The forty-second in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life.

In this talk, starting with Chapter 7:24, Swamiji discusses God in manifestation, veiled by Maya and also beyond manifestation. He also shares stories of Anandamayi Ma.

Here is the summary of the main points from the talk, “God Beyond Manifestation.”

• God Beyond Manifestation: God is described as unmanifest, yet people often confuse the manifested world as being all there is of God. This misunderstanding arises from a lack of deeper understanding of God's imperishable and unsurpassed nature.
• Veiled by Yoga Maya: God does not reveal himself to all; he plays a divine game of hide and seek (peekaboo), where only those whose consciousness is ready can perceive him.
• Saints and the Absolute: Saints like Anandamayi Ma can live in the absolute consciousness while navigating the relative world, demonstrating divine abilities like creating intricate sacred threads and transforming inedible food.
• Perception of Divinity: Ma was seen by different people in various lights - as mad, a fraud, or divine - reflecting how individuals perceive divinity based on their own understanding or belief.
• Transformation Through Recognition: Encountering Ma could lead to a transformation in consciousness, not by forcing belief but by allowing individuals to see themselves more clearly.
• Dualities and Delusion: The talk discusses how human experiences like desire and aversion are products of the delusion of duality, which Ma transcends by accepting all experiences equally.
• Divine Play and Human Understanding: Even when appearing vulnerable or ill, Ma's actions were lessons in the impermanence and illusion of life, teaching through her state that nothing really touches the divine essence.
• Steadfast Devotion: Those who have moved beyond wrongdoing and uphold righteousness worship God with firm resolve, understanding Brahman (the ultimate reality) not partially but completely. They also recognize the right actions in life, knowing God as the primal being and the essence of all sacrifice.
• Realization at Death: The steadfast maintain their awareness of God even at the time of death, continuing their practice of meditation and devotion, understanding the unity of the self with Brahman.

This talk essentially highlights the transcendence of God beyond the material world, the nature of divine play in human perception, and the path of spiritual realization through devotion and understanding.