Radhanath Swami on ‘Limitations of the Human Brain.’

For a human being to conceive of the universe is like a tiny insignificant ant to try to fathom the earth planet. Is that possible? How far can an ant travel in its life? Even if an ant goes on pilgrimage from its childhood, and even if it plans to walk until its old age, it would probably get stepped down before it actually becomes old. And through it all, how far can it walk? Could it even cover the length and breadth of Mumbai?
Then, suppose we try to explain to an ant about the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean; even if the ant is in the ocean, it can never fathom the distances. It’s just beyond its comprehension.
Similarly, human beings are tiny and our experience of the world is limited. We have this little brain. It only weighs a couple of pounds. How much can that little brain understand? So this should be our conclusion- that we cannot know God, nor can we know in truth the extent of anything God has done. We can only know to the extent that God reveals to us.
By Radhanath Swami

By RNS Articles

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99 comments

  1. Normally knowing and accepting our limitations is a humbling experiance. Thank you Maharaj.

  4. That’s true. The glories of the Lord are unlimited & our brain power is very much limited. We can understand Him little bit but by His mercy only.

  11. All the illusions that I may have had that I know God have been shattered by Radhanath Swami Maharaj’s statements!

  15. All Glories To H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj

    What a beautiful narrative, with an beautiful analogy.

    Hare Krishna

  16. Excellent understanding given by Radhanath Swami of how insignificant we are.Thank you so much.

  17. Excellent understanding given by Radhanath Swami of how insignificant we are.Thank you so much radhanath swami.

  20. nice article!! Radhanath Swami shows what is the mood of one who has understood reality

  22. Very true.Just an ant has its limitations so does this human brain.Thanking you for showing us the way maharaj,that we are actually dependent on GOD for everything.

  26. This is very simple example but very deep meaning and dispose us how tiny we are and try to understand God by our own way. Thank you Maharj. Jai Gurudev!!!

  28. Radhanath swami Maharaj has really made us understand the topmost brain , which is the source for the Intelligence of all the brain…Thank u Maharaj

  29. the analogy of ant given by Radhanath Swami is very apt to understand our insignificance in front of nature/God.Nice…Thankyou!

  31. Interesting – trying to explain about the Pacific Ocean to an ant. Such is the absurdity of our attempt to understand God or His creation on our own.

  38. We can only depend on God for revealing true knowledge about Himself and His creation. Thank You HH Radhanath Swami for sharing this.

  40. Only by knowing ones current position, is it possible to truly progress ahead in life, spiritually as well as socially. We should thank HH Radhanath Swami for making us realize how insignificant we are before the plan of the Lord, and with this humility, lead a peaceful God Conscious life.

  42. the analogy of ant given by Radhanath Swami is very apt to understand our insignificance in front of nature/God.

  43. Thanks to Radhanath swami for this beautiful analogy and opening our eyes to the reality that our ant like efforts to understand God would lead us no where.

  45. Radhanath Swami is giving a very nice analogy between the size of the ant and the universe. So it is truly impossible for our tiny human brain to fathom the universe

  46. Thank you maharaj for bringing us to the realistic platform of how little we know of anything in this world.

  47. We can only know to the extent that God reveals to us – this is what is our capacity to understand. Always dependant on the Lord for all our abilities…they all come from HIM.

    Thank you Maharaj for showing us what we are.

  49. Very wonderful and practical analogy, to bring out the fact which becomes so evident and obvious with this example. Thanks Radhanath Swami for sharing.

  53. Only when we associate and take guidance from great seers like Radhanath Swami can we develop such faith and realizations

  55. To the degree one follows this statement to that degree his doubts about full surrender will be cleared.

  57. With this example given by Radhanath Swami, now I am able to better understand how material attempts at understanding the reality are like the attempts of the ant.

  58. So true we.. humans think we can know everything and are the most intelligent of all species and are most evolved. But compared to God’s intelligence we are insignificant. Thank you Maharaj for reminding us of our true position.

  60. Thank you Maharajah for cautioning us of our limitation to understand
    unlimited GOD. It will help us to approach God with humility and sincerity.

  61. This shows how insignificant we are and how we can understand God to the extent He reveals to us. Thank you Radhanath Swami for this

  62. Accepting human limitations opens up a new sphere of knowledge because it makes us open-minded enough to try spiritual stuff.

  63. Wonderful example.. Thank u for explaining it so well.. we need reality check from time to time!

  64. Radhanath Swami is so nicely explaining to us that its absolutely futile to explain or understand God or any of His creations using our small brains, but if we rely on our hearts where the Lord resides, then He will Himself reveal everything to us from within

  65. “Lord’s creation is inconceivable. H.H Radhanath Swami’ Maharajas ant analogy is very appropriate.We have to surrender to the Lord and allow Him to reveal His mysteries.” This is a good lesson to become humble and surrender to the Lord.

  67. Wonderful article – perfect analogy with ant. It’s only through Lord’s mercy we can know something about His opulences.

  68. very true, but not many people in the world understands it. thank u for reminding.

  70. We as humans always harp on our intelligence, and just because we can manipulate few things to satisfy our urges ,we feel accomplished. While the fact lies that even the greatest discovery’s are a mere scratch when compared to this vast universe and beyond. Radhanath Swami guides us on how we are depended on Gods mercy and how we should have gratitude for that.

  71. Radhanath Swami has been pretty straight forward in explaining how insignificant we are, constantly required for a practicing devotee to continously take shelter of the Lord.

  74. To know we are atleast as insignificant if not lesser – as an ant in this creation really puts us in the correct attitude to understand about God. In a humble and helpless mood completely depending on the Lord and exalted souls to help us – our tiny brains are not going to carry us too far…

  75. Yes it is not possible for our tiny brain even to speculate about God and His paraphernalia.It is next to imposible and we may go mad if try to do that.Better accept spiritual authority like Radhanath Swami and try to understand from him the God and His relationship with us.Thank you very much.

  78. Radhanath Swami keeps reminding us that we are tiny and should not consider ourselves God on the basis of a few yogic exercises or scientific advancements. The ant example will always remind us of our insignificance when it comes to independent endeavours.

  80. This article really shows my position and how I should not be proude of my tiney knowladge. thanks to Radhanath Swami. The example of ant is too good and too graphic.

  81. Very rightly said, God can be known only when it is revealed by great seers like Radhanath Swami

  82. Only the spiritual master can reveal the Lord to us. Radhanath Swami is the true shelter thru whom we can understand the potency of the Lord. Hare Krishna !!

  83. very important conclusion drawn by Radhanath Swami Maharaj – We can only know to the extent that God reveals to us.

  84. Very straightforward & enlightening observations by Radhanath Swami to highlight the fact that we have very limited abilities & knowledge to figure out the extent of the vast cosmos, what to speak of figuring out the unlimited God & His unlimited powers.

  89. This article is an eye – opener and a reality check that we are in fact trivial and insignificant in front of the magnanimity of God.

  91. Radhanath Swami has given a nice and important message here. As long as we think we can understand this world, we would be in illulsion, but once we surrender to the Lord, He can reveal all this knowledge in our hearts.

  92. great understanding by radhanath swami, this should be the real realization of each and every individual living entity’s of the universe,

  93. Radhanath Swami is teaching us how insignificant we are in front of God’s creation. So we should understand our insignificance and become humble, meek & submissive to hear the message of God coming through Guru parampara.

  94. Wonderful! Radhanath swami is right. It is imposssible to list down the glories of God which are unlimted

  95. The clincher is that we can only know as much as God reveals. It takes humility to accept this. Radhanath Swami is quite frank here.

  96. Well said by Radhanath Swami. Because we do not have the ability to understand and prove or disprove anything, it is better that we take shelter of the bonafide Sipiritual Master and scriptures written by God Himself.

  97. All Glories To H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj

    If all our scientists were to take this advice to their heart the world can be eternally spiritually happy.

    Hare Krishna

  98. Lord’s creation is inconceivable.Radhanath Swami’s ant analogy is very apt.We only have to surrender to the Lord and allow Him to reveal His mysteries.

  99. Thank you Radhanath Swami for revealing what is our true position in the workings of this universe.

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