Cosmos: Great Machine Operated by Krishna

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Cosmos: Great Machine Operated by Krishna

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Swami Prabhupada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Krishna

consciousness movement seeks to bring all living entities back to their

original consciousness. In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna says: "The living

entities in this conditional world are My fragmental parts, and they are

eternal. But due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with

the six senses, which include the mind."

Thus all living

entities are part and parcel of Krishna, who is a symbol of the all

attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. As a fragment of gold is

qualitatively the same as a gold reservoir, so the minute particles of

Krishna's body are qualitatively good as Krishna. The chemical

composition of God's body and the eternal spiritual body of the living

entity is the same — originally, in our uncontaminated condition, we

possessed a form as good as God's. But just as rain falls to the ground,

so we come in contact with this material world, which is manipulated by

the external material energy of Krishna.

When we speak of

external energy or material nature, the question is raised: "Whose

energy? Whose nature?" Material energy or nature does not work

independently. Many electronic mechanisms work wonderfully, but behind

these intricate systems there is a scientist or operator who pushes the

button. Similarly, this cosmic manifestation which we call nature is a

great machine and behind this machine there is God, Krishna.

"This material

nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, producing all the

moving and unmoving beings, and by its rule this manifestation is

created and annihilated again and again." (Gita 9.10). There are two

kinds of entities — the moving and non-moving. Krishna says that

material nature, which controls both kinds of entities, is acting under

His direction. So behind everything there is a supreme controller.

The Gita informs

us that in this body there is a proprietor. I say, "My hand", but not "I

hand". Since it is "my" hand, I am different from the hand, being its

owner. Similarly, we speak of "my eye", "my leg", "my this", "my that".

In the midst of all of these objects which belong to me, where am I? The

answer is revealed in the process of meditation, when we ask: "Where am

I? What am I?" We cannot find the answers to these questions by any

material effort.

Even the most

complicated computers need trained men to handle them. Similarly, this

great machine, known as the cosmic manifestation, is manipulated by a

supreme spirit. That is Krishna. Scientists are searching for the

ultimate cause or controller of this material universe and are

postulating different theories and proposals, but the real means for

knowledge is awareness of Krishna.

We cannot

understand Krishna by sensual perception or by speculation — He is

beyond our sensual range. But He can be understood by surrender. Krishna

therefore recommends this process: "Give up all varieties of

religiousness, and just surrender unto me; and in return I shall protect

you from all sinful reactions. Therefore, you have nothing to fear."

(Gita 18.66).

We automatically

resist authority. Yet, we are forced to accept the authority of nature.

What can be more pathetic than a man who claims to answer to no

authority but who follows his senses blindly wherever they lead him?

This is called maya, illusion. We do, however, have a certain

independence — we can choose to be under the authority of our senses or

the authority of Krishna. The best and ultimate authority is Krishna,

for He is our eternal well-wisher. Since we have to accept some

authority, why not accept His?

(Bhaktivedanta

Swami Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna

Consciousness, ISKCON, in 1966)

 

 

 

 

 

 

His appearance day was celebrated yeasterday.