Srimad Bhagvatam
TRANSLATION
ONE SHOULD REALIZE THAT IN THE FIRE, IN THE SPIRITUAL MASTER, IN ONE'S SELF AND
IN ALL LIVING ENTITIES—IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES AND CONDITIONS—THE SUPREME
PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, VISHNU, HAS SIMULTANEOUSLY ENTERED AND NOT ENTERED. HE
IS SITUATED EXTERNALLY AND INTERNALLY AS THE FULL CONTROLLER OF EVERYTHING.
PURPORT
REALIZATION OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD'S OMNIPRESENCE IS THE PERFECT
REALIZATION OF THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH to be attained through the study of the Vedic
literatures. As stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.35),
andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham: the LORD IS SITUATED WITHIN THE
UNIVERSE, WITHIN THE HEART OF EVERY LIVING ENTITY AND ALSO WITHIN THE ATOM.
We should understand that whenever the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
present, He is present with all His paraphernalia, including His name, form,
associates and servants.
THE LIVING ENTITY IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, AND THUS ONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT SINCE THE SUPREME LORD HAS ENTERED THE ATOM, THE LIVING ENTITIES ARE ALSO THERE.
ONE MUST ACCEPT THE INCONCEIVABLE QUALITY OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF
GODHEAD, FOR NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND FROM THE MATERIAL POINT OF VIEW HOW THE LORD
IS ALL-PERVASIVE AND YET IS SITUATED IN HIS OWN ABODE, GOLOKA VRNDAVANA. This
realization is possible if one strictly follows the regulative principles of
asrama (brahmachari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa). Srila Madhvacharya
says in this regard:
THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, IN HIS ORIGINAL FORM, HAS NOT ENTERED
EVERYTHING (apravishtam), BUT IN HIS IMPERSONAL FORM HE HAS ENTERED (pravishtam).
Thus He has entered and not entered simultaneously. This is also explained in
Bhagavad-gita (9.4), wherein the Lord says:
"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All
beings are in Me, but I am not in them." The Lord can defy Himself. Thus
there is variety in unity (ekatvam bahutvam).
TRANSLATION
By practicing in this way, whether one be in the brahmachari-asrama,
grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama or sannyasa-asrama, ONE MUST ALWAYS REALIZE
THE ALL-PERVADING PRESENCE OF THE SUPREME LORD, FOR IN THIS WAY IT IS POSSIBLE
TO UNDERSTAND THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
PURPORT
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF SELF-REALIZATION. ONE MUST FIRST UNDERSTAND HOW
BRAHMAN IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE AND HOW HE IS ACTING.
THIS EDUCATION IS CALLED
BRAHMA JIJNASA AND IS THE REAL CONCERN OF HUMAN LIFE. WITHOUT SUCH KNOWLEDGE,
ONE CANNOT CLAIM TO BE A HUMAN BEING; RATHER, HE REMAINS IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.
AS IT IS SAID, sa eva
go-kharam, WITHOUT SUCH KNOWLEDGE, ONE IS NO BETTER THAN
A COW OR AN ASS.
