Agreeing with God - The Perfection of Oneness
The spiritual perfection of the living entity is found in the simple yet profound act of agreeing with God. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the soul is eternally a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and its natural, healthy state is one of cooperation. While the material world is fueled by the desire to be independent, liberation is achieved when the soul voluntarily harmonizes its will with the will of Kṛṣṇa.
The True Meaning of Oneness
Philosophy often grapples with the concept of "oneness" with the Absolute. Śrīla Prabhupāda demystifies this, explaining that oneness does not imply becoming God, but rather having the same interest as God. When the individual consciousness agrees with the Supreme consciousness, that is perfect oneness.
- Oneness means that I agree with God.
- All living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and they are supposed to be always agreeable to the order of the Supreme person; that is perfect oneness.
- Everyone is in agreement with God. That is spiritual world. Therefore there is no question of revolution.
From Rebellion to Surrender
The conditioned existence of the living entity is rooted in rebellion. Śrīla Prabhupāda identifies this refusal to abide by God's order as the cause of suffering. He points out that impersonalists, in particular, manifest this defiance by denying the personhood of the Absolute Truth. Surrender, therefore, is the process of rectifying this rebellious attitude.
- This conditional life is due to our rebellious condition towards God. As soon as we agree surrender and be one with Him by transcendental loving service, the whole thing becomes adjusted.
- There are two kinds of living entities: nitya-baddha, nitya-mukta - eternally liberated and eternally conditioned. You see? So for the conditioned . . . they will never agree to abide by God.
- Impersonalist is the person who is defying. The impersonalist, they will never agree that this Absolute Truth is person. That is enviousness. Therefore they fall down.
Exemplary Acts of Agreement
The scriptures are filled with examples of great souls who demonstrated their love by agreeing to the Lord's demands, no matter how difficult. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights Arjuna, who set aside his personal pacifism to fight for Kṛṣṇa, and Bali Mahārāja, who surrendered his kingdom. Even in extreme tests, such as that of King Mayūradhvaja, the devotee's agreement is absolute.
- When he (Arjuna) was fully situated in the principles of bhagavata-dharma, culminating in complete surrender unto the will of the Supreme Lord, he changed his decision and agreed to fight for the satisfaction of the Lord.
- Lord Vamanadeva requested three paces of land from Maharaja Bali, and when Maharaja Bali agreed to grant them, the Lord immediately covered the entire world with two footsteps.
- Mayuradhvaja was very intelligent, and he could understand why Krsna came to him once, in the garb of a brahmana. Krsna demanded from him half of his body, to be sawed off by his wife and son, and King Mayuradhvaja agreed to this proposal.
The Path to Peace and Freedom
Agreeing with God is not merely a private spiritual sentiment; it has practical consequences for the world. Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that if human society accepted the instructions of the Lord, peace and prosperity would follow. Furthermore, on an individual level, agreeing to the Lord's order is the only way to overcome the insurmountable power of māyā.
- If you agree with the instruction of Krsna and God, the whole human society will be peace and prosperity.
- One can overcome the spell of maya and attain the transcendental platform by agreeing to engage in the devotional service of the Lord.
- One who becomes a surrendered soul and agrees to the order of the Supreme Lord can easily overcome those stringent laws.
Conclusion
The choice to agree with God is the turning point in the life of the soul. Śrīla Prabhupāda invites us to give up the futile struggle of defiance and accept the loving shelter of the Supreme Lord. By submitting to His will, we lose nothing of our individuality; rather, we attain the perfection of our existence, characterized by eternal peace and freedom from the illusion of the material world.
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 Agreeing with God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.