So this is self-realization, when one understands that "I am not this body. I am minute particle of the Supreme." Kṛṣṇa says... Everything is said there. We have to realize it. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśa. Although aṁśa... Aṁśa and aṁśī, the whole and the part. Part is never equal to the whole—that is axiomatic truth—but it is equal in quality. Just like little particle of gold is also gold. It is nothing but else. Similarly, although we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, very minute, infinitesimal, aṇimānam, perpetually, eternally, still, we are not as big as Kṛṣṇa. Just like small particle of this sea water. The chemically composition is the same; you'll find the same taste. And if you analyze, you'll find all the same ingredients, chemicals, within the small particle. But the small particle is never equal to the sea, small particle of the water. This is said... If I think, "Because I am qualitatively one with God, therefore I have become God," that is mistake. That is aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). They have been described in the śāstras as aviśuddha, unclean intelligence. Unclean intelligence. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. The, some Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that "I am the same, so 'ham." So 'ham does not mean that I am equal to God. Nobody can be equal to God or greater than God. That is not God. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad..., mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7).
So nobody can be greater than God or equal to God. That is... That means greatness of God. Asamordhva. Asama. Asama means nobody is equal to Him. And nobody is greater than Him. That is God. If somebody claims to be God, then he has to prove that nobody is equal to him and nobody is greater than him. Then he's God. This is the simple definition of God, that nobody equal to Him and nobody greater than Him. That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "My dear Dhanañjaya, Arjuna, there is no more superior authority than Me." And in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara. Īśvara means controller. So we small living entities, very minute, still, we are controller. We control. At least, we control our family members, my wife, my children. Or if I am bigger, I control my office, or I control my factory, I control the country, I become president. In this way, controller, controller, bigger controller, bigger controller, you go to the Brahmā, the controller of the universe. But he is also not Supreme Controller. It is said, tene... Brahmā is meditating. Although he is the greatest creature, living creature, within this universe, he's also meditating to learn controlling. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. He learned first of all how to control over the universe. Then he became Brahmā. Of course, he was born Brahmā, but still, he was to be educated. Just like we require to be educated. So Brahmā was educated. So who educated him? Kṛṣṇa. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Kṛṣṇa says. Aham ādir hi devānām. Deva, the original deva, is Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. So Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa is Viṣṇu, but He is the instructor of Brahmā and Śiva also. This is the shastric conclusion. That is greatness. That is greatness.
So we should not falsely claim that "I am as great as the Supreme God." No. We should understand this, aṇimānam. Svayaṁ-jyo... Etad jyotiḥ, I am as effulgent... Just like spark. Spark is jyoti, but not as brilliant, effulgent, as the original fire. The original fire—phat! phat!—there are some sparks. You have got experience. The spark is also jyoti. If a spark falls on your cloth, it will immediately burn. The burning capacity is there. But it is not as good as the original fire. Svayaṁ-jyotiḥ. Here it is said, nirantaram. So nirantaram means there is, so far jyoti is concerned, there is no difference, but the small, very small. Aṇimānam akhaṇḍitam. This is self-realization. Don't falsely claim that "Because I am qualitatively one with God, therefore I am God." No. You may be god. God means controller. But you are not the Supreme God. The Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ. Parama means Supreme. We are īśvara, we may be īśvara. I may be īśvara for few persons, another may be for a big nation, another may be for the... You can go on increasing. But you cannot reach the, I mean to say, position of God. That is aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ.
Therefore śāstra says, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). One who has advanced very much in spiritual knowledge, but he is thinking himself, "Now I have become liberated..." Sometimes they claim, "I have become Nārāyaṇa." Therefore Māyāvādīs, they address one another, "Namo nārāyaṇāya." Everyone has become Nārāyaṇa. So how everyone can become Nārāyaṇa? So many Nārāyaṇas? No. Nārāyaṇa is one. God is one, Nārāyaṇa. Therefore śāstra warns,
- yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ
- brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ
- samatvenaiva vīkṣeta
- sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam
- (CC Madhya 18.116)
He's pāṣaṇḍī. If one compares Nārāyaṇa with other demigods... Now, unfortunately, it has come to so downtrodden position, the intelligence, that they are talking of "daridra-nārāyaṇa." What is this? This is farce. Nārāyaṇa is the exalted Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even Śaṅkarācārya, he says, nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt: "Nārāyaṇa is beyond this universe." Paraḥ avyaktāt. Avyaktāt anya-sambhavaḥ. And the whole universe is product of this avyakta. So we should not compare Nārāyaṇa with anyone else, what to speak of darid ra. That is a foolishness. Nārāyaṇa is Lakṣmī-pati, the husband, the controller of the goddess of fortune, and how He can be daridra? This is misunderstanding. Therefore śāstra warns,
- yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ
- brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ
- samatvenaiva vīkṣeta
- sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam
- (CC Madhya 18.116)
If anyone thinks that Nārāyaṇa is..., or other demigods are equal to Nārāyaṇa, sa pāṣaṇḍī. He is pāṣaṇḍī, atheist.