Courtesy: kamyabology.com

A prince went upto Swami Rama Tirtha and put his question “O venerable sir, who is God? Where is He? Please take me to God. I wish to see Him.”The Swami answered “Dear prince, if you wish to see God I will have to tell Him who you are. So please give me your visiting card.

When a man wants to see a high dignitary does he not send his card first? I will place your card in the hands of God I am sure He will see you.” The prince thought the request was quite reasonable, quite in order to cpmply with. So he took a piece of paper and wrote his name “ Sri Gajpati Raju”. The Swami read it.

He returned the slip saying “This is your name . God will like to know your who you are and not your name.” The prince took back the slip and wrote in another” Prince of VIjayanagram”. Again the Swami remarked “ But that is your status”. The confused prince wrote a third time” Administrator of VIjaynagram”. “ That is your position ,” rejoined the Swami.

The prince thought, over deeply and wrote finally “Man”. “ No, that is your species”. The prince wrote no more. He agreed with the Swami,” I am only giving you my descriptions, qualifications and attributes. I do not seem to know who I am ?” So saying the prince reflected deeply. He began to introspect. He started the process of self analysis.

“ Am I the physical body?” “No. The body belongs to me. It is my possession. I am the possessor of my body. I remain changeless while my body undergoes constant changes. Physicians prove that after every seven years the body of a man is entirely changed. Every particle of the body is replaced by a new particle. This body is in continuous flux. I am not it. Then who am I.?”

The prince continued his investigation . “ Am I the mind? Or the intellect.” “No” , he contemplated. . ”It cannot be . They are also continually changing. They are all mine. I am apart from my mind and intellect.”

The Swami then gently told him,” oh price you are your Self. You are not your body ,mind or intellect…..”

The prince was astonished. He mediated and realized “ How sill I had been. I wanted to meet God. I wanted to know God. Now I find My own Self, my supreme nature, my Atman is God”.

Introspect analyze yourself. Think deeply… you are the kernel and not the shell.

Source: Vedanta Treatise - A. Parthasarathy

Designed and maintained by AKR Consultants