God Is The Supreme Father - The Loving Maintainer of All
Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently points out that the concept of God as the supreme father is universal, transcending all sectarian boundaries. Whether one follows the Vedas, the Bible, or the Koran, the foundational principle remains the same: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original creator, maintainer, and loving father of all living entities.
The Universal Father in All Religions
The recognition of God as the father is the most basic step in spiritual life. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this understanding is the common thread uniting all genuine religious systems and is the prerequisite for any true civilization.
- This is not very difficult to understand that the supreme father, who must be a person, and it is noteworthy that God is called the supreme father not only in the Vedas but in the Bible, Koran, and other scriptures.
- There is no difference of opinion if one is actually religious. "God created this world," "God is the supreme father," "God is great," this is accepted by everyone, either Hindu or Muslim or Christian. There is no doubt about it.
- Even in the Christian world the Supreme Lord God is accepted as the supreme father. "O father, give us our daily bread." It is very good, accepting the Supreme Lord, the supreme father. Everyone must accept. That is human life. That is human knowledge.
- Real civilization is not concerned simply with man's animal needs but with enabling man to understand his relationship with God, the supreme father.
The Father of All Species
We often limit the definition of brotherhood to our own nation or human society. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that because God is the supreme father of all living entities, every creature, regardless of its bodily dress, is our brother and deserves our compassion.
- We are all children of the Supreme Father, and in Bhagavad-gita Krsna claims all species of life as His children.
- There is no contradiction between Jesus Christ's description and our Vedic description. God is the supreme father. That's a fact. He says, aham bija-pradah pita. Pita means father. So He is father of all living entities in different forms.
- Everyone is God's creature, although in different bodies or dresses. God is considered the one supreme father.
- Simply because one son is not very intelligent and the other desires to kill him to avoid the burden, the father will never agree. Similarly, if God is the supreme father, why should He sanction the killing of animals who are also His sons?
The Supreme Proprietor and Provider
A father naturally provides for his children. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the Supreme Father owns the entire cosmic manifestation, and we, as His children, have the right to use His property—but only according to our actual needs.
- All property belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all living beings, who are sons of the Supreme Lord, have the right to use the Supreme Father's property, but one cannot take more than necessary.
- Why should one think that his state belongs to only a small number of people? In fact this is all the property of God, and every living entity has a right to use this property because every living being is a child of God, who is the supreme father.
- The father supplies the money in the hands of the mother and mother expends for the children, similarly, God is the supreme father of the whole living entities, and the material nature is the agent of the Supreme Lord, and she produces food for you.
- According to Christianity, the supreme father, God, provides the living entities with all of life's necessities. Therefore they pray - Give us this day our daily bread.
Advancing to Pure Devotion
While praying to God for daily bread is pious, it is not the highest stage of spiritual life. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that just as a mature child stops demanding things from their father and instead begins to serve him, the mature soul engages in the pure devotional service of the Lord without material motives.
- Just like in Christian Bible there is, "Father, give us our daily bread." That is good, they are accepting the Supreme Father. But grown-up children, they should not ask from the father, but they should be prepared to serve the father. That is bhakti.
- The Christian conception of God as the Supreme Father is not very perfect because if we conceive of God as a father, our position will be to take things from Him.
- As the Supreme Father, the Lord, however, does not supply to a pure devotee what is considered to be a barrier to the discharge of devotional service.
- The pleasure one gives the Lord by addressing Him by such names is many, many times greater than the pleasure He enjoys when He is addressed as the Supreme Father, the Greatest of the Great.
Conclusion
A son cannot logically claim to have no father, nor can he understand his father simply through his own limited experimental knowledge; he must accept the word of his mother. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that similarly, we must accept the Vedic literatures (our mother) to understand the identity of our supreme father. The fundamental philosophy of all genuine religions is the acceptance of God as the supreme father and material nature as the mother. The impersonalist theory that the absolute truth is formless is illogical, for a father must possess personality to generate children. Recognizing Lord Kṛṣṇa as the supreme father of all species immediately resolves all conflicts over nationalism, property, and animal rights, establishing true universal brotherhood. The ultimate perfection of human life is to evolve beyond treating the father as a cosmic order-supplier and to mature into a pure devotee, finding eternal joy in serving and loving the supreme father unconditionally.
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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 Supreme Father. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.