BG 09.04 maya tatam idam sarvam... cited

Nectar of Instruction 3, Purport:

Everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa, and everything is Kṛṣṇa, but this is not to be realized by persons on the material platform.

SB 10.13.19, Purport:

He can expand Himself in more forms than one can imagine, yet He does not fall down from His original form as Kṛṣṇa; therefore He is called Acyuta. This is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sarvaṁ viṣṇumayaṁ jagat. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Kṛṣṇa thus proved that He is everything, that He can become everything, but that still He is personally different from everything (mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4)). This is Kṛṣṇa, who is understood by acintya-bhedābheda-tattva philosophy. pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate: (Īśo Invocation) Kṛṣṇa is always complete, and although He can create millions of universes, all of them full in all opulences, He remains as opulent as ever, without any change (advaitam).

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 17.101, Purport:

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu adopted the mood of Lord Śiva, for He is Śiva also. According to the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, Lord Śiva is not different from Lord Viṣṇu, but still Lord Śiva is not Lord Viṣṇu, just as yogurt is nothing but milk and yet is not milk nevertheless. One cannot get the benefit of milk by drinking yogurt. Similarly, one cannot get salvation by worshiping Lord Śiva. If one wants salvation, one must worship Lord Viṣṇu. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4): mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. Everything is resting on the Lord, for everything is His energy, yet He is not everywhere. Lord Caitanya's adopting the mood of Lord Śiva is not extraordinary, but one should not therefore think that by worshiping Lord Śiva one is worshiping Lord Caitanya. That would be a mistake.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 6.143, Purport:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the original Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Again, Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4), mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded." And as confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.37), goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ: "Although the Lord always stays in His abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, He is still all-pervading." His all-pervasive feature is understood to be impersonal because one does not find the form of the Lord in that all-pervasiveness. Actually, everything is resting on the rays of His bodily effulgence.

CC Madhya 9.360, Purport:

The nondevotee considers the deity of Lord Śiva an imaginary form because he ultimately thinks that the Supreme Absolute Truth is void. However, a Vaiṣṇava sees Lord Śiva as being simultaneously one with and different from the Supreme Lord. In this regard, the example of milk and yogurt is given. Yogurt is actually nothing but milk, but at the same time it is not milk. It is simultaneously one with milk yet different from it. This is the philosophy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and it is confirmed by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4):

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."

The Absolute Truth, God, is everything, but this does not mean that everything is God. For this reason Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His followers visited the temples of all the demigods, but they did not see them in the same way an impersonalist sees them. Everyone should follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and visit all temples. Sometimes mundane sahajiyās suppose that the gopīs visited the temple of Kātyāyanī in the same way mundane people visit the temple of Devī. However, the gopīs prayed to Kātyāyanī to grant them Kṛṣṇa as their husband, whereas mundaners visit the temple of Kātyāyanī to receive some material profit. That is the difference between a Vaiṣṇava's visit and a nondevotee's visit.

CC Madhya 15.135, Purport:

The Vedas enjoin, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: everything is the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Brahman or Parambrahma. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat: everything is a manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Brahman. Since the energy and energetic are identical, actually everything is Kṛṣṇa, Parambrahma. In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4) Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms this:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."

Kṛṣṇa is spread throughout the whole universe in His impersonal form. Since everything is a manifestation of the Lord's energy, the Lord can manifest Himself through any energy. In this age, the Lord is manifest through wood as Lord Jagannātha, and He is manifest through water as the river Ganges. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered the two brothers—Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and Vidyā-vācaspati—to worship Lord Jagannātha and the river Ganges.

CC Madhya 25.33, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is originally the Supreme Person, and He expands Himself impersonally through His potency. As the Lord says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4):

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them." The potency of Kṛṣṇa that is spread everywhere is impersonal, just as the sunlight is the impersonal expansion of the sun globe and the sun-god. If we simply take one side of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—His impersonal effulgence—that one side does not fully explain the Absolute Truth. Impersonal appreciation of the Absolute Truth is one-sided and incomplete.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Instruction

In all phases of life one has to perform devotional activities under the direction of the spiritual master in order to attain perfection in bhakti-yoga. It is not that one has to confine or narrow one's activities. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Therefore nothing is independent of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa Himself states in Bhagavad-gītā (9.4):

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā-

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them." Under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, one has to make everything favorable for Kṛṣṇa's service. For example, at present we are using a dictaphone. The materialist who invented this machine intended it for businessmen or writers of mundane subject matters. He certainly never thought of using the dictaphone in God's service, but we are using this dictaphone to write Kṛṣṇa conscious literature.

Nectar of Instruction 3, Purport:

All the parts of the instrument, including the electronic functions, are made from different combinations and interactions of the five basic types of material energy—namely, bhūmi, jala, agni, vāyu and ākāśa. The inventor used his brain to make this complicated machine, and his brain, as well as the ingredients, were supplied by Kṛṣṇa. According to the statement of Kṛṣṇa, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is depending on My energy." Thus the devotee can understand that since nothing is independent of Kṛṣṇa's energy, everything should be dovetailed in His service.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 3.4:

In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4) Lord Kṛṣṇa says:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in Them.

In His unmanifested impersonal form Lord Kṛṣṇa pervades this entire universe, which is a transformation of His external energy. Therefore all living entities in the material creation rest on His energies. Energy cannot exist by itself, without an energetic source.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

Just like fire. Fire is burning somewhere, but its heat and light is impersonal. Suppose here is big fire. Just like we got fireplace. That is in one corner. But the whole room you are feeling heat. That heat is impersonal. But the fireplace, where there is blazing fire, that is personal. So impersonal conception is the offshoot of the person. That will be explained in the Thirteenth Chapter: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). Kṛṣṇa says that "Everyone, everywhere I am spread. I exist everywhere." How does He exist? By His energy. That energy is impersonal. But the Supreme Person, He's not impersonal. He's person. Therefore it is said, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means who is full with six kinds of opulence, aiśvarya: the richest, the most famous, the most learned, the most beautiful, the most strong, and the most renouncer. He's Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me." Any factory, every worker knows that the whole factory function resting on that supreme person. He knows that. So actually fact is that mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there. I am not there." Similarly, Bhagavān means that. Under His will, under His power, everything is working so nicely, systematically, but if you want to see God, Kṛṣṇa, you cannot see Him. He is not there. He is in Goloka Vṛndāvana, but His influence is so extensive that even without His personal presence, things are going on so nicely. This is called Bhagavān. Bhagavān means this.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

Although we are eternal, but we are perpetually... vibhinnāṁśa. In the Varāha Purāṇa it is said, vibhinnāṁśa, "separated part and parcel." So we should understand very clearly that, although we are eternal, part and parcel, but we are separated. Separated in this sense that we are, everyone of us, are individual, not merge into the existence. Everything is existing. In the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find: mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Everything is existing in Him, Kṛṣṇa. But still, Kṛṣṇa is not the living entity.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

They are called Vaikuṇṭhalokas. And the topmost of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas is Kṛṣṇaloka. So from Kṛṣṇa's body, the Brahman effulgence is coming out. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Everything is existing in that Brahman effulgence. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Everything existing on His effulgence, Brahman effulgence...

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

Therefore our philosophy is acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Acintya, inconceivable. Just like you are trying to conceive that whole world is God, and still, God is not there. That is spoken by God Himself, Kṛṣṇa: mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Mayā tatam idam, avyakta-mūrtinā. So this impersonal feature, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11), the impersonal feature is Brahman. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. That means sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat, parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. Just like the sunshine. You are in the sunshine. That is a practical faith. The sunshine is not different from the sun.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

We living entities, we are also His expansion. Nothing exists without being Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Ninth Chapter. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. "I have expanded in all different atmosphere." Sarvam. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything existing in Me." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. "But I am not there. I am not there." You are existing in Kṛṣṇa, but unless you have Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa is not in you. But you are existing in Kṛṣṇa. You cannot exist without Kṛṣṇa. So therefore Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, Kṛṣṇa is in everything. We have to develop that consciousness. That will make me happy. Yes?

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

The personal form and impersonal form, there are two conception. But Kṛṣṇa explains this that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). Avyaktam, impersonal. That is another form of Kṛṣṇa. He says, mayā: "By Me." "I am all-pervading." Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. That is sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Because He is expanded everywhere, that is impersonal. And... But as māyā, He says, "by Me." Then He's person. So the whole creation is Kṛṣṇa's expansion of energy.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:

And it is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am spread all over the universe," jagad avyakta-mūrtinā, "non-manifested mūrti." He has got His mūrti. He says, mayā: "by Me." "Me" means person. Mayā.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- August 4, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Just like I am speaking in the dictaphone, but after some time, without me, it will speak exactly like this. So, I am speaking, but I'm not present there. Similarly, material world means it is being conducted by Kṛṣṇa, but still, Kṛṣṇa, personally, He's not present there. In another place Kṛṣṇa says that

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- August 4, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Find out this verse. Kṛṣṇa's energies present, and Kṛṣṇa is seemingly absent, that is material.

Jayatīrtha:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them (BG 9.4)."

Prabhupāda: Explain that. (break) So, it is understood or if there is difficulty, you can question?

French Devotee: What does it mean when Kṛṣṇa says "I am not in them"?

Prabhupāda: Huh? "I am not in them" because you cannot see there. Kṛṣṇa is there, but you cannot she Him. You are not advanced. Just like another example. Here is, the sunlight is here. Everyone experiences. But that does not mean sun is here. It is clear? Sun is here means... Sunshine is here means sun is here. But still, because you are in the sunshine, you cannot say "Now I've captured the sun." Sunlight is existing in the sun, but sun is not present in the sunshine. Without sun there is no sunshine. That does not mean the sunshine is sun. At same time, you can say the sunshine means sun.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

But the Brahman... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is very nicely explained in the Thirteenth Chapter, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "I am expanded all over." Sarvam. Sarva means all over. Avyakta-mūrtinā. "That is My impersonal feature." Kṛṣṇa is everywhere in His impersonal, but still He is person. The Māyāvāda philosophy thinks that "If Kṛṣṇa has become everything, then where is the necessity of Kṛṣṇa again, person?" This is rascaldom, because he is thinking in material way.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

He is the proprietor," oh, that you cannot find out. Vairāgya. Although He is the proprietor of all the planets, you won't find Him within this material world, although His authority is going on. Just like the president of your country is not to be seen everywhere, but his authority is going on. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Everything is situated on Kṛṣṇa's opulence, but not that you will find Kṛṣṇa there. You will find Kṛṣṇa there when you are advanced. Otherwise you will not find. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is situated everything, but still, you cannot see in Kṛṣṇa unless you have got eyes to see. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to give you the eyes to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. So how this thing can be done? So if you are serious, then you can see Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

Bhinnā means separated. Separated means... Kṛṣṇa explains in the Bhagavad-gītā that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. As it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā,

eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiṁ

yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ

aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.35)

Kṛṣṇa, by His one plenary portion... When we say of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is not alone. Kṛṣṇa has unlimited expansions. Just like one expansion is Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa expands Himself. There are millions and trillions of living entities.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

Therefore the source of all material elements is originally the supreme life, not matter. That is explained here. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). But they are separated. How they are separated? That is explained in a different verse.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

It is separated because in this material world you cannot directly perceive the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. "I am not present there. Although it is coming from My energy, still, I am not present there." This is simultaneously-one-and-different philosophy.

It is called acintya-bhedābheda. Bheda means distinct, and abheda means one. We should not take one part of the philosophy, that "Everything is one." No. Everything is one, that is a fact, and still, they are different. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Thirteenth Chapter. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "In My impersonal form I am all-pervading," jagad avyakta, "but," mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4), "everything is maintained by Me," mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ, "but I am not there." Just like the jail department is also part of the government, but the president does not live in the jail. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni. If the president says that "The jail department is also my department," that does not mean that president has to live in the jail. It is a gross example. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, God, is everywhere. Not everywhere; His energy is acting everywhere.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

So mayi sarvam idaṁ protam. The example is very nice. Mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva. Just like pearls. The pearls... Take it. Pearl is round, and the innumerable universes are also round. So all these universes are staying... Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Kṛṣṇa says. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. So everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. In another place He says that "I am sustaining all these planets." Of course, we understand law of gravitation according to our theory, but actually, according to Vedic description, the Saṅkarṣaṇa is sustaining all these planets. So anyway, it is to be understood. Just like the, all the planets are floating in the air in weightlessness... How this weightlessness comes? That is explained here. Mayi, "It is resting on Me." Kṛṣṇa says. Mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva.

The two energies... In the material world, the two energies are working. The two energies are from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). The same thing: "I am expanded." Tatam. Tatam means expanded. So He is expanded by His energy. Just like the lamp is expanded by the light. When the illumination in the lamp will be stopped, the expansion also will stop. Similarly, whatever we see, it is all resting on Kṛṣṇa's energy. It is working on Kṛṣṇa's energy. Just like I am... It is not very difficult to understand. Just like I am. What is "I am"? Am I this body? No, I am not this body. The body is my house. I am living in the house. Am I this mind? No, I am not this mind. This is called meditation, to understand, "I am not this body, I am not this..." Neti neti. "I am, ahaṁ brahmāsmi."

Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. But we'll not understand. That is the difficulty. Here it is clearly said, mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva. There is no difficulty. In another place also, Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Mayā, the original is person, mayā, aham. Mayā. So "by Me." Sarvam idaṁ tatam. How? That is already explained. By the two energies, the spiritual energy and the material energy. Parā and aparā-prakṛti. That is expanded all over the universe, creation. So where is the difficulty? Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Anything, that is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore those who are devotee, Vaiṣṇava, they can understand that everything is Kṛṣṇa's. I am also Kṛṣṇa's energy. You are also Kṛṣṇa's energy, jīva-bhūtaḥ. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtām. We are parā-prakṛti, all of us, living entities, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

So the living entity and this matter, two combination, makes the whole creation. Everywhere the creation is going on. So therefore the conclusion is mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, "Everywhere I am expanded." Where is the difficulty to understand? Sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva. As the pearls are set up on a thread, standing... Everything is dazzling, but they're all resting on the thread. Similarly, everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the support. We are discovering so many laws.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

So any way you take what Kṛṣṇa says, mayi sarvam idaṁ protam, "Everything resting on Me..." Similarly, in the Ninth Chapter Kṛṣṇa said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. The energies are avyakta. Energy. Just like there is light, but it is impersonal, but the lamp is personal, or localized, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's energies... Or take another example. The sunshine is impersonal, but the sun is personal. Sun is not imperson. Wherefrom the sunshine is coming? It is coming from the sun globe. And within the sun globe there is the sun-god. His name is there also—Vivasvān. Name means person. As the sun is person and we worship the sun, Savitā... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam... So this is the worship of the sun-god, the morning sunrise. So the sun-god is also person.

This is all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should mark the important word in this verse: aham. Aham means the person. Kṛṣṇa never says that "I am imperson." Imperson is the feature of Kṛṣṇa. Just like in the Ninth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). Mayā, "I am all-pervasive by My energy."

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

Then Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). Avyakta-mūrtinā: the impersonalist. We understand Kṛṣṇa is person. And what is imperson? Imperson is the expansions of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Just like we can understand by this example, that the sun is person, localized. It is a globe. And within the sun there is sun-god. The sun-god is a person. His name is Vivasvān. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). So Kṛṣṇa spoke this Bhagavad-gītā first to sun-god. So when asked, Kṛṣṇa spoke in this word to Arjuna.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa spoke to sun-god; he is also a person, but that person should go... I may say, sun-god, his bodily rays is the sunshine, and in the sunshine the whole material world exists. Similarly, there is real sunshine, which is called brahmajyoti, that is coming out of the body of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). So this impersonal brahma, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, that is Kṛṣṇa's personal rays. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam. Idaṁ sarvam. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Because it is Kṛṣṇa's bodily rays, therefore in that sense you can take anything as brahma, sarva khalv idam, because nothing is different from Kṛṣṇa. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaro. The whole creation is also bhagavān, but it is as appears as different. It appears as different.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

So this is explained here, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā-mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is resting on Me." Just like in the sunshine. On the sunshine all these material planets are resting. Similarly, everything, these universes are resting on Kṛṣṇa's bodily shine, brahmajyoti. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. These māyāvādī philosophers say, "Because everything is Kṛṣṇa, then why shall I go to temple? Why shall I say 'Worship Kṛṣṇa'?" But everything is Kṛṣṇa, why not this Kṛṣṇa? This is also Kṛṣṇa. But their poor brain cannot understand. They simply preach impersonalism. But here it is described, what is impersonalism.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Therefore this rāja-guhyam, the most confidential part of this knowledge, means that one who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme and has become a devotee, has engaged himself in His service, actually, seriously, for them, rāja-guhyam, most confidential.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "This word, what you see, this is also My energy." Mayā. Mayā means "by Me." Just like if I say, "This work has been done by me," so that does not mean that there is no existence of me, and because I have done this work, so I am finished. Here it is called "by Me," mayā. Mayā means "by Me." Anything you do, it is done by you.

Similarly, it is said here, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. This, this world, this material world, if you want to see God, God is everywhere because it is His energy. It is His energy. Just like in the Ford factory, the workers, they see in every corner Mr. Ford, in every corner of the factory, similarly, those who are conversant with this science that what is this material world, they can see in every atom the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. It is simply question of knowledge, that who has made it.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

If I am confident that Kṛṣṇa has made it, then I can feel Kṛṣṇa's presence everywhere. Therefore everything resting, rests in Kṛṣṇa, everything rests in Kṛṣṇa. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me." And na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there. I am not there." If you think that if Kṛṣṇa, this table is resting in Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa must be here, but Kṛṣṇa says that "I am not there. I am not there." The same thing. Because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy is nondifferent, still, energy is not Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. It is very nicely explained in Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. Parasya means the Supreme; brahmaṇaḥ means the Absolute Truth. It is His energy. It is His energy. Just like the sun is shining all over the universe from one place, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, although He is just like a person like you and me, but His energy is acting everything. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). This is avyakta-mūrti. In the energy you cannot find Kṛṣṇa in His person. Just like in the sunshine you cannot find the sun-god. But the sun-god is there in the sun planet, sun disc, within that. You cannot say, "No" because you have no experience of the sun disc. But we can understand from books of authority like Vedas, there is sun-god. There is sun... That Kṛṣṇa said.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

They are all simply manifestation of the Supreme Lord. The Lord says that. One who believes Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, then he'll believe. He says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Just like in the sunshine many planets, they are resting. It is a scientific fact. The all the planets, they are rotating due to the sun heat. Here there is a machine... What is called? We have seen. As soon as there is heat, within the ball begins to rotate. So everything resting. The weightlessness is due to the sunshine, due to the sunshine. Similarly, everything—the sun, the universe—everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa-shine. Kṛṣṇa-shine. That is the answer how these, so many worlds are floating in the air, that because they are under the Kṛṣṇa's energy. They are floating in the Kṛṣṇa's energy.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

So mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: "Everything is resting on Me, but don't think that I am finished because you cannot see there. I am here." Na cāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. It is not necessarily that we have to see everywhere. Ataḥ sa bhakti udi, uditam adbhūtam aiśvaryam ahaḥ.(?) Now, this transcendental nature of God, all-potential nature of God, to a devotee it will give pleasure, and to a nondevotee it will be seeming like, oh, so many bluff is being spoken by Kṛṣṇa. As soon as I become a nondevotee, I'll think all these statement as bluff given by Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as I am a devotee, oh, I'll think, "Oh, my Lord is so powerful." He becomes full with love and adoration.

Prabhupāda:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

This verse, we have been discussing last night, this is distinct explanation of impersonalism and personalism. Actually, there cannot be any impersonal idea. Here, Kṛṣṇa says avyakta-mūrtinā. Even avyakta, nonmanifested, it has also a mūrti, a form. Generally we conceive impersonalism, voidism, voidism, compared with the sky. Sky is called zero, void, but sky has also a form. We see daily, a big round form. So there cannot be anything without form. That is not possible.

So everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy; therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma means Kṛṣṇa's energy is spread everywhere, everything. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ.

That expansion, in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said,

eka-sthāni (deśa)-sthitasyāgner

jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā

parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis

sarvaiva (tathedam) akhilaṁ jagat

Sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. Idaṁ sarvam. Whatever we are seeing, they are simply expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Just like a big merchant, a big industrialist, he has got big, big factories. So these factories, he, one can say that this is Mr. Birla's factory or Mr. such and such gentleman's factory, Tata's factory. But still, although the factory belongs to Tata, the factory is running on by the energy of Tata, but you cannot find, if you want to see where is Tata here, Mr. Tata, that you cannot see.

So if in the material world such subtle things can be performed, so spiritually, still fine, finely it can be done. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Whatever you see," mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4), "it is My expansion of energy." "It is My expansion of energy." The same example as it is given in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, just as a fire is there in one place. The another example is just like sunshine. Sun is fixed up. You can see, everyone can see that it is lying, stationed, in one insignificant corner of the sky, but his sunshine is distributed all over the universe, and everything, all planets, all vegetation, all seasonal changes, they are depending on the sunshine.

So everything is coming from Him. But the same thing, that is the Vedic injunction. Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. These are the Vedic injunction. Yato vā imāni, sa aikṣata, sa (Sanskrit). So, sa vai..., raso vai saḥ: everything, all, reservoir of all rasas. Same, same thing is explained here, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4).

But these Māyāvādī, they think that "I am the same. I am..., I am distributed everywhere. I am moving the sun, I am moving..." They mediate like this. This is nonsense. How you are moving? It is said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. "I am expanded all over this body," that you can say. My limitation. Kṣetra, kṣetra-jña, that is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram iti abhidhīyate. I am not exactly controller; still, suppose I am the proprietor of this body. Actually, I am not proprietor of the body. Actually proprietor of this body, Kṛṣṇa, Paramātmā, but I have given the place.

Similarly, the everything, whatever we see, they are simply manifestation of the two energies of God, Brahman. So they are not different from Brahman, at the same time different from Brahman. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here that mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on My energy, but I am not them." The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are mistaken, mistaking that when everything is expanded as God's energy, then why there is separate God? This is material conception. God is always separate from His energy. That is distinctly said here: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Everything is emanation of God's energy, but still God is not there. If you worship the energy of God, that is not God-worshiping. Indirectly it is, but directly it is not. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. The kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Anya devatāḥ: they are energies of Kṛṣṇa. But there is no need..., if you approach directly to the energetic, the energy is automatically touched and worshiped. Sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā.

So that is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is expanding by His energy everywhere. Sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat, parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. But in the śaktiḥ, although there is relationship, that is also in different way indirectly Kṛṣṇa, but there is no Kṛṣṇa. That is not Kṛṣṇa. If you have.... (break) Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā mat-sthani sarva-bhutani (BG 9.4). Everything is resting in His energy, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni. Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there." And if you, instead of Kṛṣṇa, if you worship the energy.... The material scientist, he is also worshiping Kṛṣṇa, but He is worshiping the Kṛṣṇa's material energy, not Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, if one says that "I am worshiping the energy of Kṛṣṇa, therefore there is no need of worshiping Kṛṣṇa," that is not good. That is not.

If you stick to the worshipment of the energy, you'll get that success, but not as much success as Kṛṣṇa worship. Therefore it is clearly said,

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

In another place it is said that, just like He says that "The worshiping the other demigod, that is also worshiping Me," but avidhi bhur bhavam. Yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam: that is not vidhi. Vidhi is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66), to worship Kṛṣṇa. It is very simple.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

Any, any part of the world, any poor man can offer Kṛṣṇa. This is the poorest, not that who are rich, for them it is prescribed. Anyone can offer Kṛṣṇa according to his capacity. Kṛṣṇa is not hankering after your offering, but if you offer Kṛṣṇa, that is for your own interest, own benefit. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4).

na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni

paśya me yogam aiśvaram

bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho

bhūtātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ

This is acintya-bheda. The same thing I have already explained, that the heat and light is not different from the fire, but still the fire is not there. Similarly, although Kṛṣṇa is not there, but everything is there in Kṛṣṇa, and everywhere you can find Kṛṣṇa also at the same time, because everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy.

So what Kṛṣṇa says, next verse? First of all He says,

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

First of all in the beginning of the instruction one has to learn what he is, in the Second Chapter. Now, this is Ninth Chapter, far away. If we read chapter after chapter very nicely, then we come gradually to the perfection of knowledge. Now, here Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. Everything, whatever you see, material or spiritual, that is Kṛṣṇa. Sarvam means everything. So Kṛṣṇa said that "I am spread all over the universe." Or, if you expand more, "That is my avyakta, nonmanifested form." Nonmanifested form.

Guest (2): Is the feeling of God within me whether I...

Prabhupāda: God is within and without, both. Not only within. That is... That I was... I want to explain, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). "I am everywhere." God is not only within, but without. But we have to see Him. We must have the eyes to see Him. God is everywhere. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Everywhere. God is everywhere. So we have to qualify ourself how to talk with God, how to see God. Otherwise God is present everywhere.

Guest (3) (girl): How does one surrender to Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: (leads devotees in chanting)

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

So God... Sometimes some foolish question is there, "Can you show me God?" The answer God is giving, that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "I am everywhere. If you have eyes to see, you can see Me." So actually God is everywhere; otherwise how He is God? God means the great. But you do not know how great He is. We simply say, "God is great," but we have no idea how God is great. That is explained in the Vedic literature, that He is everywhere. God is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭim (Bs. 5.35).

So here it is explained, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. This is God's impersonal expansion. When we cannot understand God, then we come first to the impersonal feature, everywhere, pantheism, which is known as, in philosophical terms, pantheism. There are different, I mean to say, ideas, and philosophical proposition. So this mayā tatam idam. But the pantheists, because the materialist think of limited... (coughs) They think that "God is everywhere. Therefore there is no personal God." No, that is foolish, foolishness. He is everywhere, it is explained here. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "By Me..." Mayā means, "by me." "By Me, or by My energy, I am expanded everywhere." Mayā, this word, it is causative. Causative means I have caused. The example is... If you want to understand, the example is very simple. Just like as soon as the sun is risen, immediately the sunshine is expanded.

So if it is possible by ordinary material thing—Kṛṣṇa, God, is full spiritual—how much spiritually powerful He is, that He can expand Himself all over the universes? This is called thoughtful consideration. So Kṛṣṇa... When Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, "I am expanded everywhere," where is the difficulty to understand? There is no difficulty—if we are sane person. If we can see that "In one universe there is one sun and the sun is so powerful, it is a material thing, and there are innumerable universes and there are innumerable suns.

If one sun, which is material, if it is so powerful that for millions and millions of years it is giving its energy, heat and light—still, it is so bright and powerful and temperature is so high—how much powerful temperature is of God, you can just imagine.

So when He said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, it is not a false pride. It is fact. Simply we must have brain to understand. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Every particle, every atom, there is presence of God. That is stated in the śāstra. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Paramāṇu means the atom. God is within the atom. So God is within you also. God is outside; God is within. Outside, as we see these five elements... What are these five elements? The same thing, expansion of God's energy. Just like we practically see scientifically, the sunshine is the cause of this universe.

That is called Veda. Vedas means knowledge which is perfect knowledge and if you study Vedas, then you get perfect knowledge of everything. And the cream of the Vedic knowledge is here in the Bhagavad-gītā. So if you read Bhagavad-gītā carefully, then you get all the knowledge very perfectly. Here it is said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. And that expansion, that impersonal expansion, avyakta, not manifested... You cannot see God in person in this expansion. Therefore sometimes we foolishly say that "Can you show me God?" God is there. You have to make your eyes to see. Just like God is here in the temple but somebody is thinking that "This is not God. This is a statue or an idol. They are worshiping idol." Supposing it is idol, but if God is everywhere, why He is not in the idol? What is the argument? If God is everywhere, then why He is not idol? God has the power. And actually this is not idol. This is God's energy. The same example: The sunshine is everywhere, so originally sunshine is the cause of everything.

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to transfer oneself from this external energy to the internal energy. That is the purpose of all Vedic literature. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). To understand God and go back to home, back to Godhead, that is perfection of life. So here we are in the God's energy. There is no doubt. Mayā tatam, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Everything. Bhūtāni means all living entities, anything which has grown. The trees, the plants, the hills, the ocean, the sky—everything is resting in God's energy. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. But it is not that... The pantheists, they think that "If God has expanded in everything, then whatever I worship, that is God's worship." No. That is the... Kṛṣṇa said, "No, that you cannot take."

Prabhupāda:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

So this verse we have discussed last day. The Lord says that "All the universal planets, they are resting on My energy." The weightlessness energy, according to the modern materialistic science, how it is possible? That weightlessness we cannot manufacture. It is by nature's law, or, of course, modern scientists, they take nature as the Supreme, but Bhagavad-gītā, or the persons who are theistic, they do not take nature as the Supreme. Supreme is the Lord. Behind the nature there is Lord.

Therefore, as the Lord says, that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam jagad avyakta-mūrtinā, the Lord is all-pervading all over the universe. Therefore He is within the stone, He is within the earth, He is within the water, He is within the air—everywhere. Therefore, if we make an image of God from anything, either of water, either of stone, either of anything, oh, that is not doll. That is also God. If we have got sufficient devotion, that image also will speak with me, because God is everywhere. Mayā tatam idam sarvam: "I am spread all over, impersonal." But if we make His personal form from anything, either from the stone or from earth or from wood or from anything, or if we create an image of God within myself... There are eight kinds of images recommended in the śāstra, in the Vedic literatures. So any kind of images can be worshiped because God is everywhere.

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

So He's also in statue. God is everywhere. How can you say that He's not in statue? He's also in statue. So it is my devotion, it is my qualification, that I can induce that statue to speak with me. Just like the same way—if I am electrician, then I can fit any electrical instrument or machine or light from the electric energy which is all over—similarly, God's energy, He is present everywhere...

When we are advanced in spiritual consciousness, then we can see God everywhere. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). So He is everywhere, and He is not everywhere also. Just like you have got this post box. The post box means the Post Office. You put your letter. It will go to the destination because it is authorized. Similarly, the authorized Deity, established in a temple, that is worshiped by thousands and thousands of men in India still. There was an occasion to worship the temple of Jagannātha at Purī. In one day about 600,000 people assembled there, in one day. So still, India, they have got this faith, and they worship the Deity in the temple.

So God is realized in three features by the transcendentalists. The first is impersonal Brahman, impersonal Brahman without any particular form. That is called Brahman realization. Above that, there is Paramātmā realization, localized. As Kṛṣṇa said in the previous verse, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, everywhere there is God. In the heart of everyone, even within the atom, there is God. This is called Paramātmā feature. Localized everywhere, God is there. And then Bhagavān. Bhagavān, personal. The Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So in the Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa said in the previous verse, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na ca ahaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). That is explained in this verse that "Everything is resting upon Me. But at the same time," na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni, "they are not also in Me." This particular portion has to be understood. When Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that everything is resting upon Him, that means everything is resting upon His expanded energy, not personally on Him. Personally He is aloof. Therefore it is said, na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni.

Therefore we are situated in the energy, material energy of the Supreme Lord. We are ourself also energy of the Supreme Lord, marginal energy. So although we are situated in God's energy, we are forgetful. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everyone is existing on My energy; still, I am not there." "I am not there" means the living entity has forgotten or cannot understand God, that he is within the God's energy, God's material power or energy. Still, he cannot understand.

So the living entity is called kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra-jña means one who knows his body. Every one of us, we know. I think, "It is my body." Nobody says, "I body." Everyone says, "My body. My finger. My hand." So therefore he is known as kṣetra-jña, one who knows about his body. So Kṛṣṇa says that kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi (BG 13.3). I am proprietor of this body, you are proprietor of your body, but Kṛṣṇa is proprietor of everybody. That is Kṛṣṇa. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). He is in everyone's body. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So Kṛṣṇa, that singular number. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. So that one singular number, supreme conscious person, Kṛṣṇa, He is maintaining the plural number. Therefore here it is said, bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ.

Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

That is explained in another place in the Bhagavad-gītā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, the Supreme, He is everywhere. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. We have already explained. So He is within the core of our heart. So whatever we desire, He understands. He is omnipotent, omniscient. He can immediately understand. Therefore it should be understood that there are two living entities. One is Paramātmā and the other is the jīvātmā. Jīvātmā. That is clearly explained in the Bhāgavata, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi (BG 13.3).

Now, this verse we have been discussing the last meeting that this whole cosmic manifestation, it is not permanent. It is created, and it is again annihilated, and the whole energy is wound up into the body of the Supreme Lord. It comes out, and again it is winded. Now, jagad avyakta-mūrtinā... Sarva-bhūtāni kaunteya prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām. The prakṛti... Prakṛti is not independent. Prakṛti means nature. It is dependent on the Supreme Lord. When He desires or when the time is, He gives us chance. This prakṛti, this material cosmic manifestation, is meant for the conditioned souls. We are all conditioned souls. So this manifestation is given, a chance, so that we can return back to the eternal prakṛti or eternal nature.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

But the Vaiṣṇavas, those who are personalists, they take it in a different way. Why? Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said by the Lord, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "I am spread all over the universe, all over the manifestation, in My impersonal feature." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me, but I am not there." Paśya me yogam aiśvaram. So this simultaneously one and different, this philosophy, is accepted by Lord Caitanya, but it is also accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā; mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7).

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

Here, in this material world, it is all created by God. But how much He is detached, He does not live within this material world. He lives in His own abode, in the spiritual world. He has no attachment although He has created. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Whatever you see, that is My expansion of energy." Just like the energy, sun, is there in the localized place and the energy, sunshine, is distributed all over the universe.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So we living entities, we are also small bright particles as part and parcel of God. In this way God is expanded everywhere. The Māyāvādī, impersonalists, they think "If God is expanded everywhere, then where is God personally?" That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā,

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa, or God, says that "I am expanded in My impersonal form everywhere. Everything is existing on account of Me. But still, I am not everything." Just like God has expanded in this microphone. The microphone is also expansion of God's energy, but that does not mean we have to worship the microphone. So God has got that power, that although He has expanded Himself in His impersonal form everywhere, still, He has got His original existence. A small example can be given in this connection.

That is another thing. Without God, there cannot be anything. But still, there is the central point. It is described in the Bhagavad-gītā that because everything is the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but everything is not God... That is explained. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am expanded in My impersonal feature everywhere. But I am not there." It is very simple to understand. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is expanded all over the universe. But if you are in the sunshine, you cannot say that "I am in the sun planet." No, that is not. Sun planet is 93,000,000's miles away. But the sunshine is not different from the sun. That is also fact. But still, you cannot say, because the sunshine has entered in your room, you cannot say that "I am in direct connection with the sun-god or the sun planet." No.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Tirupati, April 26, 1974:

The Brahman effulgence is the bodily glowing of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prabhā. When Kṛṣṇa expands His bodily effulgence, then everything generates. This material world has also come out of the brahmajyoti, or from the rays of the body of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā. In another place Kṛṣṇa says that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. His impersonal feature, the Brahman, feature, is expanded everywhere. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on my bodily effulgence, Brahman." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there." This is tattva-jñāna. It is not that because everything is resting on Brahman, therefore everything should be worshiped. No. That is not.

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

So if one is simply convinced on this point, that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, and he does like that, follows the principle, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇam. Varṇāśrama-dharma. Kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇam. That is wanted. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So do that. Stick to this principle, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is para-tattva, the Absolute Truth, and Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. This avyakta. The Kṛṣṇa's potency is everywhere. Therefore those who are advanced devotee, they do not see anything else than Kṛṣṇa. Everywhere he sees Kṛṣṇa. And that is a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.8.38 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1973:

But don't think that they are working independently. No. I am behind there." So what is the difficulty to understand? Or from example you can understand how things can go on nicely without a nice brain behind these things? It is conclusion. Mayādhyakṣeṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says further, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). Avyakta, avyakta is also mūrti, a form. Just like the sky. The sky is avyakta, not manifest, but it has also a form, a round form, the universe. Without form there is nothing. Everything has form. The so-called impersonal, that is also form. Just like you go to the ocean, you will find a form, a big circle. That is also form. How you can say there is no form?

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

So this is the position. This is the position. Just like the heat and light. If... You are feeling the heat in the sunshine, but that does not mean the sun is there. You cannot say that. Sun is there and not there. This is called simultaneously inconceivable presence of God everywhere. He is present everywhere. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Kṛṣṇa says, "By My impersonal feature, I am spread everywhere, everywhere." Everywhere is Kṛṣṇa. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: "Everything is resting on Me." This is the fact. Just like in this material world everything resting on the sunshine. That is scientific. Is is not scientist, the sunshine? The planets, they are rotating on account of this heat and sunshine. It is not a theory?

Existing on the sunshine. So wherefrom the sunshine comes? The sunshine comes from God, or the sun comes from God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything is born, everything is emanating form the Absolute. Therefore, indirectly, everything is depending on Kṛṣṇa's potency. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on My potency." Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there." This is the acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. This is our philosophy.

Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

So mahātmā and Vāsudeva, there are two. The mahātmā realizing Vāsudeva, and Vāsudeva is everywhere. That is perfection of life. A person who realizes Vāsudeva in that way... Vāsudeva means everything lives on somebody. Vāsudeva. So Kṛṣṇa says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me, but still, it appears that I am not there." This is illusory energy. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), that's a fact. Vāsudeva is everywhere. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Simply we have to purify our senses to understand the presence of Vāsudeva. That is required. And that is possible if we increase our loving tendency to love Kṛṣṇa. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). If we increase our loving propensity... That is already there, but now it is intervened by the māyā cloud. So we have to get out of the cloud. Then we will find vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). So that is called purificatory process.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

And as soon as you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are in direct touch. We are direct in touch with Kṛṣṇa, but it is covered by some cloud of ignorance. Otherwise, nothing can exist without Kṛṣṇa's touch. That is not possible. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). Kṛṣṇa is... One Kṛṣṇa is expanded all over the creation. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but due to the contamination of material modes of nature, we are thinking we are apart from Kṛṣṇa, separate from Kṛṣṇa, or we do not know Kṛṣṇa, although we are in touch. So that is to be cleansed. The via media impediment has to be cleansed. That is called ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). By chanting this transcendental vibration, your heart will be cleansed. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). The more you chant and hear, śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, then it becomes pious activities.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

There is no difference and difference also. Just like milk and yogurt, dahi. Dahi is nothing but milk, but still it is not milk. That is the example. That... What is dahi? Dahi is transformation of milk. But you cannot say it is milk. Will you accept dahi instead of milk? Or will it act the same way? No. So everything is like that. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Kṛṣṇa has explained this fact. What is that?

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

Lecture on SB 5.5.19 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1976:

"Everything is resting in Me." But if you'll see, if you say, "Then everything is Yourself..." No. Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ, Kṛṣṇa is everything; at the same time everything is not Kṛṣṇa. This is called acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. So Lord Śiva is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa.

So Ṛṣabhadeva said that "I have got My body," idaṁ śarīram, when He appears to solve our problem, whether God is personal or impersonal. Impersonal is there, there is no doubt, but what is that impersonal? Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). That is impersonal. No, He's Māyā: "By Me." That means His energy. His energy is distributed throughout the whole creation, cosmic manifestation. But He is still there. Māyā. Unless He is there Not that because He is spread everywhere—vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—it does not mean He is finished.

Lecture on SB 5.5.19 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1976:

That is material understanding. In the materially, if you take a piece of paper and make it a small pieces and throw it, then the original paper is no longer existing. That is material conception. But spiritual conception? Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). That is spiritual idea. If you take cent percent God from God, still He is cent percent. That is pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate. Īśāvāsyam idam. So Kṛṣṇa says that māyā, "In My another feature, Vasudeva feature," mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Everything is God, but everything is not God. That is explained by God.

mayā tatam idam sarva

jagat avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nahaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

Lecture on SB 5.5.28 -- Vrndavana, November 15, 1976:

The Māyāvādīs, the poor fund knowledge, they say, "Why you are worshiping God here? He is everywhere." "He is everywhere? He is in the temple also." "No," they will say, "not in the temple. He is everywhere except in the temple. Don't go to the temple." This is rascaldom.

So mahā-bhāgavata means he is above the madhyama-adhikārī. He does not see anyone nondevotee. He sees everyone devotee. He sees all living entities existing in Kṛṣṇa, and he sees Kṛṣṇa is living within the heart of everyone. That is mahā-bhāgavata. What is that verse? Sarva... Mayi paśyati. Yo mām... He is mahā-bhāgavata. He is mahā-bhāgavata. He is broad-visioned. Everything. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). In everything He sees Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's hand, Kṛṣṇa's energy. Actually that is the fact. What is this microphone? This is also Kṛṣṇa because what is this? This is made of this material gross matter. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva (BG 7.4). Bhūmi... From earth the iron comes, the aluminium comes, the wood comes. So this is combination of bhūmir āpo analo vāyuḥ, Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore it is Kṛṣṇa. Śakti śaktimatayor abheda.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Honolulu, May 15, 1976:

If one determines that "Vāsudeva is everything..." Actually Kṛṣṇa is everything. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā. In everywhere. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam yat kiñcid jagatyāṁ jagat (ISO 1). Everywhere there is Kṛṣṇa's relationship, because without Kṛṣṇa, nothing exists. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyaktya, mat-sthani sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. This is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Without Kṛṣṇa... So that is the fact, but when you come to this understanding, then you become perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious. Without Kṛṣṇa, nothing can exist.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

Therefore those who are advanced devotee, for them, there is nothing material; everything is Kṛṣṇa. Sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe nā dekhe tāra mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). Actually, a Vaiṣṇava is factually monist because he does not see anything except Kṛṣṇa. Anything he sees, he will think, "This is Kṛṣṇa's energy." So why it is not Kṛṣṇa? So Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: (BG 9.4) "I am expanded everywhere." Avyakta-mūrtinā. Avyakta means not manifest. He is in the fire. He is in the water. He is in the land. He is in the sky—everywhere. He is in the mind. He is in intelligence. He is soul. He's part and So Kṛṣṇa is everywhere; simply you have to make your eyes how to see Him. That is required. That is prema. Premāṇjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who are santaḥ, saintly person, they always see Kṛṣṇa. Why?

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

Just like in this material world the practical example is, whatever we see, the trees and the plants and buildings, the chemicals, the... Everything is generating from the sunlight, energy of the sun globe. Similarly, whatever we see... Kṛṣṇa says also,

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagat avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa is manifest by His energy. So if we understand these things, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is nothing but Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa. If everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, things belonging to a certain person, it must be utilized for Him. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that your property I can utilize for my benefit. That is stealing. That is cheating.

That is their philosophy. Of course, that is our philosophy also, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. There is nothing except Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad..., mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "Everything I am." But their mistake is that because everything is Kṛṣṇa, er, Kṛṣṇa is everything, therefore everything is Kṛṣṇa. No, that is mistake. That Kṛṣṇa explains, that:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

Lecture on SB 7.9.20 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1976:

This is the mistake committed by the Māyāvādīs, that "If everything is Brahman, then whatever I worship, that is all right." That is nonsense. Kṛṣṇa says, nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. Just like this microphone: it is Kṛṣṇa. But if I worship this microphone instead of the Deity, then I am a fool.

This is summarized in the Vedic language, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Without Kṛṣṇa there is nothing existing. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Whatever we see, very superior or inferior, good or bad, that is all from Kṛṣṇa. Bad is also Kṛṣṇa? Yes. Bad is also Kṛṣṇa because there cannot be anything existing without Kṛṣṇa, no existential position. Mat-sthāni...

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

Lecture on SB 7.9.20 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1976:

Everything existing on Kṛṣṇa. This material energy—earth, water, fire, air, sky—that is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. They are also Kṛṣṇa's energies. Opposite elements also. Just like heat and cold. So they are opposite. Śītoṣṇa. Śīta means winter, and uṣṇa means summer, warm and cold, cool.

Therefore the conclusion should be sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat parasya brahmaṇaḥ śakti. Parasya. Parasya means "of the Supreme Brahman." Supreme Brahman is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And Arjuna also accepts Kṛṣṇa as Parabrahman. So everything is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am spread all over the creation.' Avyakta-mūrtinā. But you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. Here we know there is air, there is ether, there is light, there is heat—everything is here. We can see it, experience it, but avyakta-mūrtinā—Kṛṣṇa is invisible, imperson. That is the difference between person and imperson. There are philosophers who think that the Absolute Truth is person, and there are other philosophers, they think the Absolute Truth is imperson. But we followers of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we accept both. He is person and imperson also at the same time, simultaneously. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

Lecture on SB 7.9.30 -- Mayapur, March 8, 1976:

So actually everything is that same Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā it further explains, aham... What is that? Mayā tatam idam. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam, everything. Everything is expanded. Mayā tatam idam. Tatam means expanded; idam, this universe or this world or everything, whatever you take... Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). He... That is His avyakta, impersonal form. Everything is Kṛṣṇa, but that does not mean that His personal form is finished. Because He is expanded everywhere... This is Māyāvāda theory, that "Because God has expanded in so many varieties, therefore God has no form." No. That is not the fact. Fact is, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37).

Lecture on SB 7.9.30 -- Mayapur, March 8, 1976:

He is cause and effect both, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: (BG 9.4) "I am the original cause."

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

(BG 10.8)

Those who are actually devotee, just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, such devotee can understand it is only Kṛṣṇa. He is, by His unlimited power, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ, He is exhibiting in different ways.

This is all-pervasive description of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In more simplified way it has been described in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: (BG 9.4) "I am all-pervasive." Avyakta-mūrtina. "That is also My feature." But this feature, Kṛṣṇa with flute in the hand, that feature is not present. That is called avyakta. Everything is Kṛṣṇa, but not in everything His original form is manifested. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam avyakta. Avyakta means nonmanifest, nonmanifested. He is everything. It can be compared just like your most intimate friend or family member is playing in the stage. So he is playing there, but still, you cannot recognize him. Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā, Kuntīdevī has said. Just like the dramatist, the actor...

They say that "I can worship this stone also." No, no. Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, that is... The stone on the floor, that is also I am, but I am not present there." This is called acintya-bhedābheda. "Yes, stone I am also, but I am not there at the same time."

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagat avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

These foolish persons, they do not know. They think that "If Kṛṣṇa has spread Himself in everything, then He has lost Himself. So He has no more form," their material calculation. This is called material calculation. I have several times given you the example. You take a big piece of paper and make it small pieces, and you throw it in the air.

The big sheet of paper is no longer existing. It is finished. So their calculation is like that, that "If Kṛṣṇa is all-pervasive, then where is His form? His form is finished." This is their character. But that is nonsense. That is Kṛṣṇa, that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "I am spread everywhere, all-pervasive. But in My person I am not there." Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). But a devotee should understand that Kṛṣṇa is on the throne and Kṛṣṇa is on the floor. Therefore we should be very careful to take care of the floor, to take care of the throne, to take care of the flower, to take care of the dishes. Everything you should worship like Kṛṣṇa. That is... You cannot neglect anything. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira mārjanādau **. Everything one. You cannot say, "Kṛṣṇa is here, sitting. I can neglect this floor." That is foolishness.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 9, 1973:

You should take as much care to worship the Deity, to decorate the Deity, as much care to keep the temple very, very cleansed. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. You cannot... You cannot say that "He is working on the garden; therefore he is inferior. I am working directly on the Kṛṣṇa altar." No. The person who is working in the garden, Kṛṣṇa's garden, he should be as careful as the man who is worshiping the Deity in the temple. That is wanted. Kṛṣṇa has expanded. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Tatam means expansion. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot neglect anything, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. You should worship everything. Don't neglect anything. Kṛṣṇa is everything, varieties. At the same time, He is in His original form. The original form is not there, but everything is Kṛṣṇa. This is simulta... Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different. This philosophy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, you should always remember. Don't neglect anything of Kṛṣṇa. Everything should be, every small thing. It is Kṛṣṇa's. It is worshipable.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

That is śakti pariṇāmavāda. He is everything by His potency. Not that He is finished. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvam idaṁ tataṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. In my impersonal feature I am spread all over the universe, all over the world.

ahaṁ sarvam idaṁ tataṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtina

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

Everything is resting on me, but it is not that I am there. So this philosophy, so devotional service is not only mixing, but to remain steady, engaged. The same example.

This is the replica of that Vṛndāvana. So akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. How He's akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37)? How He's all-pervading? By His energy. By His energy. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). That energy is avyakta, impersonal. But Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. Kṛṣṇa is person. Just like the sun-god, he's a person, but his energy, sunshine and heat, that is impersonal. To reach impersonal feature of the sun or the sunshine is not approaching the sun. It is approaching and not approaching. It is approaching in the sense that directly in touch with his energy, but still, the sun globe and the sun-god is far away.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

The Absolute Truth has multi-energies, innumerable energies. And such energies have been divided into three divisions. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva..., na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. He has nothing to do. Why He has to do? Because His energies are working. Therefore, He has energy. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "The whole universe in its avyakta-mūrti, nonmanifested form, I am." Ahaṁ tatam idaṁ sarvam. Aham. "But at the same time, aham is there." Aham means "I." And the word avyakta is there, "nonmanifest." So Kṛṣṇa is manifest. Then what is this nonmanifest? The nonmanifest is the energy of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

They say "Birla Factory," "Birla Jute Mill," "Birla..." Birla's name is there, although Birla is a person, he's not there. It is very easy to understand. Birla is a person. He is not present in that factory, but everyone says "Birla's factory." That means Birla's money, Birla's energy is there. If there is any loss in that factory, the suffering goes to Birla. Or if there is any gain in that factory, the profit goes to Birla. Therefore Birla's energy is there in the factory. Similarly, the whole creation is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). "I am all-pervading." But that does not mean in everything... Everything there is Kṛṣṇa, His energy. He is represented by His energy. This is called simultaneously one and different.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

In the Bhāgavata there is statement by Nārada. Idaṁ hi viśvam, the whole universe is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But itara, but still, different from Him. This philosophy is very sound philosophy, simultaneously one and different. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "I am expanded; I am all-pervading." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there." The Māyāvāda philosophy is "If God, or Brahman, is all-pervading, then why there should be another, separate Brahman?" No. That is also confirmed in the Vedic literature: pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

Just like a fire situated in one place distributing unlimitedly, or limitedly, its heats and energies, heats and light, similarly, whatever we are experiencing within our views in this material world, they are simply manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am all-pervading, spreading, in this material manifestation, jagat, in impersonal feature, avyakta-mūrtinā." Everything... Avyakta means Kṛṣṇa is not manifested there, but we can feel. Just like when you see some smoke from a distant place you can immediately understand that there is fire; it is very easy. Similarly, if everything is going on nicely—the sun is rising exactly in the time; the moon is rising exactly in the time; they are illuminating; they are appearing, disappearing; everything is going on, seasonal changes—so if things are going on nicely you cannot say that these things are automatically happening.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

Therefore in the Vedānta-sūtra, Brahman means the original source of appearance, maintenance, and disappearance. From Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, everything is emanating, janma. Janmādi. Janmādi means, janma sthiti and pralaya. So it is remaining in Brahman. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam avyakta-mūrtinā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Everything is existing, maintained by Brahman. And when the whole manifestation annihilates, pralaya-prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikam—it enters into the energy, supreme energy of the Personality of Godhead. That is the way, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya. From the energy... In the Vedas also it is said, sa aikṣata sa asṛjata: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead glanced over." In the Bhagavad-gītā also, ahaṁ bijā-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). In the material energy, Kṛṣṇa gives the seed.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

So we should try to appreciate the energy of God. When Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "I am all-pervading..." Sarvam. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, the same thing, as it is Vedic injunction, similarly Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā: "The all-pervading nature, the expansion of my energy, is the impersonal Brahman." That is impersonal. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Everything is resting in Him. That means in His energy. Śakti-śakti mat or abheda. His energy is not different from Him. So therefore this quotation given from Viṣṇu Purāṇa by Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very appropriate. Viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā (CC Madhya 6.154). Ksetrajña, these living entities... Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, you know. Ksetrajña means the living entities.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

What is the, that function? Māṁ prapadyate: "He," I mean to say, "surrenders himself," Kṛṣṇa says, "unto Me." How he surrenders? "Because after many, many births' culture of knowledge he can understand vasudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), 'Kṛṣṇa is everything,' that knowledge."

mayā sarvam idaṁ tataṁ

(jagad) avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

These things are there in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Guest (5): When we are talking...

Prabhupāda: Yes. they are talking like that: daridra-nārāyaṇa.

Guest (5): God is in everywhere.

Prabhupāda: God is everywhere. That is understood. But that does not mean... God says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Why don't you read this?

Guest (5): No. That is true. If we will not believe that, then we will be helping people? We will be helping lot of people? No, that is not...

Prabhupāda: Well, we understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We don't make any interpretation.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110-111 -- Bombay, November 17, 1975:

So we can see that sun is in the center of the universe, but it is illuminating and heating the whole universe. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is situated in his own abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, but by distribution of His different energies He is all-pervading. This is idea. When you speak God "all-pervading"—His energy. But He is not different from His energy. Śakti-śaktimatayor abheda. Śaktimān, the energetic, and the energy, they are not different. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said—Kṛṣṇa says—mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am situated all over the universe in My avyakta form, nonmanifested form." The manifested form is Kṛṣṇa. That is in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He is distributed all over the universe, everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He is within the universe, aṇḍāntara-stham, and paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham, within the atom also. That is all-pervading.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

Just like see, even in your own body, can you count how many hairs are on your body and head? They are unlimited. I am claiming "This is my body," but I do not know how many hairs are there. But you ask Kṛṣṇa, He'll tell you. Especially Howard cannot say how many hairs are there... (laugh) Who can say? Howard cannot say. So this is Kṛṣṇa's creative energy. You see. And He is aloof. All things, all these wonderful things are going on, but He's aloof. He's aloof. Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

These are inconceivable energies. And foolish rascals, they claim that "I am God." You see. God is not so cheap. One must know the science of God, how great is God. We cannot calculate. Those who cheaply take God, "God might be like me, you," just frog philosophy. The same frog philosophy. The frog is calculating the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean, keeping itself in the well. You see. So similarly, these rascals, they are frogs in the well, and they are calculating the estimation of the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean and claiming themselves as God.

That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Nārada Muni says. The whole universe is Bhagavān, although it appears different from Him. Bhagavān ivetara. So actually everything is Bhagavān, but it is not this Māyāvāda philosophy, that because everything is Bhagavān, there is no Bhagavān. No. Everything is Bhagavān, and still Bhagavān is there. Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). Māyā, a person is there. Otherwise, there is no use of the word māyā. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Vaiṣṇava philosophy is that this material world is expansion of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the Māyāvāda philosophy is that because God has become everything, there is no more God. Nirviśeṣa. That is called nirviśeṣa—without understanding the beauty.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.6 -- New York, January 8, 1967:

Kṛṣṇa is in the internal potency, although this potency is not different. Therefore it is inferior. It is inferior energy, it is called. And this, this is explained very nicely in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "By Me the whole spiritual and material world is manifested." Tatam idam. How it is manifested? Just like the sun and sunshine. Sunshine is manifested all over the universe, and sun is the central point. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the central point, and His shining brahmajyoti is diffused all over. And the part of that brahmajyoti, when it is, I mean to say, covered by the cloud of mahat-tattva, that is called material existence. So we are in this darkness.

Festival Lectures

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

That means the Kṛṣṇa of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam who appeared Himself as the son of Vasudeva, Vāsudeva. Son of Vasudeva is known as Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). And Vāsudeva is all-pervasive. Whatever we see, whatever we experience, that is expansion of Vāsudeva's energy. So one who understands... In the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: (BG 9.4) "Everything, whatever you see, I am there. It is My expansion." mayā tatam idam. Tatam means expanded. "I have been expanded everywhere." Just like this watch, this is also Kṛṣṇa. This is also Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvāda philosophy, they misunderstand that if Kṛṣṇa has expanded to become this watch, to become this pot, to become this light, to become this room, to become this cloth, then Kṛṣṇa is finished. No more Kṛṣṇa. That is impersonalism.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātmā bhuto (Bs. 5.37). He is enjoying in His planet Goloka Vṛndāvana, and still, He is all-pervasive. mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam jagat avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4).

So when one comes to this understanding that Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, He keeps Himself intact although He is all-pervasive... Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Mahātmā means great soul. Just like you have heard the name of Mahatma Gandhi in our country, but the definition of mahātmā in Bhagavad-gītā is different. A mahātmā is not a politician.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Oneness is certainly—there is nothing but Kṛṣṇa. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "I am everywhere spread." Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. "Everything, whatever you see, that is I am, but I am not there." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). They are existing. Everything existing in Kṛṣṇa. But that does not mean... Just like this table. The table is also Kṛṣṇa in one sense, because it is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore this is not different from Kṛṣṇa. But if you think that "Instead of worshiping Kṛṣṇa, let me worship this table," that is wrong, nonsense. This is the difference between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:

In other words of Vedic language it is said, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: "Everything is Brahman." In the Bhagavad-gītā also, Lord Kṛṣṇa says that māyā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam means all; idam, this manifestation, this cosmic manifestation, whatever you are experiencing... Kṛṣṇa says that "I am expanded as this cosmic manifestation." Māyā tatam idaṁ sarvam avyakta-mūrtinā. This impersonal feature, avyakta, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me, or everything is expansion of Myself." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there." This philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different, is our philosophy, inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although it is in the Vedānta-sūtras.

General Lectures

Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

Everyone will say you are a fool. It is not mind. It is a fact. The sunshine is light, and the sun globe is light. So light is there, both, but still, there is difference between sunshine and the sun globe. That difference. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy everywhere. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

"Although everything is resting on Me, still I am not there."

So as Arjuna said that paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "You are the Supreme Personality." Śāśvataṁ puruṣa. He is accepted puruṣa. Puruṣa, the Supreme Lord, puruṣa; the bhokta, the enjoyer. And He's paraṁbrahman and pavitra, uncontaminated. Pavitra means uncontaminated by the material nature. Paramaṁ bhavān. And He is the rest of everything. Kṛṣṇa also says,

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagat avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

So everything is there. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am spread all over the world, all over the universe," avyakta-mūrtinā, "in My impersonal form. But everything is resting upon Me, but I am not there." These contradictory terms, how it is satisfied, how it is mitigated, we have to learn from a person who knows Kṛṣṇa. Not from others. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended one brāhmaṇa who went to see Him by writing some books and they were not in order.

Just like in your necklace, pearl necklace, all the pearls are situated in the thread, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the thread and everything existing... This will be explained more explicitly in the Thirteenth Chapter.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Lecture on Science of Krsna -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

The Supreme Lord is śaktimān. Just like the sun and the sunshine and the Sun-god, and practically they are one. From the Sun-god there is... The abode of the Sun-god is the sun globe, and the shining of the sun globe is also sunshine. So in one sense they are one, in other sense they are different. Just like the sunshine is reaching here, it does not mean the sun globe is reaching here. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am spread." So sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, everything is Kṛṣṇa. But at the same time, if you commit mistake... The same way, "Because the sunshine is here, therefore sun is here." That is a mistake. This is viśiṣṭa-advaita. They are all one, advaya-jnana, but still they're different. Advaita-viśiṣṭa. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jnanam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Advayam means advaya, advaita, no difference, the same thing. But viśiṣṭa.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct). The absolute cannot be divided into parts. Nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi, in the Bhagavad-gītā. In the material thing, if you want to cut into pieces, that is (indistinct), but a spiritual being, avyaya, inexhaustible, there is no possibility of dividing the spirit into pieces. The Māyāvāda theory is that the absolute is all-pervading. Then when the question of His form, that is their poor fund of knowledge. The absolute, keeping His form as He is, He can expand Himself. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad-avyakta mūrtinā (BG 9.4), "I am spread all over the creation, avyakta, My impersonal form." So God, or Kṛṣṇa, has two features, rather three features, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11), impersonal feature, localized feature and personal feature. So unless we come to understand this science, tattva, it is very difficult to come to the conclusion what is the right form of the absolute truth. So one who cannot go, one who is not so competent, with poor fund of knowledge, they come to the conclusion, nira, void, but actually it is not so.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: Just to water the root of the tree means to expand nourishment for all other parts of the tree, namely the trunk, branches, leaves, twigs, everything. Or to supply food in the stomach means satisfying the necessities of all parts of the body. This is the fact. God being everything, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4), as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, nothing can exist without God, and everything is expansion. Another word is there in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa. It is said that the fire remaining in one place distributes its heat and light. Eka-sthāne sthitasyāgner jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā. The fire can distribute its heat and light although localized in a place. Similarly God, He is in His own abode, but by His energy He is present everywhere. Sarva-vyāpī, all-pervading. The all-pervading feature of God means everything is manifestation of His energy. Nothing can exist without God. But it does not mean everything is God. Everything is resting on His energy, but not everything God. In spite of expanding, God, by His different potencies, He keeps His personality. That is God.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: It is not at all different from God. God is absolute; therefore His words are as good as God. That we were discussing this morning, that God's name and God is the same. God's pastimes and God is the same. God's Deity and God is the same. So anything in relationship with God is God, just like Bhagavad-gītā is God. Because everything is God, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4), everything is God, but when there is God realization, that is God. Otherwise God, everything is God. Without God, nothing can exist.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Hayagrīva: He says, "The concept of God as a separate substance is impossible and contradictory."

Prabhupāda: God is everything. There is no question of separation. That is defined in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, "I am everything." So how He can be separate?

Hayagrīva: But he rejects God as a separate person.

Prabhupāda: He may reject, but God is everything. How he can reject God? The, the, these are the defects of speculators. They cannot give us tangible leading. That because they are defective themselves, so whatever interpretation they will give, all defective.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: That God is..., how he can reject? If God is everything, then how can he reject?

Hayagrīva: But he would not say that God is more than the creation.

Prabhupāda: So how everything He can create? You cannot create the Pacific Ocean, but Pacific Ocean is God. So you are limited, why you are trying to create God? God is already there. Everything is God. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. How he can reject God? Because the table is God, table is God and table is staying on God... The same example: the earthen pot is also earth and it is kept on earth. So earth both of them are. The earthen pot, a tumbler, and waterpot made of earth, everything is made of earth. This table is made of earth and it is staying on earth. So what you can reject?

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Prabhupāda: A perfect conception of the Supreme One: He is unlimited, we are limited. That is sense. How the Supreme One, who is the cause of everything, He can be limited? I do not know what do they mean by "limit." He cannot be limited by anything. Even the impersonal Brahman, that Brahman, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: everything is Brahman, unlimited. Why He should be limited? Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) everything is emanation from Him and resting in Him. That is His impersonal conception. Everywhere He is there. And personal is localized, and..., but from the person, the impersonal effulgence come out. That we understand from the Bhagavad-gītā: brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. As the big sunshine comes from the localized sun globe—the sun globe is situated in one place, but this, the rays of the sun is distributed all over the universe—similarly, impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth is that by His transcendental rays, prabhā, yasya prabhā prabhavata (Bs. 5.40), illumination.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Hayagrīva: Yes. He also believed that God is present in all objects yet remains distinct and transcendental to all created things.

Prabhupāda: That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting in Me, but I am not present there."

Hayagrīva: As for the individual souls, some are unembodied and some are embodied. He believes that some are celestial—they are heavenly—and these souls do not suffer, and some, the ones on earth, suffer. In either case, they are all individuals.

Philosophy Discussion on Benedict Spinoza:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is, He creates by His energy. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated,

bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ

khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca

bhinnā me prakṛtiḥ aṣṭadhā

(BG 7.4)

These eight kinds of material elements—earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence and ego—they are material energies, and this material world is made of these material elements. So because it is made of God's energy, therefore it is called created by God. But this is creation of His energy. Prakṛtiḥ pradhāna, upadhāna, pradhāna. The ingredients are coming from Him, and prakṛtiḥ, nature, creates. This is the idea of creation. So God is a remote cause and a eminent cause also, because these elements, they are God's energy. So the eminent cause is the energy. Therefore it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "By Me, everything is expanding." So when He says "By Me," then He is the eminent cause. There are two causes: remote and eminent.

Philosophy Discussion on Benedict Spinoza:

Prabhupāda: No.

Hayagrīva: Because he is pantheistic.

Prabhupāda: This is..., expansion also we accept. What is called, there is technical name, pracāra (?). Expansion, that is stated in Bhāgavatam, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "By Me everything is expanded." This very word is used. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). So expansion is also God, but at the same time in expansion there is no God. "No God" means not in person. The expansion is imperson, but expansion is from the person. Just as a government, this is impersonal, but the governor is person. So government means under the control of the governor. So impersonal expansion of God is controlled by the personal God. This is like pantheism. And pantheism, so I think that because everything is God, that God has no personal existence. Is it not?

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Hayagrīva: So although God is all animals and all plants...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is...

Hayagrīva: Although God is everything, we concentrate on these particular...

Prabhupāda: No. That is especially prohibited. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is in Me, but I am not there." Just like the body of a dog. The body is on the soul; the platform is the soul. Otherwise there is no meaning of the body. So the body of the dog is depending on the soul of the body. But that does not mean the dog's body is God. Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. Find out this verse, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. They are taking just as Vivekananda, they, the body of a daridra, poor man, is resting on God, Nārāyaṇa...

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Prabhupāda: ...but he is taking the body as Nārāyaṇa. That is his knowledge, imperfect. He is saying daridra-nārāyaṇa. God has become daridra. And he is taking the consideration of the body; therefore he is thinking God has become daridra. The body of a daridra, poor man, is depending on Nārāyaṇa, but he is taking the body as Nārāyaṇa. He is such a fool, and he is going on. Ah. Find out...

Devotee:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Read the purport.

Devotee: Translation. "By Me in My unmanifested form this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."

Prabhupāda: "On service of his origin." What is? On His Majesty's service. What is that slogan?

Prabhupāda: "On service of his origin." What is? On His Majesty's service. What is that slogan?

Devotee: "On His Majesty's service."

Prabhupāda: Ah. (indistinct) That does not mean the..., Her Majesty is there. The Majesty, Her Majesty's power, order, is everywhere. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni. The government is acting with the seed on Majesty's service, but that does not mean Her Majesty is there. This is simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedābheda. Majesty is there because the order is there, but still personally he is not there. So the, another, that begun already, is that daridra, in daridra Nārāyaṇa is there, but not that daridra is Nārāyaṇa. But he has no vision. He is talking of this daridra-nārāyaṇa. This is mistake. Nārāyaṇa is there undoubtedly, but not that daridra is Nārāyaṇa. This is impersonalism, Māyāvāda mistake. That is pantheism.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Hayagrīva: Well, it's the pantheistic, it's the same pantheistic contention that God is..., God is impersonal and made the tree grow.

Prabhupāda: Maybe. "Impersonal," "personal," that we shall consider, but God is sentient. He is all-pervasive. That is accepted. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). That's all right. But God is not like the dead matter, who has no sense. We don't find the dead matter has got rationality. The rationality behind the dead matter is God.

Hayagrīva: That's it on Huxley.

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Presence is just like the water has come from Him. We say the semina of God. The light is coming from God. We say the sun is the eye of God. In this way everything is related, emanation from God. So, so long we do not understand wherefrom these things are coming, it appears God is imperson. But when we understand that "Here is the source of this sky, this air, the light, the water, the land," then He is person. So impersonal feature means a subordinate feature to the person. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "All the sky, air, fire, air, land, water, everything, that is My expansion." Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam means everything. And mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "They are staying on Me." Just like the sunshine is on the sun. As soon as sun sinks, the sun, there is no sunshine. Similarly, the sunshine appears to be very big and the sun globe appears to be small, but the whole sunshine is depending on the sun globe. Similarly, the whole exhibition of impersonal representation—earth, water, air, fire, sky, so on, they are all depending on God. There..., therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "Everything that you see, that is My expansion, and everything is resting on these elements." Therefore He says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni, nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "But personally I am not there." And standing on this vast land or in the ocean he is in God, but personally he cannot see. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Personally I am not present there, although he is standing on Me." Oh, Kuntī also says that, that "You are within and without, but still, the fools cannot see. Only the paramahaṁsas can see You." That is in Kuntī's prayer you will find. (aside:) Find out this Kuntī's prayer. Perfect knowledge.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

This Brahman effulgence is nothing but His bodily effulgence. You see whenever we put Kṛṣṇa, there's a bodily effulgence. Within that bodily effulgence every creation is there. Just like this effulgence of sun. Within the sunshine all these planets are moving, all this vegetation, everything growing, coming. The whole thing is existing on the sunshine. Similarly, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Everything existing on brahmajyoti. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said māyā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. "This impersonal exhibition of this whole manifestation, it is I." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything existing in Me." Nahaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. "But I am not there." So we have to study everything intelligently. I want some intelligent persons from America. Then it will be done. It is not bluff. It is real science. Authority. One has to understand simply. That's all.

Discussion with Guests -- December 23, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: Energy, being nondifferent from God, in one sense, it is God, but energy is not God at the same time. The same example. Just like sun and the sunshine. Sunshine is the energy of the sun, but sunshine, if it enters in your room, if you think that "Sun has entered into my room," that is wrong. But sunshine is not different from the sun. Similarly... That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā, mat-sthāni... (BG 9.4). (break) "Everything is resting in Me." That means in His energy. But not that everything is God.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Darsana -- June 28, 1971, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: It is due to sunshine all these trees are existing. So if I say everything is sunshine, what is the wrong there? Because it is the sun's energy which is maintaining this material world. Similarly, it is Kṛṣṇa's energy that is manifesting everything. So if I say this is Kṛṣṇa, this is a fact. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Although everything is resting in Me, still I am not there." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). The Māyāvādī philosopher says that "If Kṛṣṇa is here, then why shall I worship Kṛṣṇa in the temple?" That is his rascaldom. If Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, why He is not in the temple? But they will be minus, make minus this: "Kṛṣṇa is not in the temple, Kṛṣṇa is only somewhere else, that's all." That is the... Kṛṣṇa says that "I am in the temple, not anywhere else, although everything I am." So these things the foolish rascal people do no understand. Try to make them understand and go on preaching. The sannyāsīs are meant for preaching and the GBC's are meant for managing. In this way do it. Now you give me relief—I go on writing books, that's all. So Viṣṇujana Mahārāja, your preaching is going on nice?

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1971, London:

Śyāmasundara: Somehow or other, we create our own ignorance.

Prabhupāda: Everything is like that. Everything is spirit but at the same time, not spirit. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4), "Everything is in Me, but I am not there." How is that everything is in Kṛṣṇa? How Kṛṣṇa is not there? He says like that.

Revatīnandana: Yes. He says because you can't see Him there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore matter means when our consciousness is covered to understand Kṛṣṇa, that is matter.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:

Śyāmasundara: As soon as there is person, there is no doubt, clear.

Prabhupāda: But we have tried to explain how He is person. Just like we try to explain how God is working. So one should have brain to study things. One must have clear idea how God is person, how He is working, how this cosmic manifestation is manifested by God's energy. Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). "In My impersonal feature, everything is manifested there." Tatam idaṁ sarvam. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So one has to apply his brain—that is intelligence—how it has become person. That is not false, that is fact. You cannot understand; your brain is teeny. That is different thing. Now you make your brain competent to understand this philosophy. (break) ...vijñātaṁ bhavanti. So take this philosophy nicely, understand this philosophy, and preach. You will be victorious everywhere, because we can challenge anyone. If you know the trick, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you can challenge. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). One who is nārāyaṇa-parāḥ, he is never afraid of anything.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

These are the Vedic statements. And Kṛṣṇa also said, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore to become wise after many, many births of struggling or cultivating knowledge, when one comes to perfection of knowledge he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. So therefore one who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, he is the most perfect man, even without knowing Kṛṣṇa. Just like gopīs. They did not know Kṛṣṇa, whether He is God or some... Simply loved Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa is very beautiful." That's all.

Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Nature, they cannot even challenging nature; they cannot understand the nature. And behind nature, there is God. So what they will understand God? They cannot understand the curtain by which God is hidden, and what they will understand God? This is a curtain. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya

yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Just like this planet, this universe, everything is resting on Him, but He cannot be found. Just like if you sit down on this chair, on this bench, I can see the bench you are sitting. But this whole universe is floating on something, but you cannot see on which it is floating. You are so limited. This universe is floating on water, just like (indistinct). Yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrām anantam aśeṣa-bhūtam, viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.47). Each and every universe is coming out of the pores in the body of Viṣṇu, Mahā-Viṣṇu. Just like an infected person, he distributes infection by breathing. Is it not?

Room Conversation with Kenneth Keating, U.S. Ambassador to India -- October 14, 1972, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva. Just like you have got pearl necklace, and if it is woven in a thread. So all the pearls, they are resting on that thread. There is no question of good or bad. Everything is resting in God. There is no question of good or bad. Not that all good men simply rest on that thread. Whatever we see within our experience, everything is resting on God. There is another verse in the Bhagavad-gītā, māyā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "In the impersonal form, I am spread all over the manifestation, cosmic manifestation, and everything is resting on Me, but it is not necessarily I am in everything." That is the statement there. The definition of God, first of all, if you take this definition, as the root of everything, as the source of everything, however you like. It is the definition given by the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) the origin or birth or emanation of everything. Now you take anything and find out where is the original cause, then you come to God. Take anything on this table. Your self, your body. Everything you take, if you go on searching, searching, searching, what is, where is the origin, then you come to God. That is the perfect definition of God, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) the origin or source of everything. What do you think?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 27, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everything is preserved. Kārya kāraṇam, cause and effect. In the effect, the cause is there. Therefore, Veda says: sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, everything is Brahman. Because the cosmic manifestation is the effect of the cause, energy of God. Therefore, in the effect there is God. mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. "In impersonal form, I am existing everywhere." God says, Kṛṣṇa says. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is existing on Me." Na cāhaṁ teṣu ava... "But I am not there." This is the personal and impersonal features of the Lord. The whole cosmic manifestation is the impersonal, it is resting on the energy of God, but you cannot find God here. The example is just like a big businessman, he has got a big factory. The factory's depending on the energy of that man, but if you want to see that man in the factory, you cannot see. Is that example nice? You cannot say that the factory is existing without him. It is in his brain the whole factory's running on. But if you want to find out where is he, that will be difficult.

Morning Walk -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not?

Paramahaṁsa: But we order mūrtis all the way from India?

Prabhupāda: That is stated that, "Everything is in Me but I'm not there." This is acintya-bheda... mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Everything is Kṛṣṇa but you cannot worship this bench as Kṛṣṇa. That is rascaldom.

Karandhara: Kṛṣṇa says, "Worship me in this way."

Prabhupāda: Yes. (pause) Just like the sunshine. That is also sun. Is it not? But you cannot say when the sunshine is in the room, you cannot say, "The sun is my room." This is called acintya-bhedābheda.

Room Conversation With Three College Students -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtani na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Although you do not find Kṛṣṇa in somewhere, but His energy is acting, there. So one who has eyes to see how Kṛṣṇa's energy is acting, he sees Kṛṣṇa. Same example. Because the Prime Minister's energy is working in that office, so the Prime Minister is there present. So everything is demonstration of the energy. Just like you are in the room, you have not seen the sun, but as soon as the sunshine is there, you know that sun is there.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 23, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: So seed is the real thing. And that seed is Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: So everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Again, everything is Kṛṣṇa! Same nonsense, same nonsense. (laughs) Kṛṣṇa says, "I am not that." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4).

Dr. Patel: Na tu mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me, uh, aiśvaram!

Prabhupāda: Yes. So there is varieties.

Dr. Patel: But in the second... That is...

Prabhupāda: So there is...

Morning Walk -- March 23, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: But even Bhāgavata says that even though He was born as an embodied, He was still so in His eternal place there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That is pūrṇa. It does not mean... Just like īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He's staying in everyone's heart. That does not mean He's finished. He's still there. That is Kṛṣṇa. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. "And still, don't think that I am there."

Dr. Patel: Avyakta-mūrtinā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Avyakta-mūrtinā. That is avyakta. His impersonal feature is avyakta. But His personal feature is vyakta.

Dr. Patel: His personal feature is in Goloka.

Morning Walk -- March 30, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And that is confirmed in the Brahmā-saṁhitā that yasya prabhā. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagadaṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). This creation, all the whole creation, even this material, that is depending on the brahmajyoti. Therefore it is said, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Everything is depending on the brahmajyoti. And that is confirmed also in the Bhagavad-gītā: mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). This mat-sthāni means...

Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: "Nothing beyond Me."

Prabhupāda: "Nothing beyond Me." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7).

Mr. Sar: Mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (aside) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you. Because He's the original cause, therefore everything is depending on Him. That is explained in the Ninth Chapter, I think. mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta... The avyakta-mūrti also He is. That is another feature, another feature. But mayā, the central feature is the person, Kṛṣṇa.

Mr. Sar: Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu... (BG 7.8)

Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And if you say "dog-nārāyaṇa," that is mistake. (laughter)

Mr. Sar: Tribhir guṇamayir bhāvair...

Prabhupāda: (laughing) "Dog-nārāyaṇa!" Mean... If daridra can become Nārāyaṇa, why not dog? What he has done?

Dr. Patel: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4).

Prabhupāda: No, so that I am explaining. So if you take in that sense, because He has expanded Himself everywhere, so why do you say, "daridra-nārāyaṇa"? You say, "dog-nārāyaṇa, dhani-nārāyaṇa, cat-nārāyaṇa—everyone is Nārāyaṇa." Why you particularize this section?

Mr. Sar: Because they are human beings. That's why I take in that way.

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Dr. Patel:

na mat sthāni bhūtāni

paśya me yogam aiśvaram

bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho

mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is His inconceivable potency. Everything is resting on Him. Without Him, there is nothing. Nothing can exist. Still... The same argument comes again, that because the dog or the anything is resting on me, it does not mean I am dog. Daridra, he is resting on me, that does not mean I am daridra. Yes. This is the... This is wrong conception, misleading people. This kind of coined word, simply misleading people.

Dr. Patel: Na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I have nothing to do with daridra. He is suffering of his own karma.

Dr. Patel: But here a little difficulty for me. Here on the first line He says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Second line He says, na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam aiśvaram.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Therefore, na ca mat-sthāni: "Although I am there, I am not there." That is inconceivable, simultaneously not also, just to warn these people that although Nārāyaṇa is within the daridra or the dog, that does not mean I am dog or I am daridra.

Dr. Patel: Bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ.

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Everyone is puruṣa, but not puruṣottama.

Prabhupāda: So paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). Dhāma. Dhāma means resting place. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma, and pavitram. Pavitram means you are not contaminated by these material modes. Pavitraṁ paramam, Supreme. Now the question is that if Kṛṣṇa is paraṁ pavitra... Now sometimes they criticize that "Kṛṣṇa danced with the other girls. So how He can be contaminated?"

Dr. Patel: Not contaminated.

Morning Walk -- April 16, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: But final, the main group is this.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...teṣv avasthitaḥ. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on.

Girirāja: "The residents had no knowledge of what had happened. After entering the village Vṛndāvana, all the calves entered their respective cowsheds and the boys also went to their respective mothers and homes." (break)

Prabhupāda: My younger sister, up to seven years she was sucking my mother's breast.

Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Devotees: No.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is everything; again Kṛṣṇa is... That is... What is the verse? mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "I am spread all over the universe in My impersonal feature." Jagad avyakta-mūrti..., mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is in Me." Nāhaṁ te..., "But I am not there." This is called simultaneously one and different. Acintya-bheda, that one has to understand. Where there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is different from Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Bhagavān: The other religions do not give any...

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: "Do it." This is going on. The rascals, they want to enjoy life without Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs are dancing with Kṛṣṇa; the dancing is here also, ball dance. Why they do not get any pleasure? Without Kṛṣṇa. You dance with Kṛṣṇa, you get real pleasure. So our business is to educate people that "Everything is Kṛṣṇa. You try to understand." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You are trying to forget Kṛṣṇa. That is your argument. Just like the materialistic person argue, "Why shall I do this? Why shall I go to Kṛṣṇa?" They argue simply this. Actually, there cannot exist anything without Kṛṣṇa. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, Kṛṣṇa says. "All this, whatever you see, that is My expansion of energy. Everything is resting on Me." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is on Me." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. By bhakti-yoga gradually he develops that everything—vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—everything is Kṛṣṇa. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That mahātmā is very rare who can see everywhere Kṛṣṇa.

Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. How it is realized...

Madhudviṣa: Some people want to artificially jump to that stage of seeing everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Garden Conversation with Professors -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Dr. Judah: Wouldn't you say, though, that, in the case of us, that we are, as it were, jīva-śaktiḥ, we are the marginal energy, and so we do have, as it were, that aspect of Kṛṣṇa, but we also have in this world then the māyā-śaktiḥ. We are the combination, as it were, here in the...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā find out this verse,

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na (cā) haṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam.

Revatīnandana:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Garden Conversation with Professors -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Translation: By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.

Purport: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not perceivable through the gross material senses. It is said that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa's name, fame, pastimes, etc., cannot be understood by material senses. Only to one who is engaged in pure devotional service under proper guidance is He revealed. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, premāñjanacchurita.... One can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, always within himself and outside himself if he has developed the transcendental loving attitude towards Him. Thus for people in general He is not visible.

Prabhupāda: And if you are not intelligent, so go on putting water every leaf, every... You see? Your whole body requires food. That does not mean you have to supply food to the ears, to the eyes, to the nails, to the rectum, to the... No. You give food to the stomach; it will be distributed. So Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. That we have already studied. So if you love Kṛṣṇa, then your love will be distributed. If you don't love Kṛṣṇa and if you love somebody else, then somebody will cry that "You do not love me."

Garden Conversation with Professors -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: First of all, try to understand this. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "I am expanded by My energy everywhere." So the everywhere how you can go? You love Kṛṣṇa, and your love will go everywhere. You pay tax to the government, and the tax is distributed in so many departments. So it is not your business to go every department and pay tax. Pay to the treasury of the government; it will be distributed. This is intelligence. And if you say that "Why shall I pay to the treasury house? I shall pay the this department, that department, that department, that department," you can go on, but it will never be sufficient, neither complete. So you may love humanity, but because you do not love Kṛṣṇa, therefore you do not love the cows; you send them to slaughterhouse. So your love will remain defective. It will never be complete. And if you love Kṛṣṇa, then you will love even the small ant. You will be not interested even to kill even an ant. That is real love.

Morning Walk -- June 25, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: And he accepts in his comment, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ: "That Nārāyaṇa has appeared as Kṛṣṇa." And he has given specific name of His father as "the son of Devakī and Vasudeva" so that nobody can misidentify. If you have got Śaṅkara's bhāṣya, commentary on Bhagavad-gītā, you bring it I shall show you. (break) Kṛṣṇa also confirms. That verse, which we were reading last evening... Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "This jagat, this material world, is impersonal. And that is My energy. Therefore the whole world is resting upon Me, but I am not there. As person, I am not there." This is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. Just like the sunshine is spreading all over the universe, but the sun is aloof. Take this example. Not that because the sunshine is here, we are now getting, the sun has come here. The sun is shining from the distant place. He is aloof. Similarly, God is person and His shining is all this creation. That is impersonal.

Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: Just like I have got so many branches, hundred branches. So everyone knows that I am something, but that does not mean I am present everywhere. My student(?) has got this tape..., hundreds of thousands of tape recorders to record my speech and then you speak the same thing that I am speaking, but I am not there. And that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat sthāni sarva bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Hm? Find out. Everything is God but God is not everything. He is simultaneously one and different. We therefore say that everything is God but not that everything is..., not that God is everywhere. But because everything is God, everything, with everything you can realize God.

Prof. Hopkins: So that the...

Brahmānanda:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat sthāni sarva bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Morning Walk -- September 15, 1975, Vrndavana:

"By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All things are in Me but I am not in them."

Prof. Hopkins: So the failure is a failure to go beyond.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Prof. Hopkins: The failure is a failure to go beyond, to realize beyond that level of identity, that there is a Lord, who is...

Prabhupāda: Māyāvādī philosophy is defective. They say if everything is God then where is the Lord's separate existence. That is their defect. That is materialist theory. If you take a big paper and make it into small pieces and throw it away, then the big paper is lost. (laughs) The Māyāvādī thinks like that, that if everything is Brahman, Brahman is distributed, then where is..., why you call the Supreme Lord? They think that Brahman being distributed, He is finished. This is Māyāvādī. He does not know the potency of God. And that is stated in Upaniṣad.

Hari-śauri: (break) ...last night, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and he was saying that if everything is ultimately spiritual, if one is spiritually advanced, he sees everything as spiritual. Then if everything is spiritual, then we can carry on just doing the same things that we're doing now, because it's all for God.

Prabhupāda: No. Kṛṣṇa says that "Everything is My energy, but..." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu: (BG 9.4) "But I am not there." This is the answer. Everything is Kṛṣṇa's expansion, but not that everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- September 15, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No. Yes, we also say. Although everything is expansion of the energy of Kṛṣṇa, not that everything is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Vaiṣṇava philosophy takes everything as expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Parāsya brāhmaṇa śaktiḥ. (Aside:) Jaya. Sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. Everything is expansion of the energy of the Supreme Brahman. Kṛṣṇa confirms it, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Without Kṛṣṇa, there is no existence. But that does not mean anything existentional is Kṛṣṇa. That is Māyāvāda philosophy.

Morning Walk -- December 20, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Or to warn these rascals, He says, "I am not there. I am not there."

Dr. Patel: It is not like that, that He is there...

Prabhupāda: Because he is a foolish man, if you say "Because Nārāyaṇa is there, everyone is Nārāyaṇa," he will misunderstand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "No, I am not there." Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. This is the...

Dr. Patel: Would it not be considered like this, sir, that He is in the Golok as well as here?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Goloka, position of, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātmā-bhūto (Bs. 5.37), that is Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: Akhilātmā-bhūto.

Morning Walk -- December 20, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: These rascals are going on. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "I am not there, nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ," to teach these rascals. Otherwise, they'll misunder...

Dr. Patel: Does it not mean, sir, that nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ, "I am staying in Goloka"?

Prabhupāda: No, no. He says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4), "I am everywhere, but still I am not there." Because these rascals will misunderstand.

Dr. Patel: It seems ambiguous to understand, sir.

Prabhupāda: Not ambiguous. It requires knowledge from the guru.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 3, 1976, Nellore:

Acyutānanda: Then why should one be distinguished from another if they are both eternal?

Prabhupāda: Just like the sun distinguished from the sunshine, but qualitatively heat and light is there. But because sunshine is there, you cannot say sun is there. That you cannot say. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Clearly said.

Keśavalāl Trivedi: I think, Swamijī, you explained this, and I could draw rationality from it, that "I am īśa, but not I am sarveśa. I am ātman but not Paramātman."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: That is God.

Prabhupāda: That is God. They are materially thinking, "If God has bifurcated Himself in so many, everywhere, all-pervading, then where is God?" This is foolishness. That Kṛṣṇa says, that

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Morning Walk -- April 17, 1976, Bombay:

"Still I am separate." This is wanted. The example is there. Suppose a sunshine is there and throughout the whole universe, and if you say, "Now sun is finished," is sun finished? This is all foolishness. The sun is there; sun-god is there. Still, the sunshine is spread all over the universe.

Dr. Patel: I was meaning that, but unfortunately my expression was very poor.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that may be.

Dr. Patel: I am not student of literature like you.

Prabhupāda: Nothing can exist.... mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. So everything is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Where is not Kṛṣṇa? But the Māyāvādī says, "Everything is Kṛṣṇa; therefore let me worship the sand." That is rascaldom. "What is the use of going to the temple? Let me worship the sand." That is rascaldom. Kṛṣṇa says clearly, therefore,

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Morning Walk -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Dr. Patel: Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ means no more important.(?)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: So I look a fool and they'll become wise, all of them, eh?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You are wise.

Hari-śauri: I think we should go back now, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Mayā. You just explain this verse.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Morning Walk -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

You understand this?

Jayādvaita: Yes. Kṛṣṇa says that "Everything is resting in Me. I am present all over the universe, impersonally. I can't be seen. Everything is resting on Me. At the same time, I'm outside of everything. I'm independent." He maintains His personality.

Prabhupāda: Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. "I'm not there." So this is conception of God. Nothing can exist without God. But that does not mean everything is God. We have to understand this philosophy.

Indian man: I just want to ask..., Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhu, Bhaktisiddhānta your spiritual master. How you spent the days, your young age, with Bhaktisiddhānta?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Garden Conversation -- June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Not everything is one. The trunk is not one with the leaf, but ultimately because the root is the cause, so there is no difference between the trunk and the leaf. This is acintya-bhedābheda philosophy, simultaneously one and different. On the whole, everything is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Why should we think this world is mithyā when it is created by God? Does God create anything false? No. When it is created by God.... When we think that "I create some business, some factory, that is my pleasure," but if somebody else thinks it, it is for his pleasure, that is māyā. The world is created by God, He has got some motive, so if the world, cosmic manifestation, is utilized for His purpose, then it is spiritual. Otherwise, it is material.

Prabhupāda: And actually God is there with the living entity, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He particularly pointed out, "Here is God within their core of the heart." Now the yogis, they try to find out God in his body, that is called meditation. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). This is process of the yogis, to find out God within himself. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is also stated jagatvena, tat tvena (?) Find out. So God is everywhere, there is no doubt about it. Within you, within me, within the atom, everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.35). That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā also, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, "I am everywhere." So God is everywhere, that is God's omnipresence, omnipotency. But still God has His actual position. Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ.

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ

jagad avyakta-mūrtinā

mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni

na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ