Cosmos: Great Machine Operated by Krishna

By Swami Prabhupada

Cosmos: Great Machine Operated by Krishna

The Krishna consciousness movement seeks to bring all living entities back to their original consciousness. In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna says: "The living entities in this conditional world are My fragmental parts, and they are eternal. But due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind."

Thus all living entities are part and parcel of Krishna, who is a symbol of the all attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. As a fragment of gold is qualitatively the same as a gold reservoir, so the minute particles of Krishna's body are qualitatively good as Krishna. The chemical composition of God's body and the eternal spiritual body of the living entity is the same - originally, in our uncontaminated condition, we possessed a form as good as God's. But just as rain falls to the ground, so we come in contact with this material world, which is manipulated by the external material energy of Krishna.

When we speak of external energy or material nature, the question is raised: "Whose energy? Whose nature?" Material energy or nature does not work independently. Many electronic mechanisms work wonderfully, but behind these intricate systems there is a scientist or operator who pushes the button. Similarly, this cosmic manifestation which we call nature is a great machine and behind this machine there is God, Krishna.

"This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, producing all the moving and unmoving beings, and by its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again." (Gita 9.10). There are two kinds of entities - the moving and non-moving. Krishna says that material nature, which controls both kinds of entities, is acting under His direction. So behind everything there is a supreme controller.

The Gita informs us that in this body there is a proprietor. I say, "My hand", but not "I hand". Since it is "my" hand, I am different from the hand, being its owner. Similarly, we speak of "my eye", "my leg", "my this", "my that". In the midst of all of these objects which belong to me, where am I? The answer is revealed in the process of meditation, when we ask: "Where am I? What am I?" We cannot find the answers to these questions by any material effort.

Even the most complicated computers need trained men to handle them. Similarly, this great machine, known as the cosmic manifestation, is manipulated by a supreme spirit. That is Krishna. Scientists are searching for the ultimate cause or controller of this material universe and are postulating different theories and proposals, but the real means for knowledge is awareness of Krishna.

We cannot understand Krishna by sensual perception or by speculation - He is beyond our sensual range. But He can be understood by surrender. Krishna therefore recommends this process: "Give up all varieties of religiousness, and just surrender unto me; and in return I shall protect you from all sinful reactions. Therefore, you have nothing to fear." (Gita 18.66).

We automatically resist authority. Yet, we are forced to accept the authority of nature. What can be more pathetic than a man who claims to answer to no authority but who follows his senses blindly wherever they lead him? This is called maya, illusion. We do, however, have a certain independence - we can choose to be under the authority of our senses or the authority of Krishna. The best and ultimate authority is Krishna, for He is our eternal well-wisher. Since we have to accept some authority, why not accept His?

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON, in 1966