God is known to be One when a person enters into the state of Samadhi; but as long as there is any consciousness of I, you, jiva, and the world, God is perceived as many.

 (from  “Sri Ramakrishna on Himself”): 

Sri Ramakrishna: (In Varanasi) I saw a tall white figure with tawny matted hair steadily approach each funeral pyre in turn, carefully raise each individual soul from its cast-off body, and whisper into its ear the particular name of Brahman that liberates a soul. Seated on the opposite side of the pyre, the all-powerful Divine Mother Kali untied the gross, subtle, and causal knots of bondage created by each individual soul, thus sending the soul to the Absolute by opening the gate of Liberation. Lord Vishwanath was blessing those souls by bestowing in an instant the experience of non-dual, Infinite Bliss that people can attain only after ages of concentration and austerity.

I found in him (Trailanga Swami) the living manifestation of Vishwanath. Varanasi was sanctified and made vibrant by his presence. He was in an exalted state of Knowledge. He had no body-consciousness: The sand there gets so hot in the sun that no one can walk on it, but he lay on it comfortably. I cooked rice pudding and brought it with me to feed him. At that time he couldn’t speak to me because he had taken a vow of silence. So I asked him by signs whether God was one or many. He replied in the same manner, indicating that God is known to be One when a person enters into the state of Samadhi; but as long as there is any consciousness of I, you, jiva, and the world, God is perceived as many. I pointed to him and told Hriday: “In him you see the condition of a true knower of Brahman”.

A person dying in Benares sees the vision of Siva. Siva says to him: “This is My aspect with form, My embodiment in Maya. I assume this form for the sake of the devotees. Now look. I am merging in the indivisible Satchidananda!” Uttering these words, Siva withdraws His form and enables the dying person to see Brahman.

I went to Benares with Mathur Babu. Our boat was passing the Manikarnika Ghat on the Ganges, when suddenly I had a vision of Siva. I stood near the edge of the boat and went into Samadhi. The boatman, fearing that I might fall into the water, cried to Hriday: “Catch hold of him! Catch hold of him!” I saw Siva standing on that ghat, embodying in Himself all the seriousness of the world. At first I saw Him standing at a distance; then I saw Him approaching me. At last He merged in me.

Another time, in an ecstatic mood, I saw that a sannyasi was leading me by the hand. We entered a temple and I had a vision of Annapurna made of gold.

Once I went with Mathur to Raja Babu’s drawing room in Benares. I found that they talked there only of worldly matters — money, real estate, and the like. At this I burst into tears. I said to the Divine Mother, weeping: “Mother! Where hast Thou brought me? I was much better off at Dakshineswar.