God Is The Source of Everything - The Supreme Fountainhead
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that any sincere inquiry into the nature of reality must ultimately lead back to the supreme fountainhead. The Vedānta-sūtra provides the most perfect and concise definition of God, describing the Absolute Truth as that from which everything emanates. Understanding this one foundational principle perfectly clarifies the position of the Supreme Lord and our eternal relationship with Him.
The Definition of the Absolute Truth
Philosophers and theologians constantly debate the nature and existence of God. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the Vedic literatures cut through this speculation by offering a flawless, irrefutable definition: God is simply the original source of everything.
- What is the Absolute Truth? The Absolute Truth is that from which everything is emanating - the source, the fountainhead, the fountainhead of everything.
- Srimad-Bhagavatam is a commentary on Vedanta-sutra. Vedanta-sutra explains that the Supreme is the source of everything, and the nature of that source is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam: janmady asya yato anvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah svarat.
- God is supposed to be the Supreme Father. Janmady asya yatah. That is the Vedic information. The Supreme is that which is the source of everything.
- I have explained that, what is meant by God. God means the source of everything. Where is that theologician who can deny it?
The Source of All Sentiments and Qualities
Impersonalist philosophers often claim that the Absolute Truth must be a void, free of qualities or emotions. Śrīla Prabhupāda vigorously refutes this, explaining that because God is the source of everything, all varieties of sentiments—even those that appear mischievous or playful—must exist originally in Him.
- As it is said in the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Absolute Truth is the source of everything, so the Absolute Person cannot be devoid of the sentiments that are reflected in the temporary mundane world.
- Our formula of God is that He is the source of everything. Unless rascaldom is in Krsna, how can it be manifest, because He is the source of everything. But His rascaldom is so nice that everyone worships His rascaldom.
- That which is never created cannot change in formation and quality, even though He is the seedling source of everything.
- Param is explained further by the word, pradhanam, which means the chief, the origin, the source of everything - sarva-karana-karanam - the cause of all causes.
Ignorance, Materialism, and Bewilderment
When the living entity forgets their connection to the supreme source, they immediately fall into the illusion of material existence. Śrīla Prabhupāda defines materialism not merely as the accumulation of wealth, but as the fundamental forgetfulness that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the origin of all energies.
- Materialism means to forget the source of all this. That is materialism. One who knows that the source of everything is God, for him, there is no materialism.
- One who knows the source of everything is God, for him, there is no materialism.
- These various divinities are observed by the mudhas, fools, who are bewildered by the three modes of material nature. Such fools cannot understand that the real source of everything is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- This is refuted in this sloka by Srila Vyasadeva: "Since the complete whole or the Absolute Truth is the source of everything, nothing can be independent of the body of the Absolute Truth."
The Perfection of Knowledge and Service
The ultimate goal of studying the Vedas is not simply to acquire theoretical knowledge, but to act upon it. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that when a person becomes truly intelligent and understands that Bhagavān is the source of everything, their natural response is to engage fully in His loving devotional service.
- According to Bhagavad-gita, the Lord is the source of everything, and thus the end of all knowledge is to know the Lord, to know our relationship with Him and to act according to that relationship only.
- Anyone who is actually intelligent can understand that the Supreme Lord Krsna is the source of everything and thus engage in His service.
- In this verse the verb vidanti is sometimes taken to mean "understanding." Thus when a person understands Brahman, or the supreme source of everything, he enjoys a blissful life.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is also the source of everything. A devotee must know how to render service unto Him and thus be recognized by Him.
Conclusion
A tree cannot exist independent of its root, nor can sunlight exist without the sun. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that nothing in the spiritual or material worlds can exist independent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He is the absolute source of everything. To imagine the Absolute Truth as a sterile, motionless void is a sign of a poor fund of knowledge; the true supreme fountainhead is completely full of all transcendental qualities, sentiments, and blissful activities. The very definition of material life is the foolish attempt to enjoy the Lord's energies while ignoring Him as their source. True liberation and the perfection of Vedānta are achieved only when the living entity realizes that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the origin of all that be. This profound understanding naturally extinguishes all material desires and awakens a blissful, eternal life of unalloyed devotional service.
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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 The Source of Everything. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.