The advancement of civilization is tested when a nation or person is interested to inquire about God. That is advancement. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is advancement—how a nation or person is advanced to inquire about God or about himself. God and we, we are of the same quality, because it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā . . . that's a fact. God is the supreme living being and we are also living being, but He is the head, supreme. That is the description in the Vedas:
- nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām
- eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān
- (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)
These are the description in the Vedas, that God means that as we are person, He is the supreme person. That's all. Just like you are also persons, you are also Australians, and the president of the Australian government, he is also a person. He is not imperson. The government may be imperson, but the head of the government is a person. Similarly, in the universal government there are so many living entities, just like we are. Not only human being—8,400,000 species of life, all living entities. God is also living entity, but He is the supreme living entity. That is the difference. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).