Material form of God can give Divine results

Question to Swamiji: You ask us to make the form of God with the mind. But that is only a material form, so how can it give the Divine results that a meditator seeks?

Answer by Swamiji: Often those who meditate upon a formless light believe they are engaging in transcendental meditation, and think that meditation on God's personal form is a material meditation.  

However, the Ramayan states:

go gochara jahañ lagi mana jāī

so saba māyā jānehu bhāī (Rāmāyaṇ)

"The mind is made from Maya, and wherever it can reach is the realm of Maya." 

If you meditate upon the form of God, it is merely a conception of the material mind; it is not the Divine form of God. Also, if you meditate on the formless Brahman, again it is merely a light created by your mind; it is not the Divine light of God. Hence, transcendental meditation by the material mind is not possible, be it on the formless or on the personal form of God.

Meditation upon the Divine is only achievable when God bestows His Grace and makes the mind Divine, by His Yogmāyā power. Until then, we have to continue with the material meditation. But we can create Divine sentiments towards the object of our meditation, and those sentiments will purify the mind.

So do not worry that the form of God you are making with your mind is material. Use that form to increase your love for Him, by developing Divine sentiments towards it. When you reach the state of "Complete surrender to God," He will bestow His Grace upon you and make your mind Divine. Then you will not need to create a form of God with your mind. You will see Him as He is, standing before you, in His actual Divine form.

Therefore, in the meditation that you do at present, there is no stipulated form that you must focus upon. You can choose any form of God that you are attracted to, or create His form with your mind; but keep Divine sentiments to increase your love for Him.