How to Know God

Only by knowing God can we satisfy Him, and only then can we know perfect happiness.

A lecture in Vṛndāvana on August 16, 1974 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

yad atra kriyate karma bhagavat-paritoṣaṅam jñānaṁ yat tad adhīnaṁ hi bhakti-yoga-samanvitam

"Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction of the mission of the Lord is called bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving service to the Lord, and what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant factor." (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.35)

First of all we must know what God is; then we can try to satisfy Him.

Unfortunately, at the present moment people have only a vague idea of God, or practically no idea. What is their God? "God is good" they may say, or sometimes "God is great." But how He is great, how He is good—this nobody knows.

Without detailed knowledge of God, what question is there of bhagavat-paritoṣaṅam, satisfying God? Suppose somebody tells me, "Go satisfy Mr. Smith." But if I do not know who Mr. Smith is, where he lives, or what he does, how can I satisfy him?

So, bhagavat-paritoṣaṅam can be possible only when we actually know what God is. Otherwise, there is no question of satisfying God. We Kṛṣṅa conscious devotees know what God is. Therefore satisfying Him is possible for us, not for others. Our idea of God is not vague. We know who God is, where He lives, what He does, what His name and address are, what His father's name is—everything. And because we know exactly who God is, we are competent to satisfy Him.

Who is God? Kṛṣṅa.

The Bhāgavatam confirms: kṛṣṅas tu bhagavān svayam. "Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." How do we know that Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? From evidence presented by history, by authoritative scriptures, and by Kṛṣṅa's actions. Everything confirms that Kṛṣṅa is God.

From the historical point of view, Kṛṣṅa is described as God through the Mahābhārata, the history of greater India. The Vedas also describe Kṛṣṅa as God. In the Yajur Veda, the name of God is given as Kṛṣṅa, and His father's name is given as Vasudeva. Besides the histories and authoritative scriptures, when Kṛṣṅa appeared on earth five thousand years ago, His actions proved that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So where is the difficulty in understanding Kṛṣṅa to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead? The definition of God given by Parāsara Muni is aiśvarasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ jnāna-vairagyayoś caiva: "God is the richest personality, the strongest, the most famous, the most beautiful, the wisest, and the most renounced." Kṛṣṅa is all these things. For example. He has given us the Bhagavad-gītā. Who else has ever given such wise instruction throughout the whole world—throughout the whole universe? Nobody.

Kṛṣṅa is so beautiful that 16,108 very, very beautiful women were attracted to marry Him. And many millions of unmarried gopīs [cowherd girls] were also attracted by Kṛṣṅa, the most beautiful male. One of Kṛṣṅa's names is Śyāmasundara. He is śyāma, "blackish," yet He is still sundara, "very beautiful." He's so beautiful that His beauty surpasses that of millions and millions of Cupids (kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham). Another name of Kṛṣṅa is Madana-mohana. Madana means "Cupid," and mohana means "enchanter." Cupid enchants everyone in this world, but even he is enchanted by Kṛṣṅa.

So, to satisfy God we must first of all know who He is. Now, Kṛṣṅa is God according to the evidence provided by history, the authoritative scriptures, and Kṛṣṅa's own activities. What more proof do you want? Is there anyone who can challenge Kṛṣṅa for the post of God? Everything confirms that He is God. Then why are you still searching after God? This is foolishness—the owls' philosophy. The owl will not open his eyes to see the sun. If you say, "Just open your eyes and you will see the sun," the owl will keep his eyes shut and say, "No, there is no sun." Similarly, meditators close their eyes to search for God within, and when we say, "Here is God—Kṛṣṅa," they say, "No, I'll not open my eyes."

We do not follow this owls' philosophy. We follow real philosophy. What is that real philosophy? Śruti- pramāṅam: We accept evidence about God from the Vedic literatures. There are many kinds of evidence, but followers of the Vedic principles accept śruti-pramāṅam as the foremost evidence in spiritual matters. This means that if something is mentioned in the Vedic literatures, it is accepted as fact There are four Vedas, one hundred eight Upaniṣads, eighteen Purāṅas, and the Mahābhārata—all are Vedic literatures.

Now, in the Vedic literatures we find the words of spiritual authorities, such as Lord Brahmā, for example. He is the best authority because he is the first living being created within the universe. At the time of creation, first of all Lord Brahmā is born. He is the ādi-kavi, the original learned scholar.

What does Brahmā say? In the Brahma-saṁhitā he says, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tarn ahaṁ bhajāmi: "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord." He also says, cintāmaṅi-prakara sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam. Here Brahmā is giving a description of Kṛṣṅa's abode and activities. He says Kṛṣṅa is very fond of tending cows (surabhīr abhipālayantam). In His abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, the houses are made of touchstone (cintāmaṅi-prakara-ṣadmasu). Touchstone is a type of stone that can turn iron into gold. These stones are used as bricks in the spiritual world. And the forests are full of desire trees (kalpa-vṛkṣa), which can supply any kind of fruit you desire.

This is Kṛṣṅa's abode. It is not like this world. Here everything is material, but there everything has the spiritual touch. That spiritual touch is described by Kṛṣṅa in the Bhagavad-gītā [7.10]: bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām. "I am the original seed of all existences." Without the spiritual touch, there is no question of the material manifestation. Your body, my body, this material world—they are all made of earth, water, fire, air, and so on. But how are they manifested? How can a beautiful body be manifested? Because there is the spiritual touch—because the spirit soul is there in the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā. The external body is changing due to that spiritual touch. And that spiritual touch is Kṛṣṅa.

Therefore, the origin of everything is Kṛṣṅa, just as the origin of a big tree is the root. Kṛṣṅa is the ādi-puruṣa, the "original person," and sarva-kāraṅa-kāraṅa, the "cause of all causes." In a tree there are the trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, and so many other things. But the cause of the whole tree is the root. Therefore only if you water the root will all the other parts of the tree be nourished.

Here in this verse of the Bhāgavatam it is said, bhagavat-paritoṣaṅam: the "root"—the Supreme Personality of Godhead—must be satisfied. If you want to maintain the tree, then the root, the original cause of the tree, must be satisfied. Similarly, everyone will be satisfied if Kṛṣṅa is satisfied.

In this material world people are trying to be happy, but they do not know how to become happy. They have been put into the ocean of nescience. They may be very expert swimmers, but simply by swimming they will not be saved. They must know how to be saved, and that is by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṅa.

In this verse of the Bhāgavatam it is said, yad atra kriyate karma bhagavat-paritoṣaṅam: "Whatever activities you may perform, do them to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead." There are two kinds of activities: vaidikī and laukikī. Vaidikī means "activities done according to the Vedic rituals." These include the performance of big, big sacrifices, and many other activities. We also have good experience nowadays of many laukikī activities, such as work in factories and mills, scientific research—there are so many. This is laukikī work.

So, Nārada Muni does not say that simply by vaidikī activities—big, big ritualistic ceremonies—you can be happy. You can be happy even by laukikī activities, provided they are conducted for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṅa. You want to develop the economic position of your country by industrial enterprises? Yes, that is also good. But bhagavat-pari-toṣaṅam: by this work you must satisfy Kṛṣṅa.

Our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement does not say you should stop anything. No. Whatever you like to do, you can do, but by your work you must try to satisfy Kṛṣṅa. This is our proposal, and it is confirmed in the scriptures [Bhāgavatam 1.2.13]:

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam

The Vedic literatures describe eight divisions of society according to varṅa and āśrama [occupation and spiritual status]. But the success of the activities of all these divisions depends on satisfying Kṛṣṅa.

The divisions of work must be there; otherwise society cannot go on very nicely. After all, this is the material world. If everyone becomes a brāhmaṅa [intellectual], society will not go on. There must be others. There must be kṣatriyas—the statesmen, protectors, politicians, diplomats. And there must also be vaiśyas—the productive class of men. Economic development is also required. Otherwise, how will human society go on? And there must also be the worker class of men. Suppose you are constructing a temple. If everyone simply chants Hare Kṛṣṅa, who will construct the temple? No, there must be workers also. Everyone is required.

So, we do not say "Stop this" or "Stop that." No. The division of society into four varṅas and four āśramas has been scientifically done by Kṛṣṅa Himself. The āśramas are for spiritual advancement, and the varṅas are for material advancement. We need both, because our life is a combination of spirit and matter. We have to make the best use of a bad bargain. Suppose you have a car, but it is not a very good car. Three times it breaks down. Still, you have to utilize it, though it is a bad bargain. Similarly, somehow or other we have gotten this material body. So we cannot neglect it.

We don't say, "Stop taking care of your body." No. The instruction of the Six Gosvāmīs is anāsaktasya visayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ: "Don't be attached to fulfilling the bodily demands, and at the same time utilize the body in devotional service to Kṛṣṅa." The bodily demands are eating, sleeping, sex, and defending. We should not think, "I am not this body, so I don't care for eating and sleeping." No. That is not real renunciation. This kind of renunciation is not recommended by our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. Following the Gosvāmīs, we recommend that you not be attached to fulfilling the demands of the body but rather utilize the body for advancing in Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

Eating is required. If you don't eat nicely, the body cannot be maintained. But don't eat too much. And don't eat just to satisfy the tongue. Why eat meat, fish, and eggs? They are unnecessary. You are a human being, and for you Kṛṣṅa has given such a variety of foodstuffs: fruits, vegetables, nice rice, dāl, milk, ghee. Why should you eat meat? Eating is not prohibited, but you should eat like a human being, not like the cats and dogs. That is our philosophy.

Similarly, sleeping is also necessary. You require some rest, but don't sleep twenty-six hours a day. Six to eight hours is sufficient for any healthy man. Even the doctors say that if someone sleeps more than eight hours a day, he is diseased. And those who are advancing in Kṛṣṅa consciousness should reduce sleeping as much as possible, just as the Gosvāmīs did. They slept only one and a half or at the utmost two hours a night. And sometimes not even that.

We should try to follow in the footsteps of the Gosvāmīs. Go means "senses," and svāmī means "master." So, if we keep the title Gosvāmī and become the servant of our senses—godāsa—that is cheating. You must be Gosvāmī, the master of your senses. In other words, you must have self-control.

What did the Gosvāmīs do? Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau: they conquered over sleeping (nidrā), eating (ahara), and sense enjoyment (vihara). Our process is to try to follow the Gosvāmīs. We should keep in mind what they did. They used to pass their time chanting the Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra very loudly and dancing (kṛṣṅotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau). And they were very popular with all classes of men (dhīr-ādhīra-jana-priyau). There are two classes of men in this world: dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means "saintly persons," those who have controlled their senses. And adhīra means just the opposite. So the Six Gosvāmīs were popular with both classes of men. Their character was so sublime.

The only aim of this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is to satisfy Kṛṣṅa (saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṅam). Saṁsiddhiḥ means "perfection." If we want perfection in our activities, we should try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

You may say, "I do not see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. How shall I know whether I am satisfying Him or dissatisfying Him?" That you can know from your spiritual master. It is not very difficult. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ: If your spiritual master is satisfied, then you should know that Kṛṣṅa is satisfied. And yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi: You cannot satisfy Kṛṣṅa if you dissatisfy your spiritual master. That is not possible.

As I mentioned before, satisfying Kṛṣṅa depends on knowing the science of God. So; the knowledge of God comes down from Kṛṣṅa to Brahmā, from Brahmā to Nārada, from Nārada to Vyāsa, and so on down to your spiritual master. And just as the knowledge has come down step by step, from one to the other, so you can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by going up step by step, step by step. This is the process of paramparā, following the disciplic succession.

The paramparā system must be maintained. And if it is maintained nicely, then, as stated here, whatever you do is for your perfection. If you try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then whatever you do is perfect. It doesn't matter what it is. The test is whether Kṛṣṅa is satisfied, and whether your spiritual master is satisfied. If they are satisfied, then you are perfect.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa.