Following are some excerpt from the discourse in the session:
It is essential to let the bhakti blossom within our hearts rather than searching Lord like a wanderer. Manu Ji and Sathroopa Ji once asked Lord, “We want you as our son.” Lord said, “If I come, Maya shall come as well. It is an inseparable part.” Manu Ji and Sathroopa Ji thought for a while and then said, “Lord, you come to us as our son and send Maya to the jnani, the wise one.” It happened.
Manu Ji and Sathroopa Ji appeared as King Dashrath and Mother Kaushalya in successive birth. Rama appeared at their place through a yajna, and Maya reached Janakpuri, the place of King Janak.
People asked King Janak about his expression to receive Maya at their place. King Janak replied, “It’s okay. Bhakti is with us. Lord shall come to our place on foot.” It happened. Rama came to Janakpuri with Guru Vishwamitra and Lakshmana in Mother Sita’s Swayamvara.
Searching God in thousand idols and quoting, “We should Lord in everyone” is a worthless business. Until we see Lord in the Self, it is impossible to see God in others. Firstly, we must begin seeing a live form of the ideal idol we rever or worship. We cannot even see the live form of the idol and think to see God in the world.
Even Radha Rani appeared on earth, and then Sri Krishna was born. Lord exists, but we cannot see him (or she or it) due to a lack of bhava, bhakti, the devotion. Chanting the Name with utmost involvement into the Name is the solution. Bhakti, in its ripened state, can make us see God.
Swami Vivekananda went to Madras. The king of the province considered him as a true sannyasi and thus called him to his palace. He said, “Sir! My mind does not rest on the idols people worship. I cannot perceive God sculpted out of wood, stone, or metal. I think idol worship is wrong.” Swami Vivekananda, pointing at the portrait of the king’s father, said, “Courtiers! Spit at this portrait.” The courtiers trembled out of fear. Swami Vivekananda said, “Why do you hesitate? It’s not a live king. It’s merely a still photo… (to the king) You are the king, and he is your father. You can spit on the portrait.” The king replied, “I have my emotions attached to this image. I perceive my father seeing the painting.”
Swami Vivekananda said, “Exactly the way you rever your father in this portrait, people perceive God in the idol. When a person goes to a temple, he doesn’t pray to say, “O stone, or O image, kindly fulfill my wish.” He perceives live God before him. He has the faith that God shall fulfill his wish (or wishes). Similarly, a person performs sajdah before the Holy Qaba, perceiving it as the dwelling place of Allah.” Bhava makes the person conceive any form as a living God. Every person has to begin by believing in the idol as his or her ideal and then imbibe the external form into his or her existence. The form gradually merges into formless.”
Practicing in a corner of a room, chanting the Name shall make us perceive the idol we rever as a living God. We should pray by seeing the same within our hearts and asking to let eternity manifest within. Once we open our eyes, then we should God in everyone.