God Is Present Everywhere - The All-Pervading Supersoul
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not restricted by time or space. By His inconceivable potencies, He is entirely capable of remaining in His spiritual abode while simultaneously expanding Himself to be present in every corner of the universe.
The All-Pervading Paramātmā
The Lord expands as the Paramātmā, or Supersoul, to accompany the individual soul in the material world. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that this all-pervading feature exists within the hearts of all living entities, regardless of their species, and even within the atoms.
- The feature of the Lord by which He is present everywhere is called Paramatma. Atma means the individual soul, and Paramatma means the individual Supersoul; both atma and Paramatma are individual persons.
- He (God as the Supersoul) exists in the heart of Lord Brahma and also in the cores of the hearts of the hogs, dogs, trees, plants and so on. He is present everywhere.
- The Brahma-samhita (5.38) states, andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. The Lord is present everywhere, within the heart of every living entity and within each and every atom as well. Thus by this Supersoul feature the Lord is all-pervading.
Presence Through Divine Energies
While the Lord resides eternally in His personal abode, His energies are diffused throughout existence. Through the philosophy of simultaneous oneness and difference, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies how God can be far away yet intimately near.
- Although Govinda is always present in His abode (goloka eva nivasati), He is simultaneously present everywhere. Nothing is unknown to Him, and nothing can be hidden from Him.
- The creation takes place by the diffusion of His (the Supreme Personality of Godhead's) different energies, and, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita, He is everywhere present by His personal representation, the diffusion of His different energies.
- Acintya-bhedabheda explains how the Lord can present Himself everywhere and anywhere in a form of His energy to accept service from the devotee.
Spiritual Perception and Devotion
The omnipresence of the Lord cannot be understood by mundane intellect or seen with ordinary eyes. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that only through the purifying process of devotional service can a soul truly perceive God everywhere.
- God's name, God's form, God's quality, God's pastimes, activities, are not understandable by our blunt material senses. We cannot see God with these eyes. God is present everywhere. God is present within your heart, God is present within this universe.
- Because of his development of transcendental attachment for the Supreme Lord, a surrendered soul feels the presence of his beloved everywhere, and all his senses are engaged in the loving service of the Lord.
- If one understands the Vaisnava philosophy, which explains how He is present everywhere and how He acts everywhere, to worship the Supreme or to realize Him is not at all difficult. Realization of the Lord is possible only in the association of devotees.
The Fearlessness of Prahlāda Mahārāja
The conviction that God is everywhere grants pure devotees immense courage. When challenged by his demoniac father, Prahlāda Mahārāja confidently asserted the Lord's presence, prompting the Supreme Lord to manifest directly from a pillar. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes this pastime to show the absolute nature of the Lord's promises.
- When Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada Maharaja, "Where is your Lord? Is He present in this pillar?" Prahlada Maharaja fearlessly replied, "Yes, my Lord is present everywhere."
- To prove that the statement of His servant Prahlada Maharaja was substantial - in other words, to prove that the Supreme Lord is present everywhere, even within the pillar of an assembly hall - the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, exhibited a wonderful form never before seen.
Conclusion
To fully realize the Absolute Truth means to recognize that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never absent from His creation. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that by understanding the Lord's presence everywhere—both through His diverse energies and as the Paramātmā in the heart—a living entity develops true universal vision. A pure devotee is never separated from Kṛṣṇa, for they perceive His presence in every atom and within every living entity. This elevated consciousness frees the devotee from material anxiety and envy, establishing them firmly in fearlessness and eternal loving service to the supreme, all-pervading Lord.
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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 Present Everywhere. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.