In plain words
Kerala, the birthplace of sacrifice
In this world there are those who give land, give cows, give food and give gold, but are there any who give themselves away? Emperor Bali, the man of sacrifice, made such a gift. Kerala is the birthplace of sacrifice. It is the favourite haunt of Bhakti and surrender. Some changes may have come about through the power of time, but from ancient times Kerala has been renowned in Bhārata for the spirit of sacrifice and for Bhakti and surrender. There is no one there who says ‘No’ to a person who holds out a hand saying ‘Give!’ In such a holy land Emperor Bali was born. Defying even his guru's command, he offered himself to God. Prahlāda too, the supreme devotee who defied even his father's command and offered himself to Hari, was born right there. Some scientists say there is no God at all. This is a great mistake. “Do not doubt that He is here and not there …”: Prahlāda proclaimed it loud and clear. His father Hiraṇyakaśipu was a great scientist, greater than all the scientists of today. He went even to the sphere of the sun and to the spheres of the stars. Even with all that power and ability, he could not recognise divinity in the least. To find God, there is no other path but the principle of Prema alone. You must offer yourselves with Prema.
You are not the body
Above all, if you want to know the principle of God, you must believe the Vedic saying “Ahaṃ brahmāsmi”. 'Aham' (I) itself is Brahman. That itself is the Ātma, that itself is full of light, that itself is full of eternal Ānanda. In the principle of “I” itself the whole of this creation is contained. “Sir! When did you come?” If anyone asks you this, you say, “I came yesterday.” But who came yesterday: you? Or the body? The body came, not you. Yet, taking the body to be 'I', you say, “I came yesterday.”