Misconception that Everyone is God
The modern spiritual landscape is often clouded by the pervasive idea that every living being is identical to the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda vigorously challenges this misconception, asserting that while the soul shares the same spiritual quality as God, it can never equal Him in magnitude or power. The claim "I am God, you are God, everyone is God" is described as a demonic principle that misleads society. True knowledge involves understanding the distinction between the infinite Supreme Controller and the infinitesimal living entity.
Minute Controller
In a limited sense, the word "God" or īśvara means "controller." Śrīla Prabhupāda acknowledges that every living entity possesses this controlling potency to a small degree. A person controls their hands and legs, a parent controls their children, or a master controls a dog. In this specific, minute sense, everyone is a "god." However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that this does not make one the Supreme Godhead. There is a vast difference between controlling a household dog and controlling the entire cosmic manifestation.
- As controller every one of us has got some scope or facility to control. At least we are controlling our cats and dogs. In that controller sense everyone is god. But we are not supreme controller. The supreme controller is called Godhead.
- In one sense everyone is God. God means the controller. So everyone is to some extent a controller.
- Everyone is controller. In that sense everyone is God. But everyone is not supreme God, supreme controller.
Māyāvāda Fallacy
The philosophy that everyone is God is primarily propagated by the Māyāvādīs, or impersonalists. Śrīla Prabhupāda condemns this teaching as dangerous and artificial. He points out that this philosophy spoils Vedic culture by encouraging people to think they can do whatever they like because they are "God." He specifically critiques the "daridra-nārāyaṇa" philosophy, which absuridity claims that the Supreme Lord has become a poor man. Such attempts to equalize the ordinary living entity with the Supreme Lord are rejected as "rascaldom."
- The Mayavadi philosophers' endeavor to see everyone as God is an artificial attempt at oneness, but a devotee of Narayana, sees every living entity as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.
- The Mayavadis maintain that everyone is God, but even if this philosophy is accepted, no one can maintain that everyone is equal to the Supreme Godhead in every respect. Only unintelligent men maintain that everyone is equal to God or that everyone is God.
- The impersonalists think that everything is Brahma, everyone is God, therefore they can do whatever they want; and that is a still more dangerous position.
Qualitative Oneness vs. Quantitative Difference
To correct this misunderstanding, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains the Vedic aphorism tat tvam asi ("You are that"). This phrase means that the living entity is of the same nature as God—spiritual, eternal, and cognizant—but not the same quantity. Just as a drop of ocean water contains the same chemical composition as the vast ocean but is not the ocean itself, the living entity is a sample of God but is not the Supreme Whole. God is infinite ("Great"), and we are infinitesimal ("small").
- God is one. There cannot be two. So if I think I am God, then everyone is also God, so God becomes plural, so there is not God. God is one. Therefore, God is great, we are small. In quality we are one.
- The Vedic version tat tvam asi, "Thou art the same," means not that everyone is God but that everyone is qualitatively of the same nature as God.
- Some of them are not all foolish. Some of them are foolish. So these foolish persons, say that, "I am God. You are God. Everyone is God." That is foolishness. We are not God. We are part and parcel of God, qualitatively one.
Logical Contradiction of Guru
The very existence of ignorance and the need for instruction proves that everyone is not God. Śrīla Prabhupāda argues with simple logic: if everyone is God, then everyone should be all-knowing. Why then is there a necessity to find a guru or receive explanations? The fact that one must approach a teacher for enlightenment indicates that one is not the Supreme, who is the source of all knowledge.
- If everyone is God, then what is the necessity of finding out a guru? Guru means who explains about God. Everyone is God, then what is the use of explanation? There is no need of guru.
- There are so many so-called swamis. They are coming, and they are preaching that "You are God. I am God." Then who is God? Everyone is God? No. Therefore you will find in the Vedic literature definition of God.
- Isvara cannot be many. That is not isvara. The Mayavada philosophy that everyone is God, that is not very right conclusion. That is rascaldom.
Last Snare of Māyā
Thinking oneself to be God is not liberation; it is the ultimate bondage. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes this mentality as the "last snare of māyā." After trying to enjoy the material world and failing, the frustrated living entity tries to become the Supreme Lord. This desire to be the "biggest man" is dictated by illusion. True liberation lies in giving up this false prestige and surrendering to Kṛṣṇa as His eternal servant.
- This is our position, not to be puffed up, that "I am God," "I am Krsna," "Everyone is Krsna." This is maya, the last snare of maya. Maya dictates that - You become the biggest man of the world. You become the biggest, richest man of the world.
- Yogis and jnanis artificially try to get rid of Maya, but they are still in the Kingdom of Maya. The conclusion that God is impersonal or that everyone is God is the statement of a person who is in Maya.
- They do not believe in God. "Everyone is God. I am God, you are God, he is God, everyone is God. So whatever law you give yourself, that becomes your religion." This is going on. So God is not so cheap that you become God, I become God, he becomes God.
Conclusion
The assertion that "everyone is God" is a symptom of a godless civilization. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns us not to be misled by such cheap slogans. God is not so cheap that anyone can claim His position. Real spiritual advancement begins when we give up this artificial attempt to be the Supreme and accept our constitutional position as His eternal parts and parcels. Only through this understanding can true oneness and universal brotherhood be achieved.
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 Everyone is God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.