Sharanagati

“O Brahma, please know that the universal elements enter into the cosmos and at the same time do not enter into the cosmos; similarly, I Myself also exist within everything created, and at the same time I am outside of everything.”[1]

Actually here in this verse the functioning of the different divine energies are described – how these different primordial elements enter the creation. The elements existed before the bodies were formed. They are the material cause of the bodies. Body is taken from matter, therefore body will return to matter. Soul is coming from the Supreme, somehow, in a very hidden way; therefore it will return back to Him. So we can say that the spiritual sparks, the jivas, take a form. They build a body all around themselves from the elements that are available in the universe. If matter is the material cause, there must be some master plan also behind forming the bodies. There must be such a cause that is a plan cause. We can say that this is the thought, the desire of the jiva. If there is a desire, there will be some consequences; according to your desires you will get a body with different capacities. Therefore we can say that the body is an embodied thought. Be careful about your thoughts, because you will get the body according to your thoughts.

So, the bodily forms are taken from matter and they will return to matter. Still this ocean, this storehouse of matter, exists independently of your limited bodily construction also. If you take one drop of the ocean, it does not diminish. If you add one drop to the ocean, it does not become greater.

This is a very mysterious action of our Lord – that He is pervading the universe and at the same time remains separate. It the “Bhagavad-gita” He says: “In My unmanifest form I pervade this whole universe. All living entities are inside Мe but I am not in them. Nevertheless all the creation is not in Me. This is My mystic power. Although I am the maintainer of all the living entities and I am present everywhere, still I am the original source of creation.”

This seems to be controversial – that He is separate and pervading. We expect God to be clear and not controversial. Still what we see here? Which opinion should we believe: when He says “Yes, I аm inside everything” or when He says “But I am not”? How can we believe such words? Well, we can say we should not believe, we should glorify these qualities. Philosophy means the ability of admiration. To say “Wow! That is great!” This is real philosophy. But philosophy is not the end. Because philosophy is only an approach to the truth, it is not the truth itself. First you should become a philosopher; and then you should become pure like a child.Krishnasays in some verses: “What is the use of this complicated philosophy? With an insignificant fragment of My glories I just pervade this whole universe.”

And if we have purified vision, it will be easier to see this mystery of Supreme Lord Krishna – that He is everywhere and He preserves His separate identity.

Therefore we can say that Krishna is everything, but not everything isKrishna. Because for example, let us take this carpet. Where do the threads come from? Not from the sheep, but finally from God. And where do the colors come? Not from the chemicals or natural colors, but ultimately from God Supreme. And where does the talent to make a carpet like this comes from? Not from the person, who is making it, but it is provided by the Supreme. So ultimately this is a manifestation of divine energy. Right? By source, by material, by talents, by use – because it is used in the temple. Still in most of the cases we do not put the carpets on our altar to worship that. In one sense this is Krishna, still this is notKrishna.

Just like you! In one sense you are Krishna. At least a small Krishna; or some little part of His energy. But we cannot say that you are Krishna. Similar in nature, but separate in personality. Just imagine if so many Krishnaswould run around here, stealing all the butter from “BILLA”. Big problem! One is enough! One Makanchor[2] is enough.