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Greatest of all living beings

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Preface and Introduction

The Supreme Godhead, or Kṛṣṇa, or Brahman, or the supreme controller, or Paramātmā—you may use whatever name you like—is the greatest of all.
BG Introduction: Out of these five basic subject matters in Bhagavad-gītā it is established that the Supreme Godhead, or Kṛṣṇa, or Brahman, or the supreme controller, or Paramātmā—you may use whatever name you like—is the greatest of all. The living beings are in quality like the supreme controller. For instance, the Lord has control over the universal affairs of material nature, as will be explained in the later chapters of Bhagavad-gītā. Material nature is not independent. She is acting under the directions of the Supreme Lord. As Lord Kṛṣṇa says, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: "This material nature is working under My direction." When we see wonderful things happening in the cosmic nature, we should know that behind this cosmic manifestation there is a controller. Nothing could be manifested without being controlled. It is childish not to consider the controller.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa is the exclusive shelter of the greatest of all living beings.
SB 1.18.14, Purport: The supreme powerful is Govinda, Lord Kṛṣṇa. He is the Transcendence, and His transcendental attributes cannot be measured even by such powerful īśvaras as Śiva and Brahmā. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa is the exclusive shelter of the greatest of all living beings. Brahmā is counted amongst the living beings, but he is the greatest of all of us. And why is the greatest of all the living beings so much attached to the transcendental topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa? Because He is the reservoir of all enjoyment. Everyone wants to relish some kind of taste in everything, but one who is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord can derive unlimited pleasure from such engagement. The Lord is unlimited, and His name, attributes, pastimes, entourage, variegatedness, etc. are unlimited, and those who relish them can do so unlimitedly and still not feel satiated.

SB Canto 2

He is the greatest of all, and all others, even the greatest of all living beings, namely Brahmājī, admits that the best thing for us is to surrender unto Him.
SB 2.6.36, Purport: Therefore the men of this insignificant planet should kindly accept the instruction of Brahmājī and would do well to surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord rather than try to estimate the length and breadth of the Lord's potencies. His potencies are immeasurable, as confirmed in the Vedas. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8 [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]). He is the greatest of all, and all others, even the greatest of all living beings, namely Brahmājī, admits that the best thing for us is to surrender unto Him. Therefore only those persons with a very poor fund of knowledge claim that they themselves are lords of all that they survey. And what can they survey? They cannot survey even the length and breadth of a small sky in one small universe.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

We are all small living beings, and Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is the greatest living being.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968: So God is so great. In the Vedic literatures it is found that eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one great supreme living being, He is supplying all the necessities of all other small living beings. We are all small living beings, and Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is the greatest living being. He is also a living being, just like us. The other day I explained that man is made after God, not that God is made after man. Don't think that because I have got two hands, two legs, one head, therefore I have created a Kṛṣṇa who has got two hands, two legs, two... No. That is not the fact. Actually, because Kṛṣṇa has got two legs, two hands, one head, therefore you have also got. So God is great, and I am dependent. So my sense of love has to be developed. We must accept that God is great, He is supplying our necessities, why not render some service in gratitude? Is there any harm?

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Brahmā is there. The Brahmā created so many sons. The Kumāras came out. The Rudra came out. He gradually created.

Nitāi: So actually, the creation goes just the other way.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Nitāi: First of all, Brahmā, the greatest living being, and then...

Prabhupāda: No. Creation is simultaneously. The Brahmā then created ants and birds and beasts and everything. It is all simultaneous.
Page Title:Greatest of all living beings
Compiler:Laksmipriya
Created:24 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:5