God's Head - The Universal Form and the Supreme Person
When people are asked to conceptualize God, many fall into the trap of imagining a formless void or an abstract energy. Because we are so accustomed to the limitations of our own material bodies, we falsely assume that if God has a head, hands, or legs, He must be limited like us. The Vedic literatures forcefully correct this misunderstanding. The Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person, and He possesses an eternal, transcendental form. Śrīla Prabhupāda meticulously explains the profound reality of God's head. Whether we are trying to comprehend His macrocosmic universal form, where the highest planets rest upon His crown, or meditating on His original, exquisitely beautiful personal form, understanding the features of the Lord's head completely cures the conditioned soul of impersonalism. By studying the omniscience, the cosmic scale, and the breathtaking beauty of the Supreme Lord's head, we can finally grasp the true nature of the Absolute Truth.
The Macrocosmic Head of the Universal Form
To help materialistic individuals conceptualize the greatness of God, the Vedas describe the virāṭ-rūpa, or the universal form. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains how the massive elements of the cosmos—such as the highest planetary systems and the clouds in the sky—are meditated upon as the head and hair of the Supreme Lord.
- From the forefront of the chest up to the neck of the universal form of the Lord are situated the planetary systems named Janaloka and Tapoloka, whereas Satyaloka, the topmost planetary system, is situated on the head of the form.
- The upper planetary systems such as Janaloka and Maharloka are the heart of the Lord, and the topmost planetary system, Brahmaloka, is considered the top of the Lord's head.
- O best amongst the Kurus, the clouds which carry water are the hairs on His head, the terminations of days or nights are His dress, and the supreme cause of material creation is His intelligence. His mind is the moon, the reservoir of all changes.
- Hairs on God's body are the cause of vegetation, particularly of those trees which are required as ingredients for sacrifice. The hairs on His head and face are reservoirs for clouds, and His nails are the breeding ground of electricity, stones and iron.
The Supreme Beauty of the Lord's Head
Beyond the temporary universal form lies the eternal, personal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the breathtaking beauty of the Lord's head, which is adorned with curling, blackish hair and brilliant, jeweled helmets, forever retaining the fresh appearance of a youth.
- Both Lord Krsna and Lord Baladeva have such beautiful, black hair on Their heads, and thus even in advanced age They appeared like young boys sixteen years old. That is the particular symptom of the Personality of Godhead.
- All the Visnu forms were of bluish color and dressed in yellow garments; all of Them had four hands decorated with club, disc, lotus flower and conchshell. On Their heads were glittering golden helmets inlaid with jewels.
- Lord Maha-Visnu's helmet was bedecked with valuable jewels, and His beautiful earrings enhanced the beauty of the curling hair on His head. Lord Maha-Visnu had eight arms, all very long, reaching to His knees.
- Lord Ramacandra, fully bathed and His head clean-shaven, dressed Himself very nicely and was decorated with a garland and ornaments. Thus He shone brightly, surrounded by His brothers and wife, who were similarly dressed and ornamented.
Defeating the Impersonalist Denial
Mundane philosophers often project their own physical limitations onto God, concluding that to be unlimited, God must be faceless and headless. Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly rebukes these Māyāvādī claims, asserting that denying the Lord's bodily limbs is simply a disguised form of atheism and a great offense.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is decried by the Mayavadi philosophers, who are almost demons. They say that God has no head, no form, no existence and no legs, hands or other bodily limbs.
- Saying that there is no God is direct denial of God, and saying that God exists but has no head, legs or hands and cannot speak, hear or eat is a negative way of denying His existence.
- Because they are constantly blaspheming the Supreme Personality of Godhead by saying that He has no head, hands or legs, Mayavadi philosophers remain offenders for many, many births, even though they have partially realized Brahman.
- Upon being purified, Brahma could see the supreme form of the Lord. The impersonal Brahman cannot have heads, noses, ears, hands and legs. This is not possible, for these are attributes of the Lord's form.
The Omnipresent Heads of the Supersoul
God is not restricted to one location; He is the all-pervading Supersoul (Paramātmā). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that because the Lord exists everywhere within the material manifestation, the scriptures describe Him as having innumerable heads and faces, representing His absolute vigilance and control.
- A creator must possess an all-pervasive body, as pointed out in the Bhagavad-gita: Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes, heads and faces, and He has ears everywhere. In this way the Supersoul exists, pervading everything.
- God has His eyes, heads, legs, hands everywhere. Therefore He is all-pervasive. So just like government has got vigilance.
- In that body of the transcendental form of the purusa there are thousands of heads, ears, eyes and noses. They are decorated with thousands of helmets and glowing earrings and are adorned with garlands.
- Lord Sankarsana, with His thousands of raised hoods, began to radiate an effulgence from the glowing stones on His head.
Conclusion
A systematic study of the Vedic literatures thoroughly obliterates the dry, impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth. As Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly emphasizes, God is the Supreme Person, and as the origin of all forms, He naturally possesses the most perfect and beautiful transcendental form. The Māyāvādī philosophers, who claim that God has no head, hands, or legs, commit a grave offense; their logic is essentially a negative, disguised method of atheism. To accommodate those who cannot initially grasp the spiritual form of the Lord, the Vedas describe the macrocosmic virāṭ-rūpa, where the topmost planetary systems like Satyaloka are visualized as the Lord's head, and the rain-bearing clouds are seen as His hair. However, this is only a stepping stone. Beyond the material universe exists the eternal, original form of the Lord. In the spiritual sky, the Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally displays His breathtaking beauty, His head adorned with fresh, blackish, curling hair and glittering, jeweled helmets, forever exhibiting the youthfulness of a sixteen-year-old boy. Furthermore, as the all-pervading Supersoul (Paramātmā), the Lord extends His presence into every atom and every heart, possessing thousands of heads and faces to maintain perfect vigilance over His creation. Ultimately, by rejecting the impersonal void and meditating on the magnificent, transcendental head of the Supreme Lord, the conditioned soul awakens to the sweet and personal reality of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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