Establishing the Supremacy of God
In a world often confused by atheism, agnosticism, and voidism, the primary duty of a devotee is to establish the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this is not a matter of dogmatic belief but of scientific and philosophical understanding. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is dedicated to this purpose: to prove, through logic and scriptural evidence, that the Absolute Truth is a Person, Kṛṣṇa, and that our perfection lies in serving Him.
Personal Feature
A common misconception in spiritual circles is that the Ultimate Truth is formless or impersonal. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that while the Vedas do describe God as having no material hands or legs, the ultimate purpose of such statements is to establish His spiritual personality. The Upaniṣads and the Vedānta-sūtra, when understood properly, inevitably lead to the conclusion that the Supreme Lord is a person with inconceivable potencies.
- In order to distinguish His transcendental body from ordinary material bodies, some philosophers have explained Him (the Supreme Absolute Truth) as being impersonal. In other words, material personality is denied, and spiritual personality is established.
- The purpose of the discussions in the Upanisads and Vedanta-sutra is to philosophically establish the personal feature of the Absolute Truth.
- Srila Vyasadeva wrote the Vedanta-sutra and, taking the essence of all Vedic literature, established the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Practical Establishment: Deity
Establishing God is not just an intellectual concept; it is physically enacted through the worship of the arcā-vigraha, or the Deity form of the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Deity established in the temple is an authorized incarnation of God. It allows the finite living entity to approach the Infinite. However, this process must be executed with strict adherence to rules to avoid becoming a mockery.
- Arca means the form of the Lord established in some temple and worshiped. That is also incarnation of God. That is not idol worship. People who do not know that this is an authorized process of realizing God, they cannot understand.
- Unless you are fully trained, don't establish Deity to make a farce. Better learn it perfectly in the temple, and when you think that the members of the household are also now as good as the devotees in the temple, then you must establish the Deity.
One God, One Scripture
The fragmented nature of modern society can be healed by a unified spiritual standard. Śrīla Prabhupāda's vision was to bring the world together under a common platform. He clearly defined the pillars of this unity: one God, one scripture, one mantra, and one work.
- We want to establish that one God, Krishna; one scripture, Bhagavad-gita; one mantra Hare Krishna; and one work, service to the Supreme Lord. And people are responding. So please try to cooperate with me.
- Our mission is to establish God-consciousness. We can give more information about God from authentic literature.
- Our request is that everyone with his talents should establish the authority of the Supreme. This is our Krsna consciousness movement.
Using All Knowledge
Devotees are encouraged to use every field of knowledge to support this mission. Whether through philosophy, science, or logic, the aim is to establish the supremacy of the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that philosophical speculation, if used correctly, should lead to the understanding that the Truth is sentient and all-powerful.
- Philosophical speculations should be utilized to establish the Supreme Truth as sentient and all-powerful. Similarly, all other branches of knowledge should always be engaged in the service of the Lord.
- We find very wonderful qualities even in such material things as jewels and drugs. Indeed, their qualities often appear inconceivable. if we do not attribute inconceivable potencies to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we cannot establish His supremacy.
Conclusion
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement stands as a beacon to reestablish the lost relationship between humanity and the Divine. By understanding the personal feature of the Lord through the Vedas and serving His established form in the temple, one can realize the highest truth and help others do the same.
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 Establishing God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.