The Science of Studying God

Understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the highest, most precise spiritual science. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that while many people approach religion for material benefits or out of mere inquisitiveness, true spiritual life involves a serious, systematic study of the Lord's nature. This transcendental science goes far beyond sectarian boundaries. By properly studying the living entity, the material energies, and the authorized Vedic literatures, a sincere student can perfectly comprehend the inconceivable characteristics, pastimes, and personality of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Studying God Through Our Own Nature

Because the individual soul (ātmā) is a minute, eternal fragment of the Supreme Soul (Paramātmā), we share the same qualitative nature. Therefore, a careful study of our own spiritual identity provides a glimpse into the nature of the Supreme Lord.

• The original source of everything is God. So when we study our self minutely, that "what is our position?" Or by studying ourself we can study the nature of God.
• Because we are part and parcel of God, we can study God's personality from our personality. Just like we can study the father by the symptoms of the son.
• If you have deeply studied what is God, you can understand God. Because I am a sample of God, I am minute particle. Just like the particle of gold is gold. The drop of ocean water is also salty. The ocean is also salty, you can understand.
• I love Krsna, or God, and Krsna loves me. This is our exchange of feelings. So in this way, the science of God, even without reading any Vedic literature - of course, that will help you - if you have deeply studied what is God, you can understand God.
• We must study the atma and Paramatma - the individual soul and the Supersoul - upon whom the entire material cosmic manifestation rests. This is explained by the Vedic statement yato va imani bhutani jaya nte. yena jatani jivanti.

Observing the Lord's Energies

Although the Supreme Lord is situated in His own abode, His energies are active everywhere. An intelligent person learns to see and study God by recognizing how His power manifests within the cosmic creation.

• When there is smoke, you can understand that there is fire, although the fire is hidden; similarly, by the symptoms, how God is acting, how His energies are spread all over the world, if you study the energy of God, then you can see God.
• By the symptoms, how God is acting, how His energies are spread all over the world, if you study the energy of God, then you can see God, you can feel God, you can associate with God, and you become godly, or purified.
• We can study what is the nature of the Absolute Person by studying the sun. The sun globe is localized. The sunshine is spread all over the universe, and within the sun globe there is the sun-god, Vivasvan. Similarly, the original planet is Goloka Vrndavana.
• Try to study the energy of the Lord in every sphere of life. Do not decry Him and try to become like Him or take His position simply by fragmental accumulation of knowledge.
• God is male and female both. God, our God, sometimes He takes the form of female, Mohini-murti. Mohini-murti. But comparatively studying, God is purusa, male.

Relishing the Pastimes and Characteristics

Studying the historical pastimes, qualities, and form of the Lord is the most effective way to become attracted to Him. This is not a study of mundane history, but of transcendental reality.

• If by studying the form, name, qualities, pastimes and paraphernalia of the Supreme Godhead one is attracted to the Lord, he can execute devotional service, and the form of the Lord will be impressed in his heart and remain transcendentally situated there.
• People in general have a tendency to learn the history and narrations of different men and times, but due to a lack of knowledge in the science of Godhead, they are not apt to study the history of the incarnations of the Personality of Godhead.
• They (conditioned souls) are not so interested in studying the narrations of the pastimes of the Lord, Krsna. And yet the descriptions or the pastimes of Lord Krsna are so attractive that they are relishable for all classes of men.
• Whether one is liberated or is trying to be liberated, or is even grossly materialistic, the pastimes of Lord Krsna are worth studying.
• It is recommended that the yogi visualize the laughter of the Lord after studying His smile very carefully.
• This (not becoming entangled in material world) can be made possible if we become Krsna conscious by studying Krsna, learning of the transcendental nature of His activities, and understanding how He behaves in this material world & in the spiritual world.

Abandoning the Frog Standard

Conditioned souls often make the mistake of trying to measure God using their own limited, materialistic minds. To study God scientifically, one must abandon this "frog standard" and learn submissively.

• Our folly is that we are trying to study Krsna, or God, by our own standard, frog standard. We do not know how great Krsna is, how His potency is great, how He is manufacturing.
• The supreme authority and inconceivable power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be minutely studied from this verse.
• One who is intelligent and who studies the characteristics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with reference to the Vedic context cannot be bewildered by the pasandas.
• The present situation is the so-called modern civilization, they have no knowledge of God, although they are trying to study the laws of God.

The Postgraduate Study of Godhead

While various transcendentalists study different aspects of the Absolute Truth, the devotees (bhaktas) engage in the highest study. They utilize the topmost literatures, directly studying the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

• Let us study the laws of God." So jnani, karmi . . . and yogi, they are also of the same view. So karmi, jnani, yogi, and the last is bhakta.
• The bhaktas, or the transcendentalists who have realized the Bhagavan feature of the Absolute Truth, are the topmost transcendentalists, although all students who are studying of the Absolute Truth are engaged in the same subject matter.
• Srimad-Bhagavatam, the postgraduate study of the science of Godhead, can only be learned by studying it at the feet of a realized soul like Srila Vyasadeva.
• There is no difference between the mouth and the feet of the Supreme Lord, but from an impartial study we can appreciate that Bhagavad-gita is even more important than the water of the Ganges.
• While discussing the subject of this body and the owner of the body, the soul and the Supersoul, we shall find three different topics of study: the Lord, the living entity, and matter.
• Anyone who is trying to study religion and God, they should try to understand our philosophy, this Krsna consciousness.
• We are preaching God consciousness throughout the whole world just to study the science of God. So please do not take us as something sectarian.

Conclusion

The process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the ultimate academic and spiritual pursuit: the comprehensive study of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages everyone to elevate their intelligence by transitioning from the study of temporary, mundane subjects to the eternal science of Godhead. By carefully observing the Lord's energies in the world, analyzing our own spiritual identity, and immersing ourselves in the transcendental narrations of His pastimes found in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the conditioned soul is purified of all material misconceptions. This rigorous, heartfelt study naturally culminates in a profound awakening of love for Kṛṣṇa, permanently rescuing the living entity from the entanglements of the material world.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Studying God. We invite you to click this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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