The Mystery Series topic “The Wonder of Wonders – God” Discourses by Swami Swaroopananda ji on Aug 31, 2025.
Summarized by Brni. Jyoti Chaitanya ji
The Wonder of Wonders, God
Who or what is God remains ever a wonder. Even Bhagavan asserts this in Bhagavad Gita:
आश्चर्यवत्पश्यतिकश्चिदेनमाश्चर्यवद्वदतितथैवचान्य: |
आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्य: शृ्णोतिश्रुत्वाप्येनंवेदनचैवकश्चित् || (B.G 2.29)
The very existence of God is even questioned, but as Pujya Guruji has said, “That people deny and argue against God, only proves the presence of God.” For no one argues about something that is nonexistent. But often it is discovered that those who doubt this existence are simply seeking a scapegoat to blame for their disgruntled disappointment of non-wish fulfillment. Swamiji pointed out that of the 8.4 million species of beings in this mighty creation, made of awesome natural forces and awe-inspiring planetary phenomenon, how pitiable it is that minute beings feel that the maker of this incredible galaxy is there just to fulfil our personal requests. Then we call ourselves intelligent beings! Realize that the mark of true intelligence, is inquiry, not blame or pettiness.
- So, what should we be inquiring into then? Swamiji thus began the exploration into, ‘the wonder of God’.
Wherever there is an effect, inquire into the cause. Causation hunting is the very preoccupation of the intellect. Scientists have been investigating the cause of the Universe for decades, finally postulating their famous ‘God-particle’, not realizing that they are searching for part of the universe, as the cause of the universe. See the unscientific inquiry. A part of the universe is also an effect, how can an effect be the cause of itself. What then is the Ultimate cause from which our vast universe was made? This was the subject of contemplation which our Rishis peered into with their pensive and sagacious minds. (Rishi = ‘Seer’ = Scientist / Discoverer).
First, they observed the inherent intelligence of the creation as evidenced in the process of its evolution, from the physics of nature itself, to the biological progression of beings in the march from single cellular organism to complex creatures. Then further to the subtler mental unfoldment in the genius of mankind to experiment and create through science and technology. From all of this they determined that, that which is evident in the effect must logically be present in the cause. Thus, they concluded that the cause of the creation must be an Intelligent Cause, in order to lend such intelligence to its effect (the world and its beings). For the effect cannot have that which is not there in the cause. By this definition of God as a Universal Intelligent Consciousness, how can there be distinctions in the definition of God as instigated by different religions. Beyond the divisive ‘name & form’ Gods, this Intelligence-Consciousness is the Universal overarching God entity. The higher and purer concept of God. With this conceptualization, even the atheist can ascribe to this notion of a ‘God’, since deep down, any intelligent being knows that there is a cause to this universe. Even our age-old famous scientist had said that the more you see this universe, the more you wonder what is the cause of this universe. But the Infinite defined, is the Infinite defiled. So our ancients gave us indicators to discover the Truth:
यतो वा इन्मनि भूतानि जयन्ति I येन जातानि जीवन्ति I यत् प्रयन्त्यभिसम्विशन्ति I तद् विजिज्ञासस्व । तद् ब्रह्मेति I …सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म। यो वेद निहितं गुहायां परमे व्योमन्। (Taittiriya Up.)
- Further clarity on the concept of ‘the form of God’, Swamiji then delivered:
The waves may be different but the water is the same. What is the form of water? Water itself is formless, but all the ripples, waves, tsunamis are the forms of water. Just so, the Infinite Consciousness cannot be limited to names and forms, but our limited mind thinks in terms of name and form. So then for us to understand what is the form of God, this entire universe is presented as the form of God (Purusha Suktam). In a dream all the names and forms are not separate people and places, they are you only (made of your own thought) Just so, a whole world can exist which is all just one entity, God. Every name and form in the world is God. A much more expansive understanding of ‘the form of God’, rather than the limited notion of the diety-forms of God which divide religions. This, even a ‘non-believer’ can attune to. This is why the ancient cultures, not only Hindu, worshipped God in the Sun, trees, fire etc. This is the Existence aspect of God.
By now, Swamiji established the definition of God with respect to Consciousness initially, and now Existence aspect is completed. Finally Swamiji addresses the Bliss aspect. Thus, completing the “Existence, Consciousness, Infinite Bliss” conceptualization of God as “Satyam Jnanam Anantam”.
- What is the proof that God is all love, all bliss, all benevolent?
Swamiji’s proof in this area was the sweetest of all. Summed up in one crisp line, “If you can’t see God in your mother… there is no other proof needed.” In that mother and father who gave all for us, in the Rishis and Saints who lived a life just to provide the knowledge which would lift us all, in the Sun and nature which expend themselves completely for our sake only… When the entire creation radiates such love and spirit of sacrifice, how can we not know that the God which is the form of the creation, is not all-consuming, all-pervasive love. The mere fact that the Sun shines is the proof of the existence of God… ‘The service of the people, is the service of the Lord of Lords’.
Thus does our Sanatana Dharma stand tall as the only philosophy which propagates not that Gods are many, nor that God is One, but that God alone is! Then where is it that you cannot find God?!
- Swamiji then concluded with a mind-blowing sequence to trace the effect back to its paramount and final cause:
- That from which the whole universe has come. Let us inquire!
– The entire universe exists where? In space, but the space can only be validated by your mind. When we go to sleep and mind subsides, where is space and time? Thus time and space are relative and are a concept of your mind. Therefore the universe exists in your mind.
– Where does mind exist? Mind is made up of thoughts. From where do your thoughts arise? From the consciousness that is Me. So the universe exists in Me. Arises in Me, subsists by My thoughts only and finds its sublimation in Me. This is the highest meditation.
– Meditating thus, slow the mind, find the gap between the thoughts in which there is no thought but full awareness. In that silence and absolute peace when attention focuses there, there can be no desires arising in that. That is ‘the peace that passeth all understanding’, in which I am existence-consciousness without any thought, identity, ego limitation. This is what you can discover here and now, in you yourself. Thus, that for which you are searching is… you तत् त्वम् असि … Do chintanam of the Lord, stop doing chinta of the world, and come to discover That Truth! Hari Om .