Prabhupada 0653 - If God Is Not A Person, Then How His Sons Become Persons?



Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969

Devotee: "It says in the Padma Purāṇa, 'No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, qualities and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord, are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.'"

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is very important. Now, Kṛṣṇa, we are accepting Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord. Now, how we accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord? Because it is stated in the Vedic literature, just like in the Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (BS 5.1). Imagination, those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, they are imagining the form of God. And when they are confused, they say, "Oh, there is no personal God. It is all impersonal or void." That is frustration. But actually, God has got form. Why not? The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1): the Supreme Absolute Truth is that from whom or from which everything emanates. Now we have got forms. So we have also, must have been… Not only we, there are different kinds of forms of the living entities. Wherefrom they come? Wherefrom this form is originated? This is very common sense question. If God is not a person, then how His sons become persons? If your father is not a person, how you become a person? This is very common sense question. If my father has not a form, wherefrom I get this form? But people imagine, because when they are frustrated, when they see that this form is troublesome, therefore God must be formless. That is an opposite conception of this form. But Brahma-saṁhitā says no. God has form, but He is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (BS 5.1). Sat, cit, ānanda. Sat means eternal. Sat means eternal, cit means knowledge and ānanda means pleasure. So God has form, but He has got a form which is full of pleasure, full of knowledge, and eternal. Now compare your body. Your body is neither eternal nor full of pleasure nor full of knowledge. Therefore God has form, but He has got a different form. But as soon as we speak of form, we think the form must be like this. Therefore the opposite, no form. That's no knowledge. That is not knowledge. Therefore in the Padma Purāṇa it is said that you cannot understand about the form, name, quality, paraphernalia of God with these material senses. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By your sense speculation, because your senses are imperfect, how you can speculate on the supreme perfect? That is not possible. Then how it is possible? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. If you train your senses, if you purify your senses, that purified sense will help you to see God.

Just like if you have got some disease, cataract on your eyes, that does not mean you cannot see. Because your eyes are suffering from cataract, you cannot see. That does not mean there is nothing to be seen. You cannot see. Similarly, you cannot just conceive what is the form of God now, but if your cataract is removed, you can see. That is required. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (BS 5.38). The Brahma-saṁhitā says that devotees whose eyes are anointed with the love of God ointment, such persons, within his heart, seeing God Kṛṣṇa, always, twenty-four hours. Not that... So you require to purify your senses. Then you'll be able to understand what is the form of God, what is the name of God, what is the quality of God, what is the paraphernalia of God. God has everything. These things are discussed in Vedic literature.

Just like apāni-pādo javana-gṛhīta. It is said that God has no hands or legs. But He can accept anything you offer. God has no eyes, and ears, but He can see everything and He can hear everything. So these are contradiction. That means whenever we speak of seeing, we think somebody must have eyes like this. That is our material conception. God has eyes, He can see even in the darkness. You cannot see in the darkness. So He has got a different eye. God can hear. If you are… God is in His kingdom which is millions and millions of miles away, but if you are talking something, whispering, conspiracy, He can hear. Because He is sitting within you. So you cannot avoid God's seeing and God's hearing or God's touching.