THIS IS WONDERFUL QUESTION. GOD IS REALLY CLOSER THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD; HE IS CLOSER THAN YOUR OWN SELF. BUT ARE WE REALLY ABLE TO IDENTIFY? NO, FOR SURE.  UNLESS ONE IDENTIFIES, ONE CANNOT FEEL HIM.  IT IS THE KARMIC LAYER NOT ALLOWING US TO REALIZE HIS PRESENCE WITH US. DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS?  IF THIS IS OK, THEN, WE ARE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE MANTHRA IN SPITE OF THE KA;RMIC LAYER, BUT NOT GOD. THEN WHICH ONE IS GREATER? IS IT GOD, WHO WILL NOT SHOW UP AT ALL, WHEN THERE ARE OBSTACLES, OR , IS IT MANTHRA, WHICH ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND HERSELF AND HER MEANING ALSO, CROSSING THE BARRIERS OF OBSTACLES? THAT IS WHY OUR ACHARYAS HAVE CONSIDERED THAT THE MANTHRA IS CLOSER THAN GOD HIMSELF TO THE SEEKERS.