Is there a God? Where is He?

The debate is heating up in several forums. What is our concept of God? Is there someone with a halo around his head sitting on a throne somewhere in heaven to judge us? It really depends on what you believe.

The entire phenomenal world is a mental construct and you are destined to see as per your own perceptions. Is there no God?

When we deal with the illusion of life one question comes to the mind. Who perceives that illusion? When you pursue this model of thought you realize that an underlying reality is a silent witness to all that happens. Yogis who have pierced the veil experience a oneness with that reality and become it. Life becomes a dual experience for them - being in the reality and being in the world. Ramakrishna, Ramana, Nisargadutta, Annamalai, Moozi, Robert Adams, Papaji, Balsekar...there are so many who have had that experience and have informed the world about it with words and their very presence.

The underlying reality is God. An all knowing, blissful, ever existing, unperturbed, unfathomable, indescribable state that is also a non state. From it emerges all and into which goes back all. It does nothing and yet does everything.

The world is a play. From non duality emerges duality using an illusionary tool Hindus call Maya. It is a shadow world that does not really exist like the images on a screen. Only the screen is real. What then are our Gods?

Yes they too exist and are a part of that Maya. The difference is one of knowledge. In a play there are directors and facilitators. They monitor the play. Sri Ramakrishna explained it when he said that the all powerful can be both with and without form. The all knowing intelligence can take up a body and appear in the creation by subjecting itself to the rules of Maya. This is what we call Avatars. They tell us all if we are willing to listen. They are not bothered if we don't. They know all life is a play. They know people wake up when the time comes. They are in no hurry.

The concept of time is only for busy bodies who are engaged in the play of the world. Sri Aurobindo said to a disciple who was pained at the thought of a separation, "We are always together. When am I not?" Ramana too said the same when he gave up the form. It is up to us to search. The religious history of the world is all about that search. When the search ends, the play ends.

Ramakrishna did not want the play to end. Eat sugar, he advised, there is no fun in becoming sugar. When reminded of the immense suffering of this world he tersely said, "Who suffers?" There is only one. All happiness and suffering belong to him.

Our ancestors created a spiritual world with their thoughts. India has always striven to be a part of that world to experience bliss. Says the Chaitanya Bhagabat, "The Leela of the blissful entity is always going on, those fortunate who attune to it always witness it". Yadayapi e leela karen Raghu Rai, je maha bhagyaban se dekhibare paye.

Is that possible? Yes. In the Tulasi Ramayana is described such an encounter. Tulsidas did cross over and meet the trio of Rama Seeta and Laxmana when they were engaged in their divine play in this world. It is beautifully described. Everything depends on our mind and the attitude we adopt.

Where is god? He is YOU. 

Where is God?

- He is in the person who is trying to help you
- He is in the person who points out the wrong
- He is in the person who points towards the truth
- He is in the person who is fighting injustice
- He is in the person fighting large scale pollution
- He is in the person fighting poisoning of the food chain
- He is in the person fighting animal cruelty
- He is in the person fighting the corporate world
- He is in the person fighting insensitive governments
- He is in the person fighting large scale corruption
- He is in the person trying to address suffering
- He is in the person protecting the environment
- He is in the person trying to re-establish agriculture
- He is the person trying to re-establish health
- He is in the person trying to re-establish Dharma
- He is in the person who is trying to establish a better world

He is within YOU. And you ask, where is God?

Namaste.