When one understands that God is such and such by the mercy of spiritual master, by studying, by serving, then what is that understanding? "When you have thus learned the truth you will know that all living beings are My part and parcel." This is real knowledge. Part and parcel is not the whole.
This finger is part and parcel of my body, but it is not the whole body, although you can call it body. Suppose somebody touches my finger. I can say: "Oh, why you have touched my body?" This can be called body, but it is . . . actually it is not body, it is finger.
Similarly, part and parcel of God can be called god, but he is not Supreme God. Therefore there are two words in Vedic language: ātmā, Paramātmā. Ātmā. Ātmā means living entities. We are all ātmās. And God is Paramātmā. And in the Kaṭhopaniṣad it is said, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).
God is also a living entity like us, but He is the Supreme. Kṛṣṇa appears just like human being, but He is Supreme.
- Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
- pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
- (BG 10.12)
You will find in the Tenth Chapter. Although He appears . . . just like your President Nixon. He's also American gentleman. If she (he) appears here, he will appear just like one of you. But he is not one of you. He is distinct. Similarly, if the president is distinct, if the minister is distinct, then how much God is distinct from you. Try to understand.
You are claiming that, "I am God." This is all nonsense. We are part and parcel. Part and parcel. Just like a small part of the Pacific Ocean, a small drop, you taste it, it is salty. So you can understand the whole Pacific Ocean is salty. Immediately you understand what is Pacific Ocean.
Similarly, if you study yourself, "What I am?"—that is called meditation—then you can understand God that, "God is like me also. But He is profuse, unlimited, I am limited. But the same qualities are there." Same qualities. Otherwise, how can you get it? The part and parcel of gold is gold, but that is not whole gold. The quality is gold. You cannot say it is iron. Even a small particle of gold, no chemist will say, "No, it is iron." It is gold, but not that whole gold. This is understanding.
So one who approaches a bona fide spiritual master, then he can understand what is God and what is he.