God Is Neither - Transcendental to All Designations
Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently teaches that the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be limited by mundane sectarian boundaries or material conceptions. God is universal, absolute, and completely spiritual, meaning He is neither restricted to a specific religion nor bound by the material laws of nature.
Beyond Religious Designations
In human society, people often claim ownership of God based on their birth or geographical location. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that God is neither Hindu, Muslim, nor Christian; He is the supreme father of everyone, and true religion means awakening our dormant love for Him.
- God is neither Hindu, Muslim, or Christian - God is God. So it is the duty of everyone. It is not that only Christians should understand God and the Hindus should understand nobody.
- God is one. God is neither Christian nor Hindu or Muslim or... No. God is God. Just like gold. Gold is gold. Either in the Hindu community, or Muslim community, gold is gold.
- Simply we are teaching that "Become God conscious." God is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian. He's God. And we are also not Hindu or Muslim or Christian. This is our bodily designation. We are all pure, part and parcel of the Supreme.
Transcendental to Material Elements
Because our vision is currently conditioned by material nature, we cannot perceive the spiritual form of the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that to accept our service, the Lord mercifully appears in forms made of elements like wood or stone, yet He Himself is neither material, inactive, nor impersonal (nirākāra).
- Krsna is always Krsna, but because we cannot see anything beyond material elements like wood, stone, and metal, He appears in a form made of these elements. But He is neither wood, metal, nor stone.
- Neither God is nirakara, nor you are nirakara. We have got akara. The akara is also mentioned in the sastra. What is that? One ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair.
- The Lord is transcendental, as are His activities. He is neither inactive nor impersonal.
Eternal and Unborn
The fundamental difference between the living entities and the Supreme Lord is their relationship with material time. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that while conditioned souls are forced to repeatedly accept and leave material bodies (bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate), the Supreme Lord neither takes birth nor dies.
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita (8.19), bhutva bhutva praliyate: the living entities in the material world must be repeatedly born and destroyed. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is neither bhutva nor praliyate; He is eternal.
- The body of the ordinary living being is made of material elements and is therefore subject to birth and death. But the Lord's body, being all spiritual and thus eternal, neither takes birth nor dies.
- In the material world the fish or the hog may be considered lower than the man, but when the Lord appears as a fish or hog, He is neither of them in the material conception.
The Universal Appeal of God Consciousness
The chanting of the holy names of the Lord is a spiritual process meant for the upliftment of all humanity. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is neither an Eastern nor a Western phenomenon, but a universal awakening of the soul's eternal relationship with God.
- Hare Krsna is neither Western or Eastern. It is meant for human being. You see? This "Western," "Eastern," they are our own creation. God is neither Western or Eastern. God is God. So anyone who will chant God's name will benefit. That's all.
- Nobody says that, "This (Hare Krsna) is a word from India. Why shall I chant the Indian name?" No. It is God's name. God is neither Indian nor American nor otherwise, neither Christian nor Hindu nor Muslim. God is God.
- We are preaching God consciousness. God is God. God is neither Christian, nor Hindu, nor Muslim. God is God. So everyone should be God conscious. That is our movement.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is absolutely transcendental and cannot be confined by any mundane designation. Śrīla Prabhupāda makes it abundantly clear that God is neither Hindu, Muslim, nor Christian, nor is His eternal form subject to the material conditions of birth and death. By understanding that the Lord is neither an impersonal force nor a material composition, one can approach Him purely through the universal process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dedicating one's life to the supreme father of all living beings.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God Is Neither. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.