhatt---- " Ahankaram balam darpam, kamam krodham parigraham,Vimucya nirmamah santo, brahma bhuyaya kalpate" ( gita 18, 53). Which means " one who is deyached , free from false ego, false strength, pride, ownership and one who is always peaceful, such a person is eligible for brahma swarupam." When one is free from false ego and becomes non attached to material things, then that one reached " brahma bhuta stage". A pure devotee goes still further and becomed engaged in devotional service. Pure devotional service is the key to attain the lord. There are examples to prove God's presence. Sant tukaram went back to lord's kingdom on garuda vahana', sent by pandu ranga. Composer singer annamacharya saw lord venkateswara. Hare krishna. Prasad iragavarapu m.d --- Sutra 1 Parambrahma (Spirit or God) is everlasting, complete, without beginning or end.It is one, indivisible Being. The Eternal Father, God, Swami Prarmbrahma, is the only Real Substance, Sat, andis all in all in the universe. Why God is not comprenhensible;Man possesses eternal faith and believes intuitively in the existence of aSubstance, of which the objects of sense - sound, touch, sight, taste and smell,the component parts of theis visible world - are but properties. As manidentifies himself with his material body, composed of the aforesaid properties,he is able to comprhend by these impercect organs these properties only, and notthe Substance to which these properties belong. The Eternal Father, God, theonly Substance in the Universe, is therefore not comprehensible by man of thismaterial world, unless he becomes divine by lifting his self above this creationof Darkness or Maya. See Hebrews 11:1 and John 8:28. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things notsee." "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the son of man (human ego),then shall ye know that, I am he." Sutra 2 In it (Parambrahma) is the origin of all kowledge and love, the root of allpower and joy. Prakriti or Nature of God;The Almighty Force, Shakti, or in other words the Eternal Joy, Ananda, whichproduces the world; and the Omniscient Feeling, Chit, which makes this worldconscious, demonstrate the Nature, Prakriti, of God the Father. How God is comprehended. As man is the likness of God, directing his attention inward he can comprehendwithin him the said Force and Feeling, the sole properties of his Self - theForce Almighty as his will, Vasana, with enjoyment, Bhoga; and the FeelingOmniscient as his Consciousness, Chetana, that enjoys, Bhokta. See Genesis 1:27. "In this way God created man in his own image, in the image of God created hehim; male and female created he them." So says Swami Sri Yukteswarji in his book, "The Holy Science". Haley Haynes --------- Sarphod Tabalchi, you have raised some very pertinent questions, which clearly do away with the concept of an anthropomorphic just and merciful Father – one is reminded of the Epicurean Riddle: "Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; Or He can, but does not want to.If He wants to, but cannot, He is impotent. If He can, but does not want to, He is wicked.If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?" The irrational, the tissue of whose brain is of a coarse quality, will try to offer some very stupid explanations to this riddle, leaning on the spurious law of Karma. I am shocked to see educated people attach more weight to blind faith and vulgar superstition than to facts which lie in hand – this is something Charles Darwin had bemoaned as well. Raja Ram Mohan Roy had hoped that Western education wouldrid Indians of blind faith: he was wrong. Western education has succeeded only in creating a profusion of literate fools. I was reading some Indian Scripture in which there was mention of "the God who brings rain and the demons that withhold it" – this disgusted me so much that I just threw that useless book away. Science has done half the job to cure peoplefrom the disease of God and Religion; the other half can be achieved by reading Western Philosophy. I would definitely attach more weight to men of science and logic than to the buffoons who write about Gods and demons bringing rain. Ifbitten by a venomous snake, where would you rush to – a modern hospital stocking the anti-venom, or some dim-witted idiot who would parrot out Scriptures in an attempt to cure you? Until modern science developed snake anti venom, and manyother cures, our Scriptures and obsolete medical techniques were quite ineffective and useless when it came to most medical problems. "God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)" – this quote by Catherine Anderson just proves Epicurus right – it means God is harmful bacteria, virus, and all the evil that pervades the world. If anyone really wishes to enlighten themselves, I suggest you stop reading trash and go for books by great men like David Hume and Arthur Schopenhauer. P Srivastava--- Shree Hari Ram Ram Srivastavaji, Namaskaar! Please share with us if you have read the Bhagavad Gita. (By read, we mean - not just superficially scanning...but questioning, inquirying and seeing if the answers are available in it)..... Simply speaking.... if we have not done DNA testing of our father... we are living in blind faith.... As we recollect - ARthur Schopenhauer was deeply influenced by the Bhagavad Gita, he has made comments to that effect. Education feeds the mind/intellect which are insentient. It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means. Ram Ram ------ God is an Anglo-Saxon noun and refers to a Male (as opposed to Goddess), Creator Being. There is no provable God (or Goddess). As Hindus, what do we know? Tat Tvam Asi. This Mahavakya means that we are No-Thing (Tat). This Tat is also referred to as ParaBrahman and sometimes Nirguna Brahman. What can be said about Tat? Nothing. "Mouna vakya ParaBrahaman tattwam." Tat may also be defined as Om Tat Sat(chidananda). This Saguna Brahaman experience is provable. Energy/Light/Bliss is our Atmana. This we know. God we do not know. As Hindus, we have our Ishta Devatas and this good and this is personal. One does not (and cannot) have to prove the existence of our Ishta Devata. Thus, Hinduism is a monistic polymorphism and not the lesser understanding of Monotheism. Swami Param------Shree Hari Ram RamSwami Paramji, Kindly explain what exactly is meant by monistic polymorphism. Ram Ram ------ is obvious that there is NO GOD. The characters attributed to GOD areOmnipresentOmnipotentMercifulAll Knowing.There is so much misery and injustice in this world that either God does not know it in which case he is not all knowing, or he knows and does not do any thing about it. In that case he is not merciful. Or he can not do any thing then he is not omnipotent.I take a recent case of a 10 years old girl being raped by her father. What was God doing?It has been said that the girl was being punished for what she might have done in her previous life. How can a merciful God punish a child of ten ? In any case what she did in her previous life could not have been done if God did not will it to be done. If we agree that it was a punishment for some act for previous life than the father can not be blamed for the this act. He was only an instrument in the WILL of God. Let us face it God is nothing but an inversion of Man to explain things he could not explain, create an absolute authority and may be give hope when there is nonearun sharma--- Shree Hari Ram Ram Arunji... have you read the Bhagavad Gita? Paramatma is not the doer, nor a punisher ! There have been previous discussions on this subject... in Gita Talk...you can search by topic. Ram Ram ---- PRIOR POSTING To my beloved sadhaks, Where is God? Who has seen Him? How is God? How do I accept Him? What logic points towards God? Let us look at Gita 7/19"After taking many births and acquiring the human form and realizing that God is Everything, should such a knower (Jnanavan) surrender to Me, indeed such a great soul is a rarity. "Repeat such a great soul is a rarity. My question is how can one not see God, who cannot be aware of where He is, how He is, but to accept Him is a good place to start and how to do this is by establishing a direct affinity for God.Everything is God. God has in simple words, expounded to us the innermost secrets of the hearts of great souls of Vasudev Sarvam. God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)Bhagavan says(Gita 18/55)" After realizing my quintessence (Tattva) man immediately merges into Me."Those who want to attain God do so by Discipline of Action, Knowledge and Devotion.For more info on God realization go to Swamiramsukhdasjis site and read on how to attain God with humility.catherine andersen ------------------------- Shree Hari:Ram Ram. By Grace of God these questions are on my computer: 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? God is in your mind. You can't see God with your eyes as mental conceptions are not seen by us. 2. Who has seen Him? Nobody ever declared he/she has seen God. 3. How is He? Nobody ever described how is God. 4. If I don't know how do I accept? If you don't know accept or don't accept, choice is yours. 5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles on us so that we may indulge in goodness. What harm is there if you indulge in goodness? Indulge in goodness or not, choice is yours. 6. There has to be some basis for His existence. What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? from where to pick the thread? Existence of Existence (termed Tattva, Sattaa by Swamijee Shree Ramsukhdasjee) needs no basis for its existence. Existence of Existence is all logic and all illogic but they can't point towards Existence of Existence similarly as you can't mix water into water when you are under water only. You are the beginning and you are the end of the thread. Pick it up and go. You shall finish at the other end of thread and shall be surprised to experience that what you sought is the seeker. Vasudev: Sarvam. (Gita 7:19). If you conceive God, you fail to experience the experience as experience is experience only (Swamijee in God IS Everything page 2 last para "Similarly in this world, men, animals, birds, trees, mountains, stones, bricks, sand, lime, earth etc. are of diverse kinds, yet what resides intrinsically within, has no form and that formless essence is God".). Bandhu, if anything is easiest it is Realizing God (Existence, not any human with four hands etc they are NOT God as they don't reside in everything, they come and go.) Who is ever Realized as You can't deny your existence. Ram Ram. Kachcha Sadhaka Sarvottam.---- 5 Fallacies & Realities about God Fallacies* Ego Consciousness Realities of Self Consciousness 1 Humans believe that God needs something. Humans know that God needs nothing. God is beyond needs and demands. 2 Humans believe that God can fail to get what He needs. Humans know that God can never fail to get what He does not need. He has no needs. God is his own measure beyond failures & successes. 3 Humans believe that God has separated them from Him because they have not given Him what He needs. Humans know that God has integrated them from Him because they are God in human form. God is beyond form and non-form as one Living Consciousness. 4 Humans believe that God still needs what He needs so badly that God now requires them, from their separated position, to give it to Him. Humans know that God never needs any thing from humans other that what they are and have. God is in human form. 5 Humans believe that God will destroy them if they do not meet His requirements. Humans know for God there is no destruction and creation but infinite manifestations of energy of Living Consciousness. Dance of Living consciousness is appearance & disappearance of Physical Universe. *Neale Donald Walsch (The New Revelations) Sushil Jain PRIOR POSTING Hare Krishna God is worshipped in 3 forms:1. Attributeless-Formless (Nirgun-Nirakar)2. Attribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar)3. Attribute-Form (Sagun-Sakar) Goswami Tulsidasji has said"NIRGUN ROOP SULABH ATI SAGUN JAAN NAHI KOI""The attributeless form of Parmatma is very easy to understand butno one can know the form of Parmatma with attributes." The first form of Attributeless-Formless Pramatma can be proved bylogic of uninterrupted existence (akhand satta). The second form ofAttribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar) Parmatma can be proved by logicof conscious and sentient Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. But the third form of Parmatma with form and attributes (Ram,Krishna, Shiva etc.) cannot be proved by any logic, rationale etc.They can only be believed with purport of Gita, Ramayan, Sadhak-Sanjivani etc.If anyone argues over Ram being God then questions like these willarise "In forest how did Lord Ram get deceived by a gold-deer? If Heis deceived then how is He Omniscient? Why did Lord take the help ofSugreev's army? If He takes help then how come is He Almighty?...." When Lord Ram killed Ravan's mighty brothers Khar and Dushan, Ravandecided to examine whether the Omniscient and Almighty Parmatma hastaken Ram-avatar. He kidnapped Sitaji (with disguise of an ascetic)by deceiving Lord with a golden-deer. Lord failed in the examinationand Ravan was successful in his evil plan, but what was the endresult? Lord Ram destroyed the entire clan of Lankan demonsalongwith Ravan. That is why Goswamiji has said"RAM ATARKYA BUDDHI KAR JAANI""Lord Ram cannot be known by intellect." Faith in Parmatma with form and attributes (known as Bhagwan) canonly be developed when one does satsang. Reading scriptures is alsoone form of Satsang. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia Hare KrishnaDear Sarphod Uncle, I sincerely apologize to you and your family for the language I haveused. I thought you were just trying to outsmart us with yourintellectual prowess so I used the same ploy on you; but Sir you area true sadhak. Sadhanaji, Mikeji recognized you but because of my so-called cleverness I did not recognize you. Again my sincereapologies for the usage of harsh words and blunt language. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------Om, God = generator orgniser destroyer.Do you see the air? Nosuppose you don't see the air then you can't see the energies in theair that sustain our body. Suppose you want to hold a grand partyof 5000 people continuing 15 days, then how much work you have todo, you will distribute your work among your relatives. Think ofGod is a organising 600 crores or more ( not only about earth butthink about whole universe). Think who has that Supreme organizingpower ! You or God. God is in every thing from atom to Everest.Suppose you made a car that each and every thing came from you meanseach part of car made from you, by you. That is God. He iscolourless, touchless, soundless, shapeless because he is supremeenergy. If you trust and have faith in God. you will trust ongod.this is the one kind of work of god. because hi is ruling onus.Whether you go to the church or any mandir or masjid, your needsby pleading to your superior… He is That. And you say uponfulfilling your wish - "thank God" What is that power that isfulfilling your needs? Whether small or a big one, it is fulfilledand often no by your effort Hari Om,nilesh popat mali, -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING To Respected Sadhaks of this really divine , perhaps the only of itskind across the globe, Satsanga Group! It is me, Dear Brothers, with my Dear Begum Sahibaa respectfullythanking you all for gems of wisdom which you imparted to me and tothe world. An association of people like you, group like yours, isor can only be God willed. Indeed, with people like Vyasji, (extremely polished and never contradicting. Must be the one who hasseen/ touched the "dukhalayam" very closely, very wisely and wonover the same), Mike Keenor ( You are pride of the very humanity)Varun, ( I am sure he is younger than many of us- his impetuosity/quick reaction reflects that, but very clever and very organised-Refer Gita 16/1 - jnanayogarvyavasthitam- an ideal young follower)Pratapji Bhatt ( Spl regards for you, for not firing me back) , thatreal firebrand Dear Sister of all of us Shashikalajee ( What asharp discrimination you have been blessed with ! ), Mira Dassji (An impartial devotee /follower of Respected Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaaj), Rajaji, Baiyaji and dozens like them, are the jewels ofthis divine forum. My heartfelt pranaams to Vineetji Sarvottam. Hiscomments were innocent and correct. Thanks AgainSarphod TabalchiRaseeli Rani Tabalchi --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhak,Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what myKrishna says-- Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna!Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16) O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : Theafflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment andthe wise. Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge. The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you areusing wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, whichitself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the differencebetween Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everythingwhich is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnecthimself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body,senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped thereremains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing.....From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothingemerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga. And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my belovedKrishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When wesee HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case ofDropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as inthe case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculousbeing, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in astatue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,andwithout forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our ownlimited vision.When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wishto see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him ineverything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist,money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become nonexistence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination inHis regime. He just "IS". I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. SomewhereSwamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this "IS" remains the same in boththe statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...Howblessed this human form is!!! How divine this forum is!!!Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss !Shivoham! Shivoham!!With lots of Love,A SadhikaSadhna Karigar------------------------------ 1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is anobject. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals asshakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understandit. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidanceyou will progress.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them?You want to make something you gather material and put your effortto make project. So there is someone who is behind all and yourthinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan------------------------------Pranam God exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you searchon "milkmiracle" You will see for your self. bvmJai Shree Ram------------------------------ Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For thosewho yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; infact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God!Doubting God takes one nowhere. Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proofof the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in thesense of all these existing objects, you see. WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE:Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you seelove, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible? WHO HAS SEEN HIM?A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity hasrevealed 'itself'. WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE?He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable inthat experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute amongthe experiences. IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT?The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can'tsee them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest inanswering these abstract questions. GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS.God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindnessetc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good futureand for building in them the moral character which saves oursociety. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person cansee God. THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THELOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD?We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God astranscendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in thedisbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience whileborn as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all thosethings of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We canafford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try?If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them thespiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, NisargaduttaMaharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God.You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'. I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted toshare with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people thebest of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year. Dr Shastry--------------------------------1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOTan object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when SriKrishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM asGod except Duryodhan who told it was illusion.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishnawith love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller.Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable totie up. It is the way you accept.Jai Sri Krishna baiya sathyanarayanPRIOR POSTINGJai Hanuman I agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writingregularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is SisterAnita- absolutely correct and "really" .practical and therefore onthe path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai !O Daddy the Great ! Let such "Divinity" continue flowing unto thisGT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons toexclaim with pleasure- "Brilliant" ! Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make hercry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? "Anguishof your soul" is most of the times " your sin" - also ! AlmostAlways! Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proofthat Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL-"KNOWLEDGE"? No body, come what may, has been able to "prove" in the past, norcan they do so in the present , nor will they be able to "prove"that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of provingthat. If you can't "prove" the existence of your even this father onearth, how can you prove the existence of your "eternal father"? Reason: "Self" Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego ! "Acceptance"/ "Faith" / "Belief" - is the only remedy. If some bodywants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you BrotherWilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in thisSatsanga forum! Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latestmessage - 1 An Aussie !2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in thecenter. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! ) Above all - 3 Flowers in the Sky !!!! (What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed !So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours ofposting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible !Yet so easily available ! But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timelyand exactly ? Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse fora long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about itsmanifestation !! ) Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! "DIVINE" !! Do you get us MrSarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only "Sadhaks" ! Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala--- Dear Vyasji, You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi jiis more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatorycomments from others (as is evident from his second mail). Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? isTabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If heknows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, theproblem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know "koaham (who am I)" May I quote from Shankara ? "KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA MEJANANI KO ME TATAH" (who are you, who am I, from where have I come,who is my mother and who is my father). Kind regards,Suresh C SharmaPRIOR POSTINGHari Om One who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is nothirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed byyou. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can "see" God, andone who has thirst for world only, "sees" the world. It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can notsee- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST. Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which inreality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can notsee God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !! Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B---------------------------- Dear members, This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because Ididnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young inthis stage - by experience and by learning.However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I shouldat least share my feelings: 1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us -all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children thatgod is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us hasthe responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity,looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act. Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in mymaid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs meevery time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me andhas made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla -who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see himevery day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise thatit was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime youmeet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection ofGOD. So, see god in all and see all in him.2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of usare in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me.And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined bythis supreme power, whom we call GOD. 3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are notable to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowableforce/energy - GOD. Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, yourneighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that lightin them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would bethere with you! Anita Sharma-------------------------Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little tooAussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure. I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly youwould understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's cleverlittle dialog. Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks. See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom). Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress,The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness:Pure silence echoed between the galaxies,Eons of eons vanished in a second,Withered trees bloomed in fires,Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry,Thusness scattered in sixty directions,Space became Time, time became things,Black Holes filled with Nirvana,A billion samadhi mirrors shattered,Galaxies snuggled within a single skull,Many became One, One only, only One.Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All BeingsOpened Her clouded Eye, to see:Flowers in the Sky. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor --------------------------Hari Om. Respected sir,I've studied from my childhood that motheris our first GOd.We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru.Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb?If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof,I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided youhave the permission to see Krushna.Rest in my next.Hari Om.With Regards,Ushasridhar. -------------------------- Jesus Says.I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible.thanksWilson Kochukunju Dear Mr. Sarfod & friends, Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whetherthere is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has alsobeen answered by various people in various ways in all the ages.But, the question has persisted till this day. I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma doesexist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond theUniverse. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Himwith his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, everyliving being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super-intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things andcreated wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anythingthat is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand,is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a specialfeature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time afterwhich it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. Wesee planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. Thisnever ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation andre-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence. Yours sincerely,Ram Bhai------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchijiabout I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellowseeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as neededto grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points.Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makesso much difference in our understanding!I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake upand find all answers about Truth of God, this world and "you".All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers!Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellowsadhaks, I remain prayerful!Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING-Shree Hari- Sarphodji, You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is,I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on theback of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of whatit is.Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the falsereality reflected on the wall of the cave.Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Isthis all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself,say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they havenothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as itwere, to understand. One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems tobe a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and aspiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth thatIndia had to give. 11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address: "Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousandpeople starting with the words: "Sisters and Brothers of America...",and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture withstandingovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes......." If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe youcould read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (Ifyou require any translation). Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of yoursoul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict,do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, otherSadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about thatwhichdoes not exist etc.Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. Ihave,I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cryfor him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, whenyour heart breaks loose from prison that binds it. You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor-----------------------------Dear Sadaks,I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The onewho has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.SherphodVedanta/Upanashids.1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, oneneeds TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as atemple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind haselectricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent.Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender.3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS.Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan---------------------------- Dear Sirphod I made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or forthat matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give youanswers like you might be expected. If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a differentissue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru whocan help you. I do not see from your postings you have thisexpectation, but the one below. But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could beanohter forum that must be working on such attempts. By the way you can come out with your real name. Venu Komanduri PRIOR POSTING Hi Sarphod Tabalchi,1. Where is God I have never seen Him?It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible byour physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God.If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There aremany ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it.Then after you never deny God.2. Who has seen Him?I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talkto birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me.3. How is He?He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied myexistence. He wants everyone happy.4. If I dont know how do I accept?Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expectanything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in yourmind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God wheneveryou want deny God.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.If you know this much of God you should not deny God.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basicconcept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn GodGod comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see theelectricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you everenquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think aboutTV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not functionwithout electricity. Even you can not ask these questions withoutthat power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier thandenying God.Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das ------------------------Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi jiWe all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving anopportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain. All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by allsadhaks...in answering these. But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers.since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstaclesto understanding the truthsince it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing orseeing God comes much later..... It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we mayhave gone through this period.But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with someguidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and theanswers start looking meaningful........ So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplatingexercise on the questions firstfor example: Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? whatcould be the place where it could be,why it can not be hear with us?Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourselfrepeatedly who am I?Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important socontemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it?What could it look like? What should it be?Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don'tknow? Do I know all? How can I know more?Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplateon: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Whywe need to fear the word God to be good?Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? Whatis the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophetshave to come to this world? Who are these prophets? See what comes as answers. It is a good learningexercise......answers are within and we must practice to startlistening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............bestwishes......Thank you....Sushil Jain ----------------------------Dear Sarphod: I have similar questions that you have. Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers): 1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there isnothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things thatexist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns tomankind yet) 2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I alsohave the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove thatthere is no GOD either. 3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my testsand verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all thosetools, a big NO (I am not sure about you) 4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD andall the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. Thatmeans, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusualthing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that isbothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have theseriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questionsshould be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest. 5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the questto know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quickconclusions like "There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc.,"because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the rightsources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying "I askeda question which this forum is not able to answer" Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history ofmankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admittedto have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who wasearnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (SwamiVivekananda). The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not havequestions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind,one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levelsof Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are. If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, ARAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might befulfilled. If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till suchtime, GOD is tentative truth for me. With a hope it might help you,Sincerely,Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy)Hare Krishna Sarphod, you have praised me by saying "I am very good". FYI! I wasnot entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. Youdon't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it.Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with yourlogic/rationale) then why don't you do it? Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also calledyou inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji,Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should thinkover it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But forthis one need guts, because you will have to keep aside yourprejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able toprove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, wecan only give logics/rationale. No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do notrespect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how canyou accept and respect the biggest father (Param-PitaParmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems tobe upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have anyshame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitudeyou are defending it. Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passingjudgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making methink. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji hascorrectly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an openmind. You have posted these questions only because your wife has directedyou to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are notinterested in knowing or learning anything, you are only askingthese questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality. Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. Heis only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything aboutGita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita18.67) You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel yourexistence as "I AM", right? Then why can't you prove it with yourlogic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did notget any reply. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia--------------------- Jai Hanuman Mr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding "flower of sky"- because it does not exist. You yourself said that.You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists. Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talkedabout God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions inthis forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist? If you can do that then why did you not talk about "flower of sky"?As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists. Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point. You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even ifthey were dead immediately after your birth, because there is abasis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of theirexistence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents meansyour grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In theend you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents? God is "Param Pita" - our eternal father. Clear? Namaste Jee Jee JeeShashikala ----------------------Hari Om You wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunjiis correct. You , yourself, are "sample" of God ! Because like God,you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody "experiences" that -I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking aboutexperience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are notexisting ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct anytest to determine whether you exist or not. You neverexperience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may saythat "I don't know", but you can't say "I didn't exist" ! How canyou say so? Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your"self" tobe non existing. Non existence of your"self" has never come intoyour experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deepsleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were nonexistent. But at the same time you experience directly theabsence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep. So you exist.So He exists. Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in yourbody. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which ispermanent and changeless and who is looking separately canexperience so.. So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You arenot body. You exist both with or without body. You exist. Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is alsochangeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists. So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in yourbody. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? Inwhich part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact youare existing everywhere in the body. God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere inthe body. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------By summery of GITA: "Tat Twam Asi" or 'That You Are'This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : "Keepyour self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you"As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by ourSenses.No machine can prove Logic.By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gainenergy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during ameditative state.Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can saypositive Energy in us and arround is GOD.This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will growonly to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' !The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics ofRamayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre ofthis World.The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self. 'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' isalso what we see in us.Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning andCreating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in ourYouth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. Atthe end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs withthe help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the nextbirth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible andchange form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(nonbeliever of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idolworshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self !--RegardsSwapan PURKAYASTHA --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sarphod: I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a goodquality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed inits lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly. I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of "God"? Do you urgefor "God"? If "YES" to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can'tstick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that yourcurrent logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimedexcellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess canclaim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench yourdesires.If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity iswarranted ... if your intellect is working straight. If "NO" to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why areyou confusing yourself with these questions. That "NO" becomesmeaningless just because you are incapable of letting the veryquestions go! The very reason you are raising these questions provethat you are infested either by fear or by desire or by bothregarding "God". THAT IS EXCELLENT! Then, it is "YOUR" primary responsibility to address the same. As Imentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping youout. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect theignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But,the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let anindividual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms ofthemselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are notapplying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it iscommon sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to behappy. I am sure you agree with it. The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are youreally interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with thesequestions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If youreally need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the onlyway out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? Ifyou have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of allactions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else. Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it outyourself. I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific "is adevine forum" as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity,everything is devine. If not, some may claim "divinity" as if therest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if youreally want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question yourquestions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel. Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONSREGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE ITWITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for ITwithin. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remainedfutile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine isnot receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myselfof more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any"psyche" as such. Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if youwant ... ONLY IF YOU WANT. All The Best. Respects. Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTINGDear "Sadhaks" (?) Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajeeasked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon theadvice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead ofresponding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and hismother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and againread that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her anotherquestion. I have not desired to smell "flower of sky" , because itdoes not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and youSadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee hasasked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn"texist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B isgiving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But thebest among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. Headviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hangingon. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gavehim a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhattis rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simplygiving me round round answers. On other hand you are passingjudgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Orsay - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. MyBegum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her atleast. But Mike praised me. He called me "brilliant". Waiting for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi---------------------------We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical isthis: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call thatsomething Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call itrandom nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to knowThat Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradoxand answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you,within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that wecontrol our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had tosee the Universal form to get over the final hurdle.Jay Shree Krishna. Hemendra Parikh-------------------------------Dear devotees of Lord Krishna,The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better afterseeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan ofLord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a slokafrom 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded inTamil, and can be shared with the group if interested.With kind regards,Sincerely,P.Vivekanandan------------------------------- Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, bywhich one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you willsee for yourself the value. The Srutis declare: "Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman isnot attainable by a weak man." In the Gita you willfind: "Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring whichBrahmacharya is performed" (Chap. VIII-11). "Trividham narakasyedamdvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayamtyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive ofthe Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce thesethree" (Chap. XVI-21). "Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam -Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance ofBrahmacharya" (Chap. III-43). If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a purelife, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts,concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity. It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even abit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot becompletely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord.You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Graceis needed. God helps those who help themselves. Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot begrasped by him. You can read more about this in the "Easy Steps to Yoga" by SriSwami Sivananda.chirag almoula --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may pointout that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if thatperson doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent uponseeing God in the way you want to see.Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. Itseems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, withthe desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, itmeans you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinentquestions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responsesindicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if youcannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has tosee that "seeing God" means deep understanding of intuitive naturein this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It hasto be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable ofgrasping truth.Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make yousee the pointers.I said one cannot say "I don't see God" without knowing what God heis looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants tosee, right? One can say "I don't know God, tell me what/where Ishould look, and how to recognize". It is different than show meGod, right?Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflectedin our experience of "I am" right now as you read these words. Infirst posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proofone cannot deny.There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect isnot capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, thereis proof of God more reliable than that.But this point didn't make any impression.I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see whathappens!Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt-------------------------------Hare Krishna Okay Mr. Sarphod, Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and onlydiscuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence. I AM Well, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your bodyhas changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr.Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly notchanging with it because if you were changing then who would haveknown the change in body? You are that changeless element who knowsthe change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are thechanging phases of the body but you are that changeless element whois witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changelesselement can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - Whatis the basis of your never-changing existence? If you considerbody's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic,because body is changing every second!!! I and MINE It is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example youconsider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you neverconsider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, mylegs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' andsimultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feelingwell. You establish two transversal relationships with the body,that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart(separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, howcan it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call itas I. Is this logical? Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself???Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. Iwant to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In otherwords, I want to see that element which you refer to as I? Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself.According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr.Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself? If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ????? And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body oryourself? Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove 1. Your existence.2. The basis of your existence.3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence. Then we will also discuss about God's existence.... As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time,those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions,they are requested to read this Sadhaka postingsadhaka/message/2108 Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------- Jai Hanuman (Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji-Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur ) Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) : Mom pls tell me , when I was born? Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14)( M ) : ( Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Momto Son?) J: If mother doesn't tell, who will? M: How to tell you? I came only after you ! J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn'tit? M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep! J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Plstell me the story ! Please !! M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not. J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please. M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Fatheronly for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing. J: Does He not do anything? M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Thentotally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs,nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour ,form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form,my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, norany beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world? J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is myFather, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...?? M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have anycaste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what canbe His respect or disrespect? J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying? M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves,nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neitherany juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entireexhibition/show I run, Dear Son !! J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !! M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall youare His son! J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on thefront gate of this Great Circus? ( The world) M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won'tunderstand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountableuniverses can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4) J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter? M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate,if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son!Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has noorgans, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element)person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas-1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient andinsentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannotsearch. J: Why not Mom? M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I amfalse. I am asat. I am non existent. My "not being" is my "being".Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing. J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that? M: He is your Father, Son! J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats offto you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of theworld that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you -Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed "actually" Mom then.....) O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose poweryou run this circus called the world? M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, ofWhose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountableuniverses, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do runthis circus only on His strength. J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Blessme , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!! While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva becametranquilised and then in the background divine music played- "MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE " (BG 7:14) He was He only! Namaste Jee. Jee JeeShashikala--------------------------------Shri Hari- My dear Sarphodji, A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by theDivine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, Icould be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just byreading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE.Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path offire so to speak, (the hard miles). In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', andyes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in theIndian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I willstay using the terminology to which I am most familiar.You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have notdeserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a lightshining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away youtears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can bemended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those thathave felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combinedwith your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The DarkNight...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one thatrescues you. I speak from experience not from books. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTINGHari Om If sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationalewhich establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help allin being definitive, have reference material and it will alsostrengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree thateasily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era ofKaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united. From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom Ihave solely relied on for a number of years - Every human being wants the following: 1) To "live for ever". This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear ofdeath is the indicator of that desire.2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This isdesire for CHIT (Knowledge).3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire forANANDA. Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element tofulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one /some element which enables you to "live for ever", to be all knowingand to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we wouldnot have had the desire for the same. Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda) Raam! Raam!! Raam!!! To be continued. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------ Dear Tabalchi ji, According to J. Krishnamurti "modern so called educated" people wanta little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge inmeaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot bediscussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (giveIt/Her/Him any name) is beyond description.Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a "fullstomach" tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu,or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirstyyou will not indulge in such childish questions about water, butwill try your best to drink it. I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (aphysic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature aboutGod, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well knownexpert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time andspace. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate DrEdington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious aboutexploring the great Absolute Truth. Become "jyan-vijyan-triptah" andonly then we can walk together on this spiritual quest. Regards,Suresh C. Sharma------------------------ Sir,You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See aroundyou, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designedthis project and process. Your father and mother only are tools.Inquire within and get the answer. surender syal-------------------------------- Mitro,Why has this God become famous as "HE" why not "she" or "IT"or "Nothing"? Today's generation will not believe in gibberishbakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that Godis ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods(many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differencesand the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma ------------------------------I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I haveasked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know Howis that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaaalso told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me.But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version.I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mindfixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept myparents because even if I dont remember my birth, they rememberthat. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feelthem. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why theyare my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the groundsthat since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and Iaccepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. Theydont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaacould not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with youShe said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am notsatisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, thenwhat? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me.She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cantaccept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling orexperiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feelor experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth,still I would accept that because how can I come without them onthis earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike orShashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observationsof Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this selfproclaimed "Divine" site. Dont go by my name. Even my BegumSaahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding myname Jee? Sarphod Tabalchi PRIOR POSTINGHare Krishna Sarphodji, Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish(Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar),a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!!According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Himand also enter into Him. Arjuna saidO universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Yourfour-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch andlotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46) Sanjaya saidThe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus toArjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed Histwo-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50) Lord Krishna said:My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is verydifficultto behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to seethis form, which is so dear.Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, noreven by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as Youhave seen Me.O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can beseen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even enteredinto.My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me,is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towardsall beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55) Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answeryour question of knowing and seeing God. Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife hasstated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji'swords. Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------ Hari Om No! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully andshould learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have givenexcellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers andwillcontinue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca thatthere must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as MrVineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. Butstill questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd butstill should be respected. Your "Begum Sahibaa" appears to havedirected herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affectionin the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are morelogics/pointers to you: 3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In everyfield a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you willfind this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say"I am the Highest". Always a better /higher person than you isexisting. Now where does this "highness" end. If there is sense ofhighness , then there must be an element which is "highest". God isthat element. God is the HIGHEST. 4. You always need some "shelter" to survive. In the childhood youneed shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability,wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife,children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but notthe need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , thenthere must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimateshelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such inprinciplepoints. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty ,theremust be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always someshelter or other, then there must be an element which can bedescribedas " Highest Shelter available "! God is "PARAM ASHRAYA DATA" Giverof that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will benecessary, 5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But thereis also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact "to err ishuman" -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial.Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist anelement which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was adifference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise andSun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be moreperfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT. To be continued till you say "I am satisfied" As regards your observation that "Nature" also creates/controls-answer is that whether you believe that nature has "knowledge"? Ifyes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know yourreligion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERTNATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inertnaturetake care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to somany creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God.After all it is a matter only of "terminology". If no then you mustaccept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKESHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfilthat desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA" . Logical ?Doesit appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaaand come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- besure on this. After all you are on GT Site ! Jai Shree Krishna Vyas N B------------------------------- Dear Sarphod: Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I wasstartled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated "thanksfor triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace asalways." Son goes to father and asks, "Father, what is God?" Fatheranswered, "Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your lifeand whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think aboutIt!" The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The sonpromptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, "Father,fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbsall the life. Therefore, fear should be the god." Fatherremarks, "Good job! Keep thinking." The son not knowing whether hisrevelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comesback to father and declares, "Father, desire drives all the lives,desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives.Therefore, the desire should be the god." Father remarks again, Goodjob! Keep thinking." The son does not feel the conclusiveappreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continuesto contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all thelives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs allthe lives. Therefore happiness should be the god. Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt thewisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can betaught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is thenotion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is thedeliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is theappreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. Theson, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, sensesand mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate. He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorptionpower in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. Hesees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,andabsorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears,desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe ofknowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested -mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst thethree phases of life - fear, desire and happiness. Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these threedivinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force orSustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches hisfather, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma. The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of TheGod. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wonderingaloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. Thenew driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digsup an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivionof the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding whatthe driving force could really be. The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed postof The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny.The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder ifit absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself.The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. Theabsorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kindabove lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back infrustration not withstanding what the absorption power could everbe. The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenancestrength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdomdoes its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenancepower in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strengthwhich provides strength to all the life around starts wondering whatis the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source ofthe strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source ofstrength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold toanother all around the universe that is within its control to seekitself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. Itreturns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenancestrength could ever be. Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their owntrue nature around, the throne of The God starts fading intosilence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not thedriving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as theabsorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkationbetween the three divinities that was once so thick and opaquestarts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power ofcreation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in everything that is perceieved ever. The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore yourfears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore yourhappiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as youare. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joysand hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within aswell as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating yournotions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being whatyou are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturallytranscends all the barriers built by your cognition acrosseverything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then thevery post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed themost troublesome question to start with. God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vainsearching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, betterpause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … bewhat you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... notjust a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHINGWITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive.If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In otherwords, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in yourperception. Respects. Naga Narayana--------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses ofsadhakas received so far!To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeinganything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for whatone "thinks" God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be"that" it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think isso limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is notlogical, right?Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, whatdoes it mean?It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequentrealization that "my God, there is nothing else but only God IS inthe disguise of the Cosmos" that sees through that individual.The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she sawobjects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the sameforms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tendto see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when weunderstand God, this "Understanding" opens up the very mind who seesGod everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using.Other aspects of issues will see later....Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt -------------------------Shree Hari- Sarphodji, Great! You are still questioning brilliant!I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full ofdivine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past itdear friend).If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn,what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the wholetree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak treehave an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree?Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the otherquestion can be answered it seems to me.I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that wasby my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn.I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about3amin a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the roomat that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(todo annual technical checks). There across the room was thiscontroller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he wasperforming asanas, (within the restriction), "trying to stay awake?"Iasked, "no he boomed", we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common,wedeveloped a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I readBhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also).He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, "Mike if peoplecould her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'.What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, andthe courage, 'to ride the tiger".We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, meanAnglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we werebrothers of the spirit.There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respectedmoderator. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor-Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee ! It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. Howdid she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according toyou.Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way didyou ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “flowerof sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired tosmell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you alwaysbelieve only after “seeing†? Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. Whatmethodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regardingthis world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you suchabig world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governingthis world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments onEACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will weknow whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consultyour Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us whatyour Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t youtell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will thatnot be better? What is her kind name, Jee? Namaste Jee. Jee JeeShashikalaDear Sadhakas, Namaste!Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered basedonwhat sadhakas already have echoed in their responses.The most important thing is to know that God is not "something","somewhere" and "some times". It is at the core of our being, anintimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known.In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object,nevertheless, is known as "knowingness" in us by virtue of justbeing.For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace,Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc "out there"? You cann't! They areexperiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etcoutside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said"From the beginning, not a thing is!" Please, please, see the truthofthis. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious ofsomething or other which we conceptualize as subjectexperiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought asseparate. Such division is not experiential.Just as these experiences are not seen "out there", but are truelyhappening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate fromConsciousness.Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat,conceptualized as "Sun" out there, for practical purpose. This isalsotrue for all apparant objects of the world.God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of themost intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though!When people engage in services to help others who are victims ofdisasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivatestheir actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! Peoplewho help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etcare also inspired by the same Love and Goodness!Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God?Are those who bring such disasters to "apparant others" also God, ifall is God?They are also, yes, but unfortunately "they" have not understood yetthat they are!In God's world, only God exists playing "others", so who does what towhom?Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us,nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot! Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt -PRIOR POSITINGDear Sadhak,Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent!If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids?Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepakwith us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need anotherdeepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can beseen/experienced through the "SELF" but to know this SELF we donotneed anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELFknows it SELF.1. Where is God I have never seen Him?He is not HE, He is "I". When we can see/know who am I we cansee/know who is God.Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin ofall, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of theuniverse! Ch10:152. Who has seen Him?All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seenHIM too.Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have youseen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said-"Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now."Listening to this Narendra became his disciple.3. How is He?With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entireuniverse.Ch10:424. If I dont know how do I accept?Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realizedsoul, and know Him first, then accept.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna ordonot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita-Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA..... No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Leadyr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Beforegiving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit withthem and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn bythe character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If theycan learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and willget their realization at their own speed.with lots of Love,a sadhikaSadhna Karigar --------------------------------Jai Hanuman Oye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of thequestioner!! "Sarphod" in Hindi means skull breaker ! "Tablachi"means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !!Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classicname Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only. How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted someone to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't sayplease- "that children now a days need more than belief to accept".That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even yourkind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solidbelief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanityon this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind ofproof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your fatheror some name to be mine or for that purpose by "the children of nowa days"- say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ?? Do you "know" as to who is your father and who is your mother? Whatproof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr Xas your father? You asked "from where to pick the thread". I reply to you that youpick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On ! Reply now! Argue !! Namaste Jee Jee JeeShashikala-------------------------------Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.Itis very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanationin his books-"Autobiography of a yogi" and "Man's eternal quest"which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectlydescribes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He isthe Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God isindescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul.Ami Chhowala --------------------------------I still remain unsatisfied in this "divine" forum. How and whyParamatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in yourscriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also "see" God ?My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your SwamiRamsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddarhad "darshanas" of God. Was His statement right or your referenceof good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known?How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need aninstruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to befair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manneris focal point! None of the "sadhaks" are convincing so far. Iasked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear andincomplete. Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were likeme in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not adivine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist.Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What elsewe are doing at present except meeting? Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature" made oceans, Sun Moon etcand when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Whycant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God isbeyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr PratapBhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ? "Sadhaks" - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfymy knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers. Sarphod Tabalchi--------------------------------Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body asreal self and not the outer sheath of immortal "real self" whichcontains the apriori knowledge. They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal Godis Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine.Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of "Sunand Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet"and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of thepeople who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaiseGod as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on thisearth are "Thy" tiny living cells. We have several billions livingcells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who weare? But those who find human soul as "real self" have no difficulty inknowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul(Parmatma) and His subtle body "Mahadeva" is omnipotent SupremeSpirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. Hisspirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matterconsisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spiritprevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert. Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani-pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides inour subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Thosewho consider material gross body as the real self will always finddifficult to know formless and ineffable universal God. Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- namederived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras.Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind.with regards,Prem Sabhlok --------------------------------Dear sarphod, God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwellingeverywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If wecan tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we canfeel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body withlife is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far weare only establishing the things which are existing, but we areunable to establish about the source of the existence.Our ultimate goal our of life is to reuntite ourselves with thenature from where we have come.Nothing extra to be thought aboutgod. Living close to the nature is living near god. But the sensesattached to our body always act against our realisationprocess.controling the senses is the biggest challenge of our life.Let us teach our children about righteous way of living ,thinknaturally and live naturally. with regardsRamana kothuri ------------------The questions of Mr Sarphod Tabalchi are basic questions. I toodont believe that the Supreme Power would not leave any pointers orlogics of His existence. From where to pick the thread ? I dontagree with Mr Sarvottam that God can not be seen by His belovedones.. There has to be nothing which is beyond the powers ofSupreme. One principle came from Mike's narration and Mr Vyas'message that before "big bang" too something existed or that ifthere is creation then there must be a creator. But how that isexclusive prorogative of God only ? Creativity is universal symptomand authority. Spiders are also creators as per Mike Keenor. Pleaseelaborate with reference to Sarphod's questions. What about fiveelements? Are they creators? Are not these elements playing thetransformation game? I think more serious and direct discussions arewarranted on the subject, not just belief stricken answers. Firstthe logics/rationales have to be exhausted. Luca Brasi---------------------------- Jai Kali Mata What is meant by "No one knows about time!!!" Also, I am unclear asto how this is relevant to the questions asked? Is this idea abouttime, emanated out of teachings of Shraddheya Swamiji referred byhim? Kindly clarify ! Bandook Singh --------------------------------PRIOR POSTING RESUBMITTED WITH SOME CORRECTIONS Shree HariRam Ram You have asked - 1) Where is God, I have never seen Him?Answer: Paramatma is not an individual that you or any one cansimply see. Existence - IS-ness (sattaa maatre) has been given thename Paramatma. Otherwise there is no name for that Existence or allNames are only Paramatma's (Supreme Consciousness's) Names. 2) Who has seen Him?Answer: Paramatma has not been seen by anyone to date and in futuretoo Paramatma will not be ever seen. Shraddhey Swamiji has statedthat Paramatma can be believed, not known, nor seen. Beyond thiswhatever anyone says, is questionable. 3) How is He?Answer: How, where, when, what, why, such questions regardingParmatma are pointless. That which cannot be known, it cannot bedescribed at all. 4) What are you able to know "Time" (samay). This question has beenasked regarding time (whose beginning and end is unknown to us). Itis not a question about the watch or the interval. It is not onlyyou, but no one understands anything about "time". They can saynothing about time. Then why do you believe in time? Similarlybelieve and accept Paramatma, it will be nothing but gain. 5) This same work is also performed by men through establishment oflaws. Just as all do not believe in the law, similarly, everyonecontinues to speak and share for correcting one's foolishness, andaccording to one's own convenience and conformance giving thattattva a "form". You too can speak about the same as well. 6) 'Existence' itself is 'Paramaatmaa'. Where can any supportivearguments and evidence exist to establish the existenceof 'Existence' (named Paramaatmaa)? Then where is one to get thesupport of this essential elemental belief 'ASTITTVA'? Reasoning-deliberation-discussion (tark), proof-evidence (pramaan) can be ofthat thing which we know. But Paramatma is not known and cannot everbe known, then this reasoning and seeking evidence is not inconformance to that reasoning. 7) Do you want Paramatma? or do you want an instruction manual oran aphorism (sutra) to grab hold of Paramatma? Don't get caught upin the vicious cycle of trying to find an instruction manual.Leaving the search, become engaged in "Chup Saadhan" (EffortlessAwareness, Discipline of Silence). All quest, and inquiry will bequietened, will become still. Please kindly forgive any limitations in the expression / wordsused. Vineet Sarvottam-------------------------- Hari Om How to know what is beyond knowledge - is the moot question. Logic/Rationale !! Proof !!! Sample !! Consider the following: 1 .Whatever we are able to see on this earth there is always acreator /manufacturer - be it an allpin, pen, table, house, machine,house, bed, watch, pen, paper, cloth or aircraft. Anything visible.Then there should be creator of oceans, fire, air, mountains, earth,Sun. Moon, stars also ! God is the creator of all. - CREATOR 2. Whatever thing which moves , be it car, aircraft, bicycle,machine, computer, - there is always a controller thereof. Earthalso moves. Sun/Moon also move. Oceans remain in their limits. Sunrises and sets perfectly without fail. There must be a controller ofthem also! God is the controller of all- CONTROLLER Q BUT A HUMAN BEING ALSO CREATES ! WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT ? Ans A human being cannot "create" anything! It is only "nature"which creates! You can only change the shape thereof. You can covertgold into ornaments or iron into sword or utensil, but you can'tcreate gold or iron ! Only nature provides that. You can mix two ormore elements, formulate, change shape only. You can create . Youcan "discover" only. To be continued. Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B-------------------------Kindly read bertrand russelAranha Roy ---------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us continue further on the subject and build on what sadhakashave said.Please, it may sound too intellectual, but it is not! It may humbleus!Consider this: If we need to know/study any object, the object hasto exist inthe first place.Even if we cannot know the object, we always know it exists. Thisknowing of anexistence is prior to the knowledge of its nature, attributes,function etc.The Universe is a collection of objects, and can be said to be oneExistencefundamentally. Individual objects within it are individualexistences localizedin space and time over which they exist, and change to other forms,continuingthe existences.When we say Universe we mean the Existence only. Even the wordUniverse pointsto the Existence first. How do we know such Existence itself? Onlyby beingaware/cognizant of it, no other way. So the Existence is awarenessof Existence.To see what is prior to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Shree Hari Ram Ram Dear Sadhaks, NAMASKAR! In light of recent feedback... lengthy messages will be shortened at the discretion of the moderators. We appreciate your attention to this. Thank you, From Gita Talk Moderators, Ram Ram -------------------------My question is that how to prove that there exists a super naturalpower called "God" ? At least how to explain that. How to correlateHis existence with the character of the world? Children now a daysneed more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which wecan establish that God exists. If some body says say :1. Where is God I have never seen Him?2. Who has seen Him?3. How is He?4. If I dont know how do I accept?5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?Sarphod TabalchiNEW POSTINGDo you exist? If so, God also exists. It is as simple. What is the proof that God exists? So, what is the proof that you exist? The proof that you exist is that you are thinking, you are moving, you are talking, etc. The proof that God exists is that the whole creation is moving according to a preplanned scheme, according to preordained, undisputed and unwritten law of Nature. Love and Love alone.....P. Gopi Krishna -----------Hari OmThe following statement by Narinderji reflects that meditation is a direct method of Realisation while Karma Yoga is a longer method , which step by step first leads to "purification of soul".... From the point of view of Gita, discourses of Swamiji , and even technically this statement can not be said to be correct. In fact exactly reverse is the case. Meditation is a step by step long method of Realisation and first you have to "purify the antahkarana" - Yogah chittavritti nirodham - Patanjaliji Maharaj. In Karma Yoga the realisation is faster, easier and DIRECT. Meditation is not direct method as it takes shelter of inert first and for a long time. In the end, meditator MUST disconnect with inert. Karma Yogi straight away disconnects inert and in fact applies inert unto inert, and being sentient remains behind- pure and lone !! He may ask Qs on this to get further clarity. Narinderji may also note that "soul" does not require any purification- it is ever pure ( chetan... Amal (flawless)... Sahaj Sukhrashi) ! In Meditation the "antahkarana" is purified and in Karma yoga , the "ego" is purified to renounce "bhoktaship" (results of karmas) and resolve not to "do" anything for "self" !! Narinderji however may clarify as to who according to him may do meditation as he believes this "direct" method is not open to all humans."BUT ............ ......... .... there is a catch ............ .. this method of the Direct Inquiry is not for all......... .. Karmayoga is the Way for the majority to move into higher steps of purification of the self"Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B ------------------------------Narain ! Narain !! The problem with us is that we "know" but do not "admit". We know that who ever is born shall die. But we dont admit, when some one near and dear dies, we start crying. The sentiments of poor Shrivastava are like that only.. The existence of his kind self is in itself the proof of the existence of Paramatma. What kind of proof he can give to justify that he himself exists? Brother Mike ! Enjoy Divine Leela !! DEKHO NIRPAKH HOY TAMAASHA ( One should witness the worldly play remaining impartial) ! How much a person thinks, while he continues to be proverbially a tiny speck in the ocean ? The independence has been given to a human by Paramatma, and He does not object to His children being brat and disobedient. He shall not. But He continues giving money, wealth, health, time, wife, children, air, water, food etc etc - everything even to His enemies. Isnt it His kindness? The fact is that God is "just" with reference to the worldly people. He is "disintertested" with reference to Jnanis. He is "kind" (dayaalu) with reference to the devotees (bhaktas). He is all, He is none ! Is there no love in the slap of mother? He has ordinary inclination ( I repeat "ordinary") for welfare of all of us. His not disturbing our independence is in itself a sign of His kindness, justice and disinterestedness. But when it comes to Bhaktas and those who surrender to Him, He takes their full responsibility. Then He becomes "specially inclined" to save them from ocean of birth and death. But generally, He does not stop anyone to even abuse Him, break His temples, disrespect Him and deny His existence. But the moment some one troubles His devotees, He becomes different. Narain ! Narain !! Naarad N Maharishi---------Jai HanumanYou are right, Brother Mike! I also guess so !! The object of satsanga is also sometimes to suppurate a boil, so that it may be removed by roots. Once object is in focus, methodology is secondary. I liked your example of "wrestling with Him".Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala ---------------------------Shree Krishna Consider the following: Your child is having high fever.You take him to a doctor. Doctor readies the injection and child cries. Now you as father are having same characteristics vis a vis the child as Naaradji stated are the characteristics of ' Beloved Paramatma' viz: 1. All knowing 2 All powerful and 3 the Kindest. You know why child is crying. He does not want the pain of injection touching his skin. You are powerful too. You can say to Doctor, sorry. Without your consent doctor will not give injection to the child. Where is the doubt in your kindness ? But forgetting all three, you hold the hand of child firmly, ignore his cries, and let the doctor give the injection. Why ? Because you know in that sorrow, real pleasure for child is hidden. Similarly, Dear Sadhaks, the laws of Paramatma operate. There is no sorrow existing in the world. In sorrows your long term welfare is concealed. A child or idiot does not understand that. A child understands the language of love, but does not understand language of punishment. But an intelligent child understands language of punishment also. Consider the following example: Your child is in a school. He makes some mistake. Now whenever children make mistakes, the teachers punish them. I remember my teacher used to put pencil between my finger spaces of hand and squeez it hard. Sometimes teachers make you stand outside or on bench. It happens with students not seldom. But an intelligent child never complains regarding the punishment given to him by teachers when he comes home. Why? Because he knows that punishment given to him by teachers was for his welfare and that he made a mistake. This is how Paramatma and the devotees of Paramatma conduct in this DUKHALAYAM, O Divine Sadhaks !! So which kind of child you are Mr P Shrivastava? Certainly you are child of Paramatma , irrespective of whether you admit that or not. What kind of acknowledgement an infant does to the kindness of Mother? He cries even when he is in the lap of her mother !! Hence every child is often called stupid. Swami Rupesh Kumar-Shree Hari-Dear Srivastava,I looked up Schopenhauer in the Wikipedia, and what I found was a philosopher,who had some ideas that wove in and out of Buddhist/Hindu principles.Ex Wikipedia:'For Schopenhauer, human desire was futile, illogical, directionless, and, byextension, so was all human action in the world. The Will to Schopenhauer is ametaphysical existence which controls not only the actions of intelligentagents, but physical phenomena..'You see he was into the metaphysical. Was he out of agreement with such thingsas siddha powers? I can't see how.He did not like Abrahamic religions, from what I can see. But he had a highregard for Buddhist thought and the Upanishads.I have for a long time regarded religion, in general, as like roads to adestination. Eventually all these roads merge into a super highway, once on thehighway looking back you can see all paths were true. Trouble is when on theselesser roads, one can easily believe your road is the only road toGlory/Moksha/Enlightenment/Heaven/The Kingdom/Liberation/The Tao/......I think you require another ally other than Schopenhauer, if you want to teardown the concept of the Divine.I sense you are very angry, but with whom?With Respect and Divine Love,Mike (Keenor)-------------------------------Dear Srivastava ji, “I am shocked to see educated people attach more weight to blind faith and vulgar superstition ..†While appreciating your goodwill for the masses by advocating the modern scientific achievements, I will like to draw your attention to many scientists’ views about God. (1) In his classic “Brief History of Timeâ€, Stephen W. Hawkin talks of God. May I add that he is today occupying the ‘chair’ (Peeth) which was once occupied by Sir Newton. (2) Dr Albert Einstein’s saying â€" “Science without religion is blind, and religion without science is lame†(or the otherwise is also true). (3) Dr Albert Einstein’s saying â€" “The whole universe is an illusion, albeit of persistent nature†(He was referring to our sensory illusion). (4) I can quote a great deal from scientific masterpieces by Fitzgerald Capra (Uncommon Wisdom and other books) â€" mentioning with great reverence about the absolute truth, evening quoting from Sanskrit scriptures. His essence is what Lord says in the Gita (10:8) “AHAM SARVASYA PRABHAVO MATTAH SARVAM PRAVARTATE / ITI MATWA BHAJANTE MAAM BUDDHA BHAVASAMANVITAH†(I am the Source of All; from Me everything evolves; understanding thus, the ‘wise’ endowed with ‘loving consciousness’, always worship Me). (5) Not admitting but supposing that your arguments are okay, let me tell you that even the scientists opine that ‘contradictory is complementary’ (if my memory is right Neil Bohr used to quote this line). (6) Even our own contemporary and very much alive, Dr Deepak Chopra has been talking and writing profusely about our spiritualism.I was reading some Indian Scripture in which there was mention of "the God who brings rain and the demons that withhold it" Please read Gita and It does not mention such superstitions. This is the educated persons’ unanimous conclusion that the Gita is the most scientific pointer to God. Even Arthur Shopenhouver was influenced by this holy book. You have very kindly recommended us to read him; well, I have read him and also another German Poet-philosopher Fredrich Nietzshe whose saying ‘God is dead’ influenced and created Hitler. May I now request you to read another German author (Novel laureate) Herman Hesse (his master piece Siddharth). In short, Bhagwan Bhaskar Adiguru Shankar is considered to the most argumentative philosopher and seer the world has so far produced (without any bias on my part, Sir) and his ‘Shankari Bhasya’ on the Gita is considered to be the most authentic commentary till now. Please read it. Was he superstitious? What do you think the great scientists I have quoted above were/are also superstitious. Having said all this, let me hurry to add that I very much appreciate your ‘concern’ for the welfare of the human race. This indicates that your are also involved in ‘Sarvabhoot Hiteratah’ (involved in the welfare of all). And believe me, you are also advocating God, though in a different manner. Yes, God is all-inclusive and you are also within His fold. Kind regards, Suresh C. Sharma-PRIOR POSTINGWHO IS ASKING THIS QUESTION?WHO WANTS TO KNOW?DARE AND HAVE COURAGE TO KNOW HIM FIRST.........ANSWER TO ALL QUESTIONS LIES THERE..... ENCOUNTER THE "SELF"....KNOWING SELF LEADS TO KNOWING GOD.....IT IS SIMPLE..... Sushil Jain----Shree Hari-When I saw this post re-emerge, originally from Sarphod Tabalchi, and he hadeveryone spinning on the spot. I said to myself, No way, I have been there! ButI decided, 'That hell has frozen over'.Talking of Hell, that advocate of the Devil has re-emerged in the guise of P Srivastava.Straight away I have noticed something:The Patriarch Jacob wrestled with GOD all night long, God then finished the fight by putting Jacobs hip out of joint, could have obliterated Jacob, but just I minor wound. Interesting to note that Jacob did not realize who he was wrestling with. Now this is allegorical, but universal at that level. Some Sadhaks seem angry, I do not know why because you see, these beloved souls, are witnessing you wrestling with Bhagwan. And if you keep wrestling, and don't run away, HE, 'The Beloved', will break your heart and tear you down, with Love,and Grace.How do I know this? You work it out.Coming to science and logic, there is a problem, regardless of scientific principles, modern science is Christocentric, (I think I have just invented a word), there is an older ancient knowledge, one simple example is the solar system, understood in India approximately 1500 years (at least), before being understood in the West, and it was declared a heresy. Oh! and re-incarnationdeclared a heresy 500 years after Christ within Christendom, now the scientist are talking about cellular memory, (they will get there just give them time). These are early times with this debate with you, keep debating, and with Divine Grace, you will understand the things that science can't, just think how wonderful that would be!With Respect and Divine Love,Mike (Keenor).------------Dear Sadak Sarphod Tabalchi & other sadaks,This is what you said,"" God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness."" Presume you are correct, then indulge goodness total pure goodness. God surely illuminates HIMSELF to you, like in the case of Vivekanadha who asked similar questions to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Do you know one truth that you will surely know God existence faster than me. Your craving is higher to see God. Where as I think I know about God and making myself fool by giving all descriptions and sastras. Sinners are potential saints- the proverb. Great men like Tukaram, Chaitaniya Maha Prabu when someone pointed mistake (Not really mistake) they readily accepted and tried to change for no fault of their`s. They are Sub Zero in Ego. Example: When Kasi Pandit critisied Tukaram Abang for no sanskrit value in it and ordered to be thrown in river colse by, Turaram accepted and threw the scripts in river. But to surprise of all, the total abang came in opposite direction running water to Tukaram. Pandit body statred itchy and he fell at feet of Tukaram. Sadaks dont change even to pronounce God name as requested, but call it Bavana is important. For sake of God I should change my habbit and try when some one tells me something. By doing so I loose Ego and get Bagavan Sankalp. Zero ego. Get that Egoless God comes to you.No man on earth can describe GOD says Chandokiya Upnashid and Vedas. Vedas may say how water came, fire came etc but it says one can establish in GOD only by Gyana.What efforts did Ajaamilan do? Srimath Bagavatyh clearly says he called Narayana his son. Earnestly studing further it says, Ajamilan was given Gyana first by Vishnu Doots. Anjamilan hearing Vishnu Doots speach given to Yama Doots, his heart felt tears and utmost repentance by thinking that for calling his son Narayana if this grace could flow, what it would be if Narayana was thought during life.God benovolence making you to ask those questions. Present days there people asking so many things and matters except GOD.Jai Sri KrishnaB.Sathyanarayan-------------------------------ALL WORDS REMAIN WORDS, my friends , till the One word blossoms in the self to merge into the Silence that is God ............. and then ................ all is known ............ and this knowing has to become your knowing ................ if you today feel separate from the Self that you are .............. you are the ultimate proof of your own being ............ whatever you feel you are ! even though the aspirant , the means, and the sadhya are ONE , not-two ! Have always been so. Will ever be so ; even so........................ the blossomimg of the One Word , the silent sound of Aum, the unheard melody ever resounding in the self, is the Gift recieved from the Self , when the self is willing to die to the self ................ if the aspirant wants the direct experience of the Self ..................... meditation is the way. .................... meditate, meditate, meditate ............. watch the ' doings' of the self in you .............. be a witness, be a watcher , and wait ................... just wait .................. doing nothing ............. just watch, with the focus of your watching, " who in me is the watcher ? who am I ?" this is the shortest way ........... such is the experience and advice of all the knowers of Silence .............. including Ramanna Maharishi. Swami Ramsukhdas jee means the same , when he speaks of ' self-remembrance'...................... pleaae meditate on Swami Ramsukhdasjee's words.............. BUT ........................ there is a catch .............. this method of the Direct Inquiry is not for all........... Karamyoga is the Way for the majority to move into higher steps of purification of the self .......... each person has to strive to ' understand' what he is at the present moment now. A live Guru is the greatest help, if you cannot yourself become aware of what you are NOW , were you stand on this Path of spiritual seeking, this moment . it is narinder, who is presently deluded... it is nari, who is presently feeling the separation from the Self...... it is he , who has to become free from the delusion that the self is separate from the Self ............. and Krishna , through His song Celestial, the Bhagvada Geetha, beckons him with the advice " Abandoning all the Dharmas ( of body, mind and intellect), take refuge in me alone ........" and goes on to say that to those, who will so do, the reward will be ' freedom from action' ( Sh 11 of Ch3) AUM narinder bhandari----------------PRIOR POSTINGNamaste.The only way to 'prove that there exists a super natural power called "God" ' is to find God, in yourself, and everywhere. Others may explain and provide as much information as you wish but in the final analysis, you have to discover God, yourself. You must bear in mind that you cannot "challenge" God to prove He exists; this is human thought and action, on the human plane. I suggest you start with the Nasadiya - The Creation Hymn, Rig Veda Book 10 Hymn 129: 1. THEN was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it. What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?2 Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day's and night's divider.That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.3 Darkness there was: at first concealed in darkness this All was indiscriminated chaos.All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.4 Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit.Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.5 Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder6 Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not. Read it several times, sing it loud, ponder the significance and meaning of it, study it, and then ask questions about the Creation of this world, of human life, and the purpose of your existence. Then, go to Geeta for answers. Rest assured you will find God and all answers you seek. Ram RamDeosaran Bisnath-----------Narain ! Narain !! Issue raised by Shrivastavaji and Sharmaji is : If there is God prevalent in the world, why there is sorrow existing ? God is known to be the kindest, all knowing and all powerful. If He knows about our sorrows but is not powerful then one can understand. He will also cry with us, as we do when some one dies.But He is all powerful. If He is powerful but is ignorant, one can understand. He can say I did not know ? But He is all knowing. If He is all powerful and all knowing but if He is cruel, then one can understand. Damn care. Each is suffering due to one's own karmas. Why He should bother? But He is the kindest. He cant say to a 5 year old child, you are suffering because of your past deeds. Even we as normal fathers dont refuse to give milk to the child even if by carelessness he has split earlier given glass of milk. This is the issue raised by these two gentlemen. Narain ! Narain !! Error clearly visible in their statements is total lack of normal intellect and sheer arrogance. They instead of going for reasons and instead of asking soberly a question have sat on the chair of judge and started giving verdicts. They have presumed themselves to be the only wise person, while the fact is that every human on this earth has some speciality which is unique to him. They have concluded certain things without any application of Viveka or even mind or intellect. They are , thus, neither here nor there. They have faith, as does every human being, but they dont know how and where to apply the same. They are standing in dark and feel that there is no light possible. Their views therefore are full of stupidity and lack of knowledge. Without going into that stupidity, we should in fact address the issues raised by them. WHY SORROW EXISTS, IF GOD IS THERE ? Either sorrow is not there or God is not there. If sorrow is there, then either God is not therte.. If still God is there, then He is not all knowing, all powerful and the kindest. Which status is true? Let us deliberate. Sadhak Sarphod Tabalchi ! Like my name, your name is also getting immortal. Join us now, you too ! Narain ! Narain !!Naarad N Maharishi----Hari OmDear Mr SrivastavaWhy are you thinking about God? Can you think for an element which does not exist? Are you not fully independent in acceptance? What made you express your self before this forum? What made you read these messages? What made you still recollect and narrate the book which you threw? You threw the book, but your mind did not ! Why?Catherine has faith. Do you not have faith? If you don't have, then prove your own existence ! Tell me can you live without faith in you. Can you justify existence of faith in you? You have faith in science, and some western writers you named, isn't it? She has faith in God! How you can say your faith is correctly placed, and her faith is not? What gives anyone the right to call another.... fool, or vulgar or bacteria or idiot ! Think about this..... !!! Prove to me by science ( as developed till date) as to who is your father ! Can you prove it, based on your personal knowledge? You are talking about Eternal Father , I am talking about of this birth father. Bring all of your knowledge, science, intellect, mind, expertise, capacity, imagination to prove to me as to who is your this father. Prove to me as to who are you.... Body, nose, ear, heart what are you ? Now prove !Now that you are in the forum... don't run away - let us see how how long these words last .... trash, misplaced, illogical, arising out of darkness and ignorance, blind, irrational, literate fools or lack of belief in God, I say that you believe that there is God. Now prove your disbelief ! Don't run away ! Are you ready for it? Then prove to us as to who is your this birth father , by your personal knowledge !! There should not be any "belief" on anything because your "science" does not recognise belief , it goes on the basis of proof. You should tell us how Mr So and So is your father based on a proof acquired out of your knowledge and not out of any belief on anything. Science goes on facts and acquired knowledge not on any belief. And it is a fact that you exist. How is that "you" who exists? We shall talk about your Eternal Father- Paramatma ( Your father's father's father's ...... Father of Adam and Eve) afterwards. First prove your this birth father. Bring Darwin's theories also in deliberations if that help you in correctly answering to us. Now come on! Let us have healthy deliberations.Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B-------Jai HanumanVery good, Jee, Very good ! There is one idiom in Hindi:Maa ka pata hi nahin hai, mausi ki chinta karate hain !Whereabouts of mother is not known, and people are worrying about mausi (mother's sister) !Raam ! Raam!! Raam!!! There is another idiom in Hindi :Andhe ko andhere main, badi door ki soojhi !A Blind person standing in darkness has claimed himself to be a visionary.Mr Shrivastava ! The best thing which has happened to you is that you have somehow reached to this forum. You were reading the messages , isn't it? Why? Now you should read more intensely and surely Daddy's grace will work like magic ! We have Sister Catherine as examples showing us how to live - devoid of hatred, negativity, frustration, brooding, fretting, ignorance, stupidity, pride. She is sober, intelligent, wise,organised, sharp,knowledgeable, determined, cool and composed. It is obvious to any one who reads her statement. What has made her so? Where lies the difference? Faith in God ! What else the difference can be? Think, if you can.Namaste Jee, Jee JeeShashikala----Dear Friend,I have been studying (not just reading) the Gita for 20 years now. There is some profound wisdom contained within it, and according to me a whole lot of redundant verses as well. Per what I understand, in the 11th century AD, with the advent of the Vaishnav cult, a lot of verses apotheosizing Krishna were added to the Gita. Moreover, many have commented that there would not have been sufficient time just before commencement of battle to discourse 700 verses.Even a child can guess, none of the Deities could move even a finger in their defence over the centuries, many invaders and conquerors from central Asia plundered and demolished Hindu temples... This should convince one of the non-existence of Hindu Deities, and the irrationality behind this myth. And regarding your comment on DNA testing - haven't you heard of so many cases where DNA testing has showed people that they were wrongly believing someone else to be their father? And if someone wants proof of their parentage, don't they resort to DNA testing? Moreover, we are talking about a father that exists in flesh and blood � not an imaginary invention. You said - "It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means," either confused the meaning of the word sentient, or have invented your own meaning to it. And it is very obvious thatyou think nothing of blind faith, or of remedying it. Little knowledge is dangerous. You write about Schopenhauer being influenced by the Gita. He was influenced by Eastern philosophy, but with the essence, and not with the rituals and blind faith contained therein, Per my understanding of his writings he believed real deductions themselves are by no means to be found in Hindu Scriptures. He regarded the world as a prison, as a place of suffering, a theme central to Hindu Scriptures. He had the sense to take matters to their logical conclusion. Based on what I understand of his writings he indicated that if the world is a place of suffering, and freeing the soul is the ultimate goal, then it is highly immoral to give birth to a child and trap a soul in a mortal prison. - Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), On the Sufferings of the World (1851). Sadly, most of the people who read our Scriptures lack the insight of people like Schopenhauer to understand simple truths. My understanding is that Schopenhauer detested Religion, the concept of God, and for this very reason described the masses as the "natural and universal league of the stupid". (other paragraphs excluded by moderators due to lack of relevance to the TOPIC and length). P SrivastavaShree Hari Ram RamSrivastavaji, Namaskar ! Our question is not about others... Have you personally done DNA testing of your father or are you just believing that the person you call father is your father? If you have not done DNA testing ,,, then how are you much different? Also, kindly share your explanation of "sentient" Here is the quote - "In the whole world there is no study, except that of the originals, so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Oupnekhat. It is the most rewarding and elevating reading possible: it has been the comfort of my life and it will be the one of my death." Arthur Schopenhauer (said about the Upanishads). Ram Ram PRIOR POSTINGChapter ten of Bhagavata Gita explains every aspects of Almighty GodNo more explanations required Thankstruly yours S S Bhatt----" Ahankaram balam darpam, kamam krodham parigraham,Vimucya nirmamah santo, brahma bhuyaya kalpate" ( gita 18, 53).Which means " one who is deyached , free from false ego, false strength, pride, ownership and one who is always peaceful, such a person is eligible for brahma swarupam."When one is free from false ego and becomes non attached to material things, then that one reached " brahma bhuta stage".A pure devotee goes still further and becomed engaged in devotional service. Pure devotional service is the key to attain the lord.There are examples to proveGod's presence. Sant tukaram went back to lord's kingdom on garuda vahana', sent by pandu ranga. Composer singer annamacharya saw lord venkateswara.Hare krishna.Prasad iragavarapu m.d---Sutra 1Parambrahma (Spirit or God) is everlasting, complete, without beginning or end.It is one, indivisible Being.The Eternal Father, God, Swami Prarmbrahma, is the only Real Substance, Sat, andis all in all in the universe.Why God is not comprenhensible;Man possesses eternal faith and believes intuitively in the existence of aSubstance, of which the objects of sense - sound, touch, sight, taste and smell,the component parts of theis visible world - are but properties. As manidentifies himself with his material body, composed of the aforesaid properties,he is able to comprhend by these impercect organs these properties only, and notthe Substance to which these properties belong. The Eternal Father, God, theonly Substance in the Universe, is therefore not comprehensible by man of thismaterial world, unless he becomes divine by lifting his self above this creationof Darkness or Maya. See Hebrews 11:1 and John 8:28."Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things notsee.""Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the son of man (human ego),then shall ye know that, I am he."Sutra 2In it (Parambrahma) is the origin of all kowledge and love, the root of allpower and joy.Prakriti or Nature of God;The Almighty Force, Shakti, or in other words the Eternal Joy, Ananda, whichproduces the world; and the Omniscient Feeling, Chit, which makes this worldconscious, demonstrate the Nature, Prakriti, of God the Father.How God is comprehended.As man is the likness of God, directing his attention inward he can comprehendwithin him the said Force and Feeling, the sole properties of his Self - theForce Almighty as his will, Vasana, with enjoyment, Bhoga; and the FeelingOmniscient as his Consciousness, Chetana, that enjoys, Bhokta. See Genesis 1:27."In this way God created man in his own image, in the image of God created hehim; male and female created he them."So says Swami Sri Yukteswarji in his book, "The Holy Science".Haley Haynes---------Sarphod Tabalchi, you have raised some very pertinent questions, which clearly do away with the concept of an anthropomorphic just and merciful Father � one is reminded of the Epicurean Riddle:"Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; Or He can, but does not want to.If He wants to, but cannot, He is impotent. If He can, but does not want to, He is wicked.If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?"The irrational, the tissue of whose brain is of a coarse quality, will try to offer some very stupid explanations to this riddle, leaning on the spurious law of Karma.I am shocked to see educated people attach more weight to blind faith and vulgar superstition than to facts which lie in hand � this is something Charles Darwin had bemoaned as well. Raja Ram Mohan Roy had hoped that Western education wouldrid Indians of blind faith: he was wrong. Western education has succeeded only in creating a profusion of literate fools.I was reading some Indian Scripture in which there was mention of "the God who brings rain and the demons that withhold it" � this disgusted me so much that I just threw that useless book away. Science has done half the job to cure peoplefrom the disease of God and Religion; the other half can be achieved by reading Western Philosophy. I would definitely attach more weight to men of science and logic than to the buffoons who write about Gods and demons bringing rain. Ifbitten by a venomous snake, where would you rush to � a modern hospital stocking the anti-venom, or some dim-witted idiot who would parrot out Scriptures in an attempt to cure you? Until modern science developed snake anti venom, and manyother cures, our Scriptures and obsolete medical techniques were quite ineffective and useless when it came to most medical problems."God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)" � this quote by Catherine Anderson just proves Epicurus right � it means God is harmful bacteria, virus, and all the evil that pervades the world.If anyone really wishes to enlighten themselves, I suggest you stop reading trash and go for books by great men like David Hume and Arthur Schopenhauer.P Srivastava---Shree Hari Ram Ram Srivastavaji, Namaskaar! Please share with us if you have read the Bhagavad Gita. (By read, we mean - not just superficially scanning...but questioning, inquirying and seeing if the answers are available in it)..... Simply speaking.... if we have not done DNA testing of our father... we are living in blind faith.... As we recollect - ARthur Schopenhauer was deeply influenced by the Bhagavad Gita, he has made comments to that effect. Education feeds the mind/intellect which are insentient. It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means. Ram Ram ------God is an Anglo-Saxon noun and refers to a Male (as opposed to Goddess), Creator Being. There is no provable God (or Goddess). As Hindus, what do we know? Tat Tvam Asi. This Mahavakya means that we are No-Thing (Tat). This Tat is also referred to as ParaBrahman and sometimes Nirguna Brahman. What can be said about Tat? Nothing. "Mouna vakya ParaBrahaman tattwam." Tat may also be defined as Om Tat Sat(chidananda). This Saguna Brahaman experience is provable. Energy/Light/Bliss is our Atmana. This we know. God we do not know. As Hindus, we have our Ishta Devatas and this good and this is personal. One does not (and cannot) have to prove the existence of our Ishta Devata. Thus, Hinduism is a monistic polymorphism and not the lesser understanding of Monotheism. Swami Param------Shree Hari Ram RamSwami Paramji, Kindly explain what exactly is meant by monistic polymorphism. Ram Ram ------ is obvious that there is NO GOD. The characters attributed to GOD areOmnipresentOmnipotentMercifulAll Knowing.There is so much misery and injustice in this world that either God does not know it in which case he is not all knowing, or he knows and does not do any thing about it. In that case he is not merciful. Or he can not do any thing then he is not omnipotent.I take a recent case of a 10 years old girl being raped by her father. What was God doing?It has been said that the girl was being punished for what she might have done in her previous life. How can a merciful God punish a child of ten ? In any case what she did in her previous life could not have been done if God did not will it to be done. If we agree that it was a punishment for some act for previous life than the father can not be blamed for the this act. He was only an instrument in the WILL of God. Let us face it God is nothing but an inversion of Man to explain things he could not explain, create an absolute authority and may be give hope when there is nonearun sharma---Shree Hari Ram Ram Arunji... have you read the Bhagavad Gita? Paramatma is not the doer, nor a punisher ! There have been previous discussions on this subject... in Gita Talk...you can search by topic. Ram Ram ----PRIOR POSTINGTo my beloved sadhaks,Where is God? Who has seen Him? How is God? How do I accept Him? What logic points towards God? Let us look at Gita 7/19"After taking many births and acquiring the human form and realizing that God is Everything, should such a knower (Jnanavan) surrender to Me, indeed such a great soul is a rarity. "Repeat such a great soul is a rarity. My question is how can one not see God, who cannot be aware of where He is, how He is, but to accept Him is a good place to start and how to do this is by establishing a direct affinity for God.Everything is God. God has in simple words, expounded to us the innermost secrets of the hearts of great souls of Vasudev Sarvam. God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)Bhagavan says(Gita 18/55)" After realizing my quintessence (Tattva) man immediately merges into Me."Those who want to attain God do so by Discipline of Action, Knowledge and Devotion.For more info on God realization go to Swamiramsukhdasjis site and read on how to attain God with humility.catherine andersen-------------------------Shree Hari:Ram Ram.By Grace of God these questions are on my computer:1. Where is God I have never seen Him? God is in your mind. You can't see God with your eyes as mental conceptions are not seen by us.2. Who has seen Him? Nobody ever declared he/she has seen God.3. How is He? Nobody ever described how is God.4. If I don't know how do I accept? If you don't know accept or don't accept, choice is yours.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles on us so that we may indulge in goodness. What harm is there if you indulge in goodness? Indulge in goodness or not, choice is yours.6. There has to be some basis for His existence. What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? from where to pick the thread? Existence of Existence (termed Tattva, Sattaa by Swamijee Shree Ramsukhdasjee) needs no basis for its existence. Existence of Existence is all logic and all illogic but they can't point towards Existence of Existence similarly as you can't mix water into water when you are under water only. You are the beginning and you are the end of the thread. Pick it up and go. You shall finish at the other end of thread and shall be surprised to experience that what you sought is the seeker. Vasudev: Sarvam. (Gita 7:19).If you conceive God, you fail to experience the experience as experience is experience only (Swamijee in God IS Everything page 2 last para "Similarly in this world, men, animals, birds, trees, mountains, stones, bricks, sand, lime, earth etc. are of diverse kinds, yet what resides intrinsically within, has no form and that formless essence is God".).Bandhu, if anything is easiest it is Realizing God (Existence, not any human with four hands etc they are NOT God as they don't reside in everything, they come and go.) Who is ever Realized as You can't deny your existence.Ram Ram.Kachcha Sadhaka Sarvottam.----5 Fallacies & Realities about God Fallacies* Ego Consciousness Realities of Self Consciousness1 Humans believe that God needs something. Humans know that God needs nothing. God is beyond needs and demands. 2 Humans believe that God can fail to get what He needs. Humans know that God can never fail to get what He does not need. He has no needs. God is his own measure beyond failures & successes. 3 Humans believe that God has separated them from Him because they have not given Him what He needs. Humans know that God has integrated them from Him because they are God in human form. God is beyond form and non-form as one Living Consciousness. 4 Humans believe that God still needs what He needs so badly that God now requires them, from their separated position, to give it to Him. Humans know that God never needs any thing from humans other that what they are and have. God is in human form. 5 Humans believe that God will destroy them if they do not meet His requirements. Humans know for God there is no destruction and creation but infinite manifestations of energy of Living Consciousness. Dance of Living consciousness is appearance & disappearance of Physical Universe. *Neale Donald Walsch (The New Revelations)Sushil JainPRIOR POSTINGHare KrishnaGod is worshipped in 3 forms:1. Attributeless-Formless (Nirgun-Nirakar)2. Attribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar)3. Attribute-Form (Sagun-Sakar)Goswami Tulsidasji has said"NIRGUN ROOP SULABH ATI SAGUN JAAN NAHI KOI""The attributeless form of Parmatma is very easy to understand butno one can know the form of Parmatma with attributes."The first form of Attributeless-Formless Pramatma can be proved bylogic of uninterrupted existence (akhand satta). The second form ofAttribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar) Parmatma can be proved by logicof conscious and sentient Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer.But the third form of Parmatma with form and attributes (Ram,Krishna, Shiva etc.) cannot be proved by any logic, rationale etc.They can only be believed with purport of Gita, Ramayan, Sadhak-Sanjivani etc.If anyone argues over Ram being God then questions like these willarise "In forest how did Lord Ram get deceived by a gold-deer? If Heis deceived then how is He Omniscient? Why did Lord take the help ofSugreev's army? If He takes help then how come is He Almighty?...."When Lord Ram killed Ravan's mighty brothers Khar and Dushan, Ravandecided to examine whether the Omniscient and Almighty Parmatma hastaken Ram-avatar. He kidnapped Sitaji (with disguise of an ascetic)by deceiving Lord with a golden-deer. Lord failed in the examinationand Ravan was successful in his evil plan, but what was the endresult? Lord Ram destroyed the entire clan of Lankan demonsalongwith Ravan.That is why Goswamiji has said"RAM ATARKYA BUDDHI KAR JAANI""Lord Ram cannot be known by intellect."Faith in Parmatma with form and attributes (known as Bhagwan) canonly be developed when one does satsang. Reading scriptures is alsoone form of Satsang.Hare KrishnaVarun P. PapruniaHare KrishnaDear Sarphod Uncle,I sincerely apologize to you and your family for the language I haveused. I thought you were just trying to outsmart us with yourintellectual prowess so I used the same ploy on you; but Sir you area true sadhak. Sadhanaji, Mikeji recognized you but because of my so-called cleverness I did not recognize you. Again my sincereapologies for the usage of harsh words and blunt language.Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------Om, God = generator orgniser destroyer.Do you see the air? Nosuppose you don't see the air then you can't see the energies in theair that sustain our body. Suppose you want to hold a grand partyof 5000 people continuing 15 days, then how much work you have todo, you will distribute your work among your relatives. Think ofGod is a organising 600 crores or more ( not only about earth butthink about whole universe). Think who has that Supreme organizingpower ! You or God. God is in every thing from atom to Everest.Suppose you made a car that each and every thing came from you meanseach part of car made from you, by you. That is God. He iscolourless, touchless, soundless, shapeless because he is supremeenergy. If you trust and have faith in God. you will trust ongod.this is the one kind of work of god. because hi is ruling onus.Whether you go to the church or any mandir or masjid, your needsby pleading to your superior� He is That. And you say uponfulfilling your wish - "thank God" What is that power that isfulfilling your needs? Whether small or a big one, it is fulfilledand often no by your effortHari Om,nilesh popat mali,-------------------------------PRIOR POSTINGTo Respected Sadhaks of this really divine , perhaps the only of itskind across the globe, Satsanga Group!It is me, Dear Brothers, with my Dear Begum Sahibaa respectfullythanking you all for gems of wisdom which you imparted to me and tothe world. An association of people like you, group like yours, isor can only be God willed. Indeed, with people like Vyasji, (extremely polished and never contradicting. Must be the one who hasseen/ touched the "dukhalayam" very closely, very wisely and wonover the same), Mike Keenor ( You are pride of the very humanity)Varun, ( I am sure he is younger than many of us- his impetuosity/quick reaction reflects that, but very clever and very organised-Refer Gita 16/1 - jnanayogarvyavasthitam- an ideal young follower)Pratapji Bhatt ( Spl regards for you, for not firing me back) , thatreal firebrand Dear Sister of all of us Shashikalajee ( What asharp discrimination you have been blessed with ! ), Mira Dassji (An impartial devotee /follower of Respected Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaaj), Rajaji, Baiyaji and dozens like them, are the jewels ofthis divine forum. My heartfelt pranaams to Vineetji Sarvottam. Hiscomments were innocent and correct.Thanks AgainSarphod TabalchiRaseeli Rani Tabalchi--------------------------------PRIOR POSTINGDear Sadhak,Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what myKrishna says--Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna!Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16)O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : Theafflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment andthe wise.Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge.The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you areusing wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, whichitself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the differencebetween Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everythingwhich is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnecthimself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body,senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped thereremains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing.....From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothingemerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga.And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my belovedKrishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When wesee HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case ofDropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as inthe case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculousbeing, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in astatue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,andwithout forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our ownlimited vision.When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wishto see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him ineverything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist,money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become nonexistence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination inHis regime.He just "IS". I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. SomewhereSwamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this "IS" remains the same in boththe statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...Howblessed this human form is!!!How divine this forum is!!!Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss !Shivoham! Shivoham!!With lots of Love,A SadhikaSadhna Karigar------------------------------1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is anobject. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals asshakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understandit. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidanceyou will progress.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them?You want to make something you gather material and put your effortto make project. So there is someone who is behind all and yourthinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan------------------------------PranamGod exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you searchon "milkmiracle" You will see for your self.bvmJai Shree Ram------------------------------Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For thosewho yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; infact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God!Doubting God takes one nowhere.Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proofof the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in thesense of all these existing objects, you see.WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE:Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you seelove, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible?WHO HAS SEEN HIM?A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity hasrevealed 'itself'.WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE?He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable inthat experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute amongthe experiences.IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT?The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can'tsee them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest inanswering these abstract questions.GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS.God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindnessetc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good futureand for building in them the moral character which saves oursociety. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person cansee God.THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THELOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD?We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God astranscendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in thedisbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience whileborn as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all thosethings of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We canafford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try?If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them thespiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, NisargaduttaMaharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God.You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'.I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted toshare with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people thebest of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year.Dr Shastry--------------------------------1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOTan object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when SriKrishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM asGod except Duryodhan who told it was illusion.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishnawith love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller.Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable totie up. It is the way you accept.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayanPRIOR POSTINGJai HanumanI agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writingregularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is SisterAnita- absolutely correct and "really" .practical and therefore onthe path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai !O Daddy the Great ! Let such "Divinity" continue flowing unto thisGT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons toexclaim with pleasure- "Brilliant" !Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make hercry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? "Anguishof your soul" is most of the times " your sin" - also ! AlmostAlways!Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proofthat Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL-"KNOWLEDGE"?No body, come what may, has been able to "prove" in the past, norcan they do so in the present , nor will they be able to "prove"that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of provingthat. If you can't "prove" the existence of your even this father onearth, how can you prove the existence of your "eternal father"?Reason: "Self" Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego !"Acceptance"/ "Faith" / "Belief" - is the only remedy. If some bodywants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you BrotherWilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in thisSatsanga forum!Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latestmessage -1 An Aussie !2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in thecenter. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! )Above all -3 Flowers in the Sky !!!!(What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed !So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours ofposting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible !Yet so easily available !But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timelyand exactly ?Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse fora long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about itsmanifestation !! )Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! "DIVINE" !! Do you get us MrSarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only "Sadhaks" !Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala---Dear Vyasji,You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi jiis more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatorycomments from others (as is evident from his second mail).Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? isTabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If heknows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, theproblem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know "koaham (who am I)"May I quote from Shankara ? "KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA MEJANANI KO ME TATAH" (who are you, who am I, from where have I come,who is my mother and who is my father).Kind regards,Suresh C SharmaPRIOR POSTINGHari OmOne who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is nothirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed byyou. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can "see" God, andone who has thirst for world only, "sees" the world.It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can notsee- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST.Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which inreality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can notsee God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !!Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !!Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B----------------------------Dear members,This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because Ididnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young inthis stage - by experience and by learning.However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I shouldat least share my feelings:1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us -all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children thatgod is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us hasthe responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity,looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act.Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in mymaid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs meevery time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me andhas made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla -who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see himevery day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise thatit was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime youmeet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection ofGOD. So, see god in all and see all in him.2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of usare in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me.And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined bythis supreme power, whom we call GOD.3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are notable to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowableforce/energy - GOD.Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, yourneighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that lightin them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would bethere with you!Anita Sharma-------------------------Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little tooAussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure.I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly youwould understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's cleverlittle dialog.Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks.See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom).Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress,The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness:Pure silence echoed between the galaxies,Eons of eons vanished in a second,Withered trees bloomed in fires,Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry,Thusness scattered in sixty directions,Space became Time, time became things,Black Holes filled with Nirvana,A billion samadhi mirrors shattered,Galaxies snuggled within a single skull,Many became One, One only, only One.Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All BeingsOpened Her clouded Eye, to see:Flowers in the Sky.With Respect and Divine Love,Mike Keenor--------------------------Hari Om.Respected sir,I've studied from my childhood that motheris our first GOd.We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru.Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb?If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof,I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided youhave the permission to see Krushna.Rest in my next.Hari Om.With Regards,Ushasridhar.--------------------------Jesus Says.I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible.thanksWilson KochukunjuDear Mr. Sarfod & friends,Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whetherthere is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has alsobeen answered by various people in various ways in all the ages.But, the question has persisted till this day.I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma doesexist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond theUniverse. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Himwith his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, everyliving being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super-intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things andcreated wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anythingthat is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand,is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a specialfeature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time afterwhich it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. Wesee planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. Thisnever ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation andre-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence.Yours sincerely,Ram Bhai------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchijiabout I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellowseeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as neededto grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points.Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makesso much difference in our understanding!I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake upand find all answers about Truth of God, this world and "you".All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers!Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellowsadhaks, I remain prayerful!Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING-Shree Hari-Sarphodji,You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is,I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on theback of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of whatit is.Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the falsereality reflected on the wall of the cave.Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Isthis all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself,say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they havenothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as itwere, to understand.One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems tobe a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and aspiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth thatIndia had to give.11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address:"Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousandpeople starting with the words: "Sisters and Brothers of America...",and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture withstandingovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes......."If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe youcould read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (Ifyou require any translation).Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of yoursoul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict,do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, otherSadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about thatwhichdoes not exist etc.Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. Ihave,I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cryfor him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, whenyour heart breaks loose from prison that binds it.You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will.With Respect and Divine Love,Mike Keenor-----------------------------Dear Sadaks,I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The onewho has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.SherphodVedanta/Upanashids.1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, oneneeds TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as atemple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind haselectricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent.Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender.3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS.Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan----------------------------Dear SirphodI made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or forthat matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give youanswers like you might be expected.If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a differentissue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru whocan help you. I do not see from your postings you have thisexpectation, but the one below.But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could beanohter forum that must be working on such attempts.By the way you can come out with your real name.Venu KomanduriPRIOR POSTINGHi Sarphod Tabalchi,1. Where is God I have never seen Him?It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible byour physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God.If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There aremany ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it.Then after you never deny God.2. Who has seen Him?I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talkto birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me.3. How is He?He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied myexistence. He wants everyone happy.4. If I dont know how do I accept?Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expectanything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in yourmind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God wheneveryou want deny God.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.If you know this much of God you should not deny God.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basicconcept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn GodGod comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see theelectricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you everenquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think aboutTV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not functionwithout electricity. Even you can not ask these questions withoutthat power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier thandenying God.Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das------------------------Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi jiWe all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving anopportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain.All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by allsadhaks...in answering these.But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers.since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstaclesto understanding the truthsince it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing orseeing God comes much later.....It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we mayhave gone through this period.But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with someguidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and theanswers start looking meaningful........So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplatingexercise on the questions firstfor example:Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? whatcould be the place where it could be,why it can not be hear with us?Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourselfrepeatedly who am I?Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important socontemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it?What could it look like? What should it be?Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don'tknow? Do I know all? How can I know more?Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplateon: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Whywe need to fear the word God to be good?Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? Whatis the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophetshave to come to this world? Who are these prophets?See what comes as answers. It is a good learningexercise......answers are within and we must practice to startlistening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............bestwishes......Thank you....Sushil Jain----------------------------Dear Sarphod:I have similar questions that you have.Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers):1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there isnothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things thatexist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns tomankind yet)2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I alsohave the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove thatthere is no GOD either.3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my testsand verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all thosetools, a big NO (I am not sure about you)4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD andall the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. Thatmeans, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusualthing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that isbothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have theseriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questionsshould be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest.5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the questto know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quickconclusions like "There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc.,"because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the rightsources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying "I askeda question which this forum is not able to answer"Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history ofmankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admittedto have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who wasearnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (SwamiVivekananda).The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not havequestions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind,one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levelsof Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are.If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, ARAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might befulfilled.If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till suchtime, GOD is tentative truth for me.With a hope it might help you,Sincerely,Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy)Hare KrishnaSarphod, you have praised me by saying "I am very good". FYI! I wasnot entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. Youdon't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it.Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with yourlogic/rationale) then why don't you do it?Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also calledyou inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji,Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should thinkover it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But forthis one need guts, because you will have to keep aside yourprejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able toprove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, wecan only give logics/rationale.No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do notrespect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how canyou accept and respect the biggest father (Param-PitaParmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems tobe upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have anyshame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitudeyou are defending it.Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passingjudgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making methink. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji hascorrectly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an openmind.You have posted these questions only because your wife has directedyou to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are notinterested in knowing or learning anything, you are only askingthese questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality.Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. Heis only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything aboutGita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita18.67)You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel yourexistence as "I AM", right? Then why can't you prove it with yourlogic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did notget any reply.Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia---------------------Jai HanumanMr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding "flower of sky"- because it does not exist. You yourself said that.You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists.Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talkedabout God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions inthis forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist?If you can do that then why did you not talk about "flower of sky"?As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists.Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point.You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even ifthey were dead immediately after your birth, because there is abasis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of theirexistence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents meansyour grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In theend you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents?God is "Param Pita" - our eternal father.Clear?Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala ----------------------Hari OmYou wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunjiis correct. You , yourself, are "sample" of God ! Because like God,you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody "experiences" that -I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking aboutexperience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are notexisting ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct anytest to determine whether you exist or not. You neverexperience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may saythat "I don't know", but you can't say "I didn't exist" ! How canyou say so?Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your"self" tobe non existing. Non existence of your"self" has never come intoyour experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deepsleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were nonexistent. But at the same time you experience directly theabsence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep.So you exist.So He exists.Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in yourbody. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which ispermanent and changeless and who is looking separately canexperience so..So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You arenot body. You exist both with or without body. You exist.Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is alsochangeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists.So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in yourbody. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? Inwhich part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact youare existing everywhere in the body.God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere inthe body.Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------By summery of GITA: "Tat Twam Asi" or 'That You Are'This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : "Keepyour self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you"As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by ourSenses.No machine can prove Logic.By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gainenergy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during ameditative state.Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can saypositive Energy in us and arround is GOD.This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will growonly to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' !The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics ofRamayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre ofthis World.The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self.'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' isalso what we see in us.Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning andCreating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in ourYouth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. Atthe end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs withthe help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the nextbirth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible andchange form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(nonbeliever of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idolworshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self !--RegardsSwapan PURKAYASTHA --------------------------------PRIOR POSTINGDear Sarphod:I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a goodquality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed inits lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly.I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of "God"? Do you urgefor "God"?If "YES" to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can'tstick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that yourcurrent logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimedexcellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess canclaim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench yourdesires.If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity iswarranted ... if your intellect is working straight.If "NO" to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why areyou confusing yourself with these questions. That "NO" becomesmeaningless just because you are incapable of letting the veryquestions go! The very reason you are raising these questions provethat you are infested either by fear or by desire or by bothregarding "God". THAT IS EXCELLENT!Then, it is "YOUR" primary responsibility to address the same. As Imentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping youout. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect theignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But,the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let anindividual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms ofthemselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are notapplying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it iscommon sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to behappy. I am sure you agree with it.The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are youreally interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with thesequestions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If youreally need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the onlyway out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? Ifyou have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of allactions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else.Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it outyourself.I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific "is adevine forum" as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity,everything is devine. If not, some may claim "divinity" as if therest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if youreally want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question yourquestions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel.Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONSREGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE ITWITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for ITwithin. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remainedfutile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine isnot receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myselfof more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any"psyche" as such.Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if youwant ... ONLY IF YOU WANT.All The Best.Respects.Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTINGDear "Sadhaks" (?)Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajeeasked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon theadvice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead ofresponding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and hismother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and againread that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her anotherquestion. I have not desired to smell "flower of sky" , because itdoes not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and youSadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee hasasked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn"texist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B isgiving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But thebest among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. Headviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hangingon. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gavehim a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhattis rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simplygiving me round round answers. On other hand you are passingjudgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Orsay - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. MyBegum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her atleast. But Mike praised me. He called me "brilliant".Waiting for answers.Sarphod Tabalchi---------------------------We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical isthis: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call thatsomething Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call itrandom nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to knowThat Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradoxand answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you,within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that wecontrol our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had tosee the Universal form to get over the final hurdle.Jay Shree Krishna.Hemendra Parikh-------------------------------Dear devotees of Lord Krishna,The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better afterseeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan ofLord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a slokafrom 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded inTamil, and can be shared with the group if interested.With kind regards,Sincerely,P.Vivekanandan-------------------------------Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, bywhich one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you willsee for yourself the value.The Srutis declare: "Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman isnot attainable by a weak man." In the Gita you willfind: "Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring whichBrahmacharya is performed" (Chap. VIII-11). "Trividham narakasyedamdvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayamtyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive ofthe Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce thesethree" (Chap. XVI-21). "Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam -Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance ofBrahmacharya" (Chap. III-43).If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a purelife, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts,concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity.It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even abit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot becompletely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord.You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Graceis needed. God helps those who help themselves.Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot begrasped by him.You can read more about this in the "Easy Steps to Yoga" by SriSwami Sivananda.chirag almoula--------------------------------PRIOR POSTINGDear Sadhakas, Namaste!Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may pointout that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if thatperson doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent uponseeing God in the way you want to see.Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. Itseems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, withthe desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, itmeans you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinentquestions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responsesindicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if youcannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has tosee that "seeing God" means deep understanding of intuitive naturein this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It hasto be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable ofgrasping truth.Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make yousee the pointers.I said one cannot say "I don't see God" without knowing what God heis looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants tosee, right? One can say "I don't know God, tell me what/where Ishould look, and how to recognize". It is different than show meGod, right?Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflectedin our experience of "I am" right now as you read these words. Infirst posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proofone cannot deny.There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect isnot capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, thereis proof of God more reliable than that.But this point didn't make any impression.I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see whathappens!Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt-------------------------------Hare KrishnaOkay Mr. Sarphod,Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and onlydiscuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence.I AMWell, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your bodyhas changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr.Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly notchanging with it because if you were changing then who would haveknown the change in body? You are that changeless element who knowsthe change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are thechanging phases of the body but you are that changeless element whois witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changelesselement can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - Whatis the basis of your never-changing existence? If you considerbody's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic,because body is changing every second!!!I and MINEIt is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example youconsider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you neverconsider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, mylegs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' andsimultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feelingwell. You establish two transversal relationships with the body,that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart(separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, howcan it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call itas I. Is this logical?Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself???Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. Iwant to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In otherwords, I want to see that element which you refer to as I?Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself.According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr.Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself?If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ?????And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body oryourself?Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove1. Your existence.2. The basis of your existence.3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence.Then we will also discuss about God's existence....As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time,those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions,they are requested to read this Sadhaka postingsadhaka/message/2108Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia-------------------------------Jai Hanuman(Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji-Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur )Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) :Mom pls tell me , when I was born?Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14)( M ) Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Momto Son?)J: If mother doesn't tell, who will?M: How to tell you? I came only after you !J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn'tit?M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep!J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Plstell me the story ! Please !!M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not.J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please.M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Fatheronly for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing.J: Does He not do anything?M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Thentotally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs,nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour ,form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form,my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, norany beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world?J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is myFather, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...??M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have anycaste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what canbe His respect or disrespect?J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying?M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves,nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neitherany juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entireexhibition/show I run, Dear Son !!J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !!M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall youare His son!J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on thefront gate of this Great Circus? ( The world)M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won'tunderstand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountableuniverses can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4)J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter?M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate,if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son!Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has noorgans, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element)person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas-1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient andinsentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannotsearch.J: Why not Mom?M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I amfalse. I am asat. I am non existent. My "not being" is my "being".Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing.J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that?M: He is your Father, Son!J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats offto you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of theworld that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you -Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed "actually" Mom then.....)O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose poweryou run this circus called the world?M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, ofWhose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountableuniverses, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do runthis circus only on His strength.J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Blessme , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!!While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva becametranquilised and then in the background divine music played-"MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE "(BG 7:14)He was He only!Namaste Jee.Jee JeeShashikala--------------------------------Shri Hari-My dear Sarphodji,A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by theDivine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, Icould be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just byreading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE.Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path offire so to speak, (the hard miles).In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', andyes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in theIndian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I willstay using the terminology to which I am most familiar.You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have notdeserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a lightshining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away youtears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can bemended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those thathave felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combinedwith your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The DarkNight...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one thatrescues you. I speak from experience not from books.With Respect and Divine Love,Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTINGHari OmIf sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationalewhich establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help allin being definitive, have reference material and it will alsostrengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree thateasily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era ofKaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united.From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom Ihave solely relied on for a number of years -Every human being wants the following:1) To "live for ever". This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear ofdeath is the indicator of that desire.2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This isdesire for CHIT (Knowledge).3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire forANANDA.Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element tofulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one /some element which enables you to "live for ever", to be all knowingand to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we wouldnot have had the desire for the same.Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda)Raam! Raam!! Raam!!!To be continued.Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------Dear Tabalchi ji,According to J. Krishnamurti "modern so called educated" people wanta little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge inmeaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot bediscussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (giveIt/Her/Him any name) is beyond description.Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a "fullstomach" tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu,or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirstyyou will not indulge in such childish questions about water, butwill try your best to drink it.I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (aphysic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature aboutGod, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well knownexpert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time andspace. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate DrEdington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious aboutexploring the great Absolute Truth. Become "jyan-vijyan-triptah" andonly then we can walk together on this spiritual quest.Regards,Suresh C. Sharma------------------------Sir,You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See aroundyou, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designedthis project and process. Your father and mother only are tools.Inquire within and get the answer.surender syal--------------------------------Mitro,Why has this God become famous as "HE" why not "she" or "IT"or "Nothing"? Today's generation will not believe in gibberishbakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that Godis ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods(many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differencesand the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma------------------------------I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I haveasked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know Howis that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaaalso told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me.But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version.I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mindfixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept myparents because even if I dont remember my birth, they rememberthat. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feelthem. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why theyare my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the groundsthat since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and Iaccepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. Theydont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaacould not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with youShe said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am notsatisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, thenwhat? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me.She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cantaccept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling orexperiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feelor experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth,still I would accept that because how can I come without them onthis earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike orShashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observationsof Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this selfproclaimed "Divine" site. Dont go by my name. Even my BegumSaahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding myname Jee?Sarphod TabalchiPRIOR POSTINGHare KrishnaSarphodji,Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish(Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar),a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!!According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Himand also enter into Him.Arjuna saidO universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Yourfour-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch andlotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46)Sanjaya saidThe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus toArjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed Histwo-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50)Lord Krishna said:My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is verydifficultto behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to seethis form, which is so dear.Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, noreven by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as Youhave seen Me.O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can beseen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even enteredinto.My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me,is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towardsall beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55)Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answeryour question of knowing and seeing God.Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife hasstated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji'swords.Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------Hari OmNo! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully andshould learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have givenexcellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers andwillcontinue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca thatthere must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as MrVineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. Butstill questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd butstill should be respected. Your "Begum Sahibaa" appears to havedirected herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affectionin the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are morelogics/pointers to you:3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In everyfield a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you willfind this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say"I am the Highest". Always a better /higher person than you isexisting. Now where does this "highness" end. If there is sense ofhighness , then there must be an element which is "highest". God isthat element. God is the HIGHEST.4. You always need some "shelter" to survive. In the childhood youneed shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability,wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife,children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but notthe need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , thenthere must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimateshelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such inprinciplepoints. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty ,theremust be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always someshelter or other, then there must be an element which can bedescribedas " Highest Shelter available "! God is "PARAM ASHRAYA DATA" Giverof that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will benecessary,5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But thereis also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact "to err ishuman" -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial.Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist anelement which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was adifference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise andSun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be moreperfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT.To be continued till you say "I am satisfied"As regards your observation that "Nature" also creates/controls-answer is that whether you believe that nature has "knowledge"? Ifyes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know yourreligion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERTNATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inertnaturetake care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to somany creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God.After all it is a matter only of "terminology". If no then you mustaccept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKESHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfilthat desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA" . Logical ?Doesit appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaaand come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- besure on this. After all you are on GT Site !Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B-------------------------------Dear Sarphod:Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I wasstartled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated "thanksfor triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace asalways."Son goes to father and asks, "Father, what is God?" Fatheranswered, "Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your lifeand whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think aboutIt!" The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The sonpromptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, "Father,fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbsall the life. Therefore, fear should be the god." Fatherremarks, "Good job! Keep thinking." The son not knowing whether hisrevelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comesback to father and declares, "Father, desire drives all the lives,desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives.Therefore, the desire should be the god." Father remarks again, Goodjob! Keep thinking." The son does not feel the conclusiveappreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continuesto contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all thelives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs allthe lives. Therefore happiness should be the god.Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt thewisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can betaught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is thenotion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is thedeliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is theappreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. Theson, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, sensesand mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate.He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorptionpower in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. Hesees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,andabsorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears,desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe ofknowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested -mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst thethree phases of life - fear, desire and happiness.Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these threedivinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force orSustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches hisfather, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma.The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of TheGod. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wonderingaloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. Thenew driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digsup an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivionof the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding whatthe driving force could really be.The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed postof The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny.The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder ifit absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself.The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. Theabsorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kindabove lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back infrustration not withstanding what the absorption power could everbe.The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenancestrength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdomdoes its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenancepower in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strengthwhich provides strength to all the life around starts wondering whatis the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source ofthe strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source ofstrength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold toanother all around the universe that is within its control to seekitself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. Itreturns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenancestrength could ever be.Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their owntrue nature around, the throne of The God starts fading intosilence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not thedriving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as theabsorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkationbetween the three divinities that was once so thick and opaquestarts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power ofcreation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in everything that is perceieved ever.The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore yourfears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore yourhappiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as youare. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joysand hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within aswell as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating yournotions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being whatyou are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturallytranscends all the barriers built by your cognition acrosseverything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then thevery post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed themost troublesome question to start with.God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vainsearching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, betterpause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … bewhat you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... notjust a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHINGWITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive.If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In otherwords, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in yourperception.Respects.Naga Narayana--------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses ofsadhakas received so far!To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeinganything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for whatone "thinks" God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be"that" it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think isso limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is notlogical, right?Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, whatdoes it mean?It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequentrealization that "my God, there is nothing else but only God IS inthe disguise of the Cosmos" that sees through that individual.The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she sawobjects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the sameforms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tendto see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when weunderstand God, this "Understanding" opens up the very mind who seesGod everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using.Other aspects of issues will see later....Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt-------------------------Shree Hari-Sarphodji,Great! You are still questioning brilliant!I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full ofdivine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past itdear friend).If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn,what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the wholetree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak treehave an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree?Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the otherquestion can be answered it seems to me.I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that wasby my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn.I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about3amin a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the roomat that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(todo annual technical checks). There across the room was thiscontroller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he wasperforming asanas, (within the restriction), "trying to stay awake?"Iasked, "no he boomed", we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common,wedeveloped a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I readBhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also).He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, "Mike if peoplecould her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'.What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, andthe courage, 'to ride the tiger".We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, meanAnglo Celt, especially if one could here us talking, but we werebrothers of the spirit.There is much I could talk of, but I must bow to the respectedmoderator.With Respect and Divine Love,Mike Keenor-Mr Sarphod ! So you are a male as well as married ! Very good Jee !It is a good habit to act in accordance with advice your Begum. Howdid she leave you alone? Do you have books of Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaj at your home? Your “Begum†had those books according toyou.Did you read them? Or your Begum only reads them? By the way didyou ever think about or did you ever have a desire to smell “flowerof sky†? Why did you not think about flower of sky or desired tosmell it ? Reply. This is a question to you. Also reply if you alwaysbelieve only after “seeing†?Let us know as to how you can get satisfied according to you?. Whatmethodology suits your mind.? How do you generally feel regardingthis world,mind, intellect, body etc etc ? How according to you suchabig world is operating ? Do you think there are some laws governingthis world? Keep also giving your observations , counter arguments onEACH AND EVERY response which is given to you. Otherwise how will weknow whether the cure has taken place? Understood? You can consultyour Begum also before replying to my queries. Always tell us whatyour Begum told you and what is your own observation. Why don’t youtell your Begum also to become member and start Satsanga? Will thatnot be better? What is her kind name, Jee?Namaste Jee.Jee JeeShashikalaDear Sadhakas, Namaste!Another aspect of issues raised by Tabalchiji can be answered basedonwhat sadhakas already have echoed in their responses.The most important thing is to know that God is not "something","somewhere" and "some times". It is at the core of our being, anintimate experience which is The Knowingness without anything known.In otherwords, God cannot be known as another limited object,nevertheless, is known as "knowingness" in us by virtue of justbeing.For example, if someone were to ask you, can you show me Love, Peace,Compassion, Beauty, Goodness etc "out there"? You cann't! They areexperiences within us that we attribute to things/situations etcoutside which may have triggered them. Some philosopher rightly said"From the beginning, not a thing is!" Please, please, see the truthofthis. We are connected to the world only through Being Conscious ofsomething or other which we conceptualize as subjectexperiencer(mind-body), and objects experienced, both thought asseparate. Such division is not experiential.Just as these experiences are not seen "out there", but are truelyhappening in our consciousness, God cannot be seen, as separate fromConsciousness.Sun, for example, is nothing but the experience of light and heat,conceptualized as "Sun" out there, for practical purpose. This isalsotrue for all apparant objects of the world.God or Consciousness or Atman, are also such conceptual words of themost intimate Wordless Experience! They are good pointers though!When people engage in services to help others who are victims ofdisasters, diseases, violence, wars, terrorism etc etc who motivatestheir actions? Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart! Peoplewho help to preserve natural environment, forests, animals, etc etcare also inspired by the same Love and Goodness!Can we not call Unconditional Love and Goodness of the heart God?Are those who bring such disasters to "apparant others" also God, ifall is God?They are also, yes, but unfortunately "they" have not understood yetthat they are!In God's world, only God exists playing "others", so who does what towhom?Try doing evil acts after understanding deep within that all of us,nature included, together, not individually, are God! One cannot!Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt-PRIOR POSITINGDear Sadhak,Excellent explanation has been given by sadhak Pratapji....Excellent!If the parents donot know GOD how can they teach the kids?Swamiji says if something is lying in darkness we can take a deepakwith us to see it but to see a deepak(lamp) we donot need anotherdeepak. Same way the objects of this whole worlds can beseen/experienced through the "SELF" but to know this SELF we donotneed anything from the world( mind/body/intellect etc.) Only SELFknows it SELF.1. Where is God I have never seen Him?He is not HE, He is "I". When we can see/know who am I we cansee/know who is God.Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin ofall, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of theuniverse! Ch10:152. Who has seen Him?All realized people have known HIM.Some claim that they have seenHIM too.Swami Vivekananda asked this question to everyone he met-Have youseen God ? All answers negative except Ramkrishna Paramhansa.He said-"Yes I have seen God as clearly as I am seeing you right now."Listening to this Narendra became his disciple.3. How is He?With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entireuniverse.Ch10:424. If I dont know how do I accept?Then go ahead follow the path shown to us by Swamiji or any realizedsoul, and know Him first, then accept.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.What's wrong with that ? Accept God ,be righteous and be Arjuna ordonot accept Him, be Duryodhana - choice is yours.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?Start with meditation and Gita. Follow the path shown by Him in Gita-Karma Yoga, Gyaan Yoga or Bhakti Yoga. Establish yr self in YOGA.....No one can force any one to believe. Kids learn by imitation. Leadyr own life according to Dharma,and kids will pick it up.Beforegiving them tatva Gyaan(absolute knowledge),its better to sit withthem and watch Ramayana, Krishna, Mahabharata and let them learn bythe character of our Sagun Sakaar Bhagwaan(God with Forms). If theycan learn from Rama or Krishna, they will be on right path and willget their realization at their own speed.with lots of Love,a sadhikaSadhna Karigar--------------------------------Jai HanumanOye What a question Jee!!. As good as the name of thequestioner!! "Sarphod" in Hindi means skull breaker ! "Tablachi"means he who plays treble. Unique Jee !! Namaste Sarphodji !!Welcome Jee ! There is music everywhere ! Who kept such a classicname Jee ? Father? OK, pick the thread from father only.How do I accept if I don't know? Accept just as you accepted someone to be your father without knowing anything about him. Don't sayplease- "that children now a days need more than belief to accept".That, I am afraid, is not as classic a statement as is even yourkind name. Fact is that children practice only belief and solidbelief. They are masters of belief - and teachers of entire humanityon this subject of belief. Poor adults need proof. What kind ofproof was solicited by you in accepting some one to be your fatheror some name to be mine or for that purpose by "the children of nowa days"- say son of Sarphod Tablachi, if any ??Do you "know" as to who is your father and who is your mother? Whatproof or rationale you can give to support your acceptance of Mr Xas your father?You asked "from where to pick the thread". I reply to you that youpick the thread from yourself and your Dear Father. Come On !Reply now! Argue !!Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala-------------------------------Mr.Pratapji Bhatt has explained the existance of God beautifully.Itis very much in sync with Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda's explanationin his books-"Autobiography of a yogi" and "Man's eternal quest"which i have read. Also the story quoted by mahalaksmiji perfectlydescribes how to know God.He is all knowing and yet unknown.He isthe Devine Intelligence that governs all that is known to us.God isindescribebable.He can only be felt in the depths of a pure soul.Ami Chhowala--------------------------------I still remain unsatisfied in this "divine" forum. How and whyParamatma can not be an individual ? Is there nothing in yourscriptures like Gita which says that a devotee can also "see" God ?My Begum Sahiba states that she read from a book of your SwamiRamsukhdasji that Jai Dayal Goenka and Hanuman Poddarhad "darshanas" of God. Was His statement right or your referenceof good Swami is right? Why do you say that God can not be known?How then the desire to know can be fulfilled? Whether I need aninstruction manual or not is not the focal point, in fact, to befair to me, answer to my questions in simple and convincing manneris focal point! None of the "sadhaks" are convincing so far. Iasked from where to pick the thread? The responses are unclear andincomplete.Mr Mike ! Incomplete, was your answer. If you believe you were likeme in the past, then make me like you in the present. Is that not adivine task? Is that not the role of this forum? Logic must exist.Pointers must be there. Knowledge cant be beyond itself. What elsewe are doing at present except meeting?Mr Vyas - When Your so called " Nature" made oceans, Sun Moon etcand when Nature is supreme then where is the question of God? Whycant Fire/ Ocean/etc are called God ? If yes, then how God isbeyond knowledge? How God can not be seen as stated by Mr PratapBhatt or by Vineet Sarvottam ?"Sadhaks" - My Begum Sahibaa directed me to you people to satisfymy knowledge quest ! I expected better as I am hungry for answers.Sarphod Tabalchi--------------------------------Such a question can only arise from those who consider gross body asreal self and not the outer sheath of immortal "real self" whichcontains the apriori knowledge.They see God every day but do not recognise THEE. The Universal Godis Tri-Ani-Pada- three bodies in One i.e. gross, subtle and divine.Since the entire Brahamad is God, His gross body consists of "Sunand Moon His eyes, firmament his middle body and earth as His Feet"and His Head is in Heaven. Thus entire Brahmand is God. Most of thepeople who find gross body as real, want to imagine and visulaiseGod as a human being forgetting that human beings who live on thisearth are "Thy" tiny living cells. We have several billions livingcells in our gross body, can any living cell of our body tell who weare?But those who find human soul as "real self" have no difficulty inknowing God. His divine body is the Omniscient Supreme Soul(Parmatma) and His subtle body "Mahadeva" is omnipotent SupremeSpirit prevalent in all animate and inanimate life/things. Hisspirit is found in Shuniya (cosmic void) of all kind of matterconsisting of atoms with unsuspected vitality. Because of His spiritprevalent in shuniya, matter is not inert.Since Man is born in the image of God, human beings are also tri-ani-pada. Immortal soul resides in our divine body, spirit resides inour subtle body and gross instruments in our material body. Thosewho consider material gross body as the real self will always finddifficult to know formless and ineffable universal God.Incidentally formeless and ineffable Universal God is Brahma- namederived from Brahmand and other gods in human form are Iswaras.Iswaras are not the gods of entire mankind.with regards,Prem Sabhlok--------------------------------Dear sarphod,God is in nature,he can only be felt.His power is dwellingeverywhere in the nature in the form of cosmic vibratioins .If wecan tune our mind with the same frequency by way of sadhana we canfeel the godliness of the nature.How a sperm can create a body withlife is the proof of the supernatural power of the god. So far weare only establishing the things which are existing, but we areunable to establish about the source of the existence.O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Shree Hari Ram RamDear Sadhaks, NAMASKAR! THE TOPIC IS BEING CLOSED FOR NOW. WE WILL START SIMILAR TOPIC AS THE MESSAGES ARE GETTING TRUNCATED HAVING REACHED MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SIZE. Thank you ALL FOR PARTICIPATING, From Gita Talk Moderators, Ram Ram-------------------------My question is that how to prove that there exists a super naturalpower called "God" ? At least how to explain that. How to correlateHis existence with the character of the world? Children now a daysneed more than belief to accept. Can there be any way vide which wecan establish that God exists. If some body says say :1. Where is God I have never seen Him?2. Who has seen Him?3. How is He?4. If I dont know how do I accept?5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?Sarphod TabalchiNEW POSTINGYes. God exists. There is lot of proof of God's existence.Rather there is no proof that God does not exist. One must first find proof thatGod does not exist before one asks for the proof of existence of God.Unfortunately, no one has ever been able to prove the non-extence of God.Theperson who can explain logically and cosistently without resort to faith in someconjecture the entire Creation and the entire history of events before and afterthe Big Bang will be able to logically understand the existence of God.Before one seeks proof of God, one must define what he means by God. God in thesense of Paramatma exists for certain. But not any kind of conjectural /hypothetical god.Basudeb Sen--------------------Dear sadaks,To teach children about God existence, child needsproof to totally accept. May be you say this or that, child listens andcontemplates how far your saying is true. That is natural for allchildren.Basically child can be made to contemplate earnestly withinterest with the following. 1) In any sweet ask the child to showsugar. 2) Bigger child ask to show butter in milk. 3) child above 16ask to show electricity or magnetism. 4) child above 18 ask to showhydrogen and oxygen in water. In all the above to know any one of theabove, one has to do some effort (sadana-Bakthi-Pooja-sing on God etc)in water boil to separate hydrogen & oxygen with an apparatus, forbutter in milk, boil milk and add little yogurt, wait next day andchurn to get butter. In electricity, create motion between 2 magnetselectric energy can be felt. First Child has to know that GOD isomnipresent energy in the whole cosmos. The energy cannot be seen as itis not an object. To see or know energy an appratus (Body) and certainfunction (sadana-Bakthi-Pooja-sing on God etc) of body organs as persastras can reveal presence of God.My grandson Chakradari in London asked me the same question andanswered the same. The school there is British and Christianity, buttook the answer of his and presented him a memento. Later he askedabout his class mates bullying him. I said just smile at them and sayin mind Narayanayah. His bullying friends after few days understoodthat their act gave them trouble in some form or other. They becameinterested in Godly talk.� Children ask why so many God and Goddesses next. Then one has toexplain them that it is different forms that came from differentcountries. Now man goes everywhere as so the question comes. Olden daysman was restricted to a place of his own village and God was namedaccording to his knowledge. Further God when incarnated as a bhraminboy was called Vamana.Jai Sri KrishnaB.Sathyanarayan--------------------------------HE can be felt.His avtaars have appeared and fought terrorism andinjustice.Involvement of such names such as Jagdish,Bhagat,Sajjan(noble)tend toindicate divine role against terrorism.Subject is too deep for me alone tofathom.I have even observed the use of the name Nachiketa,saviour in hours oflikely death.tewari subhash chander-------------------------------Hari OmRight you are ! Brother Mike !!QuoteI have for a long time regarded religion, in general, as like roads toadestination. Eventually all these roads merge into a super highway,once on thehighway looking back you can see all paths were true.Trouble is when on theselesser roads, one can easily believe your roadis the only road toGlory/Moksha/ Enlightenment/ Heaven/TheKingdom/Liberation/ The Tao/......UnquoteSwamiji said the'trouble' referred by you above, in the end, (even after you haveattained "mukti") haunts you, as it prevents you from getting"parabhakti" ( Real Devotion/ Bhakti represented by ever increasingLove between Bhagwaan and Bhakta) . Respects from heart to you, Brother Mike !Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N BP.S. I would urge Moderators to continue permitting Sadhaks to praiseother Sadhaks, when need be. There is nothing wrong in praising others-neither Gita nor Swamiji nor worldly conduct norms nor conscience norhumanity considers that be inappropriate. Not praising others may bewrong and jeolous but praising others - let it be permitted. When weare permitting such high velocity praising songs and poems on inertslike money, what is wrong in praising sadhaks? Are they not superior tomoney, at least? Hence let us have these innocent liberties.-Narain ! Narain !! It is a joy to read Vyasji and Brother Mike Keenor. One wonders how close Mike has reached to the highest truth. Narain ! Narain !! Indeed, "Samoham sarvabhuteshu, tishthantam Parameshwaram" Narain ! Narain!! Naarad N Maharishi---Jai Shree Krishna I am sorry to offend Divine GT Moderator's recent guidelines but I cant help . I must say that the message of Brother Mike Keenor is divine ! Coming from western world and still having such deep understanding of Sanatan Dharma is making me proud of Sanatan Dharma as well. In fact both Catherine Anderson and Mike Keenor are jewels in the crown of 'Beloved' . I pray that they get ever increasing ( pratikshan vardhmaan prem) of Paramatma !! Swami Rupesh Kumar-------PRIOR POSTINGDo you exist? If so, God also exists. It is as simple. What is the proof that God exists? So, what is the proof that you exist? The proof that you exist is that you are thinking, you are moving, you are talking, etc. The proof that God exists is that the whole creation is moving according to a preplanned scheme, according to preordained, undisputed and unwritten law of Nature.Love and Love alone.....P. Gopi Krishna-----------Hari OmThe following statement by Narinderji reflects that meditation is a direct method of Realisation while Karma Yoga is a longer method , which step by step first leads to "purification of soul".... From the point of view of Gita, discourses of Swamiji , and even technically this statement can not be said to be correct. In fact exactly reverse is the case. Meditation is a step by step long method of Realisation and first you have to "purify the antahkarana" - Yogah chittavritti nirodham - Patanjaliji Maharaj. In Karma Yoga the realisation is faster, easier and DIRECT. Meditation is not direct method as it takes shelter of inert first and for a long time. In the end, meditator MUST disconnect with inert. Karma Yogi straight away disconnects inert and in fact applies inert unto inert, and being sentient remains behind- pure and lone !! He may ask Qs on this to get further clarity. Narinderji may also note that "soul" does not require any purification- it is ever pure ( chetan... Amal (flawless)... Sahaj Sukhrashi) ! In Meditation the "antahkarana" is purified and in Karma yoga , the "ego" is purified to renounce "bhoktaship" (results of karmas) and resolve not to "do" anything for "self" !! Narinderji however may clarify as to who according to him may do meditation as he believes this "direct" method is not open to all humans."BUT ............ ......... ... there is a catch ............ .. this method of the Direct Inquiry is not for all......... .. Karmayoga is the Way for the majority to move into higher steps of purification of the self"Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------Narain ! Narain !! The problem with us is that we "know" but do not "admit". We know that who ever is born shall die. But we dont admit, when some one near and dear dies, we start crying. The sentiments of poor Shrivastava are like that only.. The existence of his kind self is in itself the proof of the existence of Paramatma. What kind of proof he can give to justify that he himself exists? Brother Mike ! Enjoy Divine Leela !! DEKHO NIRPAKH HOY TAMAASHA ( One should witness the worldly play remaining impartial) ! How much a person thinks, while he continues to be proverbially a tiny speck in the ocean ? The independence has been given to a human by Paramatma, and He does not object to His children being brat and disobedient. He shall not. But He continues giving money, wealth, health, time, wife, children, air, water, food etc etc - everything even to His enemies. Isnt it His kindness? The fact is that God is "just" with reference to the worldly people. He is "disintertested" with reference to Jnanis. He is "kind" (dayaalu) with reference to the devotees (bhaktas). He is all, He is none ! Is there no love in the slap of mother? He has ordinary inclination ( I repeat "ordinary") for welfare of all of us. His not disturbing our independence is in itself a sign of His kindness, justice and disinterestedness. But when it comes to Bhaktas and those who surrender to Him, He takes their full responsibility. Then He becomes "specially inclined" to save them from ocean of birth and death. But generally, He does not stop anyone to even abuse Him, break His temples, disrespect Him and deny His existence. But the moment some one troubles His devotees, He becomes different. Narain ! Narain !! Naarad N Maharishi---------Jai HanumanYou are right, Brother Mike! I also guess so !! The object of satsanga is also sometimes to suppurate a boil, so that it may be removed by roots. Once object is in focus, methodology is secondary. I liked your example of "wrestling with Him".Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala---------------------------Shree Krishna Consider the following: Your child is having high fever.You take him to a doctor. Doctor readies the injection and child cries. Now you as father are having same characteristics vis a vis the child as Naaradji stated are the characteristics of ' Beloved Paramatma' viz: 1. All knowing 2 All powerful and 3 the Kindest. You know why child is crying. He does not want the pain of injection touching his skin. You are powerful too. You can say to Doctor, sorry. Without your consent doctor will not give injection to the child. Where is the doubt in your kindness ? But forgetting all three, you hold the hand of child firmly, ignore his cries, and let the doctor give the injection. Why ? Because you know in that sorrow, real pleasure for child is hidden. Similarly, Dear Sadhaks, the laws of Paramatma operate. There is no sorrow existing in the world. In sorrows your long term welfare is concealed. A child or idiot does not understand that. A child understands the language of love, but does not understand language of punishment. But an intelligent child understands language of punishment also. Consider the following example: Your child is in a school. He makes some mistake. Now whenever children make mistakes, the teachers punish them. I remember my teacher used to put pencil between my finger spaces of hand and squeez it hard. Sometimes teachers make you stand outside or on bench. It happens with students not seldom. But an intelligent child never complains regarding the punishment given to him by teachers when he comes home. Why? Because he knows that punishment given to him by teachers was for his welfare and that he made a mistake. This is how Paramatma and the devotees of Paramatma conduct in this DUKHALAYAM, O Divine Sadhaks !! So which kind of child you are Mr P Shrivastava? Certainly you are child of Paramatma , irrespective of whether you admit that or not. What kind of acknowledgement an infant does to the kindness of Mother? He cries even when he is in the lap of her mother !! Hence every child is often called stupid. Swami Rupesh Kumar-Shree Hari-Dear Srivastava,I looked up Schopenhauer in the Wikipedia, and what I found was a philosopher,who had some ideas that wove in and out of Buddhist/Hindu principles.Ex Wikipedia:'For Schopenhauer, human desire was futile, illogical, directionless, and, byextension, so was all human action in the world. The Will to Schopenhauer is ametaphysical existence which controls not only the actions of intelligentagents, but physical phenomena..'You see he was into the metaphysical. Was he out of agreement with such thingsas siddha powers? I can't see how.He did not like Abrahamic religions, from what I can see. But he had a highregard for Buddhist thought and the Upanishads.I have for a long time regarded religion, in general, as like roads to adestination. Eventually all these roads merge into a super highway, once on thehighway looking back you can see all paths were true. Trouble is when on theselesser roads, one can easily believe your road is the only road toGlory/Moksha/Enlightenment/Heaven/The Kingdom/Liberation/The Tao/......I think you require another ally other than Schopenhauer, if you want to teardown the concept of the Divine.I sense you are very angry, but with whom?With Respect and Divine Love,Mike (Keenor)-------------------------------Dear Srivastava ji, “I am shocked to see educated people attach more weight to blind faith and vulgar superstition ..†While appreciating your goodwill for the masses by advocating the modern scientific achievements, I will like to draw your attention to many scientists’ views about God. (1) In his classic “Brief History of Timeâ€, Stephen W. Hawkin talks of God. May I add that he is today occupying the ‘chair’ (Peeth) which was once occupied by Sir Newton. (2) Dr Albert Einstein’s saying �" “Science without religion is blind, and religion without science is lame†(or the otherwise is also true). (3) Dr Albert Einstein’s saying �" “The whole universe is an illusion, albeit of persistent nature†(He was referring to our sensory illusion). (4) I can quote a great deal from scientific masterpieces by Fitzgerald Capra (Uncommon Wisdom and other books) �" mentioning with great reverence about the absolute truth, evening quoting from Sanskrit scriptures. His essence is what Lord says in the Gita (10:8) “AHAM SARVASYA PRABHAVO MATTAH SARVAM PRAVARTATE / ITI MATWA BHAJANTE MAAM BUDDHA BHAVASAMANVITAH†(I am the Source of All; from Me everything evolves; understanding thus, the ‘wise’ endowed with ‘loving consciousness’, always worship Me). (5) Not admitting but supposing that your arguments are okay, let me tell you that even the scientists opine that ‘contradictory is complementary’ (if my memory is right Neil Bohr used to quote this line). (6) Even our own contemporary and very much alive, Dr Deepak Chopra has been talking and writing profusely about our spiritualism.I was reading some Indian Scripture in which there was mention of "the God who brings rain and the demons that withhold it" Please read Gita and It does not mention such superstitions. This is the educated persons’ unanimous conclusion that the Gita is the most scientific pointer to God. Even Arthur Shopenhouver was influenced by this holy book. You have very kindly recommended us to read him; well, I have read him and also another German Poet-philosopher Fredrich Nietzshe whose saying ‘God is dead’ influenced and created Hitler. May I now request you to read another German author (Novel laureate) Herman Hesse (his master piece Siddharth). In short, Bhagwan Bhaskar Adiguru Shankar is considered to the most argumentative philosopher and seer the world has so far produced (without any bias on my part, Sir) and his ‘Shankari Bhasya’ on the Gita is considered to be the most authentic commentary till now. Please read it. Was he superstitious? What do you think the great scientists I have quoted above were/are also superstitious.Having said all this, let me hurry to add that I very much appreciate your ‘concern’ for the welfare of the human race. This indicates that your are also involved in ‘Sarvabhoot Hiteratah’ (involved in the welfare of all). And believe me, you are also advocating God, though in a different manner. Yes, God is all-inclusive and you are also within His fold.Kind regards,Suresh C. Sharma-PRIOR POSTINGWHO IS ASKING THIS QUESTION?WHO WANTS TO KNOW?DARE AND HAVE COURAGE TO KNOW HIM FIRST.........ANSWER TO ALL QUESTIONS LIES THERE..... ENCOUNTER THE "SELF"....KNOWING SELF LEADS TO KNOWING GOD.....IT IS SIMPLE..... Sushil Jain----Shree Hari-When I saw this post re-emerge, originally from Sarphod Tabalchi, and he hadeveryone spinning on the spot. I said to myself, No way, I have been there! ButI decided, 'That hell has frozen over'.Talking of Hell, that advocate of the Devil has re-emerged in the guise of P Srivastava.Straight away I have noticed something:The Patriarch Jacob wrestled with GOD all night long, God then finished the fight by putting Jacobs hip out of joint, could have obliterated Jacob, but just I minor wound. Interesting to note that Jacob did not realize who he was wrestling with. Now this is allegorical, but universal at that level. Some Sadhaks seem angry, I do not know why because you see, these beloved souls, are witnessing you wrestling with Bhagwan. And if you keep wrestling, and don't run away, HE, 'The Beloved', will break your heart and tear you down, with Love,and Grace.How do I know this? You work it out.Coming to science and logic, there is a problem, regardless of scientific principles, modern science is Christocentric, (I think I have just invented a word), there is an older ancient knowledge, one simple example is the solar system, understood in India approximately 1500 years (at least), before being understood in the West, and it was declared a heresy. Oh! and re-incarnationdeclared a heresy 500 years after Christ within Christendom, now the scientist are talking about cellular memory, (they will get there just give them time). These are early times with this debate with you, keep debating, and with Divine Grace, you will understand the things that science can't, just think how wonderful that would be!With Respect and Divine Love,Mike (Keenor).------------Dear Sadak Sarphod Tabalchi & other sadaks,This is what you said,"" God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us so that we may indulge in goodness."" Presume you are correct, then indulge goodness total pure goodness. God surely illuminates HIMSELF to you, like in the case of Vivekanadha who asked similar questions to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Do you know one truth that you will surely know God existence faster than me. Your craving is higher to see God. Where as I think I know about God and making myself fool by giving all descriptions and sastras. Sinners are potential saints- the proverb. Great men like Tukaram, Chaitaniya Maha Prabu when someone pointed mistake (Not really mistake) they readily accepted and tried to change for no fault of their`s. They are Sub Zero in Ego. Example: When Kasi Pandit critisied Tukaram Abang for no sanskrit value in it and ordered to be thrown in river colse by, Turaram accepted and threw the scripts in river. But to surprise of all, the total abang came in opposite direction running water to Tukaram. Pandit body statred itchy and he fell at feet of Tukaram. Sadaks dont change even to pronounce God name as requested, but call it Bavana is important. For sake of God I should change my habbit and try when some one tells me something. By doing so I loose Ego and get Bagavan Sankalp. Zero ego. Get that Egoless God comes to you.No man on earth can describe GOD says Chandokiya Upnashid and Vedas. Vedas may say how water came, fire came etc but it says one can establish in GOD only by Gyana.What efforts did Ajaamilan do? Srimath Bagavatyh clearly says he called Narayana his son. Earnestly studing further it says, Ajamilan was given Gyana first by Vishnu Doots. Anjamilan hearing Vishnu Doots speach given to Yama Doots, his heart felt tears and utmost repentance by thinking that for calling his son Narayana if this grace could flow, what it would be if Narayana was thought during life.God benovolence making you to ask those questions. Present days there people asking so many things and matters except GOD.Jai Sri KrishnaB.Sathyanarayan-------------------------------ALL WORDS REMAIN WORDS, my friends , till the One word blossoms in the self to merge into the Silence that is God ............. and then ................ all is known ............ and this knowing has to become your knowing ................ if you today feel separate from the Self that you are .............. you are the ultimate proof of your own being ............ whatever you feel you are ! even though the aspirant , the means, and the sadhya are ONE , not-two ! Have always been so. Will ever be so ; even so........................ the blossomimg of the One Word , the silent sound of Aum, the unheard melody ever resounding in the self, is the Gift recieved from the Self , when the self is willing to die to the self ................ if the aspirant wants the direct experience of the Self ..................... meditation is the way. .................... meditate, meditate, meditate ............. watch the ' doings' of the self in you .............. be a witness, be a watcher , and wait ................... just wait .................. doing nothing ............. just watch, with the focus of your watching, " who in me is the watcher ? who am I ?" this is the shortest way ........... such is the experience and advice of all the knowers of Silence .............. including Ramanna Maharishi. Swami Ramsukhdas jee means the same , when he speaks of ' self-remembrance'...................... pleaae meditate on Swami Ramsukhdasjee's words.............. BUT ........................ there is a catch .............. this method of the Direct Inquiry is not for all........... Karamyoga is the Way for the majority to move into higher steps of purification of the self .......... each person has to strive to ' understand' what he is at the present moment now. A live Guru is the greatest help, if you cannot yourself become aware of what you are NOW , were you stand on this Path of spiritual seeking, this moment . it is narinder, who is presently deluded... it is nari, who is presently feeling the separation from the Self...... it is he , who has to become free from the delusion that the self is separate from the Self ............. and Krishna , through His song Celestial, the Bhagvada Geetha, beckons him with the advice " Abandoning all the Dharmas ( of body, mind and intellect), take refuge in me alone ........" and goes on to say that to those, who will so do, the reward will be ' freedom from action' ( Sh 11 of Ch3) AUM narinder bhandari----------------PRIOR POSTINGNamaste.The only way to 'prove that there exists a super natural power called "God" ' is to find God, in yourself, and everywhere. Others may explain and provide as much information as you wish but in the final analysis, you have to discover God, yourself. You must bear in mind that you cannot "challenge" God to prove He exists; this is human thought and action, on the human plane. I suggest you start with the Nasadiya - The Creation Hymn, Rig Veda Book 10 Hymn 129: 1. THEN was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it. What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?2 Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day's and night's divider.That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.3 Darkness there was: at first concealed in darkness this All was indiscriminated chaos.All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.4 Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit.Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.5 Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder6 Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not. Read it several times, sing it loud, ponder the significance and meaning of it, study it, and then ask questions about the Creation of this world, of human life, and the purpose of your existence. Then, go to Geeta for answers. Rest assured you will find God and all answers you seek. Ram RamDeosaran Bisnath-----------Narain ! Narain !! Issue raised by Shrivastavaji and Sharmaji is : If there is God prevalent in the world, why there is sorrow existing ? God is known to be the kindest, all knowing and all powerful. If He knows about our sorrows but is not powerful then one can understand. He will also cry with us, as we do when some one dies.But He is all powerful. If He is powerful but is ignorant, one can understand. He can say I did not know ? But He is all knowing. If He is all powerful and all knowing but if He is cruel, then one can understand. Damn care. Each is suffering due to one's own karmas. Why He should bother? But He is the kindest. He cant say to a 5 year old child, you are suffering because of your past deeds. Even we as normal fathers dont refuse to give milk to the child even if by carelessness he has split earlier given glass of milk. This is the issue raised by these two gentlemen. Narain ! Narain !! Error clearly visible in their statements is total lack of normal intellect and sheer arrogance. They instead of going for reasons and instead of asking soberly a question have sat on the chair of judge and started giving verdicts. They have presumed themselves to be the only wise person, while the fact is that every human on this earth has some speciality which is unique to him. They have concluded certain things without any application of Viveka or even mind or intellect. They are , thus, neither here nor there. They have faith, as does every human being, but they dont know how and where to apply the same. They are standing in dark and feel that there is no light possible. Their views therefore are full of stupidity and lack of knowledge. Without going into that stupidity, we should in fact address the issues raised by them. WHY SORROW EXISTS, IF GOD IS THERE ? Either sorrow is not there or God is not there. If sorrow is there, then either God is not therte.. If still God is there, then He is not all knowing, all powerful and the kindest. Which status is true? Let us deliberate. Sadhak Sarphod Tabalchi ! Like my name, your name is also getting immortal. Join us now, you too ! Narain ! Narain !!Naarad N Maharishi----Hari OmDear Mr SrivastavaWhy are you thinking about God? Can you think for an element which does not exist? Are you not fully independent in acceptance? What made you express your self before this forum? What made you read these messages? What made you still recollect and narrate the book which you threw? You threw the book, but your mind did not ! Why?Catherine has faith. Do you not have faith? If you don't have, then prove your own existence ! Tell me can you live without faith in you. Can you justify existence of faith in you? You have faith in science, and some western writers you named, isn't it? She has faith in God! How you can say your faith is correctly placed, and her faith is not? What gives anyone the right to call another.... fool, or vulgar or bacteria or idiot ! Think about this..... !!!Prove to me by science ( as developed till date) as to who is your father ! Can you prove it, based on your personal knowledge? You are talking about Eternal Father , I am talking about of this birth father. Bring all of your knowledge, science, intellect, mind, expertise, capacity, imagination to prove to me as to who is your this father. Prove to me as to who are you.... Body, nose, ear, heart what are you ? Now prove !Now that you are in the forum... don't run away - let us see how how long these words last .... trash, misplaced, illogical, arising out of darkness and ignorance, blind, irrational, literate fools or lack of belief in God, I say that you believe that there is God. Now prove your disbelief ! Don't run away ! Are you ready for it? Then prove to us as to who is your this birth father , by your personal knowledge !! There should not be any "belief" on anything because your "science" does not recognise belief , it goes on the basis of proof. You should tell us how Mr So and So is your father based on a proof acquired out of your knowledge and not out of any belief on anything. Science goes on facts and acquired knowledge not on any belief. And it is a fact that you exist. How is that "you" who exists? We shall talk about your Eternal Father- Paramatma ( Your father's father's father's ...... Father of Adam and Eve) afterwards. First prove your this birth father. Bring Darwin's theories also in deliberations if that help you in correctly answering to us. Now come on! Let us have healthy deliberations.Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B-------Jai HanumanVery good, Jee, Very good ! There is one idiom in Hindi:Maa ka pata hi nahin hai, mausi ki chinta karate hain !Whereabouts of mother is not known, and people are worrying about mausi (mother's sister) !Raam ! Raam!! Raam!!! There is another idiom in Hindi :Andhe ko andhere main, badi door ki soojhi !A Blind person standing in darkness has claimed himself to be a visionary.Mr Shrivastava ! The best thing which has happened to you is that you have somehow reached to this forum. You were reading the messages , isn't it? Why? Now you should read more intensely and surely Daddy's grace will work like magic ! We have Sister Catherine as examples showing us how to live - devoid of hatred, negativity, frustration, brooding, fretting, ignorance, stupidity, pride. She is sober, intelligent, wise,organised, sharp,knowledgeable, determined, cool and composed. It is obvious to any one who reads her statement. What has made her so? Where lies the difference? Faith in God ! What else the difference can be? Think, if you can.Namaste Jee, Jee JeeShashikala----Dear Friend,I have been studying (not just reading) the Gita for 20 years now. There is some profound wisdom contained within it, and according to me a whole lot of redundant verses as well. Per what I understand, in the 11th century AD, with the advent of the Vaishnav cult, a lot of verses apotheosizing Krishna were added to the Gita. Moreover, many have commented that there would not have been sufficient time just before commencement of battle to discourse 700 verses.Even a child can guess, none of the Deities could move even a finger in their defence over the centuries, many invaders and conquerors from central Asia plundered and demolished Hindu temples... This should convince one of the non-existence of Hindu Deities, and the irrationality behind this myth. And regarding your comment on DNA testing - haven't you heard of so many cases where DNA testing has showed people that they were wrongly believing someone else to be their father? And if someone wants proof of their parentage, don't they resort to DNA testing? Moreover, we are talking about a father that exists in flesh and blood � not an imaginary invention. You said - "It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means," either confused the meaning of the word sentient, or have invented your own meaning to it. And it is very obvious thatyou think nothing of blind faith, or of remedying it. Little knowledge is dangerous. You write about Schopenhauer being influenced by the Gita. He was influenced by Eastern philosophy, but with the essence, and not with the rituals and blind faith contained therein, Per my understanding of his writings he believed real deductions themselves are by no means to be found in Hindu Scriptures. He regarded the world as a prison, as a place of suffering, a theme central to Hindu Scriptures. He had the sense to take matters to their logical conclusion. Based on what I understand of his writings he indicated that if the world is a place of suffering, and freeing the soul is the ultimate goal, then it is highly immoral to give birth to a child and trap a soul in a mortal prison. - Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), On the Sufferings of the World (1851). Sadly, most of the people who read our Scriptures lack the insight of people like Schopenhauer to understand simple truths. My understanding is that Schopenhauer detested Religion, the concept of God, and for this very reason described the masses as the "natural and universal league of the stupid".(other paragraphs excluded by moderators due to lack of relevance to the TOPIC and length).P SrivastavaShree Hari Ram RamSrivastavaji, Namaskar ! Our question is not about others... Have you personally done DNA testing of your father or are you just believing that the person you call father is your father? If you have not done DNA testing ,,, then how are you much different? Also, kindly share your explanation of "sentient" Here is the quote - "In the whole world there is no study, except that of the originals, so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Oupnekhat. It is the most rewarding and elevating reading possible: it has been the comfort of my life and it will be the one of my death." Arthur Schopenhauer (said about the Upanishads). Ram Ram PRIOR POSTINGChapter ten of Bhagavata Gita explains every aspects of Almighty GodNo more explanations required Thankstruly yours S S Bhatt----" Ahankaram balam darpam, kamam krodham parigraham,Vimucya nirmamah santo, brahma bhuyaya kalpate" ( gita 18, 53).Which means " one who is deyached , free from false ego, false strength, pride, ownership and one who is always peaceful, such a person is eligible for brahma swarupam."When one is free from false ego and becomes non attached to material things, then that one reached " brahma bhuta stage".A pure devotee goes still further and becomed engaged in devotional service. Pure devotional service is the key to attain the lord.There are examples to proveGod's presence. Sant tukaram went back to lord's kingdom on garuda vahana', sent by pandu ranga. Composer singer annamacharya saw lord venkateswara.Hare krishna.Prasad iragavarapu m.d---Sutra 1Parambrahma (Spirit or God) is everlasting, complete, without beginning or end.It is one, indivisible Being.The Eternal Father, God, Swami Prarmbrahma, is the only Real Substance, Sat, andis all in all in the universe.Why God is not comprenhensible;Man possesses eternal faith and believes intuitively in the existence of aSubstance, of which the objects of sense - sound, touch, sight, taste and smell,the component parts of theis visible world - are but properties. As manidentifies himself with his material body, composed of the aforesaid properties,he is able to comprhend by these impercect organs these properties only, and notthe Substance to which these properties belong. The Eternal Father, God, theonly Substance in the Universe, is therefore not comprehensible by man of thismaterial world, unless he becomes divine by lifting his self above this creationof Darkness or Maya. See Hebrews 11:1 and John 8:28."Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things notsee.""Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the son of man (human ego),then shall ye know that, I am he."Sutra 2In it (Parambrahma) is the origin of all kowledge and love, the root of allpower and joy.Prakriti or Nature of God;The Almighty Force, Shakti, or in other words the Eternal Joy, Ananda, whichproduces the world; and the Omniscient Feeling, Chit, which makes this worldconscious, demonstrate the Nature, Prakriti, of God the Father.How God is comprehended.As man is the likness of God, directing his attention inward he can comprehendwithin him the said Force and Feeling, the sole properties of his Self - theForce Almighty as his will, Vasana, with enjoyment, Bhoga; and the FeelingOmniscient as his Consciousness, Chetana, that enjoys, Bhokta. See Genesis 1:27."In this way God created man in his own image, in the image of God created hehim; male and female created he them."So says Swami Sri Yukteswarji in his book, "The Holy Science".Haley Haynes---------Sarphod Tabalchi, you have raised some very pertinent questions, which clearly do away with the concept of an anthropomorphic just and merciful Father � one is reminded of the Epicurean Riddle:"Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; Or He can, but does not want to.If He wants to, but cannot, He is impotent. If He can, but does not want to, He is wicked.If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?"The irrational, the tissue of whose brain is of a coarse quality, will try to offer some very stupid explanations to this riddle, leaning on the spurious law of Karma.I am shocked to see educated people attach more weight to blind faith and vulgar superstition than to facts which lie in hand � this is something Charles Darwin had bemoaned as well. Raja Ram Mohan Roy had hoped that Western education wouldrid Indians of blind faith: he was wrong. Western education has succeeded only in creating a profusion of literate fools.I was reading some Indian Scripture in which there was mention of "the God who brings rain and the demons that withhold it" � this disgusted me so much that I just threw that useless book away. Science has done half the job to cure peoplefrom the disease of God and Religion; the other half can be achieved by reading Western Philosophy. I would definitely attach more weight to men of science and logic than to the buffoons who write about Gods and demons bringing rain. Ifbitten by a venomous snake, where would you rush to � a modern hospital stocking the anti-venom, or some dim-witted idiot who would parrot out Scriptures in an attempt to cure you? Until modern science developed snake anti venom, and manyother cures, our Scriptures and obsolete medical techniques were quite ineffective and useless when it came to most medical problems."God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)" � this quote by Catherine Anderson just proves Epicurus right � it means God is harmful bacteria, virus, and all the evil that pervades the world.If anyone really wishes to enlighten themselves, I suggest you stop reading trash and go for books by great men like David Hume and Arthur Schopenhauer.P Srivastava---Shree Hari Ram RamSrivastavaji, Namaskaar! Please share with us if you have read the Bhagavad Gita. (By read, we mean - not just superficially scanning...but questioning, inquirying and seeing if the answers are available in it)..... Simply speaking.... if we have not done DNA testing of our father... we are living in blind faith.... As we recollect - ARthur Schopenhauer was deeply influenced by the Bhagavad Gita, he has made comments to that effect. Education feeds the mind/intellect which are insentient. It is impossible to know, conquer, realize, attain the sentient essence (GOD, Consciousness, Presence) through insentient means. Ram Ram ------God is an Anglo-Saxon noun and refers to a Male (as opposed to Goddess), Creator Being. There is no provable God (or Goddess). As Hindus, what do we know? Tat Tvam Asi. This Mahavakya means that we are No-Thing (Tat). This Tat is also referred to as ParaBrahman and sometimes Nirguna Brahman. What can be said about Tat? Nothing. "Mouna vakya ParaBrahaman tattwam." Tat may also be defined as Om Tat Sat(chidananda). This Saguna Brahaman experience is provable. Energy/Light/Bliss is our Atmana. This we know. God we do not know. As Hindus, we have our Ishta Devatas and this good and this is personal. One does not (and cannot) have to prove the existence of our Ishta Devata. Thus, Hinduism is a monistic polymorphism and not the lesser understanding of Monotheism. Swami Param------Shree Hari Ram RamSwami Paramji, Kindly explain what exactly is meant by monistic polymorphism. Ram Ram------ is obvious that there is NO GOD. The characters attributed to GOD areOmnipresentOmnipotentMercifulAll Knowing.There is so much misery and injustice in this world that either God does not know it in which case he is not all knowing, or he knows and does not do any thing about it. In that case he is not merciful. Or he can not do any thing then he is not omnipotent.I take a recent case of a 10 years old girl being raped by her father. What was God doing?It has been said that the girl was being punished for what she might have done in her previous life. How can a merciful God punish a child of ten ? In any case what she did in her previous life could not have been done if God did not will it to be done. If we agree that it was a punishment for some act for previous life than the father can not be blamed for the this act. He was only an instrument in the WILL of God. Let us face it God is nothing but an inversion of Man to explain things he could not explain, create an absolute authority and may be give hope when there is nonearun sharma---Shree Hari Ram RamArunji... have you read the Bhagavad Gita? Paramatma is not the doer, nor a punisher ! There have been previous discussions on this subject... in Gita Talk...you can search by topic. Ram Ram----PRIOR POSTINGTo my beloved sadhaks,Where is God? Who has seen Him? How is God? How do I accept Him? What logic points towards God? Let us look at Gita 7/19"After taking many births and acquiring the human form and realizing that God is Everything, should such a knower (Jnanavan) surrender to Me, indeed such a great soul is a rarity. "Repeat such a great soul is a rarity. My question is how can one not see God, who cannot be aware of where He is, how He is, but to accept Him is a good place to start and how to do this is by establishing a direct affinity for God.Everything is God. God has in simple words, expounded to us the innermost secrets of the hearts of great souls of Vasudev Sarvam. God is Everything. God is a manifestation of all that is around us(trees, mountains, birds, animals, mankind)Bhagavan says(Gita 18/55)" After realizing my quintessence (Tattva) man immediately merges into Me."Those who want to attain God do so by Discipline of Action, Knowledge and Devotion.For more info on God realization go to Swamiramsukhdasjis site and read on how to attain God with humility.catherine andersen-------------------------Shree Hari:Ram Ram.By Grace of God these questions are on my computer:1. Where is God I have never seen Him? God is in your mind. You can't see God with your eyes as mental conceptions are not seen by us.2. Who has seen Him? Nobody ever declared he/she has seen God.3. How is He? Nobody ever described how is God.4. If I don't know how do I accept? If you don't know accept or don't accept, choice is yours.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles on us so that we may indulge in goodness. What harm is there if you indulge in goodness? Indulge in goodness or not, choice is yours.6. There has to be some basis for His existence. What are the logics which point towards the existence of God? from where to pick the thread? Existence of Existence (termed Tattva, Sattaa by Swamijee Shree Ramsukhdasjee) needs no basis for its existence. Existence of Existence is all logic and all illogic but they can't point towards Existence of Existence similarly as you can't mix water into water when you are under water only. You are the beginning and you are the end of the thread. Pick it up and go. You shall finish at the other end of thread and shall be surprised to experience that what you sought is the seeker. Vasudev: Sarvam. (Gita 7:19).If you conceive God, you fail to experience the experience as experience is experience only (Swamijee in God IS Everything page 2 last para "Similarly in this world, men, animals, birds, trees, mountains, stones, bricks, sand, lime, earth etc. are of diverse kinds, yet what resides intrinsically within, has no form and that formless essence is God".).Bandhu, if anything is easiest it is Realizing God (Existence, not any human with four hands etc they are NOT God as they don't reside in everything, they come and go.) Who is ever Realized as You can't deny your existence.Ram Ram.Kachcha Sadhaka Sarvottam.----5 Fallacies & Realities about God Fallacies* Ego Consciousness Realities of Self Consciousness1 Humans believe that God needs something. Humans know that God needs nothing. God is beyond needs and demands. 2 Humans believe that God can fail to get what He needs. Humans know that God can never fail to get what He does not need. He has no needs. God is his own measure beyond failures & successes. 3 Humans believe that God has separated them from Him because they have not given Him what He needs. Humans know that God has integrated them from Him because they are God in human form. God is beyond form and non-form as one Living Consciousness. 4 Humans believe that God still needs what He needs so badly that God now requires them, from their separated position, to give it to Him. Humans know that God never needs any thing from humans other that what they are and have. God is in human form. 5 Humans believe that God will destroy them if they do not meet His requirements. Humans know for God there is no destruction and creation but infinite manifestations of energy of Living Consciousness. Dance of Living consciousness is appearance & disappearance of Physical Universe. *Neale Donald Walsch (The New Revelations)Sushil JainPRIOR POSTINGHare KrishnaGod is worshipped in 3 forms:1. Attributeless-Formless (Nirgun-Nirakar)2. Attribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar)3. Attribute-Form (Sagun-Sakar)Goswami Tulsidasji has said"NIRGUN ROOP SULABH ATI SAGUN JAAN NAHI KOI""The attributeless form of Parmatma is very easy to understand butno one can know the form of Parmatma with attributes."The first form of Attributeless-Formless Pramatma can be proved bylogic of uninterrupted existence (akhand satta). The second form ofAttribute-Formless (Sagun-Nirakar) Parmatma can be proved by logicof conscious and sentient Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer.But the third form of Parmatma with form and attributes (Ram,Krishna, Shiva etc.) cannot be proved by any logic, rationale etc.They can only be believed with purport of Gita, Ramayan, Sadhak-Sanjivani etc.If anyone argues over Ram being God then questions like these willarise "In forest how did Lord Ram get deceived by a gold-deer? If Heis deceived then how is He Omniscient? Why did Lord take the help ofSugreev's army? If He takes help then how come is He Almighty?...."When Lord Ram killed Ravan's mighty brothers Khar and Dushan, Ravandecided to examine whether the Omniscient and Almighty Parmatma hastaken Ram-avatar. He kidnapped Sitaji (with disguise of an ascetic)by deceiving Lord with a golden-deer. Lord failed in the examinationand Ravan was successful in his evil plan, but what was the endresult? Lord Ram destroyed the entire clan of Lankan demonsalongwith Ravan.That is why Goswamiji has said"RAM ATARKYA BUDDHI KAR JAANI""Lord Ram cannot be known by intellect."Faith in Parmatma with form and attributes (known as Bhagwan) canonly be developed when one does satsang. Reading scriptures is alsoone form of Satsang.Hare KrishnaVarun P. PapruniaHare KrishnaDear Sarphod Uncle,I sincerely apologize to you and your family for the language I haveused. I thought you were just trying to outsmart us with yourintellectual prowess so I used the same ploy on you; but Sir you area true sadhak. Sadhanaji, Mikeji recognized you but because of my so-called cleverness I did not recognize you. Again my sincereapologies for the usage of harsh words and blunt language.Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------Om, God = generator orgniser destroyer.Do you see the air? Nosuppose you don't see the air then you can't see the energies in theair that sustain our body. Suppose you want to hold a grand partyof 5000 people continuing 15 days, then how much work you have todo, you will distribute your work among your relatives. Think ofGod is a organising 600 crores or more ( not only about earth butthink about whole universe). Think who has that Supreme organizingpower ! You or God. God is in every thing from atom to Everest.Suppose you made a car that each and every thing came from you meanseach part of car made from you, by you. That is God. He iscolourless, touchless, soundless, shapeless because he is supremeenergy. If you trust and have faith in God. you will trust ongod.this is the one kind of work of god. because hi is ruling onus.Whether you go to the church or any mandir or masjid, your needsby pleading to your superior� He is That. And you say uponfulfilling your wish - "thank God" What is that power that isfulfilling your needs? Whether small or a big one, it is fulfilledand often no by your effortHari Om,nilesh popat mali,-------------------------------PRIOR POSTINGTo Respected Sadhaks of this really divine , perhaps the only of itskind across the globe, Satsanga Group!It is me, Dear Brothers, with my Dear Begum Sahibaa respectfullythanking you all for gems of wisdom which you imparted to me and tothe world. An association of people like you, group like yours, isor can only be God willed. Indeed, with people like Vyasji, (extremely polished and never contradicting. Must be the one who hasseen/ touched the "dukhalayam" very closely, very wisely and wonover the same), Mike Keenor ( You are pride of the very humanity)Varun, ( I am sure he is younger than many of us- his impetuosity/quick reaction reflects that, but very clever and very organised-Refer Gita 16/1 - jnanayogarvyavasthitam- an ideal young follower)Pratapji Bhatt ( Spl regards for you, for not firing me back) , thatreal firebrand Dear Sister of all of us Shashikalajee ( What asharp discrimination you have been blessed with ! ), Mira Dassji (An impartial devotee /follower of Respected Swamiji RamsukhdasjiMaharaaj), Rajaji, Baiyaji and dozens like them, are the jewels ofthis divine forum. My heartfelt pranaams to Vineetji Sarvottam. Hiscomments were innocent and correct.Thanks AgainSarphod TabalchiRaseeli Rani Tabalchi--------------------------------PRIOR POSTINGDear Sadhak,Yes, Sadhakji, you are a Sadhak-a seeker of Truth,this is what myKrishna says--Chatur-vidha bhajante maam janh sukrutinorjuna!Aarto jijnasuj-arthaarthi jnaani cha bharatarshabha! (Gita 7 / 16)O Arjuna! There are four types of noble souls who worship Me : Theafflicted, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of enjoyment andthe wise.Gigyasu - seekers of knowledge.The main barrier in not seeing God here and now is that you areusing wrong tool my dear.You want to see God through yr mind, whichitself is Asat.A traveller of Gyaan Marg, must know the differencebetween Sat and Asat.He must disconnect himself from everythingwhich is Asat(temporary, everchanging). He needs to drop/disconnecthimself from everything-the world, its relations, his own body,senses, mind, intellect, ego..... When everything is dropped thereremains NOTHING.Just Nothing...simply Nothing.....From that NOTHING emerges Peace, Love and Bliss. From that Nothingemerges EVRYTHING... This is the beauty of Gyaan Yoga.And the most wonderful,the most amazing truth about my belovedKrishna is---He(God) becomes whatever you want Him to be. When wesee HIM as our protector, He rushes to rescue us as in the case ofDropadi, when we see Him as our Friend, He becomes our friend as inthe case of Sudama, when we accept HIM as all powerful miraculousbeing, miracles start unfolding in our lives.When we see HIM in astatue, he becomes motionless. He is everywhere in all forms,andwithout forms too, just we are unable to see him due to our ownlimited vision.When we accept HIM as our Guide and Guru, like Arjuna did, and wishto see HIS Vishwaroopa, He bestow us divine vision and we see Him ineverything, everywhere. I see many people saying God does not exist,money is God..ect, etc. So what, He does not hesitate to become nonexistence for them, still showering His Love....No discrimination inHis regime.He just "IS". I love Swamiji the way He describes HIM. SomewhereSwamiji said-He IS or He IS NOT, this "IS" remains the same in boththe statement(nahi main bhi hai or hai main bhi hai).wow...Howblessed this human form is!!!How divine this forum is!!!Lets be Love, Peace and Bliss !Shivoham! Shivoham!!With lots of Love,A SadhikaSadhna Karigar------------------------------1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is anobject. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You belive based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness. Why your parents put morals asshakles to put you good charactor. So is God put. Just understandit. If you think shackles you are mistaking. If you think guidanceyou will progress.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread? Nine planets and earth are in space floating. Who made them?You want to make something you gather material and put your effortto make project. So there is someone who is behind all and yourthinking capacity. Otherwise could be a lay man.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan------------------------------PranamGod exists. If you want solid evidence I recommend you searchon "milkmiracle" You will see for your self.bvmJai Shree Ram------------------------------Dear Mumukshus (those who yearn for Divinity), Namaste. For thosewho yearn for Divinity's Peak Experience, no such doubt arises; infact their question would be why shd they have doubt in God!Doubting God takes one nowhere.Trying to reach the divinity is the correct way. There is no proofof the dreams we have very regularLy. They don't 'exist' in thesense of all these existing objects, you see.WHERE IS GOD WHOM I DON'T SEE:Do you 'see' the radio waves, electricity, magnetism? Do you seelove, hatred, jealousy? Do they not exist? Why all shd be visible?WHO HAS SEEN HIM?A lot of people have 'witnessed' 'Him to whom the divinity hasrevealed 'itself'.WHO IS HE? - HOW IS HE LIKE?He is She and is That. One form for one thing is inapplicable inthat experience of visioning the Reality which is The Absolute amongthe experiences.IF I DON'T KNOW HOW DO I ACCEPT?The dead people, unborn people, people who are far away - you can'tsee them. Do you lose belief in such invisible all? Be honest inanswering these abstract questions.GOD IS A SCHAKLE . . . GOODNESS.God is not directly linked to morality, goodness, honesty, kindnessetc which we teach for our youngsters to whom we want good futureand for building in them the moral character which saves oursociety. All honest people won't see God; no dishonest person cansee God.THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASIS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. WHAT ARE THELOGICS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? FROM WHERE TO PICK THE THREAD?We do ask for proofs for the objective things only. God astranscendental baffles those objectives. There is no harm in thedisbelief about God. But missing a chance of His experience whileborn as human beings is to miss a great opportunity. We do all thosethings of happiness. enjoying etc for which we can afford. We canafford to have a Peak Experience in this human life. Why not try?If you surf the Youtube on the Internet, try among them thespiritual masters' sayings. Ramana Maharshi, NisargaduttaMaharaj . . there are scores of them who are the proofs of God.You may want to read Tony Parsons book, 'The Open Secret'.I am not glorifying him or anybody in this context. I wanted toshare with people who are seekers like me. I wish all our people thebest of luck during this Christmas and Happiness in the New Year.Dr Shastry--------------------------------1. Where is God I have never seen Him? You cant see HIM as HE is NOTan object. Have you seen Saturn planet? How do you belive thatscientist? You believe based on Knowledge. In temples 2000 years oldthere are nine planets know as Nava Graha. How they saints knewwithout scientific proof.2. Who has seen Him? 100 `s of saints. In Duryodhan Shaba when SriKrishna took Virat roop, everyone folded their hand and seen HIM asGod except Duryodhan who told it was illusion.3. How is He? HE is formless and with form or any form HIS devoteneeds.4. If I dont know how do I accept? If you dont know, try to know.Still your if you fail- It Gods will. Yasodha accepted Sri Krishnawith love and compassion, so she tie HIM up with rope to a roller.Duryodhan wanted to tie up Sri krishna who took Virat roop unable totie up. It is the way you accept.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayanPRIOR POSTINGJai HanumanI agree entirely with Usha Sridhar. Dear Sister! Keep writingregularly . You are precise, accurate and perfect. So is SisterAnita- absolutely correct and "really" .practical and therefore onthe path of Gita 7:19 ! Welcome Brother Wilson ! Welcome Ram Bhai !O Daddy the Great ! Let such "Divinity" continue flowing unto thisGT Group ! So Pleasing ! So unbelievable !! So many reasons toexclaim with pleasure- "Brilliant" !Thanks Sarphod ! How is your Begum Sahibaa ! It is a sin to make hercry- Get me ? SIN - I say! Do you understand what is sin? "Anguishof your soul" is most of the times " your sin" - also ! AlmostAlways!Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj would often say that what is the proofthat Mr X is your father - BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL/ INDIVIDUAL/REMEMBERED/EXPERIENTIAL-"KNOWLEDGE"?No body, come what may, has been able to "prove" in the past, norcan they do so in the present , nor will they be able to "prove"that in the future ! Nor can there be any possibility of provingthat. If you can't "prove" the existence of your even this father onearth, how can you prove the existence of your "eternal father"?Reason: "Self" Proven ! Obvious !! Beyond Mind/ Intellect/Ego !"Acceptance"/ "Faith" / "Belief" - is the only remedy. If some bodywants to argue on this - Come On !! Hats off to you BrotherWilson !! Please keep contributing and participating in thisSatsanga forum!Mike Bhaiyya ! I gleefully noted three things in your latestmessage -1 An Aussie !2 Clever 'little' dialogue!! ( Jeeva -Maya - Jagdish. Maya is in thecenter. Noted that Brother? Between the two ! )Above all -3 Flowers in the Sky !!!!(What an effort by You? What a research ! How well read , indeed !So difficult! Yet so obvious ! So handy ! So quick - within hours ofposting the 'little dialogue' ! So Self Proven ! So inaccessible !Yet so easily available !But available in the universe to whom ? Available why ? How timelyand exactly ?Sure, the poem was already existing in this creation / uiniverse fora long long time- it was not Mike Keenor made- but what about itsmanifestation !! )Thanks indeed ! Unbelievable! "DIVINE" !! Do you get us MrSarphod? - We are Sadhaks ! Only "Sadhaks" !Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala---Dear Vyasji,You have answered beautifully. But, the problem is that Tabalchi jiis more interested in getting 'brilliant' and similar appreciatorycomments from others (as is evident from his second mail).Before trying to know God (Where is God I have never seen Him? isTabalchi ji's first question), he should explain what he is. If heknows about himself, then he will see God's smiling face. Again, theproblem is that Tabalchiji is depending on others even to know "koaham (who am I)"May I quote from Shankara ? "KASHTWAM KOHAM KUTAH AAYAATAH, KA MEJANANI KO ME TATAH" (who are you, who am I, from where have I come,who is my mother and who is my father).Kind regards,Suresh C SharmaPRIOR POSTINGHari OmOne who has thirst inside, only can see water. If there is nothirst, inspite of water being in your front, it is not noticed byyou. Similarly , one who has thirst for God only can "see" God, andone who has thirst for world only, "sees" the world.It is your desire which in fact determines what you can or can notsee- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IN FACT EXIST OR DOES NOT EXIST.Because of your desire for the world only you see the world which inreality NEVER EXISTS. Because of your non-desire only you can notsee God who in reality ALWAYS EXISTS !!Want to see God? Mr Sarphod? Develop desire for Him !!Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B----------------------------Dear members,This is the first time I am writing on this forum - not because Ididnt wish to comment earIier, but only because I am too young inthis stage - by experience and by learning.However, looking at the questions raised below, I thought I shouldat least share my feelings:1.God is no external being - he or she is part of each one of us -all living beings. So please, do not try to explain to children thatgod is some type of other person. And therefore, each one of us hasthe responsibility to lead a life which moves towards positivity,looking at betterment, and not hurting people, beings by our act.Seeing GOD - we all have. Only some have realised him. He is in mymaid who comes to work each morning, he is in my child - who hugs meevery time I meet him, he is in my husband - who lives with me andhas made my life complete. I have seen him in the rickshaw walla -who stopped by me to offer me ride to office yesterday. I see himevery day in different forms - sometimes, I too do not realise thatit was him who smiled in the morning and made my day. Everytime youmeet a person who does good to you - he or she is a reflection ofGOD. So, see god in all and see all in him.2.The world is like stage (as Shakespears has said) - and all of usare in here to play a role - be it tree, human, animal, you and me.And so is a child here to play a role. All our roles are defined bythis supreme power, whom we call GOD.3. There are many happenings in our life which we humans are notable to explain - all this we credit to that UnKnowableforce/energy - GOD.Try to see GOD in your family - your parents, your collegues, yourneighbours, and all the people whom you meet - search for that lightin them and do a small good act to make them happy. GOD would bethere with you!Anita Sharma-------------------------Maybe my use of the word brilliant, can be misconstrued,a little tooAussie, it was intended as a exclamation of pleasure.I know you are playing the roll of 'devils advocate', as clearly youwould understand, Maya and Jeeva in Jee Jee Shashikalaji's cleverlittle dialog.Best to direct a single question to a Sadhak/Sadhaks.See Zen poem below:(Emptiness in full Bloom).Leaping from the Ledge of Infinite Regress,The Unmoved Mover fell into Formlessness:Pure silence echoed between the galaxies,Eons of eons vanished in a second,Withered trees bloomed in fires,Polar mountains melted, rivers went dry,Thusness scattered in sixty directions,Space became Time, time became things,Black Holes filled with Nirvana,A billion samadhi mirrors shattered,Galaxies snuggled within a single skull,Many became One, One only, only One.Then, the Divine Illuminatrix in All BeingsOpened Her clouded Eye, to see:Flowers in the Sky.With Respect and Divine Love,Mike Keenor--------------------------Hari Om.Respected sir,I've studied from my childhood that motheris our first GOd.We can see God only through our mother,father and Guru.Where is the proof that you came through your mother's womb?If you can explain how you passed through your mother with proof,I can explain with Krushna's Grace the true Krushna provided youhave the permission to see Krushna.Rest in my next.Hari Om.With Regards,Ushasridhar.--------------------------Jesus Says.I am the way, I am the Truth, I am the Faith. Please read the Bible.thanksWilson KochukunjuDear Mr. Sarfod & friends,Since the beginning of human civilization, the question whetherthere is a God (or Gods), has occupied the human mind. It has alsobeen answered by various people in various ways in all the ages.But, the question has persisted till this day.I have my own explanation. I emphatically say that Parmatma doesexist. The entire universe is within Him and He is also beyond theUniverse. He is so great and also so small that nobody can see Himwith his naked eye. He can only be realized. Regarding proof, everyliving being and every plant testifies His existence. With his super-intelligence, man has been able to do most amazing things andcreated wonders. But, man is still way behind in creating anythingthat is self generating. Every creation of God, on the other hand,is self-generating and self sustaining. Reproduction is a specialfeature of every species. Yet, every species has a life-time afterwhich it vanishes. Even this earth will meet its death some day. Wesee planets and stars dying and new ones coming up every day. Thisnever ending cyclic order of creation, recreation, assimilation andre-emergence is a glaring proof of His existence.Yours sincerely,Ram Bhai------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Varunji, I want to thank you so much for speaking out to Tabalchijiabout I being not judgemental at all. As a friend and a fellowseeker, I was suggesting, Tabalchiji to read as many times as neededto grasp the meaning or at least ask questions to clarify points.Most of us know that when we read or hear 2nd or 3rd time it makesso much difference in our understanding!I want to wish you the very best Tabalchiji. One day you may wake upand find all answers about Truth of God, this world and "you".All sadhakas have provided excellent answers/pointers!Wishing you the best of Xmas Holidays and New Year, my fellowsadhaks, I remain prayerful!Namaskar......Pratap Bhatt -------------------------------PRIOR POSTING-Shree Hari-Sarphodji,You know; the world as you see it, is a shadow of what it really is,I once heard it described as seeing the reflections of reality on theback of a cave wall, one has to turn around to see the glory of whatit is.Most people it seems, focus their whole lives looking at the falsereality reflected on the wall of the cave.Have we not all read about Yogis with extraordinary abilities? Isthis all lies, do such souls look on the doubters such as yourself,say nothing, smile or laugh as Lord Krishna laughed, they havenothing to prove , all the doubters have to do is turn around as itwere, to understand.One great soul that I admire was Swami Vivekananda, to me he seems tobe a man ahead of his time, a person of great intellect, and aspiritual giant. It was he that aroused the world to the wealth thatIndia had to give.11th September, 1893: 'Response to welcome' address:"Swami Vivekananda addressed the august assembly of seven thousandpeople starting with the words: "Sisters and Brothers of America...",and the whole of audience went into inexplicable rapture withstandingovation and clapping that lasted for more than three minutes......."If you consider you have a mind of sound reasoning, then maybe youcould read the yoga aphorisms, translated by that great Swami. (Ifyou require any translation).Why does your Lady weep, is it because she sees the anguish of yoursoul. No matter what you may say or truly think, you are in conflict,do you understand ? Jee Jee Shashikalaji has hinted at it, otherSadhaks have made the point also, things like why ask about thatwhichdoes not exist etc.Sadhaks have implied that they have been through that battle. Ihave,I will tell you this, how much you reach for Father, how much you cryfor him, the tears of anguish will then turn to tears of joy, whenyour heart breaks loose from prison that binds it.You may not understand what I am writing about, but one day you will.With Respect and Divine Love,Mike Keenor-----------------------------Dear Sadaks,I have not seen God yet. That is the reason I am not silent. The onewho has seen God remains silent. Let us not make tell Mr.SherphodVedanta/Upanashids.1.Where is God I have never seen Him? To see a program on TV, oneneeds TV Equipment, Power (electricity), and telecasting tower2. Who has seen Him? One who has turned his body equipment as atemple, Power of tuning (Craving to liberate) in mind, as mind haselectricity, magnatism, and telecasting tower (GOD) omnipresent.Just one has to tune to HIS frequency that is surrender.3. How is He? HE is benevolent to come in any form you meditate.4. If I dont know how do I accept? Go on saying any name of HIS.Eventually HE will tune to your frequency as HE did to Druva.Jai Sri Krishnabaiya sathyanarayan----------------------------Dear SirphodI made a posting on your question. There was no attempt by me or forthat matter by any body (from the posts I see) who could give youanswers like you might be expected.If you want to learn about God (accept or otherwise is a differentissue) you need to spend time and energy. You can select a Guru whocan help you. I do not see from your postings you have thisexpectation, but the one below.But if your goal is to dispute existence of God, there could beanohter forum that must be working on such attempts.By the way you can come out with your real name.Venu KomanduriPRIOR POSTINGHi Sarphod Tabalchi,1. Where is God I have never seen Him?It seems you never tried to see God. Seeing God is not possible byour physical eye. Those who have an insight of God only can see God.If you try sincerely seeing God is would not be a problem. There aremany ways prescribed in our scriptures. First, Have faith in it.Then after you never deny God.2. Who has seen Him?I see Him always and communicate with Him. Not only with God, I talkto birds and animals. I can understand them and they understand me.3. How is He?He is always Happy. He never deny anything. He never denied myexistence. He wants everyone happy.4. If I dont know how do I accept?Dont reejct anything. Accept everything as it is. Never expectanything in your way accept everything as it is. Keep God in yourmind if you dont know God. Chant Oh God Oh God Oh my God wheneveryou want deny God.5. God is a term coined by elders to put moral shackles over us sothat we may indulge in goodness.If you know this much of God you should not deny God.6. There has to be some basis for his existence? What are the logicswhich point towards the existence of God? From where to pick thethread?First you ask your Parents who are patient to teach you the basicconcept of God existence. Once you have prerequesites to learn GodGod comes to you automatically. Be Patient. Can you ever see theelectricity passing through a wire. A bulb is shining, Have you everenquired about the electricity which illumines the bulb? Think aboutTV., Fridge, Air Conditioner etc., etc. whcih can not functionwithout electricity. Even you can not ask these questions withoutthat power unseen in you. My dear beleive in God is far easier thandenying God.Lovingly, Krishna (Shobha) Das------------------------Wonderful testing of sadhaks by Tabalchi jiWe all must thank him for the excellent questions and for giving anopportunity to better our understanding in the spiritual domain.All questions have very easy answers. Excellent expression by allsadhaks...in answering these.But it is very difficult to satisfy the questioner on the answers.since these very questions cloud everything....and become obstaclesto understanding the truthsince it is about knowing the questioner first............knowing orseeing God comes much later.....It has happened to perhaps all of us in the beginning and we mayhave gone through this period.But if we are able to contemplate on the questions with someguidance, question begin to dissolve/disappear........and theanswers start looking meaningful........So, Tabalchi ji and the begum sahiba could start with contemplatingexercise on the questions firstfor example:Q1 Where is God? ----contemplate on......where it should be? whatcould be the place where it could be,why it can not be hear with us?Q2 Does God exist? ---- Contemplate on.....Who am I? ask yourselfrepeatedly who am I?Q3 Who has seen him is irrelevant? My seeing is important socontemplate on questions - Why I don't see the God? Can I see it?What could it look like? What should it be?Q4 If I don't know how do I accept? Contemplate on What I don'tknow? Do I know all? How can I know more?Q5 Any other word other than God could be used for it. Contemplateon: Is goodness gives happiness? Are moral values important? Whywe need to fear the word God to be good?Q6 Contemplate on questions: What is basis of its existence? Whatis the basis of our existence? What God must exist? Why prophetshave to come to this world? Who are these prophets?See what comes as answers. It is a good learningexercise......answers are within and we must practice to startlistening.....everyone has to do this for himself..............bestwishes......Thank you....Sushil Jain----------------------------Dear Sarphod:I have similar questions that you have.Following is the status of those questions (mind you not answers):1. Just beacuse I can not see GOD, that does not mean that there isnothing like GOD which exists, since there are so many things thatexist and yet I can not see (ex: Air, Gases and so many unknowns tomankind yet)2. Same way as I have the question on the existence of GOD, I alsohave the question on my question itself, i.e. I can not prove thatthere is no GOD either.3. Say suppose some one suddenly shows me the GOD, what are my testsand verifications to accept him/her/it as GOD. Do I have all thosetools, a big NO (I am not sure about you)4. Even if I have all those tools to test the existence of GOD andall the tests are proved positive, then is it going to help me. Thatmeans, do I have the right objective to find out this very unusualthing called GOD? What is that single biggest thing that isbothering me about finding out this GOD? Does it have theseriousness to find out the GOD? If it does all the above questionsshould be answerd positively. Or else, I am not sincere in my quest.5. I might not have all these tools right now, yet I have the questto know about the existence of GOD, then I do not jump in to quickconclusions like "There is no GOD, this forum is not DIVINE, etc.,"because that conclusion neither helps me nor taps in to the rightsources of knowledge. I will be just fooling myself saying "I askeda question which this forum is not able to answer"Just for the record, I remember in the whole known history ofmankind, only one person (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa) has admittedto have seen GOD and was ready to show GOD to the one who wasearnestly with deepest intellectual anxiety and sincerity (SwamiVivekananda).The one who has shown and the one who was shown the GOD did not havequestions. The SOURCE and the SINK are in the perfect state of mind,one to give and the other to receive. Am I in the equanimity levelsof Swami Vivekananda? I don't think I am and let me know if you are.If you think you are, just stay there with sincere hope, ARAMAKRISHNA will happen to you and your intellectual quest might befulfilled.If not I need to get there before I start looking for GOD. Till suchtime, GOD is tentative truth for me.With a hope it might help you,Sincerely,Krishna (devangam krishnamurthy)Hare KrishnaSarphod, you have praised me by saying "I am very good". FYI! I wasnot entertaining you but I was questioning YOUR very existence. Youdon't have any doubt in your existence still you cannot prove it.Why so?? Have you thought over it?? If you can prove it (with yourlogic/rationale) then why don't you do it?Mikeji called you brilliant (I wonder why) but he has also calledyou inflexible. But I think you have not noted that. He, Vyasji,Pratapji and others have also given many points. You should thinkover it, compare it with your logic and then prove it wrong. But forthis one need guts, because you will have to keep aside yourprejudices to think over others' points. Even if you are not able toprove us wrong it does not mean that we can make you accept God, wecan only give logics/rationale.No one can force anyone to accept God, especially those who do notrespect their father. If you cannot respect your father than how canyou accept and respect the biggest father (Param-PitaParmeshwar).Your father has deserted you and your wife also seems tobe upset with your adamant attitude, but you still don't have anyshame in admitting it. Rather than introspecting over your attitudeyou are defending it.Pratapji has not passed any judgment; it is you who is passingjudgments. Mike is best, Varun is very good, Vyas NB is making methink. If these are not judgements then what is it? Pratapji hascorrectly pointed out that you are not reading posts with an openmind.You have posted these questions only because your wife has directedyou to this group. This is the biggest problem because you are notinterested in knowing or learning anything, you are only askingthese questions just for the sake of it, just for a mere formality.Mrs. Sarphod, please don't insist your husband to post questions. Heis only wasting our time and also don't reveal him anything aboutGita, because if you do so you will unnecessarily incur sin (Gita18.67)You cannot see God or feel His presence but you definitely feel yourexistence as "I AM", right? Then why can't you prove it with yourlogic. I have asked 3 questions w.r.t. your existence but did notget any reply.Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia---------------------Jai HanumanMr Sarphod ! So you do not think or talk or desire regarding "flower of sky"- because it does not exist. You yourself said that.You can think/desire/talk about only that thing which exists.Now this is the biggest proof. You thought about God. You talkedabout God. You desired to know about God. You raised questions inthis forum about God. How can you do that- if God does not exist?If you can do that then why did you not talk about "flower of sky"?As a law you can desire about only that thing which exists.Answer now! To the point only. ONLY to the point.You said yourself that you would believe in your parents even ifthey were dead immediately after your birth, because there is abasis. The presence of yourself itself is an indicator of theirexistence. True. Now go backwards. Presence of your parents meansyour grand parents were there. Go backwards and keep going. In theend you will find one male and one female. Who were their parents?God is "Param Pita" - our eternal father.Clear?Namaste JeeJee JeeShashikala ----------------------Hari OmYou wanted as to what is sample of God. Answer as given by Varunjiis correct. You , yourself, are "sample" of God ! Because like God,you are also permanent and faultless. Everybody "experiences" that -I EXIST. ( You talked about experiencing- I am talking aboutexperience only) . Do you have any doubt Mr Sarphod that you are notexisting ? You never have any doubt on this. You never conduct anytest to determine whether you exist or not. You neverexperience/feel that - I DID NOT EXIST. About past you may saythat "I don't know", but you can't say "I didn't exist" ! How canyou say so?Why can't you say? Because you have never perceived your"self" tobe non existing. Non existence of your"self" has never come intoyour experience. Even in respect of the daily occuring of deepsleep, your experience never suggests that at that time you were nonexistent. But at the same time you experience directly theabsence of ego, intellect, mind and body etc., in the deep sleep.So you exist.So He exists.Now you are constantly experiencing changes/temporariness in yourbody. Who can experience that? Only that element (Self) which ispermanent and changeless and who is looking separately canexperience so..So you are permanent. You are witness. You are changeless. You arenot body. You exist both with or without body. You exist.Similarly God is also permanent. God is also witness. God is alsochangeless. God exists both with or without body. God exists.So you exist. At present you are existing Mr Sarphod Now in yourbody. In which part of the body you are existing Mr Sarphod? Inwhich part of the body you are not existing Mr Sarphod? In fact youare existing everywhere in the body.God exists everywhere in the universe as you exist everywhere inthe body.Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------By summery of GITA: "Tat Twam Asi" or 'That You Are'This logic is explained by Many in different way, as Jesus : "Keepyour self as pure as a Temple, so that GOD can reside in you"As the world today is more scientific, we require proof by ourSenses.No machine can prove Logic.By psychologist EEG machine shows that Yog has a point when we gainenergy from vast outer energy when we Join our inner energy during ameditative state.Todays scientific terms were not expressed before. So we can saypositive Energy in us and arround is GOD.This GOD creates and increases, but the negative energy will growonly to destroy and eliminate named 'devil' !The different State of Mind or Self is depicted in the Epics ofRamayana and Mahabharata by the characters playing in the theatre ofthis World.The Conditions of Heaven and Hell are also due to this state of self.'Tat Twam Asi' in definition of GOD as 'Bramah-Vishnu-Maheshwar' isalso what we see in us.Psychological mind as Male-Female has in us as a Child, Learning andCreating with help of 'Sarswati-Bramah'. Then as we are in ourYouth, we Earn and Run our life with the help of 'Laxmi-Vishnu'. Atthe end of life our Old age, Eliminate and Destroy many beliefs withthe help of 'Shakti-Shiv'. Thus we prepare our self for the nextbirth. The Energy, called 'spirit' by many, is indistructible andchange form. We can ralise it and can even see as Vivekananda(nonbeliever of statue) was shown by Guru Ramakrishna(ardent idolworshiper). The idol is the Mirror to see our self !--RegardsSwapan PURKAYASTHA --------------------------------PRIOR POSTINGDear Sarphod:I adore your persistence to what you think is right - that is a goodquality to seek truth. At the same time, I am a bit disappointed inits lopsidedness! It is not clear what you want, frankly.I have two questions for you: Are you afraid of "God"? Do you urgefor "God"?If "YES" to any of these questions, you have a problem. You can'tstick to your current logical conviction. It is obvious that yourcurrent logical conviction irrespective of its self-proclaimedexcellence is JUST NOT DOING ITS JOB . Your logical provess canclaim accolades ONLY IF it removes your fears and quench yourdesires.If not removal, at least a nominal reduction in their intensity iswarranted ... if your intellect is working straight.If "NO" to any of these questions, I see a bigger problem. Why areyou confusing yourself with these questions. That "NO" becomesmeaningless just because you are incapable of letting the veryquestions go! The very reason you are raising these questions provethat you are infested either by fear or by desire or by bothregarding "God". THAT IS EXCELLENT!Then, it is "YOUR" primary responsibility to address the same. As Imentioned earlier, your current intellect is incapable of helping youout. Then, you have to make a shift in your thinking to inspect theignorance harbored within. Pardon me for calling it ignorance. But,the fact is ... it is. Inherent fears and desires can never let anindividual happy. They create the turbulence within in terms ofthemselves. The existence of miseries is proof enough that we are notapplying our intellect in the right direction. After all, it iscommon sense that we do everything ONLY FOR ONE REASON - to behappy. I am sure you agree with it.The question is are you happy with these questions as such or are youreally interested in a possible solution. If you are happy with thesequestions, be happy. You can never get the solution though! If youreally need a solution, QUESTION the very questions. That is the onlyway out left for you to be happy. Do you have any other choice? Ifyou have, please pursue. Being happy is the bottom line of allactions ... being happy ... being happy but nothing else.Nobody can instruct you what God Is! You have to figure it outyourself.I don't know who misled you that this or anything specific "is adevine forum" as if anything else is not! If you seek divinity,everything is devine. If not, some may claim "divinity" as if therest is not. Please do not get trapped into such notions ... if youreally want to seek clarity regarding your question. Question yourquestions ... TRUTHFULLY. You will see the end of the tunnel.Again, PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR INSIST FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONSREGARDING GOD. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY ANSWER ... UNLESSS ... YOU SEE ITWITHIN YOURSELF! The only suggestion I can make is ... look for ITwithin. Because, looking out all these years has seemingly remainedfutile! There is no point in digging into others' psyche when mine isnot receptive enough. If I insist to continue, I can guarantee myselfof more confusion to come!! Because ... GOD cannot be held within any"psyche" as such.Anyway, just few suggestions to think about ... think about it if youwant ... ONLY IF YOU WANT.All The Best.Respects.Naga Narayana PRIOR POSTINGDear "Sadhaks" (?)Why my simple questions are not getting answered. Shashikalajeeasked me some questions, instead of replying to me. I , upon theadvice of my Begum Saahiba humbly replied to her. Now instead ofresponding to me, she has given a conversation between a son and hismother. My Begum is insisting to me that I should again and againread that. OK I will do that. But let me answer her anotherquestion. I have not desired to smell "flower of sky" , because itdoes not exist. Sometimes I feel that both my Begum Sahibaa and youSadhaks have lost mind. What a funny question Shashikalajee hasasked. How can I desire or talk or know about a thing which doesn"texist? This is my basic fundamental and solid argument. Vyas N B isgiving indicators which require me to think. I am thinking. But thebest among you is Mike Keenor. He told me to remain solid. Headviced me to remain tenacious, merciless and hang on. I am hangingon. But then why Vineet Sarvottam told me lies? Varun Paprunia gavehim a fitting reply. Varun - you are very good. This Pratap Bhattis rebuking me. Why? What is my fault. On one hand you are simplygiving me round round answers. On other hand you are passingjudgement. Is this a conduct of a sadhak. Please reply to me. Orsay - none of you have capacity to answer my simple questions. MyBegum Sahibaa has already started crying. Have mercy on her atleast. But Mike praised me. He called me "brilliant".Waiting for answers.Sarphod Tabalchi---------------------------We all struggle with these questions. The answers I found logical isthis: There is something beyond mind and matter. Some will call thatsomething Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. Others will call itrandom nothing. Another question one hears is why do I want to knowThat Something. To Know, or to Control it? Here in lies the paradoxand answer: If it is to know only: He is right there with you,within you: The Life, Love Peace. If it is to control so that wecontrol our surrounding: That is the struggle of Ego. Arjuna had tosee the Universal form to get over the final hurdle.Jay Shree Krishna.Hemendra Parikh-------------------------------Dear devotees of Lord Krishna,The discussion is interesting. I learned the gita much better afterseeing the life experience of a realized lady, who had darshan ofLord Krishna ( first darshan of Lords feet after chanting a slokafrom 10 th chapter of Gita for 30,000 times continuously for 30days ). Her conversations with the Lord have been recorded inTamil, and can be shared with the group if interested.With kind regards,Sincerely,P.Vivekanandan-------------------------------Try Brahmacharya ( the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, bywhich one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman) and you willsee for yourself the value.The Srutis declare: "Naayam Atma balaheenena labhyah - This Atman isnot attainable by a weak man." In the Gita you willfind: "Yadichhanto brahmacharyam charanti - That desiring whichBrahmacharya is performed" (Chap. VIII-11). "Trividham narakasyedamdvaram nasanamatmanah; kamah krodhastatha lobhastasmad etat trayamtyajet - O Arjuna! Triple is the gate of the hell, destructive ofthe Self; lust, wrath and greed: therefore let man renounce thesethree" (Chap. XVI-21). "Jahi satrum mahabaho kamarupam durasadam -Kill this powerful enemy, passion, by the observance ofBrahmacharya" (Chap. III-43).If we are determined to attain the goal of life by leading a purelife, we must keep this mind busily engaged in Divine thoughts,concentration, meditation, study and service of humanity.It is difficult to eradicate lust. But you need not despair even abit. Have faith in God, in His Name and in His grace. Lust cannot becompletely rooted out of the mind except by the grace of the Lord.You are bound to succeed if you have faith in Him. The Divine Graceis needed. God helps those who help themselves.Until man continues to cling to worldliness, Paramatma cannot begrasped by him.You can read more about this in the "Easy Steps to Yoga" by SriSwami Sivananda.chirag almoula--------------------------------PRIOR POSTINGDear Sadhakas, Namaste!Tabalchiji, with all the respect for you and questions, I may pointout that no one can make anyone see anything let alone God if thatperson doesn't want to see. It seems like you may be insistent uponseeing God in the way you want to see.Please forgive me if I am wrong, but as a friend I am saying. Itseems like you may not have read the postings with open mind, withthe desire to know the truth. Open mind doesn't mean accepting, itmeans you must give a fair reading/hearing and then asking pertinentquestions or raise doubts based on what is read. Here your responsesindicate you have decided that God cannot exist for you if youcannot see or have some logic to prove God's existence. One has tosee that "seeing God" means deep understanding of intuitive naturein this context where mind being limited cannot comprehend. It hasto be prepared to be open. Our conditioned mind is incapable ofgrasping truth.Some of us provided solid logic, but it still fell short to make yousee the pointers.I said one cannot say "I don't see God" without knowing what God heis looking that he cannot find. One has to know what one wants tosee, right? One can say "I don't know God, tell me what/where Ishould look, and how to recognize". It is different than show meGod, right?Once again, God is the Conscious/Intelligent Existence as reflectedin our experience of "I am" right now as you read these words. Infirst posting, dialogue was used to illustrate it as a solid proofone cannot deny.There are ways to experience God for which senses-mind-intellect isnot capable like they are for knowing objects. Nevertheless, thereis proof of God more reliable than that.But this point didn't make any impression.I request you with humility to re-read responses again and see whathappens!Namaskar..............Pratap Bhatt-------------------------------Hare KrishnaOkay Mr. Sarphod,Let's put God's existence out of equation for a moment and onlydiscuss about sample/logics/rationales w.r.t. YOUR existence.I AMWell, you don't have any doubt in your existence, right? Your bodyhas changed and it is rapidly changing every second. But Mr.Sarphod, is you also changing with the body? You are certainly notchanging with it because if you were changing then who would haveknown the change in body? You are that changeless element who knowsthe change in body. Isn't it? Childhood, youth, old age are thechanging phases of the body but you are that changeless element whois witness to all these changes. It is a law that only a changelesselement can perceive the ever-changing element. My question - Whatis the basis of your never-changing existence? If you considerbody's existence as your existence then you are defying all logic,because body is changing every second!!!I and MINEIt is a law that whatever is mine, it is never I. For example youconsider your house, car, wife, children etc. as mine but you neverconsider them as I. But in the case of body you say 'my hands, mylegs, my stomach, my ears, my eyes, my throat etc.' andsimultaneously you also consider it as 'I' e.g. I am not feelingwell. You establish two transversal relationships with the body,that of 'I' and 'MINE'. Whichever thing is mine it is always apart(separate) from you, and that thing which is separate from you, howcan it be I? This body is also apart from you but still you call itas I. Is this logical?Mr. Sarphod, now I wish to see you. Can you show me yourself???Ohh... please don't show me that body which you claim it as mine. Iwant to see that Mr. Sarphod who claims the body as mine. In otherwords, I want to see that element which you refer to as I?Before that I am eager to know whether you have ever seen yourself.According to you anything that exists is perceptible. So Mr.Sarphod, with which instrument have you seen yourself?If you have not seen yourself then, well ..... do you exist ?????And at last one more question- Whose name is Sarphod - body oryourself?Mr. Sarphod, with your logics/samples/rationales etc., first prove1. Your existence.2. The basis of your existence.3. The instrument with which you have seen/felt your existence.Then we will also discuss about God's existence....As Sarphodji is contemplating over his existence, in the mean time,those sadhaks whose faith in God has dwindled with his questions,they are requested to read this Sadhaka postingsadhaka/message/2108Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia-------------------------------Jai Hanuman(Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta- Marathi Edition- By Saint Gyaaneshwarji-Chapter 13- Kalyaan- By Narainduttji Gaur )Jeeva ( J) (We all- as referred in BG 15:7) :Mom pls tell me , when I was born?Maya , Mother Nature, Prakrati, Illusion (As referred in BG 7: 13/14)( M ) Irritated) What non sense! Is it some thing to be told? (By a Momto Son?)J: If mother doesn't tell, who will?M: How to tell you? I came only after you !J: Typical Mom ! Means- I came first and then you? Surprising? Isn'tit?M: You won't understand. Be silent and sleep!J: Come On ! First me ..! And then You ...!! (How can it be?) Plstell me the story ! Please !!M: I told you. You won't understand! Many big people even could not.J: Ok ! Then my Father can let me understand. Take me to Him, please.M: ( Curtly) Stop this song of Father, Father. Your Father is Fatheronly for the name sake.In fact, I have to do every thing.J: Does He not do anything?M: What can He do? He is old, ancient, poor fellow (eternal) ! Thentotally actionless! Absolutely non-doer! Neither hands, nor legs,nor eyes, nor ears! Nothing in fact! Look Kid ! Whatever colour ,form etc of the world which you are seeing is my miracle, my form,my competence, my work ! Ok? Your Father has neither any form, norany beauty. What beauty He can impart to the world?J: But all say that He is the real Creator. See Mom! Whatever is myFather, He is my Father! Ok? His insult...??M: Insult! What insult? Whose insult? One who does not have anycaste or creed, any family or varna, any city or village- what canbe His respect or disrespect?J: How bad He will feel, if He listens to what you are saying?M: Even if He gets annoyed, what can He do? One who neither moves,nor walks, nor travels, nor laughs, nor cries, nor speaks, neitherany juice, nor any taste, nor any play !!! This entireexhibition/show I run, Dear Son !!J But out there on Gate (of the circus) His name is written, O Mom !!M: Ultimately you will take side of your Father only. Afterall youare His son!J: O Mom of the Universe! Why did not you put name of yours on thefront gate of this Great Circus? ( The world)M: How to put my name. This is the real trgedy. You won'tunderstand, Son. I, the creator and controller of uncountableuniverses can not do any thing by my name!! (Ramcharitmanas- 5/21/4)J: Don't be sad and sorry Mom! What is the matter?M: It is very secret, Son! If by seeing my banner outside the gate,if somebody wants to meet with me, he will be disappointed. Son!Please understand my pain. One is lazy ( does nothing), has noorgans, is actionless- those who want to search such (an element)person , they search Him merely by His name! (Ramcharitmanas-1/26/2). But to me, even when I am controlling entire sentient andinsentient world, if some body wants to search, CANNOT find! Cannotsearch.J: Why not Mom?M: (With tears in her eyes) Because, in reality, I don't exist. I amfalse. I am asat. I am non existent. My "not being" is my "being".Whatever is not- I am that. I am no-thing.J: And whatever is there, that is who? Who is that?M: He is your Father, Son!J: (In mind, talking with himself only, Son thinks/says - Hats offto you Mom! When you don't exist, then this is the scene of theworld that even Lord Shiva , Brahma are afraid of you -Ramcharitmanas 7/71/8- had you existed "actually" Mom then.....)O my No-thing Mom! When you don't even exist , then on whose poweryou run this circus called the world?M: What to tell you, Son? I can tell you only this much that, ofWhose a mere flicker of eyebrow, I do rule the uncountableuniverses, I can't dare/ don't have courage to face Him. I do runthis circus only on His strength.J : O My Unconquerable Mom! My hundreds of Pranaams to you. Blessme , O Mom! So that I may get my Father!!While bowing and doing Pranaams to his mother, Jeeva becametranquilised and then in the background divine music played-"MAAMEVA YA PRAPADYANTE, MAYAMETAM TARANTI YE "(BG 7:14)He was He only!Namaste Jee.Jee JeeShashikala--------------------------------Shri Hari-My dear Sarphodji,A few points to consider, I have said I have been touched by theDivine,(just one way of putting it), such Grace is life changing, Icould be lying or be mad,(I tell the truth), but I know just byreading the things fellow Sadhaks have written that I AM NOT ALONE.Some people come to Bhagwan with ease and joy others take the path offire so to speak, (the hard miles).In the west there is an expression,'The Dark Night of The Soul', andyes! If it is known in the west it is most absolutely known in theIndian Traditions.(I think Arjuna's predicament reflects that),I willstay using the terminology to which I am most familiar.You say you are deserted, you are not deserted, the Brethren have notdeserted you, and in the Darkest Moment of the Soul, there is a lightshining, that light comes from 'That', which will wash away youtears, 'That' which will break your heart so that you can bemended. Your arguments are not solid dear Brother, not to those thathave felt the embrace of The Beloved. Your inflexibility, combinedwith your determined search, may well introduce you to 'The DarkNight...', the very ONE you rebuked the most, will be the one thatrescues you. I speak from experience not from books.With Respect and Divine Love,Mike Keenor PRIOR POSTINGHari OmIf sadhaks can concentrate on giving short pointers / rationalewhich establishes the existence of Supreme Power it will help allin being definitive, have reference material and it will alsostrengthen faith. Ego, Intellect and Mind don't let you agree thateasily. And who knows who may need in the coming turbulent era ofKaliyug, that is lacking in faith and belief. Let us get united.From discourses of Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj (Taat Shree), whom Ihave solely relied on for a number of years -Every human being wants the following:1) To "live for ever". This is desire for SAT (existence). Fear ofdeath is the indicator of that desire.2) To know every thing. No one wants to be unknowlegeable. This isdesire for CHIT (Knowledge).3) To be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. This is desire forANANDA.Any doubt Mr Sarphod? Now if there is a desire then the element tofulfill that desire must also be there. There must be some one /some element which enables you to "live for ever", to be all knowingand to be ever blissful. Had such an element not existed, we wouldnot have had the desire for the same.Paramatma is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.(Sachchidananda)Raam! Raam!! Raam!!!To be continued.Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B------------------------------Dear Tabalchi ji,According to J. Krishnamurti "modern so called educated" people wanta little bit of intellectual amusement and therefore they indulge inmeaningless discussions about God and such matters. God cannot bediscussed in this manner, because That Absolute Truth (giveIt/Her/Him any name) is beyond description.Your all the six questions are like the enquiries of a "fullstomach" tourist without an iota of appetite going through the menu,or reading it aloud with his co-friends. If you are really thirstyyou will not indulge in such childish questions about water, butwill try your best to drink it.I suggest you read Uncommon Wisdom and other books by Dr Capra (aphysic scientist) who has quoted from our Sanskrit literature aboutGod, or read A Brief History of Time by Hawking Stephens (well knownexpert on dark hole and universe) to know the concept of time andspace. At least do go through some writings by Nobel laureate DrEdington (a scientist). Only then, you can be a little serious aboutexploring the great Absolute Truth. Become "jyan-vijyan-triptah" andonly then we can walk together on this spiritual quest.Regards,Suresh C. Sharma------------------------Sir,You are asking the oldest question ever being asked. See aroundyou, a sperm has made you upto approximately 6 feet. Who designedthis project and process. Your father and mother only are tools.Inquire within and get the answer.surender syal--------------------------------Mitro,Why has this God become famous as "HE" why not "she" or "IT"or "Nothing"? Today's generation will not believe in gibberishbakwaas . The paradox is every religion, every saint says that Godis ONE. But even within Hindus philosophy we see thousands of gods(many names and forms). If God is One then why all the differencesand the fights? How come? Ramchander Homma------------------------------I agree with Luca Brasi that I should be fairly replied. I haveasked a lot of questions. I want proof/logic and I want to know Howis that Supreme. I want sample. I want rationale. My Begum Saahibaaalso told me that I am head breaker like your Shashikaljee told me.But I never agreed with her so far. I never admitted this version.I am not head or skull breaker. My name suggests that I am mindfixer. Any way how the name matters? I am what I am. I accept myparents because even if I dont remember my birth, they rememberthat. They know that I am their child. I can see them. I can feelthem. I can experience them. I can recognise them. That is why theyare my parents. Where is God? How can I accept God on the groundsthat since I did not know my parents at the time of birth and Iaccepted hence I should accept God also. Children are children. Theydont understand. But I am adult. I understand. My Begum Sahibaacould not satisfy me and hence she asked me to get in touch with youShe said you will satisfy me.I checked with her that I am notsatisfied even after, because I have MOST SOLID arguments, thenwhat? Even my father deserted me because he could not satisfy me.She said such situation will not arise. If I cant see , I cantaccept. Prove to me how one can accept without seeing or feeling orexperiencing or logic or rationale or basis. At least I should feelor experience. Even if my parents were dead at the time of birth,still I would accept that because how can I come without them onthis earth. What is your answer? Pratap or Vineet or Mike orShashikala. My Begum Sahibaa said few things regarding observationsof Vineet also. Please reply- Sadhaks of this selfproclaimed "Divine" site. Dont go by my name. Even my BegumSaahibaa complains regarding my name. What can I do regarding myname Jee?Sarphod TabalchiPRIOR POSTINGHare KrishnaSarphodji,Not only can Parmatma be an individual he can also be a fish(Matsya-avatar), a tortoise (Kachchap-avatar), a pig (varaha-avatar),a half lion-half man (Narsimha-avatar) and what not!!!According to Gita, not only can a devotee see God but also know Himand also enter into Him.Arjuna saidO universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Yourfour-armed form, with diadem on your head with club, wheel, conch andlotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. (11.46)Sanjaya saidThe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus toArjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed Histwo-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna. (11.50)Lord Krishna said:My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is verydifficultto behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to seethis form, which is so dear.Neither by the study of Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity, noreven by rituals can I be seen in this form (with four-arms), as Youhave seen Me.O valiant Arjuna, through single-divided devotion, however, I can beseen in this form (with four-arms), known in essence and even enteredinto.My dear Arjuna, he who performs all his duties for Me, depends on Me,is devoted to Me, has no attachment, and is free from malice towardsall beings, reaches Me. (11.52-55)Please give special attention to the last 2 verses. This will answeryour question of knowing and seeing God.Yes, I have also read the same in Swamiji's book which your wife hasstated. I consider it to be true because I believe in Swamiji'swords.Hare KrishnaVarun P. Paprunia------------------------------Hari OmNo! Sarphodji. Those who want to learn should read carefully andshould learn also to be patient. All sadhaks upto now have givenexcellent observations. I have also given you logics/pointers andwillcontinue to give you till you get satisfied. I agree with Luca thatthere must be logics/rationale existing. It is another matter, as MrVineet stated, that they are pointless once you proceed ahead. Butstill questions are questions and your insistence , though, odd butstill should be respected. Your "Begum Sahibaa" appears to havedirected herself to peace. I wish you understood the hidden affectionin the in the message of Mike Keenor to you. Here are morelogics/pointers to you:3. In life, we always find a higher person than ourselves. In everyfield a higher person than one is existing. See around you, you willfind this statement to be true. Even the President of USA can not say"I am the Highest". Always a better /higher person than you isexisting. Now where does this "highness" end. If there is sense ofhighness , then there must be an element which is "highest". God isthat element. God is the HIGHEST.4. You always need some "shelter" to survive. In the childhood youneed shelter of parents, teacher, etc. Then of education, ability,wife, money, home, employers, what not. In old age, you need wife,children, stick, doctor, medicines, health etc Sujects change but notthe need for shelter.. If there is consistent need for shelter , thenthere must be an element existing of whose shelter is the ultimateshelter. Is not it Mr Sarphod. ( You should argue on such inprinciplepoints. Check up with you Begum Sahibaa.) ? If you are thirsty ,theremust be water existing on the planet. Now when you need always someshelter or other, then there must be an element which can bedescribedas " Highest Shelter available "! God is "PARAM ASHRAYA DATA" Giverof that shelter. If you take shelter of God, no other shelter will benecessary,5. We always want to be perfect. There is no doubt on that. But thereis also no doubt regarding the fact that we err. In fact "to err ishuman" -this saying is prevalent on this planet from time immemorial.Now if there is a desire to become perfect then there must exist anelement which is most perfect. Did you ever hear that there was adifference of a fraction of a second even in timings of Sun rise andSun set? Is not everything moving to the perfection? Who can be moreperfect except God. God is the MOST PERFECT.To be continued till you say "I am satisfied"As regards your observation that "Nature" also creates/controls-answer is that whether you believe that nature has "knowledge"? Ifyes, then that nature is our God. In our religion ( I don't know yourreligion) SHAKTI is God also. But if according to you , the INERTNATURE has no knowledge, then you have to accept God. Can inertnaturetake care of so many souls, operate Law of Karma, provide food to somany creatures? If Yes- I don't mind calling that Nature to be God.After all it is a matter only of "terminology". If no then you mustaccept that IF THERE IS DESIRE / NEED IN YOU TO BE PERFECT OR TO TAKESHELTER OR TO SEEK HIGHNESS then there exists an element to fulfilthat desire. That element is called " GOD/ PARAMATMA" . Logical ?Doesit appeal to your logic Mr Sarphod? Check up with your Begum Sahibaaand come back. Your arguments shall exhaust, not our arguments- besure on this. After all you are on GT Site !Jai Shree KrishnaVyas N B-------------------------------Dear Sarphod:Wonderful! I like your guts to put this question across!! I wasstartled to start with and even alarmed as I contemplated "thanksfor triggering the turbulence from which proceeds the peace asalways."Son goes to father and asks, "Father, what is God?" Fatheranswered, "Whatever drives your life, whatever sustains your lifeand whatever absorbs your life is verily God my child. Think aboutIt!" The father was wise enough not to instruct what God is. The sonpromptly contemplates in what his father said and came back, "Father,fear drives all the lives. Fear sustains all the lives. Fear absorbsall the life. Therefore, fear should be the god." Fatherremarks, "Good job! Keep thinking." The son not knowing whether hisrevelation was conclusive or not continues to contemplate. Son comesback to father and declares, "Father, desire drives all the lives,desire sustains all the lives and desire absorbs all the lives.Therefore, the desire should be the god." Father remarks again, Goodjob! Keep thinking." The son does not feel the conclusiveappreciation regarding the god - is it fear or desire? He continuesto contemplate and realizes that, the happiness drives all thelives. Happiness sustains all the lives. And, happiness absorbs allthe lives. Therefore happiness should be the god.Now he does not go back to his father as he has already felt thewisdom behind his father's remarks. God is not something that can betaught to, or preached to or transferred to anybody. It is thenotion within ... it is the imagination within ... it is thedeliberation within ... it is the understanding within ... it is theappreciation within ... IT IS THE PRESENCE WITHIN in its core. Theson, accepting the challenge from his father to use the body, sensesand mind blessed to him, continues to contemplate.He has seen the driving force, sustenance strength and absorptionpower in the fear, in the desire as well as in the happiness. Hesees that the three divinities of creation, sustenance,andabsorption transcend the boundaries of his existential fears,desires and happiness altogether integrating the whole universe ofknowns as well as unknowns - manifested as well as unmanifested -mitigating the differences that were once prominent amongst thethree phases of life - fear, desire and happiness.Then starts another dilemma - who is the god amongst these threedivinites that seem to determine what life is? Driving Force orSustenance Strength or Absorption Power? Again, he approaches hisfather, the wisdom established within to contemplate on the dilemma.The driving force comes first to claim the unclaimed post of TheGod. On ruthless examination, the driving force starts wonderingaloud that it itself should have been driven by something else. Thenew driving force wonders the same and so on. The driving force digsup an infinite legacy of its own kind beneath lost in the oblivionof the past. It returns back in frustration not withstanding whatthe driving force could really be.The absorption power jumps in next to claim the still unclaimed postof The God. Again, the wisdom starts the same gruelling scrutiny.The power under sharp vigilence starts whithering away to wonder ifit absorbs everything there should be something to absorb itself.The new absorbing power wonders the same way and so on. Theabsorption power piles up an infinite heirarchy of its own kindabove lost in the oblivion of the future. It returns back infrustration not withstanding what the absorption power could everbe.The empty throne is still awaiting to be filled. The sustenancestrength walks to claim the post in confidence. The valiant wisdomdoes its job with no resistance subjecting the life sustenancepower in suspension of its examination. The sustencance strengthwhich provides strength to all the life around starts wondering whatis the source of its own strength and sustenance. The new source ofthe strength resounds the same wonder what could be the source ofstrength. The sustenance strength keeps jumping from on fold toanother all around the universe that is within its control to seekitself folding itself in infinitude lost in the vast presence. Itreturns back in frustration not withstanding what the sustenancestrength could ever be.Seeing the crest-fallen champions of life not realizing their owntrue nature around, the throne of The God starts fading intosilence. The wisdom starts wondering in itself. Is it not thedriving force as well as the sustenance strength as well as theabsorption power all the time all around? Suddenly, the demarkationbetween the three divinities that was once so thick and opaquestarts giving away to reveal the force, strength and power ofcreation, sustenance and absorption in itself and hence in everything that is perceieved ever.The realized wisdom gets back and declares. Never ever ignore yourfears. Never ever ignore your desires. Never ever ignore yourhappiness. Ever be with your fears, desires and happiness as youare. Then you see the unison amongst your fears, desires and joysand hence in all your emotions, relations and existence within aswell as around. Then you see all the boundaries separating yournotions dissolve in the very wisdom where you dwell upon. Being whatyou are in spite of your apparent variances of life naturallytranscends all the barriers built by your cognition acrosseverything to reveal THE ONE everywhere and everywhence. Then thevery post of God does not appear to be real anymore which seemed themost troublesome question to start with.God remains evasive till you drift away from what you are in vainsearching whatever IT could be! Therefore, my dear friend, betterpause in your frenzy search and look around and look within … bewhat you are. Then God is everything … not just a notion ... notjust a faith ... not just a doubt ... but, everything ... EVERYTHINGWITH NO EXCEPTION. If you remain what you are, IT is all-inclusive.If you attempt to search for it, IT becomes all-exclusive. In otherwords, IT is EVERYTHING in your presence; and IT is NOTHING in yourperception.Respects.Naga Narayana--------------------------------Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!Let us address one aspect of Tabalchiji's issues with responses ofsadhakas received so far!To be able to see God, one needs to recognize God upon seeinganything, right? If one says I don't see God, one is looking for whatone "thinks" God is in whatever one is looking at. For God to be"that" it will be very very limiting to God, because what we think isso limited even if it is some grand image of God. That is notlogical, right?Now when Swamiji says Goenkaji and Poddarji had darshana of God, whatdoes it mean?It means the deep understanding of what God is and subsequentrealization that "my God, there is nothing else but only God IS inthe disguise of the Cosmos" that sees through that individual.The individual's vision has changed entirely, where he/she sawobjects of the world before, now he sees only Divinity in the sameforms. It is our experience that what we believe out there, we tendto see only that through our being closed minded. Similarly when weunderstand God, this "Understanding" opens up the very mind who seesGod everywhere, individual is merely a channel God is using.Other aspects of issues will see later....Namaskar............Pratap Bhatt-------------------------Shree Hari-Sarphodji,Great! You are still questioning brilliant!I have read the responses from our brethren, great beauty full ofdivine love. But I will stick to the hared nosed roll,(look past itdear friend).If someone asked me to show her an oak tree, and I gave her an acorn,what would she say I wonder? Of course the blueprint for the wholetree is in the acorn, one also one wonders, did the first oak treehave an acorn or the first acorn have an oak tree?Question 6 if resolved is the platform upon which all the otherquestion can be answered it seems to me.I can only tell you how I came to be touched be The Divine, that wasby my search into paradoxes, like the universe, like the acorn.I once mentioned a man I met in unusual circumstance. It was about3amin a large air traffic control room, very few controllers in the roomat that time. I was waiting to get clearance to work on a console(todo annual technical checks). There across the room was thiscontroller, He had his headset on,(with a long lead), he wasperforming asanas, (within the restriction), "trying to stay awake?"Iasked, "no he boomed", we started to talk. We had 'Much' in common,wedeveloped a dialog from then on , it was he who suggested I readBhagavad Gita,(I humbly suggest you do also).He once said to me with his booming humorous voice, "Mike if peoplecould her us they would think we're 'Lunatics'.What we had in common at the root, was our hunger for the truth, andthe courage, 'to ride the tiger".We were an unlikely pair from a world view, he was a Sri Lankan, meanAnglo Celt, especially if one could here u(Message over 64k, truncated.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.