God Should - Answering Mundane Speculations About the Supreme
Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently encounters the speculative arguments of mundane philosophers and skeptical religionists who attempt to dictate what God "should" or "should not" do. Because their vision is limited by the material modes of nature, they project their own restrictions onto the Absolute Truth. However, the Vedic literatures systematically dismantle these speculations, proving that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is fully independent, possessing all emotional and active potencies in full, while outlining exactly how humanity should respond to His supreme position.
Why Should God Descend?
A common philosophical objection is the idea that the Supreme Lord is too great to involve Himself in the messy affairs of the material universe. Śrīla Prabhupāda turns this logic around, establishing that if God is truly all-powerful, no one can dictate where He should or should not go.
- Sometimes people question that, "Why God should come?" So our answer is, "Why God should not come?" If He is all-powerful, who can check Him to come here? If we say that God cannot come, that means God becomes under our rules and regulation.
- There are philosophers who do not believe in the Lord's incarnation and who ask - Why should the Supreme Lord come? But the answer is - Why should He not come? Why should He be controlled by the desire of the living entity?
- They say, "Why should God come to this rotten world?" But from Bhagavad-gita we understand otherwise.
- When we question why the unlimited God should have only one son and not unlimited sons, they are unable to answer.
The Source of All Instincts
Because impersonalists conceive of God as a void, they object to the idea of God possessing human-like emotions. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out the flaw in this reasoning: since we are parts and parcels of God, any instinct we possess—such as anger or the desire to love—must exist originally in Him.
- If I have got an instinct to love others, so why God shall not, God will not have this instinct to love others? If I have got attraction for the opposite sex, why God should not have? Why He should not be attracted by Radharani? Very simple truth.
- Why God should not be angry? He must be angry. But He is angry on the nondevotee, not on His devotee. On the demons He is angry.
- It may be then argued in this connection that God should not be advertised as all-merciful if He is not merciful to demons. In answer to this question, in the Vedanta-sutra we find that the Supreme Lord has no hatred for anyone.
- God wishes everyone to be honest. Why should God think otherwise?
Reciprocating with the Devotee
The Supreme Lord is entirely self-sufficient, but He is also intimately connected to the desires of His pure devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when a sincere soul surrenders without ulterior motives, there is no reason why the Lord should not understand their heart and grant them protection.
- A pure devotee simply wants to engage in the service of the Lord without material desire, and if he wants this within the core of his heart, where the Lord is situated, and if he is without ulterior motive, why should the Lord not understand.
- Since Gajendra, King of the elephants, had surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead to get free from the present danger and, indirectly, from the present danger of materialistic life, why should the Supreme Personality of Godhead not fulfill his desire?
- Dear Lord, You are the killer of all inauspicious things. You are compassionate upon Your poor devotees through the expansion of Your arca-vigraha. You should certainly think of us as Your eternal servants.
- Why God should make arrangement for the animals and the birds and not for the human being? A human being also has got arrangement, but because we do not believe in God, therefore we think that I have to make this improvement, or otherwise I will die.
How the Lord Should Be Worshiped
Instead of speculating on what God should do, humanity should focus on their duty toward Him. Śrīla Prabhupāda meticulously outlines the standard of reverence and practical worship that should be offered to the Deity form of the Lord in the temple.
- In the temple there must be the Deity of the Lord, and the Lord should be worshiped by the devotees. This combination of the devotees and the Deity creates a first-class transcendental place.
- The Lord should be seated on the throne. Again water should be given for the washing of His feet. Something again should be offered for eating. Evening arati should be offered.
- The Lord should be fanned with a camara fan, and an umbrella should be placed over His head. The Hare Krsna mantra and approved songs should be sung. Musical instruments should be played.
- Srimad-Bhagavatam states: Sukadeva Gosvami concludes - The business of the living entity is to always remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every circumstance. The Lord should be heard about, glorified and remembered by all human beings.
Conclusion
It is a sign of immense foolishness when tiny, conditioned souls try to impose their limited rules upon the unlimited Absolute Truth. Śrīla Prabhupāda systematically refutes the arrogant arguments of mundane philosophers who question why God should descend to this planet or why He should exhibit anger and romantic love. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is fully independent, He can go wherever He pleases, and because He is the original source of all emotions, He perfectly displays all transcendental feelings. The proper position of the living entity is not to interrogate the Lord, but to recognize Him as the supreme proprietor and well-wishing friend who fulfills all desires. By abandoning speculative arguments and instead focusing on how the Lord should be glorified, worshiped, and remembered—especially through the loving service of His arcā-vigraha (Deity)—a sincere soul quickly bypasses the confusion of the material world and attains the supreme perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God Should. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.