Question: Is the awakening of the kundalini the same as God-realisation?

Sri Chinmoy: The awakening of the kundalini does not mean the realisation of God. The awakening of the kundalini is only a method of entering into inner consciousness. There are thousands of people on earth who have awakened their kundalini. They have become conscious of their inner psychic power. But to become consciously aware of your psychic power does not at all mean realisation of God, far from it. God-realisation is infinitely superior and more fulfilling than the awakening of the kundalini.

When one's kundalini is awakened, one feels that some inner power is at his command. But this inner power is not the infinite Peace, infinite Light and infinite Bliss of the Supreme. So, when the kundalini is awakened, one can say that one is in possession of a blade or a penknife and that one can use the penknife to do certain things. But when one realises God, one feels that one has the capacity to use an atom bomb. This is the difference. When I speak of using a knife or a bomb, I don't mean in a destructive way. It is actually the capacity I am referring to. So when one realises God, his divine consciousness bursts into the earth's atmosphere and is spread all over the length and breadth of the world. But when the kundalini is awakened, one has only very little power.

To come back to your question, the awakening of the kundalini can never bring immediate God-realisation. But again, after the awakening of the kundalini one sees the limitation of kundalini power. Then one wants to go high, higher, highest and one feels that until one has realised the absolute Highest, one will not put an end to one's journey. Naturally, one will march on, march on, until the infinite Goal is realised.