The Nectarean and Absolute Words of God
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the words spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead are non-different from His absolute nature—perfect, unambiguous, and entirely transcendental. Because His speech is deathless and free from material defects, the revealed scriptures serve as the ultimate, unchangeable authority for all living entities. By submissively hearing these nectarean instructions, a conditioned soul awakens from the illusion of material existence and attains pure, loving devotion to the Lord.
The Direct and Unchangeable Authority
The instructions of the Supreme Lord establish the supreme standard of truth. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that true spiritual steadiness, or niṣṭhā, means accepting the words of God exactly as they are presented in the śāstra, without deviation or mundane interpretation. Because the Lord is always perfect, His words cannot be modified to suit the changing whims of human society.
- The sastra cannot be changed. God's word cannot be changed. Then what will be the difference between God and ourself? He is always perfect. He is always perfect.
- Generally there is no ambiguity in the words of God, but due to our lack of perfect knowledge we sometimes cannot understand and try to interpret.
- The words and activities of the Lord are deathless; therefore they are not manufactured of this material world.
- Nistha implies that one should accept the words of Bhagavad-gita, the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as they are, without any deviation or nonsensical commentary.
Transforming Hearts Through Hearing
Receiving the transcendental message of the Lord through aural reception is the most powerful method of purification. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes that when a sincere soul makes time to hear these nectarean words, they become completely absorbed in devotional service, losing all attraction to material existence and ultimately conquering the Supreme Lord through love.
- What will be the result of such hearing (about God)? Regardless of what 1 is - whether he be a poor or rich man or whatever - if 1 but hears the transcendental word of God, He, who can never be conquered by any power or force, will be conquered by love.
- Upon seeing the charming forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive, and hearing His very pleasing words, the pure devotee almost loses all other consciousness. His senses are freed from all other engagements, and he becomes absorbed in devotional service.
- His body shone most brilliantly; though he had engaged in austere penance for a long time, he was not emaciated, for the Lord had cast His affectionate sidelong glance upon him and he had also heard the nectar flowing from the moonlike words of the Lord.
- Conditioned soul has very little time to cultivate attachment to hearing the nectarean words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he is always disturbed by the bodily necessities such as hunger and thirst.
Internal Revelation and Spiritual Communication
The Supreme Lord is not limited by physical proximity; His words can manifest directly within the heart of a surrendered soul. Śrīla Prabhupāda illustrates this by explaining how great personalities like Lord Brahmā are able to hear the Lord's instructions from within, proving that transcendental sound vibration transcends all material boundaries.
- Although Lord Visnu was invisible even to Lord Brahma, Lord Brahma could hear Lord Visnu's words through the heart.
- While Brahma was in trance, he was able to hear the words of Ksirodakasayi Visnu, and he carried the Lord's message to the demigods.
- Modern science gives us telephones, by which one can hear sound vibrations from a distant place. Similarly, although other persons cannot hear the words of Lord Visnu, Lord Brahma is able to hear the Lord's words within himself.
The Misunderstanding of the Faithless
Despite the clarity and supreme authority of God's words, those with a demoniac mentality refuse to accept them. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that faithless individuals, such as Hiraṇyakaśipu, mistakenly view the Lord's instructions through the lens of material imperfection, assuming God can change His mind or act with partiality.
- Men without faith in God and His revealed word find no good in this world, nor in the next.
- Hiranyakasipu never agreed with the words of Visnu, or Krsna. Rather, he was angered by the intelligence of a Vaisnava.
- Hiranyakasipu thought that Visnu also becomes partial, like a child whose mind is not steady or resolute. The Lord can change His mind at any time, Hiranyakasipu thought, and therefore His words and activities are like those of children.
- God says that, "You surrender unto Me; I shall give you all protection." There is assurance. But we are so unfortunate that we cannot believe or cannot be assured on the words of God also. We do not believe.
Conclusion
The selected quotes brilliantly confirm that the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are the absolute, infallible foundation of all spiritual truth. Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly emphasizes that while faithless individuals fail to recognize the perfection of the Lord's message, pure devotees who submissively receive this transcendental sound vibration are elevated beyond material consciousness. By strictly following the divine instructions found in the śāstra without deviation, one accesses the nectarean reality of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and ultimately achieves eternal, loving communion with the Lord.
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 Words of God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.