God's Carrying - The Supreme Maintainer of the Cosmos
In the material world, we are constantly burdened by the need to carry the heavy responsibilities of survival, maintenance, and protection. We assume that the universe operates on similar mechanical principles of exertion and strain. However, the Vedic literatures explain that the Supreme Personality of Godhead carries the weight of the entire cosmic manifestation with effortless supreme ease. Śrīla Prabhupāda meticulously explains how the Lord carries the planets, how He carries specific transcendental weapons to protect the righteous, and most intimately, how He personally carries the burdens of His pure devotees. By understanding the limitless carrying capacity of the Absolute Truth, a conditioned soul can learn to lay down their material anxieties and take full shelter of the supreme maintainer.
The Cosmic Weightlifter
Modern science relies on impersonal theories, such as the law of gravitation, to explain how massive celestial bodies float in space. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that these planets are actually held aloft by the direct intervention of the Supreme Lord.
- According to our sastra the planets are held on the hood of Ananta. He is carrying. But they say they are staying on account of law of gravitation.
- Lord Sesa in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha and, in the material world, Lord Ananta, who carries innumerable planets on His hoods, are two primary empowered incarnations. There is no need to count the others, for they are unlimited.
- The modern creators of the many cheap incarnations may take note of the factual incarnation of God as the gigantic boar with a suitable snout to carry the planet earth.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing in His incarnation as a tortoise, dove deep into the ocean to carry Mandara Mountain on His back.
Divine Paraphernalia and Weapons
The Supreme Lord is frequently identified and worshiped according to the specific items He carries in His hands. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Lord carries these items not out of necessity, but to perform His pastimes, protect His devotees, and vanquish demonic forces.
- The Lord is bedecked with flower garlands, His neck is decorated with the Kaustubha gem, and He carries with Him the goddess of fortune and His personal weapons, like His disc and club.
- Balarama represents plowing the land for agriculture and therefore always carries in His hand a plow, whereas Krsna tends cows and therefore carries a flute in His hand. Thus the two brothers represent krsi-raksya and go-raksya.
- While wandering in the forest, where He accepted a life of hardship, carrying His invincible bow and arrows in His hand, Lord Ramacandra deformed Ravana's sister, who was polluted with lusty desires, by cutting off her nose and ears.
- In Satya-yuga the Lord wore a sacred thread and a garland of rudraksa beads. He carried a rod and a waterpot, and He was a brahmacari.
Carrying the Devotee's Burden
The relationship between the Lord and the living entity is often misunderstood by those with material motives. Śrīla Prabhupāda contrasts the arrogant demands of atheists with the sweet, reciprocal promise the Lord makes to His unalloyed servants.
- Nondevotees' conception of God means if God supplies my order, or carries my order, whatever I say, then God is good. And if he does not do so, then God is bad.
- It is the duty of the pure devotee to be fixed in the discharge of the duty entrusted to him by the Lord or the Lord's bona fide representative, the spiritual master. The rest is carried on by the Lord without a break.
- The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita: For those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form, I carry to them what they lack and preserve what they have.
Conclusion
The supreme majesty of the Absolute Truth is demonstrated by His unrivaled ability to carry and sustain all of existence. As Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, we should not be bewildered by the impersonal theories of modern science. It is not a blind, unconscious law of gravitation that keeps the universe intact; rather, it is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, expanding as Lord Ananta, who effortlessly carries the innumerable planets upon His hoods. When cosmic crises arise, the Lord assumes magnificent forms to carry the ultimate weight—such as diving deep into the Garbhodaka Ocean as a gigantic boar to carry the earth, or expanding as a colossal tortoise to carry Mandara Mountain. Furthermore, the Lord is celebrated for what He carries in His lotus hands. From the conchshell and disc of Lord Viṣṇu, to the kṛṣi-rakṣyā plow of Lord Balarāma and the go-rakṣyā flute of Lord Kṛṣṇa, His paraphernalia is completely transcendental. Yet, the most touching aspect of the Lord's carrying capacity is revealed in His relationship with His pure devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda continuously emphasizes that while nondevotees selfishly demand that God carry out their personal orders, a pure devotee simply focuses on carrying out the instructions of the spiritual master. In response to this unalloyed surrender, the Lord makes His ultimate promise in the Bhagavad-gītā: He personally carries to His devotees whatever they lack, completely relieving them of the heavy burden of material existence.
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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 Carrying. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.