God Is Greater Than The Greatest - The Unlimited Supreme Lord
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is absolutely unlimited and all-pervading. According to Vedic literature, the Lord is completely beyond material estimation, perfectly exhibiting the contradictory opulences of being smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest.
The Definition of Mahato Mahīyān
Vedic scriptures precisely describe the magnitude of the Absolute Truth. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that while the minute living entity is smaller than an atom, the Supreme Lord is mahato mahīyān, meaning He is infinitely greater than the greatest.
- Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan (KU 1.2.20). Krsna is mahatah, greater than the greatest, and we are the smaller than the smallest. But the particle is the same, as particle of gold is also gold, but the particle of gold is never equal to the gold mine.
- Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan: The Lord is smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest.
- In the Vedic language, God is described, anor aniyan mahato mahiyan: He is greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest.
- We understand from Vedic literature that Brahman, or the spirit, is anor aniyamsam, smaller than an atom, and mahato mahiyamsam, greater than the greatest.
Beyond Material Measurement
Because the Supreme Lord encompasses all space and time, He cannot be calculated by mundane brains. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that while demons foolishly attempt to measure the Lord, true devotees simply accept His boundless greatness without mental concoction.
- The living entities are smaller than the atom, but God is greater than the greatest. Our conception of greatness may be represented by the sky because we think of the sky as being unlimitedly big, but God is bigger than the sky.
- Brahman means the greatest, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is greater than the greatest, just as the sun globe is greater than the sunshine, which is all-pervading in the universe.
- Hiranyaksa did not know that God is the greatest of the great and the smallest of the small. No one can capture the Supreme Lord or bring Him under his control. But the demoniac person always attempts to measure the length and breadth of the Supreme Lord.
- Krsna is greater than the greatest, being unlimited and all-pervading. How can it be possible for the all-pervading to be measured or bound? Then again, Krsna is the time factor. Therefore, He is all-pervading not only in space but also in time.
The Omnipotence of Kṛṣṇa
In the material world, it is physically impossible for a massive object to become tiny. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that because Kṛṣṇa is the almighty Personality of Godhead, He effortlessly simultaneously exhibits both extremes of measurement.
- Here in the material world, a thing which is very big, it cannot become small. But Krsna, because He is the almighty God, He can become the greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest.
- Krsna has six opulences: all wealth, all strength, all influence, all knowledge, all renunciation, and all beauty. The nature of Krsna is that He is greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest - anor aniyan mahato mahiyan.
- Krsna should not be considered as ordinary being. We are worshiping Krsna in this temple, not an ordinary human being. But Krsna is so kind. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is greater than the greatest, and still, He can become smaller than the smallest.
- No one is greater than He (Krsna). He is greater than the greatest of the demigods, Lord Siva and Lord Brahma.
Subordinate to the Devotee's Love
Although the Lord's physical magnitude is beyond comprehension, Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals the sweetest truth of devotional service: the Supreme Lord gladly subordinates His majestic greatness to reciprocate with the pure, unalloyed love of His devotees.
- Such (God becomes subordinate to His devotees) is the relationship between the Supreme Godhead and a devotee that although the Lord is greater than the greatest, He is prepared to render service to the insignificant devotee by dint of his sincere and unalloyed devotional service.
- The pleasure one gives the Lord by addressing Him by such names (Devaki-nandana, Janaki-natha etc.) is many, many times greater than the pleasure He enjoys when He is addressed as the Supreme Father, the Greatest of the Great.
- He (the Lord) is smaller than the smallest in the form of the living entities and greater than the greatest in His form of Krsna.
- One may think of Brahmaloka as the top of Krsna's skull, and one may think of the Patalaloka planetary system as the soles of Krsna's feet. Thus one may think of Krsna as greater than the greatest - mahato mahiyan.
Conclusion
To understand that God is greater than the greatest is to recognize His boundless supremacy over all material and spiritual manifestations. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally mahato mahīyān, yet out of His causeless mercy, this infinite Lord can be captured solely by the sincere love and devotion of His pure servants.
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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 Is Greater Than The Greatest. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.