The Transcendental Nature of God's Residence
The Supreme Lord is not restricted by time or space, yet He possesses a specific, eternal abode. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that while God resides eternally in the transcendental planets of Vaikuṇṭha and Goloka Vṛndāvana, He is also simultaneously present within the heart of every living entity and wherever His pure devotees glorify Him.
The Eternal Spiritual Abodes
The material world is temporary, but the residence of the Supreme Lord is eternal and full of bliss. Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that God eternally resides in the spiritual sky on the Vaikuṇṭha planets, which are the ultimate destination for the liberated souls.
- After the dissolution of this material world, the manifestation of the spiritual world, the sanatana-dhama, remains. That spiritual sky is called avyakrta, that which does not change, and there the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides.
- In the spiritual sky there are spiritual planets known as Vaikunthas, which are the residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees and are worshiped by the residents of all the material planets.
- The Lord resides in His Vaikuntha planet. No one can estimate how far away this planet is situated. It is said, however, that anyone trying to reach that planet by airships or by mindships, traveling for millions of years, will find it still unknown.
The Original Realm of Goloka Vṛndāvana
Beyond all the Vaikuṇṭha planets lies the supreme, original residence of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Goloka Vṛndāvana is the Lord's personal abode, from which He manages all energies and pervades the entire cosmic manifestation.
- The Lord's (Krsna's) personal abode is called Goloka Vrndavana, and the abodes where His plenary expansions reside are called the Vaikunthas, where the Lord is present as Narayana.
- He (God) is full of all energies, He is all-pervasive in spite of His residing in Goloka Vrndavana, just as the sun, although situated in a particular place within the universe, is present by its sunshine throughout the universe.
- In the Brahma-samhita it is clearly stated that the Lord, although residing always in His abode called Goloka, is the all-pervading Brahman and the localized Paramatma as well by dint of His superior spiritual energies.
The All-Pervading Supersoul
Although the Lord has His own transcendental planet, He is never absent from the material universe. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that through His expansion as the Paramātmā (Supersoul), the Lord simultaneously resides within every atom and within the heart of every living entity.
- Although the Lord has His particular abode in which to reside, He is all-pervasive.
- Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham (BS 5.35). The Lord resides within this universe, He resides within the hearts of all living entities, and He resides even within the atom.
- The all-pervading Personality of Godhead resides as Paramatma in the heart of each and every living entity.
Residing Within the Heart
God's residence is not only universal but deeply personal. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the Lord sits within the heart of everyone, acting as the supreme witness and director of all our activities, intimately knowing our past, present, and future.
- Every living being is controlled by the supreme living being, Paramatma, who resides within everyone's heart. He is the purusa, the purusa-avatara, who creates this material world.
- In Vedic literature we understand that Narayana, the Supreme Person, is residing both outside and inside of every living entity.
- Within the heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides as the Supersoul. This situation is also explained in Bhagavad-gita: the Supersoul rests beside the individual soul and acts as a witness.
Every Body is a Sacred Temple
Because the Lord sits within the heart, all living beings must be treated with spiritual respect. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that self-realized souls view the body of every living entity as a sacred temple, recognizing that it is the active residence of the Supreme Lord.
- Those who are actually self-realized see every individual body as a temple of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His Paramatma feature, is residing in everyone's body.
- Dhruva was informed that since every living entity is a residence of the Supreme Lord and can be considered a temple of the Lord, the unnecessary killing of any living entity is not permitted.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead has created many residential places like the bodies of human beings, animals, birds, saints and demigods. In all of these innumerable bodily forms, the Lord resides with the living being as Paramatma. Thus He is known as the purusavatara.
Where the Pure Devotees Gather
The Supreme Lord is specifically attracted and conquered by the love of His devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals the Lord's own declaration: He does not merely reside in Vaikuṇṭha or in the hearts of mystic yogīs, but He actively makes His residence wherever His pure devotees gather to chant His holy names.
- My dear Narada, actually I do not reside in My abode, Vaikuntha, nor do I reside within the hearts of the yogis, but I reside in that place where My pure devotees chant My holy name and discuss My form, pastimes and qualities.
- Maharaja Pariksit could understand this by the presence of the topmost transcendentalists in the universe. The Lord resides with His devotees, and therefore the presence of the great saints indicated the presence of the Lord.
- The places are sanctified due to the presence of pure devotees; any place automatically becomes a place of pilgrimage if either the Lord or His pure devotee remains or resides there.
Conclusion
The supreme residence of God reflects both His absolute majesty and His boundless intimacy. While He eternally resides in the highest spiritual planets of Vaikuṇṭha and Goloka Vṛndāvana, He is never separated from His creation. By expanding as the Paramātmā, He makes His residence within every atom, within the heart of every living entity, and specifically as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to govern the universe. Most wonderfully, the Lord is so conquered by the love of His devotees that He establishes His supreme residence wherever the chanting of His holy names takes place. The ultimate goal of life, therefore, is to purify our consciousness through bhakti-yoga so that we may leave this temporary material world and return to the eternal spiritual planets, to reside face-to-face with the Supreme Personality of Godhead forever.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God's Residence. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.