Controlling Deities - an essential subject

No matter how technologically advanced, intelligent, wealthy or powerful we are, there is always someone who is superior to us and has some control over us. We may like it or protest it, but we cannot change this natural order of how this world works.

Vedic scriptures speak of higher beings who are entrusted with higher powers to manage different functions and departments of this world. These are called controlling deities. They are also limited in their power and even mortal as we are, but are fully competent in their tasks to smoothly manage this material world. Tasks entrusted to them by the Supreme Lord.

They are in charge of our digestion, our minds, the light, weather etc. But all these controlling deities, no matter how an elevated position they have, are all happy obedient servants of the Supreme Lord.

Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, conversations and letters offer a comprehensive presentation of this essential subject as seen in the Vaniquotes Controlling Deities category. An introduction from his books is given below in the following 9 quotes.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's books


vanipedia.org 		Each and every individual in the material world is controlled by the higher demigods. For example, we have our senses, but the senses are controlled by superior controlling deities. We cannot see without light, and the supreme controller of light is the sun. The sun-god is in the sun planet, and we, the individual human beings or any other being on this earth, are all controlled by the sun-god as far as our eyes are concerned. Similarly, all the senses we have are controlled by the superior demigods, who are also as much living entities as we are, but one is empowered while the other is controlled. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.10.8)



vanipedia.org 		Devas are situated in the mode of goodness of material nature, whereas the asuras are situated in the modes of passion or ignorance. The demigods, or controlling deities, are entrusted with departmental management of all the different functions of the material world. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.10.17)



vanipedia.org 		The peculiarity of the gradual development of the different senses is simultaneously supported by their controlling deities. It is to be understood, therefore, that the activities of the sense organs are controlled by the will of the Supreme. The senses are, so to speak, offering a license for the conditioned souls, who are to use them properly under the control of the controlling deity deputed by the Supreme Lord. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.10.19)



vanipedia.org 		There are five groups of five. One group is the sense objects, one is the five elements, one is the five sense organs for acquiring knowledge, another is the senses for working, and the fifth group is the five deities who control these divisions. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.20.13)



vanipedia.org 		The controlling deities of all the above-mentioned physical elements are empowered expansions of Lord Viṣṇu. They are embodied by eternal time under the external energy, and they are His parts and parcels. Because they were entrusted with different functions of universal duties and were unable to perform them, they offered fascinating prayers to the Lord. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.5.38)



vanipedia.org 		The taste of human beings and that of the swine are not on the same level. The controlling deity, however, awards or certifies a particular type of body when the particular living entity develops a taste in terms of different modes of nature. If the human being develops taste without discrimination, as does the swine, then the controlling deity is certainly certified for the next term to award him the body of a swine. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.10.19)



vanipedia.org 		When the supreme puruṣa desired to smell odors, the nostrils and respiration were generated, the nasal instrument and odors came into existence, and the controlling deity of air, carrying smell, also became manifested. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.10.20)



vanipedia.org 		O Nārada, the evacuating outlet of the universal form of the Lord is the abode of the controlling deity of death, Mitra, and the evacuating hole and the rectum of the Lord is the place of envy, misfortune, death, hell, etc. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.6.9)



vanipedia.org 		The controlling deities of the intestines are the rivers, and those of the arteries, the seas. Fulfillment of the belly with food and drink is the cause of sustenance, and the metabolism of the food and drink replaces the waste of the bodily energies. Therefore, the body's health is dependent on healthy actions of the intestines and the arteries. The rivers and the seas, being the controlling deities of the two, keep the intestines and the arteries in healthy order. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.10.29)



Controlling Deities - explore more within this category.

Vanipedia has now over 903 introductory articles compiled from Srila Prabhupada's books under the series titled Essential Subjects. All these articles can be seen in the Table of Content on the right side of this article and also here in this Umbrella Category. Browse through them to relish the breadth and depth of Srila Prabhupada's teachings - There is a subject for everyone.


   
 

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