Category:God's Answers
Theme Analysis
The philosophical essence of this category establishes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the ultimate authority and the only source of definitive answers to the deepest inquiries of the soul. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that conditioned souls are plagued by misgivings and ignorance, which cannot be dispelled by mundane philosophers or mental speculation. True enlightenment comes only when one approaches the Lord or His authorized representatives. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna specifically addresses Kṛṣṇa as Puruṣottama—the Supreme Person—knowing that only He can give perfect answers. The Lord mercifully answers the questions of great souls like Lord Brahmā, Devahūti, and Arjuna so that the rest of human society can be educated. Furthermore, God's answers are not limited to philosophical discourse; He answers the prayers of the demigods through direct action by vanquishing demons like Rāvaṇa, He answers the boasts of envious kings like Jarāsandha with crushing defeat, and He personally answers the intimate prayers of His devotees through the Deity in the temple.
- The Supreme Authority: To receive perfect knowledge without the four defects of conditioned life, one must direct their questions to the Supreme Person (Puruṣottama), who alone can provide definitive answers.
- Educating Humanity: The Lord answers the profound inquiries of His pure devotees—such as Arjuna, Lord Brahmā, and Devahūti—not merely for their sake, but to leave behind a legacy of perfect knowledge for all laymen to understand.
- Answering Through Action: God's answers are sometimes delivered through dynamic action. He answered the demigods' desperate prayers by descending as Lord Rāma to chastise the atheistic Rāvaṇa.
- Reciprocation with Devotees: The Lord is a person, and He actively reciprocates with His devotees. He smiles beautifully when answering His mother's inquiries, and He directly answers the prayers of those who express their minds before the Deity.
- Revealing Himself: When foolish people ask, "Can you show me God?" the Lord answers through the śāstra by declaring māyā tatam idaṁ sarvam—He is everywhere, visible to those who have the eyes to see.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: God's Answers - The Definitive Truth from the Supreme Authority.
Pages in category "God's Answers"
The following 16 pages are in this category, out of 16 total.
A
- A class of common men maintain that it does not matter how the Absolute Truth is addressed, for all names are one and the same. They give the example of a man with many names; if he is called by any of those names, he will answer
- After hearing Jarasandha speak in that way, Krsna answered, 'My dear King Jarasandha, heroes do not talk much. Rather, they show their prowess. Because you are talking a great deal, it appears that you are assured of your death in this battle"
- Arjuna has addressed the Supreme Lord as Purusottama, SP, which means that he was putting these (BG 8.1) questions not simply to a friend but to the Supreme Person, knowing Him to be the supreme authority able to give definitive answers. BG 1972 pur
- Arjuna submitted the three different questions (BG 14.21), & the Lord answers them one after another. In these verses (22-25), Krsna first indicates that a person transcendentally situated neither envies anyone nor hankers for anything. BG 1972 purports
L
- Lord Brahma inquired about the potency of the Supreme Lord, and the Personality of Godhead answered his inquiry in the following six consecutive statements (CC Adi 1.51-56) - from SB 2.9.31-36
- Lord Brahma wanted to be perfectly educated by the Personality of Godhead, and here is the answer by the Lord, finished in four nutshell verses, from aham eva to this verse, etavad eva. This is the end of all self-realization processes
T
- The devotees express their minds before the Deity, and in many instances the Deity also gives answers
- The Lord says that Brahma may take the answers as He explains them. This means that transcendental knowledge of the absolute Supreme Being can be known if it is made known by the Lord Himself
- The modern philosophers think that without discriminating one cannot have pure knowledge. For them this answer is given by the Supreme Lord. BG 1972 purports
- The questions are raised by Devahuti, and the answers are given by Kapiladeva. That is apavarga-vardhanam