Knowing the Lord

The Lord doesn't directly get in contact with the material energy, but at the same time, the whole material creation rests on Him. Everything depends on Him, but He doesn't depend on anything.

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Knowing the Lord

The Lord doesn't directly get in contact with the material energy, but at the same time, the whole material creation rests on Him. Everything depends on Him, but He doesn't depend on anything, therefore He is the Supreme abode. He is situated in the spiritual sky and never comes in contact with matter, but at the same time, He becomes present through the reflection of His energy as Lord Garbhodakasayi Vishnu and Ksirodakasayi Vishnu, just as the sun reflected on a pot of water and then on the walls of a room.

The infinite Lord can simultaneously permeate all material universes, while the infinitesimal soul can permeate just a single material body. Just as the Lord is present in the material world as a reflection, the pure devotee can see himself also present as a reflection of his original consciousness, reflected in the three divisions of the false ego and permeating the body, senses, and mind.

Due to the contamination of the mind, a conditioned soul has many material desires, which carry the soul from one body to another. The soul can't become desireless at any stage, but when these desires are directed to the service of the Lord, all material desires are automatically dissolved.

Text 3.2.1

sa vedaitat paramam brahma dhāma

yatra viśvam nihitam bhāti śubhram

upāsate puruṣam ye hy akāmās

te śukram etad ativartanti dhīraḥ

He who knows this Supreme Brahman, the abode of the whole material manifestation. He who is wise and pure, who becomes radiant having given up all material desires, worships the Lord in devotion and transcends the ocean of birth and death.

Commentary: In the previous verse it was stated that everyone should worship the Lord, regardless of whether they are free of material desires or not. However, it is not that all will immediately attain the same destination. Everyone who worships the Lord eventually goes back home, back to Godhead, but the ones who approach the Lord with the goal of satisfying material desires take a longer path, while pure devotees who have exhausted their material pursuits can directly achieve the Lord.

In this verse, the Lord is described as the Supreme abode (paramam brahma dhāma). In Him, not only this universe but all material universes are situated (yatra viśvam nihitam). Although the Lord doesn't directly get in contact with the material energy, the whole material creation rests in His energy, and therefore He is the Supreme abode.

In the Bhagavad-gita (9.4), Krsna speaks a mysterious verse:

mayā tatam idam sarvam, jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni, na cāham teṣv avasthitaḥ

"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."

Krsna pervades the whole universe as Paramatma, not only entering the hearts of all but being present even inside the atom. At the same time, all beings are in Him, as He showed to Mother Yasoda by opening His mouth and unveiling that the whole universe resides inside His mouth. These two points are consistent with other passages and are easy to understand. However, Krsna adds a third point: despite permeating everything and being the abode of everyone and everything, He says He is not in them.

This point is explained in more detail by Lord Kapila, in the 3rd canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. In verses SB 3.27.11-13, He explains:

"A liberated soul realizes the Absolute Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental and who is manifest as a reflection even in the false ego. He is the support of the material cause and He enters into everything. He is absolute, one without a second, and He is the eyes of the illusory energy. The presence of the Supreme Lord can be realized just as the sun is realized first as a reflection on water, and again as a second reflection on the wall of a room, although the sun itself is situated in the sky. The self-realized soul is thus reflected first in the threefold ego and then in the body, senses and mind."

The Lord is present everywhere in the material creation, even in the false ego, which is the most subtle of all material elements. However, at the same time, it is said that the Lord never touches material nature. Lord Kapila explains this point by using the example of the sun reflected on a pot of water and then on the walls of a room. Prabhupada clarifies it in his purport: "The example given herewith is perfect. The sun is situated in the sky, far, far away from the surface of the earth, but its reflection can be seen in a pot of water in the corner of a room. The room is dark, and the sun is far away in the sky, but the sun’s reflection on the water illuminates the darkness of the room."

Because the sun is so powerful, even the reflection of the sun in a pot of water in the corner of a dark room is sufficiently luminous to be again reflected in the walls of the room and thus illuminate the whole place. The sun thus enters into the room and illuminates it, although it never leaves its position in the sky. Similarly, although the Lord is far, far away, outside the coverings of the universe, he becomes present everywhere by the diffusion of the reflection of His energy.

The Lord is situated in the spiritual sky, and He never comes in contact with the material energy. However, at the same time, He becomes present through the reflection of His energy. In this way, Lord Maha-Vishnu appears as Lord Garbhodakasayi Vishnu and then as Ksirodakasayi Vishnu, and from Him, all avataras are manifested.

This also shows that although present everywhere, Paramatma is just one. Ksirodakasayi Vishnu is like the reflection of the sun in the pot of water. The light of the reflection illuminates the whole room, although all the light comes from a single source. Just like the light coming from the reflection on the pot of water illuminates the whole room, Paramatma permeates all parts of the universe, although, at the same time, living in his own abode in Svetadvipa. The Lord is thus simultaneously all-pervading (being present everywhere) and localized (being present in one place). This may sound like a contradiction but is just another illustration of the transcendental nature of the Lord.

Prabhupada reinforces this point in his purport:

"The word advayam, “without a second,” which is used in this verse, indicates that although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is represented in everything, including the atoms, He is not divided." And then: "In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is stated that as the presence of fire is understood by heat and light, so the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although one without a second, is perceived everywhere by the diffusion of His different energies. It is confirmed in the Īśopaniṣad that the presence of the Lord is perceived everywhere by the liberated soul, just as the sunshine and the reflection can be perceived everywhere although the sun is situated far away from the surface of the globe."

These verses also explain the presence of the soul in this material world. The soul is just like the Lord, but small. The Lord is like the sun, and the soul is like a ray of the sun or like a small sun. Sometimes it is also described as the Lord being like the moon and the souls being like stars, conveying the same idea. They are qualitatively one, but quantitatively distinct.

The infinite Lord can simultaneously permeate all material universes, while the infinitesimal soul can permeate just a single material body. Just like the Lord doesn't come in contact with the material energy, the soul also doesn't, although the consciousness of the soul somehow becomes entrapped here. As explained by Lord Kapila, just as the Lord is present in the material world as a reflection, the pure devotee can see himself also present as a reflection. The consciousness of the soul is first reflected in the three divisions of the false ego (in goodness, passion, and ignorance) and from there permeates the body, senses, and mind, just like the sun first reflected in the water and then in the walls. In this way, the big sun permeates all material universes, while the small sun permeates just a particular body, although both are eternally situated in the sky.

In this way, "all beings are in Me, but I am not in them", indicates the Supreme position of the Lord. Everything depends on Him, but He doesn't depend on anything. Everything is part of Him, but He is not part of anything, just the hand is part of the body, but the body is not part of the hand.

Text 3.2.2

kāmān yaḥ kāmayate manyamānaḥ

sa kāmabhir jāyate tatra tatra

paryāpta-kāmasya kṛtātmanas tu

ihaiva sarve pravilīyanti kāmāḥ

When a person desires objects of the senses and meditates on them, he is born on different material planets due to these desires. But those who are self-satisfied, who desire only the Lord, have all their material desires dissolved in this very life.

Commentary: In his purport to SB 3.13.39, Srila Prabhupada mentions:

"The qualification of bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord, is that the devotee should be free from all material contaminations and desires. This freedom is called vairāgya, or renouncement of material desires. One who engages in devotional service to the Lord according to regulative principles is automatically freed from material desires, and in that pure state of mind, one can realize the Personality of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead, being situated in everyone's heart, instructs the devotee regarding pure devotional service so that he may ultimately achieve the association of the Lord."

The soul can't become free from desires at any stage because, in his constitutional position, the soul has desires. The difference is that constitutionally, the soul desires to serve Krsna, while in this material world, we desire illusory material objects. The idea is thus not to become free from all desire, as an impersonalist may aim, but to become free from material desires, desiring only to attain the Lord and serve Him.

The more we let our minds wander in material desires, the stronger the push becomes, and conversely, the more we become fixed on the goal of attaining the Lord, the more such desires slack. Our material experience was started due to free will, and the same free will can bring us back. At every moment we have the choice of serving the Lord by hearing, chanting, remembering, serving His lotus feet, etc., or chasing the dictations of the material mind. Every time we make the right choice, we become closer to the Lord. As this verse indicates, when we become fixed on the idea of attaining the Lord, all material desires gradually vanish. It happens in this very life; we don't even have to wait for a new birth.

On the other hand, if we intentionally maintain material desires while worshiping the Lord, we may attain such desires, but this process will keep us longer in this material world. Demigods are devotees who are on this path. They have the opportunity of gradually ascending while enjoying very high standards of sense gratification, but their path is extremely long. Demigods stay in their posts for the duration of a manvantara (306.72 million years). At the end of this period, they have the opportunity of being elevated to Maharloka, where they can live until the end of the day of Brahma. At this time, if they qualify, they can be elevated to Janaloka, and from there gradually progress to Tapoloka and Satyaloka. In any of these three planetary systems they can live up to the end of the life of Brahma (which is 155.5 trillion years away) and only then have the chance of going together with Brahma back to Godhead.

Attaining the Supreme

Material intelligence can help us to make plans and act in this world, but it can't help us to realize the Lord. The Lord is completely free and independent and can be understood only by one who He chooses. Therefore, the process of mental speculation is not useful for understanding the Lord; He can be understood only by devotional service. We should thus abandon material attempts and try to become pure devotees of the Lord. When we sincerely practice the path of bhakti, starting from the observance of regulative principles, spiritual knowledge is revealed to us. Only when our senses become purified by constant devotional practice, the truth of the Lord's pastimes, form, qualities, etc. is revealed.

Text 3.2.3

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo

na medhayā na bahunā śrutena

yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas

tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūm svām

The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, or even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person He manifests His own form.

Commentary: Srila Prabhupada quotes this verse in several of his purports. This translation is given by him on his purport to CC Madhya 12.61, and on CC Madhya 8.310 he gives an amazing explanation of the meaning:

"Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that Kṛṣṇa is obtainable for the faithful, but for those who are accustomed to argue, Kṛṣṇa is far, far away. Similarly, these talks between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu can be understood by a person who has firm faith. Those who are not in the disciplic succession, the asauta-panthīs, cannot have faith in these talks. They are always doubting and engaging in mental concoctions. These talks cannot be understood by such whimsical people. Transcendental topics remain far, far away from those engaged in mundane arguments. In this regard, the Vedic mantras in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.9) state, naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā proktānyenaiva su-jñānāya preṣṭha. According to the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.2.3):

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena

yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūm svām

And according to the Brahma-sūtra (2.1.11), tarkāpratiṣṭhānāt.

All Vedic literatures declare that transcendental subjects cannot be understood simply by argument or logic. Spiritual matters are far above experimental knowledge. Only by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy can one who is interested in His transcendental loving affairs understand them. If one tries to understand these transcendental topics simply by using one’s material brain substance, the attempt will be futile. Whether one is a prākṛta-sahajiyā or a mundane opportunist or scholar, one’s labor to understand these topics by mundane means will ultimately be frustrated. One therefore has to give up all mundane attempts and try to become a pure devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. When a devotee follows the regulative principles, the truth of these talks will be revealed to him. This is confirmed in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.234):

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ

sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ

One cannot understand the Lord’s holy name, pastimes, form, qualities or entourage with one’s blunt material senses. However, when the senses are purified by the constant rendering of service, the spiritual truth of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is revealed. As confirmed in the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas. Only one who is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead can understand the transcendental features of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu."

On SB 7.5.32, he adds:

"One cannot understand Kṛṣṇa unless one is graced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only one who has surrendered to a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa and taken the dust of his lotus feet can understand Kṛṣṇa. First one must understand how to get out of the clutches of māyā. The only means is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And to become Kṛṣṇa conscious very easily, one must take shelter of a realized soul — a mahat, or mahātmā — whose only interest is to engage in the service of the Supreme Lord."

As we studied in the verses of the Muṇḍaka Upanisad, just studying the Vedas doesn't guarantee that one will receive the highest knowledge. On the opposite: without seeing Krsna in the words of the verses, one will get just the superficial meaning, which will just point him to the path of fruitive activity or philosophical speculation. Devotional service to Krsna is described in each word of the Upanisads and each word of the Vedas, but without being already situated in the platform of devotional service one can't understand that. More than that, one can't obtain Krsna by just studying. For this, unalloyed devotional service is necessary, and to develop this pure devotional service we need to take shelter of a self-realized soul and be trained in the art of pure devotional service by him. Part of this training consists of learning the proper conclusions of the scriptures according to the parampara, by which the Upanisads and other scriptures can be understood.

In his purport to SB 10.13.54, one of the last purports he dictated, already close to his departure, Srila Prabhupada explains:

"Mere śāstra jñāna, or knowledge in the Vedas, does not help anyone understand the Personality of Godhead. Only one who is favored or shown mercy by the Lord can understand Him. This is also explained in the Upaniṣads (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.3):

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhasā na bahunā śrutena

yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanum svām

“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, or even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form.”

One description given of Brahman is satyam brahma, ānanda-rūpam: “Brahman is the Absolute Truth and complete ānanda, or bliss.” The forms of Viṣṇu, the Supreme Brahman, were one, but They were manifested differently. The followers of the Upaniṣads, however, cannot understand the varieties manifested by Brahman. This proves that Brahman and Paramātmā can actually be understood only through devotion, as confirmed by the Lord Himself in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ (Bhāg. 11.14.21). To establish that Brahman indeed has transcendental form, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives various quotations from the śāstras. In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.8), the Supreme is described as āditya-varṇam tamasaḥ parastāt: “He whose self-manifest form is luminous like the sun and transcendental to the darkness of ignorance.” Ānanda-mātram ajaram purāṇam ekam santam bahudhā dṛśyamānam: “The Supreme is blissful, with no tinge of unhappiness. Although He is the oldest, He never ages, and although one, He is experienced in different forms.” Sarve nityāḥ śāśvatāś ca dehās tasya parātmanaḥ: “All the forms of that Supreme Person are eternal.” (Mahā-varāha Purāṇa) The Supreme Person has a form, with hands and legs and other personal features, but His hands and legs are not material. Bhaktas know that the form of Kṛṣṇa, or Brahman, is not at all material. Rather, Brahman has a transcendental form, and when one is absorbed in it, being fully developed in bhakti, one can understand Him (premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena). The Māyāvādīs, however, cannot understand this transcendental form, for they think that it is material. Transcendental forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His person are so great that the impersonal followers of the Upaniṣads cannot reach the platform of knowledge to understand them. Particularly, the transcendental forms of the Lord are beyond the reach of the impersonalists, who can only understand, through the studies of the Upaniṣads, that the Absolute Truth is not matter and that the Absolute Truth is not materially restricted by limited potency."

Text 3.2.4

nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyo

na ca pramādāt tapaso vāpy alingāt

etair upāyair yatate yas tu vidvāms

tasyaiṣa ātmā viśate brahma dhāma

The Lord cannot be attained by he who is devoid of strength, by an inattentive mind, or by one who performs penances not prescribed in the scriptures. Only he who endeavors by the proper means can enter the Supreme Abode.

Commentary: The verse says that a person devoid of strength can't attain the Lord. By the context, we of course understand that it's not about physical strength. What is this strength the verse speaks about then?

In his purport to SB 7.15.45, Srila Prabhupada connects the word "bala" to the mercy of Balarāma, who is the source of all spiritual strength. As he mentions: nitāiyera karuṇā habe, vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe: when one receives the mercy of Balarāma, Nityānanda, one can attain the lotus feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa very easily.

Lord Nityananda Balarama is the original spiritual master, and He becomes present in our lives by appearing in front of us in the form of the guru in the bonafide disciplic succession. The parampara system is so perfect that it allows even an imperfect person to receive and transmit perfect knowledge as long as he or she remains faithful to the instructions and philosophical conclusions of the predecessor acaryas. We may not be able to directly hear the Lord speaking to us from inside the heart, but He can still speak to us through the spiritual master, who is empowered to understand the mentality of the disciple and give him the appropriate instructions for advancement in the spiritual path. As long as the disciple remains faithful to the instructions of the spiritual master, his success is guaranteed. The guru in turn remains connected to the parampara by remaining faithful to his own spiritual master and so on, in an unbroken line that goes all the way to Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada is the current prominent link in this current since he is the acarya who was able to distribute Krsna Consciousness in the West and explain all the important philosophical conclusions in his books. His work is the culmination of the plan of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to create a movement capable of spreading Krsna Consciousness far and wide, fulfilling the prophecy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that His holy name will be chanted in all towns and villages. Before these three prominent acaryas, most Vaishnavas were plagued by philosophical misinterpretations, and this persisted even after the appearances of great acaryas like Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Just as many misinterpreted the teachings of Sripada Śaṅkarācārya, becoming Mayavadis, many misinterpreted the teachings of Mahaprabhu, becoming Sahajiyas, caste Goswamis, Baulas, Ativadis, and so on. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote about thirteen apasampradayas that were common at his time.

Despite the efforts of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Srila Prabhupada, however, the philosophical misinterpretations of these thirteen apasampradayas are still around, just as Mayavadis, Buddhists, and everyone else who failed to grasp the next steps on the evolutionary ladder presented by the acaryas over the centuries. One who sides with these misinterpretations and considers the teachings of Srila Prabhupada as just the ACBD, or who ends up entirely rejecting the path presented by these three acaryas risks cutting himself from the spiritual strength received through the mercy of Lord Nityananda Balarama. Without this strength, one may speculate for centuries without being able to understand the true meaning of the scriptures.

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