With regard to presents to Sri Bhagavan, He observed: Why do they bring presents? Do I want them? Even if I refuse they thrust presents on me? What for? If I accept them I must yield to their wishes. It is like giving a bait to catch the fish. Is the angler anxious to feed the fish? No, he is anxious to feed on the fish.
Swami Lokesananda, a Sanyasi: What is meant by and ?
M.: These words may mean differently according to the context. = sāmānya jnāna or Pure consciousness. = Visesha jnāna. Visesha may be (1) worldly (relative knowledge); and (2) transcendental (Self-Realisation).
Mind is necessary for Visesha; it modifies the purity of absolute consciousness. So represents intellect and the sheath composing it, i.e., relative knowledge. In that case is common (sāmānya) running through vijnāna, samjnāna, prajnāna, ājnāna, mati, dhriti— different modes of knowledge (vide Aitareyopanishad, Chapter 3) or jnāna is (hearsay) and vijnāna is aparoksha (direct perception) as in jnāna vignāna triptātma, one perfectly content with jnāna and vijnāna.
D.: What is the relation between Brahman and Iswara?
M.: Brahman is called Iswara in relation to the world.
D.: Is it possible to speak to Iswara as Sri Ramakrishna did?
M.: When we can speak to each other why should we not speak to Iswara in the same way?
D.: Then why does it not happen with us?
M.: It requires purity and strength of mind and practice in meditation.
D.: Does God become evident if the above conditions exist?
M.: Such manifestation is as real as your own reality. In other words, when you identify yourself with the body as in you see gross objects; when in subtle body or in mental plane as in , you see objects equally subtle; in the absence of identification as in you see nothing. The objects seen bear a relation to the state of the seer. The same applies to visions of God.
By long practice the figure of God, as meditated upon, appears in dream and may later appear in also.
D.: Is that the state of God-realisation?
M.: Listen to what happened once years ago:
There was a saint by name Nāmdev. He could see, talk and play with Vithoba as we do with one another. He used to spend most of his time in the temple playing with Vithoba.
On one occasion the saints had assembled together, among whom was one Jnāndev of well-established fame and eminence. Jnāndev asked Ghora Kumbar (a pottersaint) to use his proficiency in testing the soundness of baked pots and find out which of the assembled saints was properly baked clay. So Ghora Kumbar took his stick and gently struck each one’s head in joke as if to test. When he came to Namdev the latter protested in a huff; all laughed and hooted. Namdev was enraged and he sought Vithoba in the temple. Vithoba said that the saints knew best; this unexpected reply upset Namdev all the more.
He said: “You are God. I converse and play with you. Can there be anything more to be gained by man?”
Vithoba persisted: “The saints know.”
Namdev: Tell me if there is anything more real than you.
Vithoba: We have been so familiar with each other that my advice will not have the desired effect on you. Seek the beggar-saint in the forest and know the truth.
Accordingly Namdev sought out the particular saint mentioned by Vithoba. Namdev was not impressed with the holiness of the man for he was nude, dirty and was lying on the floor with his feet resting on a Linga. Namdev wondered how this could be a saint. The saint, on the other hand, smiled on Namdev and asked, “Did Vithoba send you here?” This was a great surprise to Namdev who was now more inclined to believe the man to be great. So Namdev asked him: “You are said to be a saint, why do you desecrate the Linga?” The saint replied: “Indeed I am too old and weak to do the right thing. Please lift my feet and place them where there is no Linga.” Namdev accordingly lifted the saint’s feet and placed them elsewhere. But there was again a Linga below them. Wherever the feet were placed then and there appeared a Linga underneath. Namdev finally placed the feet on himeslf and he turned into a Linga. Then Namdev understood that God was immanent and learnt the truth and departed. He went home and did not go to the temple for several days. Vithoba now sought him out in his home and asked why Namdev would not go to the temple to see God. Namdev said: “Is there a place where He is not?”
The moral of the story is clear. Visions of God have their place below the plane of Self-Realisation.