God in Man means that God is within us, not on the surfaces of our human personality (which is obvious) but in the depths of the heart. It is the Divine Immanent within us that we must find first as it is easier and nearest. This realisation liberates us from all fears including the fear of death. We discover a new identity, our true identity which is that of being an eternal portion of the Divine, the child of God. As the realisation grows deeper, it leads to a universalisation and with it, the discovery of God, not only in fellow human beings but in all creatures. The result is we begin to experience a vast universal love and compassion towards all beings.
Man as God was, as far as I have read, not so much of Sri Ramakrishna’s teaching but of Swami Vivekananda. It was during the last years of his earthly life that he was moved with deep compassion to see the suffering of fellow humans. On the other hand he also witnessed the tendency of certain monks who almost selfishly turned away from helping fellow creature under the garb of Sannyasa. He was countering this tendency born out of a selfish turning back from fellow humans by teaching the path of service born out of compassion. When properly done, out of the genuine impulse of serving God through and in fellow humans and not out of an egoistic philanthropy, it leads to wideness, a weakening of egoistic tendencies, a state of inner self-forgetfulness which is a step towards the realisation of God as the Self of all creatures.
Both these movements are complimentary and not opposed to each other. One should discover God through concentration upon the Divine Self within, through bhakti and meditation upon God in the heart. At the same time one should engage in service of the Divine who is hidden in humanity and all creatures.Β
Affectionately,
Alok Da
