God Vision: When Can You Really See God?
What Ramakrishna Says as Qualifications for Seeing God
Nov 20, 2008
(This is Part:2 of a series of articles on “Seeing God”. For continuity, please read How to see God and then continue here):
Need for Sacrifice for God Vision
The quest for having vision of God involves a two-fold sacrifice. First comes sacrificing of “Kamini-Kanchana”. This ‘twin’ is the most oft-quoted one by Sri Ramakrishna. It means woman (sexual pleasure) and gold (money). Kamini-Kanchana in a nutshell represents Maya at its gross.
Even if one were to get free from the clutches of this duo, the next one is too subtle to identify and get rid of. It is egotism. It is an uphill task to get rid of ego-centric cravings for recognition and fame, to dominate and control others, to do charity, to teach knowledge to the world and so on.
Need for Yearning for Seeing God
Added to these two greatest sacrifices, one has to have an intense yearning to see God. What is the extent of intensiveness needed in this yearning?
Sri Ramakrishna gives the benchmark: If one’s yearning to have vision of God is as intense as a miser’s love for his wealth plus a mother’s love for her child plus a chaste woman’s love for her husband -- all these three added together, then one can have the vision of God.
Another frequent example by Sri Ramakrishna is this:
Once a disciple asked his Guru: “Sir, how can I see God?”. The guru took the disciple chest deep into the river and suddenly pushed his head into the water. Though the disciple struggled to get out, the Guru did not loosen his grip for a while. Then he released his grip. The disciple swung his head out of water and was panting heavily. The guru asked him “How did you feel?” “Oh! I was so desperate to get my breath. I though I would die!” The Guru now replied to the disciple’s original question: “If you long for God the same way you longed to get your breath, then you will get a vision of God!”.
Which one is more important? Yearning for God or sacrifice? Sri Ramakrishna says that if the yearning for God is intense, then the sacrifices automatically follow suit. One who is desperate for God will lose attraction on anything else. Sri Ramakrishna says that the Path of love for God (“Bhakthi Marga”) is best suited for the majority of aspirants.
For some aspirants, sacrifice and yearning for God may progress hand in hand. For some, sacrifice may precede the arrival of intense love on God.
When the search for God takes sufficient momentum, at that point one gets his Guru who will guide him in the right path to achieve his goal.
More Questions and Doubts about Having God Vision
For those who are not Hindus and for those who are new to the above concepts, there may be several questions and doubts like:
- Vision of God means what? In what form? Suppose one is a Christian, can he have a vision of Jesus?
- What if one does not believe in God with form?
- What happens to the famous non-dualistic philosophy of Hinduism where it is stated that there is no difference between individual soul and supreme soul? Where do those who believe it fit in?
- What other disciplines should one practice? Where do formal worship, repeating God’s holy name (Japa), meditation etc fit in?
- Some say, attain God by serving the humanity. Why do they say so?
Based on the teachings and the shared experiences of great masters like Sri Ramakrishna, we shall delve deep into the subject further. Please proceed to:
What is meant by Vision of God? (Part 3 of Article Series: How to See God)
 |
 |
