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Minute particle

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 2.18, Purport:

As mentioned in the previous verse, it is so small that no one can have any idea how to measure its dimension. So from both viewpoints there is no cause of lamentation, because the living entity as he is cannot be killed nor can the material body be saved for any length of time or permanently protected. The minute particle of the whole spirit acquires this material body according to his work, and therefore observance of religious principles should be utilized.

BG 2.20, Purport:

There are two kinds of souls—namely the minute particle soul (aṇu-ātmā) and the Supersoul (vibhu-ātmā). This is also confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.20) in this way:

aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān

ātmāsya jantor nihito guhāyām

tam akratuḥ paśyati vīta-śoko

dhātuḥ prasādān mahimānam ātmanaḥ

"Both the Supersoul (Paramātmā) and the atomic soul (jīvātmā) are situated on the same tree of the body within the same heart of the living being, and only one who has become free from all material desires as well as lamentations can, by the grace of the Supreme, understand the glories of the soul."

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

SB 3.25.17, Purport:

In the state of pure consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can see himself as a minute particle nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, the jīva, or the individual soul, is eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Just as the sun's rays are minute particles of the brilliant constitution of the sun, so a living entity is a minute particle of the Supreme Spirit.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.16.36, Translation:

You exist in the beginning, middle and end of everything, from the most minute particle of the cosmic manifestation—the atom—to the gigantic universes and total material energy. Nonetheless, You are eternal, having no beginning, end or middle. You are perceived to exist in these three phases, and thus You are permanent. When the cosmic manifestation does not exist, You exist as the original potency.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.1.11, Purport:

When Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa how He could remember incidents that had taken place so long ago, the Lord answered that Arjuna was also present at that time. Because Arjuna is Kṛṣṇa's friend, wherever Kṛṣṇa goes, Arjuna goes. But the difference is that Kṛṣṇa remembers everything, whereas the living entity like Arjuna, being a minute particle of the Supreme Lord, forgets. Therefore it is said, the Lord's vigilance is never diminished.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 2.36, Purport:

In the material world everyone is a self-centered enjoyer of mundane happiness and distress. One considers himself the lord of everything and tries to enjoy the illusory energy, but he is not successful because he is not independent: he is but a minute particle of the energy of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa. All living beings exist under the control of the Supreme Lord, who is therefore called Nārāyaṇa.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 19.142, Translation:

“(Lord Kṛṣṇa says:) "Among minute particles, I am the living entity."

CC Madhya 20.108-109, Purport:

You are related with Kṛṣṇa as one and simultaneously different. Because you are spirit soul, you are one in quality with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but because you are a very minute particle of spirit soul, you are different from the Supreme Soul. Therefore your position is simultaneously one with and different from the Supreme Soul.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 3:

" Since you are between the material energy and the spiritual energy, your position is marginal. Belonging to the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa, you are simultaneously one with and different from Kṛṣṇa. Because you are spirit, you are not different from Kṛṣṇa, and because you are only a minute particle of Kṛṣṇa, you are different from Him."

Easy Journey to Other Planets

Easy Journey to Other Planets 2:

The spirit soul is a minute particle within the body. We cannot see it. One practices the yoga system to raise the soul to the topmost part of the head. This practice goes on while one is living, and the perfection is reached when one can place himself on the top of the head and then break through. Then he can transfer himself to whatever higher planets he likes. That is the perfection of the yogī.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 6:

Therefore Māyāvādīs say that presently he is not God but when the influence of māyā is taken away he again becomes God. This theory cannot be applied to the minute living entities. The living entities are minute parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; they are minute particles or sparks of the original fire. So these sparks can be covered by the influence of māyā, but the original fire, Kṛṣṇa, cannot.

Krsna Book 89:

As the sun disc and the sunshine cannot be separated, Kṛṣṇa and His bodily rays, the brahmajyoti, cannot be separated. Thus Kṛṣṇa claims that the brahmajyoti is He Himself. This is clearly stated in the Hari-vaṁśa, when Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ saḥ. The brahmajyoti is a combination of the minute particles known as spiritual sparks, or the living entities, known as cit-kaṇa.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

So in this way, the science of God, even without reading any Vedic literature—of course, that will help you—if you have deeply studied what is God, you can understand God. Because I am a sample of God, I am minute particle. Just like the particle of gold is gold. The drop of ocean water is also salty. The ocean is also salty, you can understand.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

Just like this sunshine. What is the sunshine? It is very small atomic particles of shining material. This is sunshine, combined together. Similarly, we are also a small particle of the rays, bodily rays of God. We are living entities, very minute particle. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). So we are also individual, and God is also individual person.

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

Similarly, because we are part and parcel of the Supreme, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), eternity, blissful and knowledge, therefore, although we are minute particles, minute particle... But the minute particle has got so much energy. You can just see that that minute particle of the soul within this body, how wonderful things we are doing. Everything, whatever material manifestation, at least in this world... In New York City you see so many big, big buildings and so many machineries, factories and organization, but who has done it? That minute particle, embodied liv..., the soul. Just see. If that minute particle can play so much wonderful thing, just see, just imagine what wonderful things cannot be done by the supreme particle. Or not particle, He is the whole.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

Similarly, that is the difference between ourself and God. We are minute particles, minute particles, just like the sun and the sun rays. The sunshine, the sun rays, they are also combination of molecules of some shining material, material. So shining material... So that sunshine is not different from the sun, but at the same time, sunshine is not the sun. This is called simultaneously one and different.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

Because he is bhakta. Bhakta, and Bhagavān, they must be together. That is the advantage of bhakta. Although he has got the frailty.... Because the living entity is the minute particle of God, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7), therefore his intelligence, his power, is also very minute. But God's power is unlimited. By unlimited power Kṛṣṇa knows the past, future, and present, everything perfectly. But our limited knowledge, we cannot know that. Therefore we have to receive knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. This is our position.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

So in this way we are changing our body but because we are minute particle of Kṛṣṇa.... We have got qualities of Kṛṣṇa not cent percent. Seventy-eight percent. When they are perfect, so minute quantity, then we can also become a little more advanced than at the present moment. But not like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is cent percent perfect.

Lecture on BG 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974:

Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Kṛṣṇa says, "All these living entities, they are My minute particles, minute part of My body." Just like father is the part of the body, er, son is the part of body of father, similarly, we are also part and parcel of the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa. That is our real identity, spiritual identity.

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

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that mamaivāṁśaḥ. Here it is said, jīva-bhūta. What is the jīva-bhūta? He is jīva-bhūta, the living entity. Mama eva aṁśa: "They are My part and parcel, minute particle of Me." Just like father and the son. Son is part of the father bodily, not spiritually. Spiritually he is part of Kṛṣṇa, and materially he is part of the body of the father. So we are not talking of the material.

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

Try to understand the distinction between material world and spiritual world. The living entity is very minute particle of God, but in the spiritual world everyone is aware of his position. The living entities, they know "What is my position? I am a small particle of God." Therefore there is no disagreement.

Lecture on BG 8.1 -- Geneva, June 7, 1974:

So actually Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman. He's not only Brahman, but Parabrahman. That is accepted. Kim adhyātmam. Ātmā. Ātmā means this body, ātmā means this self, ātmā means the mind. But Arjuna is asking, "What is the real meaning of ātmā?" Ātmā means the soul. You are also ātmā. I am also ātmā. Every one of us, the minute particle, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

So here Lord Kṛṣṇa says that mūrdhny ādhāya ātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām. This is called the perfection of yoga. If you can transfer yourself... You, you are very minute particle within this body. That you cannot see. But I am, my position is... This is external. This is external. So that is sustaining in the prāṇa-vāyu. And the yoga system, the ṣaṭ-cakra system, is to get the soul from down to the top, tip of the topmost part of the head.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

Similarly, those who are transferred in the spiritual world, they remain in the effulgence of the Supreme Lord, which is called brahmajyoti. Brahmajyoti. So those who are not personalists, they are placed in that, into that brahmajyoti as one of the minute particles. We are minute particles, spiritual spark, and brahmajyoti is full of spiritual spark. So you become one of the spiritual spark. That is, means you merge into the spiritual existence.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

Akledyo 'yam aśoṣya 'yam: by the reaction of the five elements, earth, water, fire, air, that is not applicable in the soul. So if they're not applicable to the soul, which is minute particle of the Supreme Soul, how it is applicable to the Supreme Soul? Therefore it is a miscalculation that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul, is affected by this material nature. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, December 29, 1972:

As Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, similarly I am also sac-cid-ānanda, part and parcel. The difference is that I am very minute. As we have several times explained, the minute particle of gold is also gold. That is not different. Minute, a drop of the sea water is also the same, qualitatively. The same chemicals. Similarly, we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are not subjected to the material conditions. But we have put ourself in this material condition. That is called māyā.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

Therefore those who are fully Kṛṣṇa conscious or fully advanced in spiritual consciousness, they do not make any difference between an insect and a elephant because he knows very well that the same spirit soul is there within the elephant and within insect, within the microbe, because the dimension of the spirit soul is very small. You cannot imagine. It is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpita (CC Madhya 19.140), everything is there. So such minute particle is so powerful that it is managing the body of the elephant and it is managing the body of the ant.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Montreal, October 25, 1968:

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they claim that "I am God." But we do not claim. We claim that we are part and parcel of God. As part and parcel of God, we have got the same quality. Just like minute particle of gold is also gold, but that part gold and the whole gold they are never equal. So I have got all the qualities. Qualitatively I am one, but quantitatively I am different. That is the version of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973:

You cannot create this big mass of water, sea, or ocean. That is not possible. Who has created? Somebody has created. That is stated in the śāstra. There is perspiration. This water is perspiration of Mahā-Viṣṇu. We can understand because we are minute particle of Mahā-Viṣṇu.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973:

Acintya-śakti means inconceivable power. We have got inconceivable power. Because we are minute particle of God, we have also minute inconceivable power. We do not know how the hairs are growing, but the energy is there within me. Similarly, so many things come out from the inconceivable power of Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

The six potencies, namely opulence, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, we have also got these in minute quantity. Whatever we see here, the richest man in the world, that is only minute particle of the richness of God. Because we are part and parcel, minute part and parcel. Therefore we have got all the opulences in minute form. Just like gold and a minute particle of gold. Chemically analyze the small particle of gold has got all the composition as the original big gold.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

The same example as I have given repeatedly, that a car is running at seventy-mile speed, a cyclist catches the car, he also runs in seventy-miles speed, although the cycle hasn't got such speed. Similarly, although we are minute particle of God, if we dovetail ourselves with the consciousness of God, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we become equally spirit. This is the technique. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

You are smelling, "Oh, very good flavor," because the air is carrying. But you do not see. So these rascal scientists they think that because you cannot see, there is no soul. Subtle laws he doesn't know how the soul... Soul is so minute particle: ten-thousand, one ten-thousandth part of the top of the hair. How can your material science can see or understand? Therefore they say "No soul," but the soul is there, and he is being carried. He is being carried by nature's subtle intelligence, mind and ego.

Lecture on SB 2.3.13-14 -- Los Angeles, May 30, 1972:

Good qualities are already there. Just like Kṛṣṇa has got sixty-four good qualities in full, and we are minute particles of Kṛṣṇa; therefore we have got also those good qualities in minute particles. But these good qualities are now covered. Just like fire is covered by the ashes. So it does not act. Although there is fire, but when it is covered with ashes, it does not act.

Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:

So this is self-realization. We must understand our position. In the Purāṇas also, our minute particle identification... What is that? One ten-thousandth part of the top of the hair. We cannot see even the top of the hair. That you divide, keśāgra, keśa agra, the front portion of the hair. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya (CC Madhya 19.140). You divide into one hundred parts. Śatadhā kalpitasya ca. Again take one part and divide into hundreds parts. That is the dimension of the jīva.

Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:

So this is self-realization, when one understands that "I am not this body. I am minute particle of the Supreme." Kṛṣṇa says... Everything is said there. We have to realize it. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśa. Although aṁśa... Aṁśa and aṁśī, the whole and the part. Part is never equal to the whole—that is axiomatic truth—but it is equal in quality.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

Aṇimānam, aṇu. We are minute particle of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). We are not Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa's part, minute part. That minute part also we have discussed—one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of the hair. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). So when we realize this, that "I am not God, but I am godly. I have got the quality of God..."

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

So chemically, the drop of water of the sea is the same quality. There is no change of taste or other chemical composition. Similarly, we should understand fully that we are simply qualitatively one with God, but quantitatively, God is great and we are very minute particle. This is self-realization.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). As soon as one comes to this platform of knowledge, then he becomes prasannātmā. "Oh, why I am serving these nonsense? I forgot that I am a spirit soul, minute particle of Kṛṣṇa. My business is to serve Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:

But you have selected to become a thief. That is it because we have got little independence, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is fully independent; therefore we have got the quality of independence. But because we are very small, minute particle we have got minute particle of independence. Minute... Just like you take a drop of water from the sea. That is also salt, but very minute particle. The salt is there because it is part and parcel of the big sea. It must be salty. Similarly, Brahman, Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramam... (BG 10.12). So here we have got all the qualities. We are Brahman, we are pure.

Lecture on SB 3.28.17 -- Nairobi, October 26, 1975:

Everyone is Brahman. There is no doubt about it. Because we are all minute part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore if Kṛṣṇa is Brahman, Parabrahman, we are also minute particle of Brahman. There is no doubt about it. Gold..., gold mine, big gold and a small particle of gold, they are qualitatively one-gold. But the gold mine is different from the gold particle.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- London, September 17, 1969:

Similarly, we, as spirit soul, we have immense power. And God is the supreme spirit soul, so we cannot imagine how much power God has got. But even we, who are a simply minute particle... Just like... Comparison is just like the fire and the sparks. The fire and the sparks, both of them are fire. The spark even, wherever the spark will fall, immediately it will burn.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

Actually, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that one should understand that God is great and we are minute particles of God. Just like the sun globe and the sunshine. The sunshine is the combination of brilliant molecular atoms, sunshine. Similarly, we are molecular sparks, spiritual sparks, but the quality of the molecule of the sunshine and the sun is the same—light. Similarly, we, although very minute particle of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but qualitatively we are one.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

On account of this material world, we are infecting different modes of material nature. I have explained several times. There are three modes of material nature, and when you mix up, then it becomes three into three equal to nine, and again mix up, nine into nine, eighty-one, and again mix up Every minute particles, there is account. You cannot avoid. Material nature's punishment you cannot avoid. Even little, whatever you have done, it will be punished.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:

Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. He's supplying all the necessities of the small, spiritual sparks. Because we know rightly, and as we are part and parcel of God, minute particles, therefore our duty is to serve God. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body; this finger is not enjoyer. The body, or the chief place in the body, the stomach, he's the enjoyer.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41 -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1976:

Just like our hobby-dog-abhipālayantam. We keep, every one of us, especially in the Western countries, a dog. So why not Kṛṣṇa keeping so many cows? What is the difficulty for Him? So He, intentionally, He becomes a cowherd boy. That is His pleasure. Just like here, we, a minute particle of God, we have got so many hobbies. So He has ... Because nothing can be present here without being in Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Toronto, June 21, 1976:

That is called so 'ham or brahmāsmi. Not that we misuse these words, Vedic version, and I think falsely that "I am God. I have become God." And if you are God, then why you become a dog? Does God becomes dog? No. That is not possible. Because we are minute particle. That is also mentioned in the śāstra

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 8, 1976:

So if you have to approach the supreme pure, you have to become pure. Otherwise there is no possibility. Without being fire, you cannot enter into the fire. Then you'll be burned. Similarly, although you are also Brahman... Part of Parabrahman is also Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is our identification. But what kind of Brahman? But minute particle of Brahman, small particle.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

The real identity of living entity is eternal servant of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa dāsa. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly explained, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta (BG 15.7). In the Bhagavad-gītā or any Vedic literature, there is no such mention that the jīva is as good as the Supreme Lord. It is never stated. Aṁśa, minute particles.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

Just like the sun and the sunshine. Sunshine is combination of minute luminous molecular parts. There are finer atomic parts, lumination, combined together, that is called sunshine. That minute particle, shining minute particle is never equal to the sun. Similarly, jīva is minute particle of the supreme sun, Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta (BG 15.7). So as the small molecular particle, shining particle in the sunshine cannot become the sun, similarly, the molecular particle of the Supreme Soul, the jīvātmā, is never equal to the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on SB 7.9.48 -- Vrndavana, April 3, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa is air. Kṛṣṇa is fire. Kṛṣṇa is earth. Kṛṣṇa is water. Kṛṣṇa is sky. Kṛṣṇa is everything. Even the small, very, very minute particle, atom, that is also Kṛṣṇa. So if we always remember like that, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be very, very strong and established. That is wanted.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

We are infinitesimal. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā also—mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "My, these living entities, they are My parts and parcels." Such parts and parcels of the Brahman is also Brahman. As part and parcel, minute particle, of gold is also gold, minute particle of poison is also poison, so similarly, we are minute, atomic part and parcel of the Supreme. Therefore we are not the unlimited or the biggest.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

So when there is question of merging into the existence of the Supreme, that means we remain in the effulgence, Brahman effulgence, as the minute particle of Brahman. There is dimension. That is mentioned in the śāstras: keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). One ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of hair. That minute particle, cetana. So there is... Anantāya kalpite. There are innumerable such particles.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.298 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

The transcendental qualities are not acquired. Rather, these material qualities are acquired. But transcendental qualities are there in minute particles. As the transcendental qualities are there in God, similarly, transcendental qualities are in living entities also. But when they are covered by these material qualities, the material qualities which we exhibit in the material world, that is acquired.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: " '..... In other words, you belong to the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa. You are simultaneously one with and different from Kṛṣṇa. Because you are spirit, therefore you are not different from Kṛṣṇa, but because you are only a minute particle of Kṛṣṇa, you are therefore different from Him.' "

Prabhupāda: Now here is one word used, marginal potency. Marginal potency, the exact Sanskrit word is taṭastha. Just like at the end of the land, the sea begins. So there is a marginal land. Just you go on the coast of the Pacific beach, you'll find some land. Sometimes it is covered by water and sometimes it is open land. This is marginal. Similarly, we spirit souls, although we are constitutionally one with God, but sometimes we are covered by māyā and sometimes we are free. Therefore our position is marginal.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

The glowing particles, molecules of the sunshine, is not equal in quantity with the sun globe, but in quality it is the same. Similarly, we living entities, we are minute particles of that supreme spirit soul, Kṛṣṇa or God. Therefore we are also shine. We are of the same quality.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

So we are very minute spark of the supreme spirit. Just like there are in the sunshine minute particles, shining particles. With shining, these shining particles, when they are mixed together, that is sunshine. But they are molecules. They are separate, atomic molecules. Similarly, in relationship with God and ourselves, we are also minute particles of God, shining. Shining means we have got the same propensities, thinking, feeling, willing, creating, everything.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa has form. That is transcendental form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His body is eternal and full of bliss, transcendental bliss, and full of knowledge. That is Kṛṣṇa's feature. So we have also got minute quantity of Kṛṣṇa's qualities because we are minute particles of Kṛṣṇa, but that is now covered by māyā.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

Therefore our original constitutional position is as pure as God, because we are part and parcel of God. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "The living entities are my part and parcel." So fragmental part of gold is gold; it may be fragmental. Similarly, we are minute particles of God's body; therefore, qualitatively, we are as good as God. The chemical composition of God's body and our body... Not this body. This is material. I am speaking of our spiritual identification, that body.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

In the Vedas it is stated that nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) "God is the supreme living being amongst all living beings." Nityo nityanam: "And He's the supreme eternal amongst all the eternals." We are also eternal. Because we are part and parcel of God, we have got all the qualities of God, but because we are minute part and particle of God, therefore all the qualities of God are there in minute particle.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

We invite everyone that "There is great necessity of God consciousness at the present moment throughout the whole world. Without God consciousness, all qualification are useless." That is a Vedic verse: aprāṇasyaiva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Just like this body. Because there is a minute particle of God's part and parcel, the soul, this body is so valuable. One is "Sir such-and-such," or "Lord such-and-such," and big scientist, big philosopher. Why? Because that spark of God's parcel, part and parcel, is there. As soon as that particle is gone, this body is useless.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

God means with His potencies. Just like ordinarily, we are part and parcel of God, a minute particle; still, we have got so many potencies. Every man, every living entity... Not only man, the animals also, they have got various potencies, creative energy. So you just imagine how much creative energies and potencies are there in God.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Śyāmasundara: What about..., they say that there is a basic atom called a hydrogen atom.

Prabhupāda: Whatever you will call it, it is also matter. The minute particles are matter. That's all.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is, he is prone to fall down because he is very minute quantity, he is small, so there is tendency of falldown. The same example: the small spark of the fire, because it is very small, sometimes it falls down from the fire. So we become, being very small, minute particle of God, we become entangled by this material, external energy. Just like the example: a less intelligent person, in ignorance, commits criminal activities and he goes to jail.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- August 30, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: We are speaking of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The message is from the spiritual world. It is not of this material world. Therefore sometimes people may misunderstand. So we have to explain it nicely. Just like they cannot even understand what is the soul. A minute particle of spirit, it is... But they do not understand. Big big scientist, big, big philosophers. But the entire subject matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not of this material world.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ah. Therefore those who are materialistic persons, they are amazed with the huge body of this universe. But Arjuna is saying that "On account of Your entering..." As this body has developed on account of entering, that minute particle or spiritual spark, similarly, there are innumerable universes. All these universes, they have developed. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa, Jaya. (break) ...Kṛṣṇa's entering as Garbhodakaśayī Viṣṇu.

Morning Walk -- June 17, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: It is very difficult to the, for the western people to understand that body is not important thing; the soul is important thing. First of all, they do not know what is soul and then consideration of importance. This is their position. And if one cannot understand what is soul, what he will understand about God? Soul is a minute particle of God. If one cannot understand about this minute particle, then what he'll understand of the Supreme?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: But if you are going to colonize in the moon and there is no place to stay, then why you are spending so much money unnecessarily? What is this foolishness? And they have stopped now. So in this way they are trying to merge into the Brahman effulgence, but where to stay? They can stay in the Brahman effulgence as minute particle of soul, but the soul wants ananda, then again—"It was better to live in the material world." They come back again.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: The consciousness of the individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his real nature, he obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is not like the forgetful soul. If so, Kṛṣṇa's teachings of Bhagavad-gītā would be useless. There are two kinds of souls-namely the minute particle soul, aṇu-ātmā, and the Supersoul, the vibhu-ātmā.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- Seattle 15 November, 1968:

If somebody inquires whether we are as good as Krishna, the reply is that it does not matter. We may not be as good as Krishna, and that is also not possible anyway. Krishna is great and we are minute particles. So how we can become as good as Krishna. This is false theory of the Mayavada philosophers. But we sincerely serve Krishna, we are sincere servants of His Lordship, and we present things as presented by Krishna, and that is the test of our bona fide position and our bona fide presentation.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Jayagovinda -- London 8 December, 1969:

But there are different grades of living entities: Visnu Tattva and Jiva Tattva. Visnu Tattva is almost equal to the level of the Personality of Godhead, and Jiva Tattva is minute particles. So when Lord Caitanya appeared, Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu were Visnu Tattva; whereas Gadadhara Prabhu and Srivas Prabhu were Shakti Tattva. Jiva Tattva is also within the Shakti Tattva. These things are explained in TLC and other of our books.

Page Title:Minute particle
Compiler:Rati, Parthasarathi, MadhuGopaldas
Created:22 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=2, SB=3, CC=3, OB=4, Lec=52, Con=5, Let=2
No. of Quotes:71