We all belong to God, but we have forgotten Him. Now, we have started searching for Him. The key was lost inside the house, but we kept looking for it outside and never found it. We will have to return home. A person looking for God must withdraw from the world and become quiet.
saṅgaṁ tyajeta mithuna-vratīnāṁ mumukṣuḥ
Srimad Bhagavatam 9.6.51
sarvātmanā na visṛjed bahir-indriyāṇi
ekaś caran rahasi cittam ananta īśe
yuñjīta tad-vratiṣu sādhuṣu cet prasaṅgaḥ
The verse above means that one searching for God or trying to attain him must give up the association of those engrossed in pleasures and material enjoyment.
Finding God: The Search Within
Internalise the senses. You don’t have to search outside; God is never found outside. The search is to be done within. Don’t let your senses be extroverted. Come back within. You are not the senses, mind, intellect, the mind or ego, or nature; you are a part of God. You are entangled currently. Just chant Radha Radha. Everything is within. By this, the mind becomes immersed in God. The Gopis are the greatest of devotees; even great saints worship them. The best part about the Gopis was that they did all the household activities externally, but their subconscious was always fixed on Shri Krishna.
Leave the association of those engrossed in enjoyment of the senses and take association of the ones who have taken the vow of God. Associate with those whose life has become free from vices, who are only immersed in the contemplation of God.
Whoever finds God finds Him within first, and when he opens his eyes, he sees Him everywhere. First, look within. Learn to come inwards; learn to chant within first. Repeatedly, chant the holy name, look at it, and hear it. We may be walking, cleaning, or cooking, but the name is going on within always. All outward actions are going on, and the meditation has become introverted.
God vs. Pleasures: What Do You Choose?
How does one get God? Through love. How do you fall in love? You collect all the love from the outside and offer it at the feet of God. You remove your love from everywhere and chant, and then God manifests himself. He is waiting for us; we just need to absorb ourselves in devotion so much that we cannot survive without Him. A thirsty person only wants water; other drinks do not satisfy him. Similar should be the mood of a devotee.
Janani Janak Bandhu Sut Dara
Sri Ramcharitmanas
Tanu Dhanu Bhavan Suhrid Parivaara
Sab kai Mamta Tag Batori
Mam pad manahi bandh bari dori
God is called Mayapati (The controller of material energy), and he will keep throwing pleasures and material possessions at you. However, if you accept those gifts, you will not attain Him. This can be explained through a simple example: when a child cries, the mother sends some toys to see if he gets happy and peaceful. He throws away the toys. Then she sends her personal people, like her daughter, sister, etc, to take him in their lap; if the child isn’t happy, too, she will be compelled to come. Similarly, God first sends pleasurable activities and special powers; still, if you don’t stop crying, He comes. Crying means chanting Radha Radha, maintaining good conduct, and staying introverted (not engaging in material enjoyment and conversations).
If you keep doing this, you will see God in everything, be it animals or birds, conscious or unconscious; you will find Him in everything; you will see only Him everywhere. You will start looking at everyone as if He is your God appearing in this form.
Jad Chetan Jag Jeev Jat Sakal Ram May Jaani
Sri Ramcharitmanas
Bandau sabke pad kamal, sada jori jug paani
Original Question – I am looking for God; how do I find him?
Answered by – Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Ji Maharaj
Answered on 19.02.2024
