God Is Everywhere - The All-Pervading Presence of the Supreme Lord
A common challenge posed by atheists and mundane speculators is, "Can you show me God?" Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Vedic answer is profoundly simple: God is already everywhere. Through His various energies and His feature as the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead pervades every atom of the creation, ready to be seen by anyone who develops the proper spiritual vision.
The Mechanics of Omnipresence
God's all-pervading nature is not a vague, formless concept; it is a specific mechanical function of His divine energies. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that just as the sun illuminates the entire solar system while remaining in one place, the Lord distributes Himself everywhere through His Brahman effulgence and His localized Paramātmā feature.
- In Bhagavad-gita also it is confirmed that the Lord is all-pervading and exists everywhere by His two kinds of energy, one spiritual and the other material.
- In His impersonal feature (Brahman) the Supreme Lord is everywhere, inside and outside: as the Supersoul (Paramatma) He is inside everything, from the gigantic universal form down to the atoms and electrons.
- The Lord's omnipotency is displayed by His simultaneous presence in every place. He is present always in His eternal abode Goloka Vrndavana, and still He is present in everyone's heart and even within every invisible atom.
- It is confirmed in the Isopanisad that the presence of the Lord is perceived everywhere by the liberated soul, just as the sunshine and the reflection can be perceived everywhere although the sun is situated far away from the surface of the globe.
- The Supreme Lord, by His different energies, spreads throughout one's body and soul, although we cannot see Him. An intelligent man, however, can see the Supreme Lord existing everywhere.
The Proof in the Pillar
The historical account of Prahlāda Mahārāja perfectly demonstrates that God's omnipresence is a literal, physical fact, not just a metaphor. Śrīla Prabhupāda recounts how the Lord proved His pure devotee's statement by personally emerging from an inanimate stone pillar to annihilate the atheistic challenger.
- When Prahlada was in the presence of his atheist father, his father asked him, "Where is your God?" When he replied that God resides everywhere, the father angrily asked whether his God was within one of the pillars of the palace, and the child said yes.
- When Hiranyakasipu heard this philosophy (that since the Lord is present everywhere, He was also present within the columns) from his young son, he derided the boy's statement as just the talk of a child and forcefully struck the pillar with his fist.
- Hiranyakasipu marked Prahlada's observation and asked him, "Where is your God?" Prahlada Maharaja replied, "He is everywhere." Then Hiranyakasipu asked, "Why is He not in this pillar before me?"
- To convince Hiranyakasipu that the statement (that God is everywhere) of Prahlada Maharaja was unmistakably true, the Lord appeared from the pillar.
- Fire is already present in wood, but by a certain process, fire is kindled. Similarly, God is all-pervading. He is everywhere, and since He may come out from everything, He appeared in His devotee's (Kardama Muni) semen.
The Logic of Deity Worship
Impersonalists frequently argue against temple worship, claiming that an all-pervading God cannot be restricted to a physical form. Śrīla Prabhupāda turns this logic around, explaining that if God is truly everywhere, He is undoubtedly present within the authorized Deity forms.
- There are also many impersonalists who deride temple worship. They say that since God (Krsna) is everywhere, why should one restrict himself to temple worship? But if God is everywhere, is He not in the temple or in the Deity?
- Because God is everywhere. So He's also in statue. God is everywhere. How can you say that He's not in statue? He's also in statue. So it is my devotion, it is my qualification, that I can induce that statue to speak with me.
- The Lord is all-pervading all over the universe and is within the soul, the heart, water, air - everywhere. Thus if we make an image of God in anything - clay, stone, wood or whatever - it should not be considered to be just a doll. That also is God.
- In the sastras, there are eight kinds of images recommended, and any kind of image can be worshiped because God is everywhere.
- Actually God is everywhere. But so long I am not purified, I have to see God as they are prescribed in the sastra. Here the Deity, He is God, but because I have no power to see God, therefore I see that - Oh, it is made of wood. It is made of metal.
Developing the Vision to See
God is present right before our eyes, but material contamination blinds us to His presence. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that one must undergo spiritual training and develop pure love in order to perceive the Supreme Lord everywhere.
- A devotee who has developed a genuine love for Krsna can always see Him everywhere, whereas a demon, not having a clear understanding of the Supreme Lord, cannot see Him.
- As stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.38): only those who have smeared their eyes with the ointment of love of Godhead can see everywhere the Supreme Lord face to face; it is not possible by imagination or so-called meditation.
- In summary, a maha-bhagavata, a highly elevated pure devotee, sees the Lord everywhere, as well as within the heart of everyone. This is possible for devotees who have developed elevated devotional service to the Lord.
- Because we lack perfect knowledge, we cannot see God, but a little deliberation can help us to see God everywhere. This requires training.
- When we cannot see God by some reason or other . . . God is always there. He is all-expanding, everywhere, but we cannot see because our eyes are covered.
The Paradox of Oneness and Difference
The idea that God is everywhere often leads to the pantheistic mistake of assuming that everything is God and that He has lost His personal form. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies this paradox using the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, explaining how the Lord pervades the cosmos yet remains completely aloof.
- One should not conclude that because He (the Lord) is spread all over He has lost His personal existence. To refute such arguments, the Lord says - I am everywhere, and everything is in Me, but still I am aloof.
- Yet one should not conclude that because He is spread all over He has lost His personal existence. To refute such argument the Lord says, "I am everywhere, and everything is in Me, but still I am aloof."
- This is explained in Bhagavad-gita: everything is resting on Him, the Supreme Lord, but that does not mean that the Supreme Lord is also everywhere. This mysterious position has to be understood by highly advanced devotees.
- When one is completely in knowledge of aham brahmasmi, he thinks, "I am part of the Supreme Lord, my body is made of His material energy, and therefore I have no separate existence. Yet although God is spread everywhere, He is different from me."
- This (although the Supreme Lord is spread everywhere, He is different from me) is the philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully resolves the apparent mystery of God's omnipresence. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is factually everywhere; through His all-pervading Brahman effulgence, His material energies, and His Paramātmā feature residing within every heart and every atom, there is absolutely no place devoid of His presence. This profound truth was physically demonstrated when the Lord burst forth from an inanimate stone pillar to protect His pure devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja, and annihilate the doubting atheist, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Because the Lord is everywhere, the logic of the impersonalists who reject Deity worship is entirely defeated; if God is truly everywhere, He is certainly present within the authorized Deity forms made of stone, wood, or metal, ready to reciprocate with His devotees. However, perceiving this omnipresence is not a matter of physical eyesight or mundane speculation; it requires spiritual training. Only a mahā-bhāgavata whose eyes are smeared with the ointment of pure love can see the Lord face to face everywhere. Finally, the Vedic philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva prevents the pantheistic misunderstanding that God loses His personal identity by expanding everywhere. While the Supreme Lord pervades the entire cosmic manifestation and everything rests upon Him, He remains eternally aloof, enjoying His transcendental pastimes as the Supreme Person in His supreme abode.
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