God cannot (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"Godhead cannot" |"Lord cannot" |"god can never" |"god can not" |"god cannot" |"godhead can never" |"lord can never" |"lord can not"

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Seattle 9 October, 1968:

So far my going to Boston, unless the students agree to hear patiently for some time, Bhagavad-gita, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, the casual lectures will not be very much beneficial. So they are not very much interested, otherwise they would have come to our classes. But I told you previously that I am prepared to go provided they pay the expenses. But I think that is also not possible. So why should you take the risk? Of getting me there and with great difficulty you shall maintain my expenses, I think it is not very much favorable, so we shall see later on what is to be done; for the time being let it be dropped.

Students' prayers 24 hours a day to listen to the political talks and desiring the war should stop is useless. God cannot be their order supplier. First of all they act sinfully, and when there is reaction of war, pestilence, famine, and so many other nature's disturbances, they pray to God for stopping them. This is not possible. Just like a criminal first of all commits theft, burglary and debauchery, and when he is captured, by the police force, if he prays to the government to stop, that is not possible. So they are engaged in all sinful activities, and by natures' law, there must be reaction. I am encouraging now cow killing or animal killing, and when by nature's law, the turn comes upon me to be killed, if I pray I want to stop it, how it can be stopped? So their process is not very genuine. They want to make God as order supplier. So God is not order supplier. He is order giver. He orders everyone to surrender unto Him, and the fools and rascals who do not surrender unto Him, they want to order God in the form of so-called prayer, that He should ask material nature to stop her legal activities. That is not possible. So the situation is not very favorable, but if somebody agrees to hear Bhagavad-gita and the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, continually for some time, even they do not pay me anything, I am prepared to go and lecture. But not to take part in some political agitation. So I was awaiting your letter if I was to go to Boston, now I shall prepare my next program. I think for going to Los Angeles. And my going to Europe is not yet fixed up.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 24 April, 1970:

I am glad to learn that George is chanting now Hare Krishna with you, and that will make him advanced. You write to say that George is still not convinced that there is not something beyond the form or body of Krishna. He is thinking that beyond Krishna there is an unmanifest God. These are all vague questions. I think by unmanifest God he means impersonal Brahman. This is quite natural for persons who try to understand God by their own endeavor.

God cannot be understand by such ascending process of speculation. You can give a common example how God cannot be understood by ascending process. Take for example that there was one Mr. John who was the great-grandfather of the great-grandfather of George. So if George wants to know about this Mr. John, his forefather, is it possible for him to know about Mr. John by speculation? He has to know about Mr. John by family history spoken by his father or grandfather. Similarly, God is the Supreme Father, so if anyone wants to know about God, he must try to understand Him through the history of creation. This is called Parampara system. This Bhagavad-gita is spoken by God Himself, and that is the best source of knowing about God. He cannot be known by our limited exercise of the senses. The difficulty of understanding God as person is that as soon as there is conception of person we think of God as a person like us. Therefore, in the Vedas, the personality of God is described in different ways which are distinct from our personalities.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Johannesburg 21 October, 1975:

So anyone who surrenders to Krishna, his destiny is changed by the omnipotency of God. He takes charge of the devotee and guides him how the devotee can go back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. This is the Mercy of God. He knows everything and still He says "sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam braja . . . (BG 18.66)" But, you are thinking God like you, what is destined is going to happen and even God cannot change it? Then God is impotent? This is their version, not God's. God says surrender to Me and I shall cancel all your destiny, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah . . . God will save you from the destiny that you have created by misuse of your independence. He knows but still He is so kind. Surrender has nothing to do with your destiny, that will depend on you (the spirit-soul) because you have a little independence, a little freedom. Theirs is atheistic argument. God is not only omniscient, but also Almighty. Predestiny is there but it is cancelled if you surrender to Him, otherwise God is not the controller. Theirs is like karma mimamsa philosophy, that God is our servant and He must reward me according to my activities. If you surrender to Krishna there is no more predestiny. He knows if you do this you must suffer, so why do you suffer. You take His advice. Even if he says predestined, so why don't you surrender to Krishna now, and get out of this material condition.