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From being a God to becoming Godly
July 22, 2010  |  radhanath-swami

Richard met a fascinating person, Balashiva Yogi who was frivolous and talkative, but became intense during his yoga practice. After a few days, as Richard bid him goodbye, Balashiva Yogi insisted that Richard attend his lecture that evening. In the talk he performed miracles by creating a deity of Lord Shiva in his hand and inducing ashes to materialize from his bare palm. As all gazed at him as if he was God, Balashiva Yogi declared that this is prapti siddhi, a yogic art, through which one can manipulate gross elements of nature by controlling the subtle elements within the mind. He warned that neither he is God nor anyone else performing such supernatural feats, for these skills are attained through meditation and austerities. He declared, “I can create ashes, God can create universes.”

Richard was impressed by his honesty and reflected how true spirituality is to realize God and be godly, not to show off one’s powers. He realized how the world over, athletes, entertainers, scientists, politicians, scholars, and business men and women are all worshipped, but this is due to the ignorance of the people who do not appreciate God’s power, but are fascinated by human feats. God has put a gigantic banyan tree in a seed, gallons of water in a floating cloud, and million other miracles. Richard wondered could all this simply be a random chance. He concluded creation is nothing but one amazing miracle after another, and God had empowered every species with amazing talents.

When we think calmly and carefully about this wonderful universe, we can see order and design at every level – in the atoms, the molecules, the solar system and the universe. Scientists continue to find new and astonishing aspects of this order. The very word ‘cosmos’ means ‘an orderly, harmonious systematic universe’. Nobel-prize-winning physicist Robert A. Millikan, said at a meeting of the American Physical Society: “There’s a Divinity that shapes our ends…A purely materialistic philosophy is to me the height of unintelligence. Wise men in all the ages have always seen enough to at least make them reverent.”

Scientific study has consistently shown in the past, and still continues to show that the behaviour of even insensible matter is not at all haphazard, but on the contrary obeys definite natural laws. The arrangement of chemical elements by the great Russian chemist, Mendeleef, is called ‘The Periodic Law’ and not ‘The Periodic Chance’. Also, the entire universe, from atoms to galaxies, is governed by definite physical laws. There are laws for governing heat, light, sound and gravity, for example. As physicist Stephen W. Hawking said: “The more we examine the universe, we find it is not arbitrary at all but obeys certain well-defined laws that operate in different areas. It seems very reasonable to suppose that there may be some unifying principle.”

When we think of laws, we acknowledge that they come from a lawmaker. A traffic sign that says “Stop” certainly has behind it some person or group of persons who originated the law. What, then, about the comprehensive laws that govern the material universe? God is not an assumption, but a tangible reality. Dr Albert Einstein said, “I believe in God – who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of the Universe. I believe that intelligence is manifested throughout all Nature. The basics of scientific work is the conviction that the world is an ordered and comprehensible entity and not a thing of Chance. When I sit here and watch the mighty ocean, I can imagine the treasures hidden below the bed of the sea, when I see the clear blue sky above, I feel sky is the limit. When I cast my eyes around I see the wonders and beauties of Nature. Science must learn to live in Harmony with all these magnificent gifts of God to Humanity.”

Richard had earlier witnessed a striking exhibition of power of yoga. A yogi suddenly appeared from the jungles and challenged the doctors to check his pulse. He then fell silent, withdrawing his life force. The doctors present declared him to be clinically dead. Half an hour later, to the astonishment of all assembled, he rose from the dead. He didn’t ask for any money. He simply wanted to prove to the sceptics the power of yoga, and having done so, disappeared back to the wilds. Richard now realized this too is a power, not in any way an evidence of our becoming God.

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145 Comments


  1. Radhanath Swami always emphasizes this point – become godly, not God.

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  2. Radhanath Swami search for god so intense and pure he never got attracted to mystics powers he is actually a nitya siddha

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  3. These are wonderful realizations and experiences. It is good to see that there are ascetics and spiritual seekers who are true to their cause of spiritual enlightenment and not cheap publicity.

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  4. It’s amazing to know that such yogis still exist!

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  5. Amazing story of the Yogi declared dead and then rising. Tells us how advanced medical science is.

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  6. A “True Yogi” never takes credit for anything. I was very moved when Blashiva Yogi declared “I can create ashes, God can create universes.”
    Human nature is to glorify someone, if we do not glorify God, in ignorance we will glorify as Maharaj pointed out “athletes, entertainers, scientists, politicians, scholars, and business men”

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  7. A very important message for the people in kali yuga.

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  8. Sanjiv Chandnani

    This is so true. IT is a genuine seeker who really sees things when he sees. People in general see but still do not see

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  9. Radhanath Maharaj actually practices what he preaches with his humility and love and care for all the souls.

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  10. wonderful –just amazing.

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  11. Very true. I have realized that this tendency of becoming a God or the master of all our surveys is futile. We are in illusion if we remain in that identity. Our real independence is to declare our dependance on Krishna.

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  12. Wonderful quote – Not to become God but become Godly

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  13. Radhanath Swami Maharaj with these great experiences and realizations can provide Love Of God to any fallen soul.

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  14. Radhanath Swami is beautifully making us aware of the facts and at the same time teaching us very important lessons as well.

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  15. All Glories To H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj

    If only the materialists had or get a belief that the power that has created this material world is God, then this world would really become a Path to spiritual abode.

    Hare Krishna

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  16. What attracts people the most towards Radhanath Swami is the experiences he had with all spiritual paths and yet undeterred from his quest for the supreme absolute truth until he found his Spiritual Master

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  17. this is really a nice place. I will come back. Joshua

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  18. The very statement that we can BECOME God is foolish and senseless. God is God from beginning. One can never BECOME God. Our true identity remains same in future as it is now, i.e we are eternal loving servants of Krishna.

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  19. Jagdish Majethiya

    Great Article – This should help everyone not to take anyone performing some cheap miracles to be GOD. Not many understand that this is part of Siddhi. Thank you Maharaj for sharing these wonderful realizations.

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  20. When Brahma and Indra could get bewildered seeing the pastimes of the Lord, what to speak of conditioned souls like us who get easily carried away by magic tricks.Such performing magicians convince us of their supernatural abilities and it takes one like Maharaj to open our eyes to reality.

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  21. This article clearly illustrates that behind this entire cosmic manifestation there is a Creator – God.

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  22. Wonderful message from the life of Radhanath Swami

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  23. This is wonderful! “The Journey Home” dispels all doubts one can possibly have about spirituaity & choosing right path. And when H H Radhanath Swami describes all experiences he went through and their conclusions/inferences in his unique way then it becomes AWESOME!

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  24. Radhanath swami always goes deep and sees the situation / personality for what it represents intrinsically and not superficially

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  25. Radhanath Swami because of wide travel has met people from different backgrounds and has always learnt something valuable from them or from their behaviour.

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  26. HH Radhanath Swamy Maharaj all through out his encounters was guided by the Supreme Lord, so that he can realize the Absolute truth and not to be caught up with the externals. Also these encounters are the mercy of the Supreme Lord for us to learn the same from his guidance.

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  27. I have heard that people will go to watch a human doing mimickery of dog barking but no body cares for the barking of real dog…, similarly our so called scientist are creating many technology and people in general are simply amazed and glorify them, but we are unable to see and appreciate the technology, organization and design in the nature, in the universe, our body which God has created.

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  28. Radhanath Swami’s realization through his life experiences are always a source of great inspiration for others. Here through one of them, he is teaching us the difference between being God and godly. Thank you for this.

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  29. Dattatraya Choudhari

    In this kaliyuga there are so many fake Yogis who are misguiding peoples by exibiting there physical miracles and no. of peoples are going far away from real path of Bhakti,to save such thousand and thousand souls this Journey Home book by H.H.Radhanathswami should reach to these people so that they can also,be fortunate to have connect to the real path of Bhakti. RadhanathswamiMaharaj ki Jay.

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  30. Radhana Swami was impressed by the honesty of yogi and reflected how true spirituality is to realize God and be godly, not to show off one’s powers this shows before he already knew the essence….. he is truly reprentative of god

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  31. Yes, fake sadhus destroy our faith in god and His true followers.
    Saint/sadhu does not mean one who performs miraculous feats but whose character is marvelous .

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  32. so very true message by Radhanath Swami Maharaj to not try to become God but be godly. Many so called sadhus try to pose themself as God and when they are exposed, the general people lose the faith not only in them but also in the spirituality itself!

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  33. Radhanath Swami Maharaj with these great experiences and realizations can provide Love Of God to all fallen soul.What attracts people the most towards Radhanath Swami is the experiences he had with all spiritual paths and yet undeterred from his quest for the supreme absolute truth until he found his Spiritual Master.Thank u Radhanath swami.

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  34. True Message

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  35. This Journey Home book by H.H.Radhanathswami should reach to all the people in this world so that they can also,be fortunate to have connect to the real path of Bhakti.

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  36. Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj for leading us towards the love of krishna.I am realy very greatful to u. Thank u Radhanath Swami.

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  37. This should help everyone not to take anyone performing some cheap miracles to be GOD.The very statement that we can BECOME God is foolish and senseless,Actualy we are eternal loving servants of Krishna.Thank u Radhanath Swami.

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  38. This should help everyone not to take anyone performing some cheap miracles to be GOD.The very statement that we can become God is foolish and senseless,Actualy we are eternal loving servants of lord Krishna.Thank u Radhanath Swami.

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  39. Thank u Radhanath Swami for Everything.Thank u for being so mercyful to us.

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  40. we are always subordinate to god

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  41. Amazing realizations!

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  42. Radhanath Swami Maharaj enlightens us in a simple way!

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  43. hey, nice blog…really like it and added to bookmarks. keep up with good work

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  44. God consciousness is a real science, which is far beyond the science we see today. Radhanath Swami has urged here to believe that God is the Supreme Magician and people who cliam themselves to be God by some mystic powers are wasting this rare human life which is meant only for self realization.

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  45. Nice one…..

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