Bhakti Quote by Sri Ramakrishna
““No one can say with finality that God is only 'this' and nothing else. He is formless, and again He has forms. For the bhakta He assumes forms. But He is formless for the jnani, that is, for him who looks on the world as a mere dream. The bhakta feels that he is one entity and the world another. Therefore God, reveals Himself to him as a Person. But the jnani — the Vedantist, for instance — always reasons, applying the process of 'Not this, not this'. Through this discrimination he realizes, by his inner perception, that the ego and the universe are both illusory, like a dream. Then the jnani realizes Brahman in his own consciousness. He cannot describe what Brahman is.””
About This Quote
Source Spiritual teaching: Vedanta discourse, null date
God can appear in many forms to devotees, yet remains formless and beyond description for the enlightened who see reality as a dream.
In simple terms: Divine is both form and formless, beyond words.
Key Takeaway
Seek inner perception beyond outward forms.
Themes
spirituality
philosophy
identity
perception
reality
Mood
contemplative
mystical
Type
teaching
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal meditation
- philosophical study
- spiritual practice
- teaching sessions
Key Concepts
non-duality
illusion
devotion
knowledge
Questions to Reflect On
- What form of the divine resonates most with you?
- How does recognizing illusion affect daily life?
A Different Perspective
Understanding may be limited by language and concepts.
![“You yourself are indeed Bhagwan [God], but the qualities of God have not yet manifested.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/863/dada-bhagwan-31_god_you-yourself-are-indeed-bhagwan-god-but_2065551.jpg)
![“All the doors of your intellect get shut in this satsang. Slowly everything becomes clarified; the Gnani Purush makes us just as He is! The Gnani himself has become the real form as the absolute Self (Parmatma swaroop). [By remaining] In 'his' company, that form manifests for us too.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e4e/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened-one_all-the-doors-of-your-intellect-get-shut_2383240.jpg)
