Either you learn from the son or from the father

[Govindaram]

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.9

--

Detroit, August 3, 1975,

University Lecture

Excert.

 

Srila Prabhupada:

Now convince them that "Yes, there is no fighting between Christian or Krishna-ite. One is worshiping the father; one is worshiping the son. So there is no difference." But isvarah paramah krishna [bs. 5.1]. Krishna... He says that,

 

sarva-yonisu kaunteya

sambhavanti murtayah yah

tasam mahad yonir brahma

aham bija-pradah pita

[bg. 14.4]

 

He is the father. That's all right. He identifies Himself as being the father, and Christ identifying himself as the son, then where is the difference? There is no difference. Either you learn from the son or from the father, the teaching will be the same. Only a minority is Christian only.

 

Guest: I have a question. I think the...

 

Prabhupada: Only a minority is Christian only.

Guest: The majority believe that Christ is also God, not just His son, but he is God also.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. No, to... God... God and God's son, they are one and different simultaneously. That you, anyone, can understand, that a father and the son... The son is born out of the body of the father. So if the father is spirit, the son is also spirit because the son is born out of the body of the father. So, so far the body is concerned, it is spiritual. But still, the relationship is father and son. It is called acintya-bhedsbheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. Anyone can understand. The child is the father's body. In that way it is one. But a child is the son, and the father is the father. So simultaneously one and different. So Christ is God and not God simultaneously.

 

Guest: Are you saying that through the unity of Krishna is also a unity of non-Krishna?

 

Jagadisa: He's saying that within the unity of Krishna is also...

 

Guest: There is also the unity of non- Krishna?

 

Prabhupada: Well, in the higher sense there is nothing but Krishna, or God.

 

Guest: It is also non- Krishna?

 

Prabhupada: There is... Just like... I have already explained that, simultaneously one and not one. Just like the sunshine. You see the sun, and you see the sunshine. The sunshine is of the same quality, heat and light, and the sun is also heat and light, but when the sunshine comes within your room it does not mean the sun has come within your room. The heat and light is already there with the sunshine, but still, you cannot say sunshine is the sun.

 

Guest: (indistinct)

 

Jagadisa: Can't hear. Speak louder. (end)