"I am God" (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"I am God" |"I'm God"

1968 Correspondence

That God can come under Maya is one of the Mayavada philosophers' foolish arguments; therefore they say "I am God." This nonsense statement can be refuted in full with our information from Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam.

Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:

Yes, you may take up such debate, but not any quarrel or argument should take place. It is good to have such debate, and to know the various arguments which the Mayavad philosophers put forth, and to know how to fully defeat each one. That God can come under Maya is one of their foolish arguments; therefore they say "I am God." This nonsense statement can be refuted in full with our information from Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam. What, then is the definition of God? How can God become a dog? If you are God, why are you suffering, life after life? God means Supreme Controller; can you control anything? Not even your own body. What to speak of the millions of planets spinning so perfectly in their orbit. In this way, we must learn all of us, to defeat these nonsense rascals, and curtail this epidemic of Impersonalism,, which is fatal to the innocent people. We can stop this epidemic with this information of Krishna Consciousness, and it is our duty to do it.

Here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like "Be still and realize I am God"—what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God?! The stone is silent for millions of years, does that mean it has become God? This is all conglomeration of nonsense ideas.

Letter to Kris -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

Regarding your question about Yogananda, you write to say that you "received the impression from his autobiography that he was a genuine saint who dedicated his life to serving God." But the thing is that you do not actually know what is a genuine saint, and what can you understand about saintly life from reading his autobiography. I may inform you that just recently I visited his so-called asrama retreat, and it was simply a hodge-podge of all nonsense. There was a Buddha statue, a Christ statue, a Gandhi's memorium labeled as "World Peace Memorium"—and what world peace he has brought? None. And what does Gandhi have to do with spiritual realization anyway? Gandhi was simply interested to get the Britishers out of India—what has this to do with self-realization, the prime goal of life? And here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like "Be still and realize I am God"—what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God?! The stone is silent for millions of years, does that mean it has become God? This is all conglomeration of nonsense ideas. Practically, this Yogananda has no philosophy or authority, he simply drags in Buddha, Jesus Christ, Gandhi, and whoever else he can think to put, so that whatever you like it is in his shop. He is just a good shop keeper.

1970 Correspondence

Unfortunately, the demons do not even acknowledge the gifts from Krishna, and they talk nonsense that there is no God, God is dead, I am God, and similar things.

Letter to Kenneth -- Los Angeles 1 May, 1970:

Unfortunately, the demons do not even acknowledge the gifts from Krishna, and they talk nonsense that there is no God, God is dead, I am God, and similar things. So as you are acknowledging your obligation to Krishna, as well as chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra, so I hope Krishna will give you more facilities so that you can become perfect in this very life. It is very easy to achieve such success simply by chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra, and let us not miss this great opportunity.

1971 Correspondence

The most regrettable characteristic of this age is that man has forgotten God. He is claiming God is dead or I am God, etc. Just try to understand how much degraded this age is.

Letter to Edith -- Bombay, INDIA January 28th, 1971:

We are presently in the age; called Kali yuga, or the age of quarrel and dissention where man is very shortlived and not so very intelligent, But the most regrettable characteristic of this age, is that man has forgotten God. He is claiming God is dead or I am god, etc. Just try to understand how much degraded this age is. One of the anomolies,- of this Kali yuga is that our foodstuffs have been grown with so many chemicals, etc. Actually nothing in this Kali yuga is pure. The soil is polluted, the air, so many things as well as man's motives, but by firmly establishing our Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world, such unfavorable conditions can be terminated.