God is eternally God in all circumstances; the desire to become God proves you are not.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Lecture — December 23, 1969, Boston 691223LE-BOSTON [07:23 Minutes] Lecture_691223LE-BOSTON Prabhupāda: ...ways that God is giving facility to become one of His associates. Common [indistinct]. So nobody is seeking after God. When you will seek after God, God is situated within your heart; He will give you all facility.
And so long you want to become God, you will be cheated, because you are trying to cheat yourself. How you can become God? First thing is that you are trying to become God, then how you became a dog? God cannot become a dog.
God is always God. The Māyāvādī philosopher says that "I am God, but I am, by māyā, I am thinking I am not God. So by meditation I shall become God." But that means he is under the punishment of māyā. So God has become under the influence of māyā. How is it that?
God is great, and if He is under the influence of māyā, then māyā becomes great. How God becomes great? So the real idea is, so long we shall continue this hallucination that "I am God," "There is no God," "Everybody is God," so many things like that, there is no question of getting favor of God. Then you do your own business, and try to find yourself whether you are God or something else. As soon as I think that "I am God," that is I am trying to cheat myself.
Who will help me? That is going on. Everyone is thinking, "I am God." So what you are thinking? You are trying to become God, or what is?
What is your idea? Or you are thinking there is no God?
Guest: I am thinking that there is one. Prabhupāda: There is God? You are thinking like that? Guest: Yes. I am also..., can see that I was trying to become God. Prabhupāda: So, that you are trying to become God, that means you are not God. Is it not?