God's Controlling - The Absolute Master of the Cosmos
A defining characteristic of the conditioned soul is the intense desire to be the supreme controller. We try to conquer nature through science, manage our families, and manipulate the economy, all in a frantic bid to establish independence. However, the Vedic literatures categorize this mindset as fundamentally demonic. According to Śrīla Prabhupāda, true intelligence begins with the realization that we are not the masters of our destiny. There is only one absolute controller—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By understanding how the Lord effortlessly controls the cosmic manifestation, the material energy, and even the greatest demigods, we can properly situate ourselves in a posture of loving surrender, the only true path to freedom.
The Illusion of Independence
Atheists and material scientists stubbornly declare that the universe operates randomly, without a supreme director. Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly refutes this, explaining that anyone who denies the supreme control of the Lord is classified as a mūḍha (fool), trapped in the lowest illusion.
- If we regard this world as false, we fall into the category of asuras, who say that this world is unreal, with no foundation and no God in control - asatyam apratistham te jagad ahur anisvaram.
- The creation does not arise whimsically, as atheistic men think. They say that this world is unreal, that there is no foundation and that there is no God in control. It is produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust.
- Only Lord Jagadisa is in control; everyone else is controlled. The atheists, however, do not like this term because they like to think that they are in control, but actually this is not the case.
- The living entity is not independant. One should not think himself independant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The individual is always under His control. Therefore his duty is to surrender.
Controlling Māyā and Destiny
Many impersonalists mistakenly believe that when God interacts with the material world, He falls under the control of māyā (illusion). Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies the actual hierarchy: the Lord completely controls māyā, and māyā controls the conditioned souls, forcing them to accept different bodies based on their karma.
- Maya is controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; it is not that He is covered by maya. Therefore Lord Visnu cannot be a product of the material energy.
- The Supreme Lord controls the material energy, and the material energy controls the conditioned souls.
- The external energy of the Lord, the material nature, is fully under the control of the Supreme Lord, and the conditioned soul is fully under the grip of the external energy. Therefore, the conditioned soul is fully under the control of the law of the Lord.
- This human body is smashed, you enter into the dog's body, finished. That is not in your control, that is God's control, nature's control. Tatha dehantara-praptih, it is not under your control or so-called science.
The Master of the Demigods
Even those who accept the existence of higher powers often mistakenly equate the demigods with the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda corrects this pantheistic error, explaining that even the most powerful universal directors, like Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, are strictly controlled by Lord Viṣṇu.
- Brahma and Siva, although almost as greatly powerful as Visnu, are within the control of the material energy of the Supreme Lord. The conception of many gods controlling the many departments of material nature is ill conceived of by the foolish pantheist.
- Living entities, including even great personalities as Brahma and Lord Siva, are all subordinate to the Lord. In the material world also, in His eternal form of Visnu, He maintains and controls all the affairs of the demigods, including Brahma and Siva.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead controls all the most important demigods - especially Lord Brahma and Lord Siva - exactly as the owner of a bird controls it by binding it with a rope. Sometimes vultures are controlled in this way.
- Lord Siva is always in trance, samadhi. This samadhi is not under the control of the devotee; it is under the control of Vasudeva, for the entire internal energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead acts under His order.
Controlled by Pure Love
The most beautiful paradox of the Absolute Truth is His relationship with His pure devotees. Although the Lord is the supreme, unconquerable master of all universes, Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that out of boundless affection, He voluntarily agrees to be controlled by those who love Him without motive.
- By His one plenary portion as Paramatma, the Lord controls innumerable universes, with all their demigods; yet He agrees to be controlled by a devotee.
- They can keep You under their control because You are causelessly merciful to devotees who desire no material profit from You. Indeed, You give Yourself to them, and because of this You also have full control over Your devotees.
- God is the controller always. When one becomes a devotee, he is controlled by God; when he is a nondevotee, he is controlled by His agent, maya. But he has to be controlled.
- They are not under the control of maya. They are controlled directly of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore they have no fear. Krsna says, - Anyone who surrenders unto Me, I take charge of him.
Conclusion
A systematic study of the Vedic literatures completely destroys the illusion that the living entity can ever be independent. As Śrīla Prabhupāda meticulously explains, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the absolute controller (Īśvara). Atheists who foolishly claim the world has no foundation are blinded by their own false ego, failing to recognize that even the air they breathe and the bodies they inhabit are strictly controlled by the Lord's material energy. Furthermore, the Lord is never compromised by the elements He manages. While the conditioned souls are forced to transmigrate from a human body into a dog's body by the rigid laws of nature, the Supreme Lord always remains aloof, flawlessly controlling māyā herself. Even the most exalted universal directors, such as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, are entirely subordinate to Lord Viṣṇu, who controls them as effortlessly as a master holding a bird by a rope. Therefore, the idea of many independent gods is a pantheistic fallacy. Everyone is controlled, like dancing dolls pulled by the strings of a master puppeteer. However, the ultimate perfection of this philosophy is found in the Lord's sweet reciprocation with His surrendered souls. Although He controls millions of universes, the Supreme Lord is so captivated by pure, unmotivated devotion that He allows Himself to be bound and controlled by the love of His devotees. By surrendering to this supreme control, the soul is instantly freed from the terrifying grip of māyā and placed under the direct, loving protection of the Absolute Truth.
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's Controlling. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.