God's Inclination - Equality and Reciprocation
The relationship between the Supreme Lord and the living entities is characterized by both impartial equality and intimate reciprocation. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that while God is the neutral witness and sanctioner for all beings, He harbors a special inclination toward His devotees. This seeming partiality is actually the perfection of His nature as the supreme person who responds to love.
Equality and Special Favor
The Bhagavad-gītā states that the Lord is equal to everyone (samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu). He has no enemy and no friend. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that this neutrality does not mean the Lord is impersonal or unfeeling. Like a father who provides for all his sons but is naturally more affectionate to the obedient one, Kṛṣṇa is especially inclined to those who engage in His service. This is not a flaw of partiality but a virtue of affection known as bhakta-vatsala.
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita, although He acts equally to everyone because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and because all living entities are His sons, He is especially inclined to those engaged in devotional service.
- It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita that the Lord is equal to everyone; no one is His enemy and no one is His friend. But to one who surrenders unto Him, He is especially inclined.
- The special inclination of the Supreme Personality of God for His pure devotee is not unnatural, nor is it partiality. For example, sometimes a father has several children, but he has special affection for one child who is very much inclined toward him.
Protection of the Surrendered Soul
The Lord's inclination manifests primarily as protection. When a living entity surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, even once, the Lord immediately accepts him as His ward. He takes personal charge of the devotee's life, guiding them and protecting them from dangers. This inclination is so strong that the Lord is even willing to punish the enemies of His devotees to ensure their safety.
- If a person only once chants the holy name and completely surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord, the Lord immediately considers him His ward and is always inclined to give him protection.
- You are very favorable toward those who engage in devotional service, accepting You as the Lord and themselves as the servants. By Your mercy, You are always inclined in their favor.
- Since God is the witness of everyone's actions, He witnesses the actions of the enemies of His devotees & He is inclined to punish them. In other cases He simply witnesses what the living entities do and gives the results of one's sinful or pious actions.
Inclination Toward Cows and Brāhmaṇas
A specific aspect of the Lord's inclination is His love for the cows and the brāhmaṇas (go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that human prosperity depends on the protection of these two. The Lord is naturally inclined to favor the brāhmaṇas because they represent the head of the social body and the culture of knowledge. However, this inclination is toward those with genuine brahminical qualities, not merely those born in brahminical families.
- It is said, go-brahmana-hitaya ca. The Lord's first inclination is to give all benedictions to the cows and brahmanas. Therefore if brahmanas favor someone, the Lord does not interfere, nor can anyone interfere with the happiness of such a person.
- Lord Krsna as Govinda is more inclined to the brahmanas and the cows, indicating thereby that human prosperity depends more on these two items, namely brahminical culture and cow protection. Lord Krsna is never satisfied where these are lacking.
- The Lord is inclined to a brahmana of quality and not of false prestige.
Conclusion
Understanding the Lord's inclination helps us to navigate our relationship with Him. We need not fear Him as a distant judge, nor should we presume upon His favor without service. By engaging in devotional service and developing the qualities that are dear to Him, we can attract the special attention of the Supreme Lord. As Śrīla Prabhupāda assures, the Lord is always inclined to satisfy His devotee.
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's Inclination. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.