Once in the Mathura Matha, one mayavadi came and started saying, “Aham brahmasmi - I am brahma."
I replied, “It is my great fortune, that Brahma has come to see me while I am seated here. You are brahma, many pranams to you.”
I told the brahmacharis, “I want to conduct a little examination, so please bring a burning log of wood. Krishna is Parabrahma, I heard that He had swallowed fire. So, bring a burning log of wood from the kitchen and put in this person's mouth. If he swallows the fire I will be convinced that he is brahma. If he dies or if he runs or flies away from here, we will see that he is not brahma.”
When he saw the brahmacharis bringing the burning log of wood he began trembling in fear and ran out of the temple. If he was the formless brahma, how did he even assume a form? So, don’t be victimised by such philosophies.
10 June 1996, Houston