The madman was sitting in his cottage, chanting the name of Rama, when Haladhar came and said, ‘O Mad baba, people say, ‘I am He, I am Brahma’. What is this?’

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. As people are possessed by ghosts so they are possessed by God or Brahma. The ghost speaks through the patient, ‘I am so and so and I have possessed him.’ Similarly, the man possessed by Brahma says, ‘I am Brahma, I am He.’ He who is possessed by God or an Avatara says, ‘Whenever there is loss of Dharma…’

Halada: On one side, there is Brahma, the Lord of an infinite number of worlds, and on the other, there is the tiniest worm. Are not such speeches as ‘I am Brahma’ and ‘I am He’ audacious utterances?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Of what are the untold billions of worlds made? It is said, “I shall be born as many”, “Brahma is one and without a second”, “There is nothing else in the world” and “Everything there is, is Brahma.” Always was, is today, and will remain. The fundamental Tattva is Brahma. Then what is the harm if someone says, ‘I am Brahma, I am He’? Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: Are all Brahma?

Madman: Yes, Sitaram. Yoga Shikhopanishad says, ‘As a golden necklace, a bangle, an earring or a nose-ring remain gold, so the world arising from Brahma, remains Brahma.’ Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Well, Sitaram, say if there is any difference between a bangle and gold.

Halada: No.

Madman: Rama, Rama. Similarly, there is no difference between Brahma and the immoveable things and moving animals. Sitaram, God says in Srimadbhagavata, ‘Like gold turned into ornaments such as earrings and used in many names, remains gold even afterwards and in the interim period, I am like that in relation to this universe. That is, I am the beginning, the end and in the middle.’ Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: Then are all things of the world, God?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Just as a big vessel, a pitcher and a round earthen pot are made of earth, so whatever there is in the world is made of God. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: Are all the various kinds of hills, mountains, water, air, fire, trees and plants, birds and animals and men, God?

Madman: Yes, Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Yes Sitaram, In Srimadbhagavata, Sridharaswami says, “Like gold turned into crowns, earrings, tinkling ornaments, truly remain gold, so the great Tattvas, pride, sky, etc. are fundamentally Narahari and nothing else.” Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: It is a strange thing that I see a tree but call it God. How can I say that?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. I see a bangle. Why shall I not call it gold? Is not a golden bangle gold? Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Mahopanishat says, ’Just as the meaning of the word bracelet is not different from that of gold, so gold is not different from a bracelet. In the same way, the world and Brahma are not different.’ Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: Why does one Hari become so many?

Madman: Jai Jai Sitaram. To perform Leela, with the help of Yogamaya, not differentiated from His self, Hari alone is playing in many forms. Sitaram.

Halada: How can it be understood that Hari alone is all? What is the way of getting rid of the vision of multiplicity?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Through uttering the name of Rama, the One must be seen first in the temple of the heart. After seeing the One, the belief that all are One will be established. Sitaram, Sitaram.

Halada: What will one find by chanting ‘Rama Rama’ and looking inwards?

Madman: Rama, Rama. You will see light and hear all kinds of melodies and sound of numerous musical instruments. Rama, Rama. But getting enchanted by the music will not do. You will have to go forward following the music of the flute. There is no respite till you find the flautist. Once you find him, your aim is fulfilled. Jai Sitaram.

Halada: What happens on listening to the flute?

Madman: One is possessed. The mind melts and the sounds of ‘I am Brahma’, ‘I am He’ rise from within. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: People say ‘I am Brahma, I am He’ when they are possessed by Brahma. What do they say when they are possessed by God?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. They say, ‘Whenever there is lassitude in religion and rise of irreligion, I create myself, O son of Bharata.’ (Gita)

Halada: If a man is possessed by a ghost, the ghost leaves him if an exorcist drives it away. Is there any exorcist in this case?

Madman: In this case, worldly distractions are the exorcists. Jai Sitaram. The Mother wakes up when the mind turns inwards. If the man is allured by the worldly distractions, he starts identifying with the body and the upward movement of the mad woman is stopped. He remains stuck in ‘I…I…my…my.’ Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: Who can get to the state of ‘I am He’ and ‘I am Brahma’?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Those, who eat pure food, associate with good company, and worship in time and always chant the name of Rama, can reach Brahma. The words ‘I am He’ and ‘I am Brahma’ rise within them and their bodies are thrilled. It happens when one is possessed by Brahma. When one is possessed by the Avatara, the words ‘whenever ………………’ start rising.

Halada: Should ‘I am Brahma’ and ‘I am He’, be practiced orally?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. To say, ‘I am He’ orally, means expressing pride. This ‘I am He’ dances with the sound of soundlessness and resonates in the mind and Prana. Those who say ‘I am He’ and ‘I am Brahma’ orally, say so by standing aloof from the state of ‘I am He’. When the ‘I am He’ happens, speech ceases to exist. Sitaram, this is to be experienced and cannot be described. Brahma is one and without a second. If by saying ‘I am Brahma’ or ‘I am He’ I declare my self-glory, then it will no longer remain one. Only by diving inside, one will get to hear the Nada. Even an Avatar has to come down into this cage of three cubits and a half in length and has to accept worship and criticism. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: Has he to accept both worship and criticism?

Madman: Worship and criticism live side by side like light and darkness. Those who are worshipping today are sure to denounce tomorrow. Those who decry today will surely worship tomorrow. This is the general law. There are exceptions only in special places. The mood-child that is born when the mind turns inward and the kundalini awakens, is to be nurtured carefully, out of the sight of the people; and the work carried on. One, who does so, reaches Brahma or Avatara. The misery of the person who proclaims his being Brahma or an Avatara, knows no bounds. These things are not to be spoken of but experienced. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Listen to this story. Lord Shankaracharya went to the Old Brahmananda in Kakadwip and said, ‘I am a preacher of non-duality. I would like to debate with you.’ Old Brahmananda heard him and said, smiling, ‘How will you preach non-duality? You are far from the knowledge of non-duality. For a knower of non-duality, where can there be arguments, for and against? When there is only one, where can there be another to debate with? Well, well. You go and preach non-duality.’ Then Lord Shankaracharya went to holy Puridhama and founded the Govardhana Monastery. He founded no monastery in Bengal. Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Rama, Rama.

Halada: What should they do, who wish to reach Brahma?

Madman: Move away from worldly distractions, go to an isolated place and mediate with mind, body and soul. Whatever needs to happen next will be taken care of by their revered deity. Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Sitaram.

Halada: Look here, mad baba, I do not understand Brahma. Tell me how can I have peace and get rid of anxiety.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Sitaram. Always chant the name of Rama. You will not need to worry. You will land right in the kingdom of joy.

Halada: Yes, another point. You say that on the appearance of the feeling of Avatara, the attitude “Whenever…” awakens. What does “Whenever…” mean?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. “Whenever religion is reproached and irreligion raises its head I create myself. For the rescue of the virtuous, destruction of the evil-doers and establishment of religion I appear in every age.” Rama, Rama.

Halada: Then God comes as an Avatar and destroys irreligion and establishes religion. What is religion?
Madman: Rama, Rama, Jai Jai Rama. What you bear and protect is religion. God protects the Vedas and so he came as the Fish-avatar and protected the Vedas from the deluge of destruction. For the nourishment of the Sattva-filled gods, He assumed the shape of the tortoise during the churning of the ocean for nectar. Similarly, He ascended as Varaha, Nrisinmha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Balarama, Buddha and Kalki. Narada, Kapila, Vyasadeva, Rishabha etc. are all Avataras of God. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Those in whom the desire of ‘Whenever…’ arises, also re-establish order in this world. Lord Shankara, Lord Ramanujacharya and Gour, the embodiment of love, also established religion. Rama, Rama.

Halada: What are the attributes of religion?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Rama. Patience, forgiveness, self-control, abstaining from theft, purity, suppression of the senses, wisdom, spiritual learning, truth and absence of anger, are the ten indicators of religion. People in whom the impulse for “Whenever…” rises, become established in these ten attributes and follow the religion throughout their lives with single-pointedness. The dictionary meaning of Dharma is Karma as prescribed by the Shastras. Men with Godlike characteristics consciously do only such actions. Rama Rama, Sitaram, Jai Rama.

Halada: Mad father, what does ‘rescuing the virtuous’ mean? The sadhus are delivered by dint of their own Sadhana. What does God do to deliver them?

Madman: Jai Rama, Sitaram, Rama, Rama. The sadhus, who get delivered and sit silently, commit an offence. The duty of the sadhus is to preach true religion. So God says. “Look, I am God. I need nothing. Still I perform actions. You too must do the same.” Setting an example and inspiring the sadhus to engage in the welfare of the world, is called the deliverance of the sadhus. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: Do the sadhus also have their duty?

Madman: Rama, Rama, surely. Anusmriti says, ‘the fruit of giving away of the whole earth is not comparable to that of giving knowledge to the ignorant.’ Sitaram. The Gods show favour to those who give knowledge to the ignorant.

Halada: Does the giving of knowledge bear so much fruit?

Madman: Rama, Rama. Narada Pancharatra says, ‘Removing the fear of the living beings, protecting him who seeks shelter and giving knowledge to the ignorant are the greatest causes of Nirvana’. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Halada: What knowledge can an ignorant person impart?

Madman: The Shastras say that he who has no knowledge will acquire it from others and will give advice to those who are more ignorant than himself. Sitaram. The establishment of religion is the main duty of the sadhus. Karmapurana says, ‘No one in the world is greater than the person who establishes the highest religion and knowledge about God. He is the greatest Yogi. That Muni who despite having achieved Yoga and being capable, is deluded and does not establish Dharma, is not very dear to God. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram, Rama, Rama.

Halada: Then the sadhus also establish religion.

Madman: Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. It is God who does so by using the sadhus as instruments. He appears before the sadhus. He begins to inspire and create a feeling of “Whenever…” in those through whom He wishes to get Dharma established. Sitaram, Sitaram, Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Sadhanasamar says, ‘It is the Supreme Soul that reveals itself as an Avatara for the welfare of the living beings. The living beings gain their welfare if, instead of denying it, they try to believe in it. At the same time, they must be very careful. It should be understood that the image of the Avatara is not God. He appears by taking the help of the image. None should take the image itself for the Avatara.’ Chant the name of Rama; rising, sitting, eating or lying. Delay no more! There the flute is calling. Chant the name of Rama. Rama’s name is the essence of the world. Rama’s name is the nectar-like sound. Rama’s name takes away crores of sins. I believe in Rama’s name. The sadhu always remembers Rama’s name. The devotee takes the name of Rama. With Rama’s name, Gods face the struggle and the wise man stands in the struggle. Jai Rama, Sitaram, Jai Rama, Sitaram.