Passage 10

The way to experience the Atma

If man enquires earnestly into the nature of "I," his enquiry will lead him to the experience of the Atma. This may be illustrated by an episode from the Bhagavatha. It was one of the sports of Krishna to go stealthily into the houses of the Gopikas and upset pots containing milk and curds. The Gopikas, who were worded about Krishna's pranks, were keen to catch him red-handed. Krishna was an elusive thief. So, one Gopika suggested that the only way to catch Him was to pray to him. The Gopikas started praying to Krishna. "O Krishna, is it possible for us to get at you? You are subtler than the atom and vaster than the vastest thing in the world. You pervade every being in creation. How can we comprehend you?" As a result of the prayer, the Gopikas were shown the means of catching Him. Krishna poured out the milk from the pot, washed His feet in the milk and ran out of the house. The Gopikas followed Krishna's footprints and caught hold of Him. The symbolic significance of this episode is that the Divine can be experienced only when the devotee clings to the feet of the Lord. This is the teaching of the Bhagavatha. When the enquiry into the nature of "I" is pursued, it will be found that the "I" is the omnipresent entity present in every living being. This is the truth of the Vedic declaration: "Aham Brahmasmi" (I am the Supreme Self). Some people may ask whether it is enough to meditate on the declaration "Aham Brahmasmi." This may be done, but when one meditates on the declaration "Aham Brahmasmi," one has to start with the understanding of the "I"; then you will understand Brahman.