FOUR TYPES OF BHAKTAS

God

PART FOUR

HOW CAN WE KNOW GOD?         

How can we know the LORD of the Universe?

Srimad Bhagavatham gives the answer-

Bhagavatha Puranam 1. 2: 17-21: “Sri Krsna, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam [the life stories and incidents that depict the Virtuous Deeds of God] and by rendering of service to the pure devotee; all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the God, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy. Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the God in the stage of liberation from all material association. Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the ‘Self’ [Supreme Soul] as master.”

So Devotion, and interest in reading Vedas, Scriptures, and Messages of God--who has come down as THE KALKI MAHA AVATAR--is the ONLY WAY TO KNOW HIM.

You can talk about God, many people talk about God without knowing God. You can go to a theological college and just talk about God. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

There are many ways to know God. Some of them are given below:

Ø AKRURA knew God by receiving His Dharshan.

Ø BHARGARI [the grandson of Bheema] knew God by his VAIRAGYA to reach and to abide with Him.

Ø DHRUVA knew God through Meditation.

Ø ARJUNA knew GOD through HIS VEDA [GITA teaching].

1)   We can know God through our experience i.e. when God answers our Prayers.

2)  We can know God through the Visions and Dreams etc., which God gives to us to know Him.

3)  The Most important way to know God is TO KNOW HIM THROUGH THE PROPHECIES GIVEN IN VEDAS WHICH GOD HAS GIVEN THROUGH THE PROPHETS, ABOUT HIS COMING [as an AVATAR].

4) THE LAST BUT NOT HE LEAST- WE CAN KNOW GOD BY THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR SOUL [ஆத்மானுபவம்]. You have to know God by revelation.

So it’s marvelous that all these people have been knowing God in a special way. So this is all a part of the household of God.

In order to live eternally in identity with [Para]Brahmam [after knowing HIM], one should

--have the mind is established in unity with all;

--be firm and free from doubt, nor rejoice not on obtaining what is pleasant and ---not feel perturbed on meeting with the unpleasant;

--have his mind firmly established in God and should be actively engaged in the service of all beings; attains Brahma [GOD] who is ALL PEACE. -[Gita 5:19-21]

As we all know that, The Lord is the Creator, Sustainer, the King, he Father, Mother, and Grand father, the one Worth knowing, the Purifier, and above all our Well wisher [Gita 9:17-18], He alone can show us the Right path to attain the Eternal peace and Jivanmukthi.

You should talk to Him, like a child to a father. You know, people think that because they cannot see Him, it cannot be God, but God is right in your midst. If God does not reveal Himself to man in human terms, it is an absolute impossibility for man to have any conception of God and that is the reason why idol worship always sprang up. If God does not move us, we are all failures. God is our Scripture School. So God is concerned about you, and God fashions every clay [We are all made of clay (களிமண் தேகத்தில் இருக்கிறோம்)] according to His thinking. So accept God. You will find a great peace come in to you. You will be the happiest person in the world. And the future is ours!

Until now we have dealt with the topics such as:

v Creation-its brief explanation,

v Delusion caused to mankind because of Maya,

v Some basic points on sin, and

We have also understood that in order to get rid of Sins and the clutches of Maya and to overcome Five senses, man has to search God.

v But at the same time we also came to know that there are four types of devotees who seek God, and among the four God likes only those who worship Him after knowing Him.

v And we understood –how to know God.