In Your Quest for God The Encounters that go unseen
In Your Quest for God: The Encounters That Go Unseen — Every seeker carries a story of longing, of journeys to sacred places, of prayers whispered in silence, and of meetings with revered saints. Yet, as Bali discovered one autumn evening at the Hindu Learning Center in Toronto, the greatest challenge is not the absence of God but our inability to recognize Him. His weary words to Swami‑ji revealed a truth many seekers share: we search tirelessly, but the Divine often appears in forms we overlook.
Ashochha – June 18, 2015
Late one autumn evening, just after Deepavali in 2003, a middle‑aged gentleman named Bali entered the Hindu Learning Center in Toronto. He waited quietly for his turn with Swami‑ji. When he finally stepped into the inner sanctum, he bowed and sat down. His words carried deep weariness:
“Swami‑ji, I am so tired. For years I have searched for God, yet I have not seen Him. I traveled to sacred sites, prayed with devotion, met the Dalai Lama, received the darshan of Sai Baba—but still, I cannot see God.”
Swami‑ji smiled. Bali’s longing reminded him of a story told by his Guru, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, at the SYDA Ashram in Ganeshpuri. She had spoken of a poor woodcutter whose axe fell into the Ganga. With faith, he retrieved it, and while sharpening it, discovered the stone beneath had turned to gold. Yet he lived simply, taking only what he needed. Later, when he gave the axe as dowry, a proud man scorned it and threw it back into the river—blind to the divine gift before him. Gurumayi concluded:
“The ignorant man had so much, yet wanted more. The humble woodcutter recognized God in a simple gift.”
Swami‑ji looked at Bali and asked: “In what form are you expecting to see God?” Bali was stunned. He had never considered this.
Swami‑ji explained: “You have seen God many times, but did not recognize Him. You saw the Dalai Lama. You received Sai Baba’s darshan. God walked the earth as Krishna, as Rama, as Hanuman. One of Vishnu’s thousand names is Vasudeva—He is present in every living being. Most of all, He is present in man.”
At that moment, Bali smiled: “You are right, Swami‑ji. I am in the presence of God. For so long I searched, and for so long His message eluded me.”
Guha’s Story
Swami‑ji then told Bali of Guha, ruler of Shrang‑veh‑pur, the devoted friend of Sri Ram. In his previous life, Guha had been Gurudro, a hunter. One day, while chasing a deer, he sat in a Bilva tree, unknowingly dropping leaves onto a hidden Shivling. The energy of Lord Shiva softened his heart, and he could not kill the deer. Torn between duty and compassion, he prayed: “Mera kalyan karo, Bhagvan.”
Lord Shiva appeared as a yogi, forgave his sins, and blessed him: in his next birth, he would be Guha, friend of Sri Ram.
Thus, God came first as Shiva in yogic form, then as Ram in human form.
Recognition of God
God may come as a child, a beggar, a parent, a teacher—even as your boss who suddenly recognizes your hard work. The challenge is not His presence, but our recognition.
What Is Greater Than God?
The scriptures answer: a devoted wife or a true disciple of the Guru. Sati Anusuya, famed for her devotion, was tested by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva disguised as beggars. When they asked to be fed as infants, she invoked her husband’s name, sprinkled holy water, and transformed them into babies whom she nursed. Even the gods, in human form, rested in the hands of the devotee.
Across centuries—Christ, Buddha, Krishna, Ram, Mohammed, Sai Baba—all were human incarnations of the Divine. God comes to us in human form, for it is the only way we can truly relate.
The Guru as Gateway
When we meditate, it is the Guru who ignites the God within. Without a true Guru, visions may mislead; with a true Guru, they become divine. The closest we can come to God in physical form is through the Guru, who knows our past, present, and future.
Every message from a true Guru is a message from God. Gurudro’s Shivling, Sati Anusuya’s infants, the woodcutter’s axe—all remind us: God often appears ordinary, waiting to be recognized.
Every encounter is an act of God. A harsh boss teaches humility. A kind one rewards diligence. A holy teacher guides us. God acts through human beings, and recognition comes only through the Guru’s grace.
Swami‑ji’s Teaching
At the Hindu Learning Center, Swami‑ji reminds us that the Rishis and Sages were revered even by Krishna and Ram. Their wisdom brings prosperity and happiness, which is itself an experience of God. Through Jyotish, we learn our past, present, and future, and correct our karmas.
Swami‑ji’s wish is simple: that each of us live healthy, happy, and prosperous lives, recognizing God in ourselves and in those around us.
Sat Guru Nath Maharaj Ki Jai.
With love and respect,
Ashochha
In the end, Bali’s realization was simple yet profound: God is not hidden, only unseen in our expectations. Whether through the kindness of a teacher, the devotion of a disciple, or the grace of a Guru, the Divine continues to walk among us in human form. The stories of the woodcutter’s axe, Guha’s Shivling, and Sati Anusuya’s devotion remind us that every encounter is a chance to meet Him. This timeless truth is the essence of In Your Quest for God: The Encounters That Go Unseen — a reminder that recognition, not distance, is what separates us from the presence of the Divine.
