Category:God's Forgetfulness
Theme Analysis
The philosophical essence of this category addresses the apparent contradiction of how the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead could ever experience forgetfulness. In Vedic philosophy, mundane forgetfulness is a symptom of material conditioning; the infinitesimal living entity falls under the spell of the external energy (mahā-māyā) and forgets its spiritual identity. The Supreme Lord, however, is full in six opulences, including unlimited knowledge. Therefore, it is impossible for Him to be covered by illusion or experience material forgetfulness. He never forgets the rebellious conditioned souls, accompanying them life after life as the Supersoul, nor does He ever forget even the slightest service rendered by a pure devotee. Yet, the scriptures do describe instances where the Lord "forgets." This is not a defect, but the action of His internal spiritual potency, Yogamāyā. Under the influence of Yogamāyā, the Lord willingly forgets His exalted majesty and absolute supremacy so He can relish intimate, sweet loving exchanges with His pure devotees—acting as an obedient son, a dependent friend, or a subordinate student. In His incarnation as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His forgetfulness manifests as overwhelming transcendental ecstasy, where He becomes so absorbed in the love of Godhead that He forgets all bodily necessities.
- Omniscience vs. Illusion: Forgetfulness is a characteristic of the conditioned living entity, not the Supreme Lord. Because God possesses unlimited knowledge, any argument suggesting He falls under the spell of Māyā (illusion) is completely philosophically unsound.
- The Unfailing Witness: The Lord never abandons the conditioned souls. Even when the living entities completely forget Him and wander through millions of species, the Lord accompanies them as the Supersoul and provides scriptures to remind them of their true home.
- Eternal Memory of Devotion: The Supreme Lord never forgets the sacrifices and loving service of His pure devotees. Even if a devotee faces immense stumbling blocks or is engaged in seemingly worldly affairs, the Lord remembers them perfectly.
- The Role of Yogamāyā: The only time the Lord experiences "forgetfulness" is when it is orchestrated by His internal potency, Yogamāyā. This allows Him to forget His majestic godhood so He can enjoy intimate, equal, or even subordinate relationships with His devotees.
- Transcendental Ecstasy: As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord displayed the ultimate forgetfulness of the material world. Lost in the profound ecstasy of separation from Kṛṣṇa, He would forget to eat, sleep, and even His geographical location.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: God's Forgetfulness is Actually a Display of Supreme Love.
Subcategories
This category has the following 5 subcategories, out of 5 total.
Pages in category "God's Forgetfulness"
The following 18 pages are in this category, out of 18 total.
K
- Krsna said, "My dear friends, you know that Lord Balarama and I left Vrndavana just to please Our relatives and family members. Thus We were long engaged in fighting with Our enemies and were obliged to forget you, who were so much attached to Me"
- Krsna says, ye tu bhajanti mam bhaktya. One who is, I mean to say, entrapped in such love affairs with God, don't think that God is forgotten. God is also thinking in that way. Although you do not see, but you see
S
- Sometimes, even at the risk of having to cross many stumbling blocks, a devotee relinquishes all family connections and homely comforts for the Lord's service. Can the Lord forget all these sacrifices of His bona fide devotee? No, not even for a moment
- Srimati Radharani continued, "Surpanakha proposed an intimate relationship with Him, and as a ksatriya He (Ramacandra) should have satisfied her. But He was so henpecked that He could not forget Sita-devi and converted Surpanakha into an ugly woman"
T
- The example cited herein of Sri Brahmaji is one of forgetfulness. Brahmaji is the incarnation of one of the mundane attributes of the Lord
- The living entity is prone to forget his spiritual identity, whereas the Supreme Personality never forgets. This is the difference between lipta and alipta
- The Lord forgets His exalted position and willingly submits to His pure devotee
- The Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart, is so kind that if one has ever rendered service to Him, the Lord never forgets him
- The question, does Lord Rama or Lord Caitanya forget, is like saying, does God come under Maya, or forgetfulness. You must fully understand this before you can successfully debate with the Mayavad arguments
- The Supreme Father does not forget His rebellious sons. He creates scriptures for them like the Vedas and Puranas in order to revive their lost relationship with Him and awaken their divine consciousness
- The Supreme Lord never forgets His pure devotee, even though he may be engaged in so-called worldly affairs
- There are six opulences, transcendental qualification of God. One is that He is full of knowledge. So if God is full of knowledge, how He can be in forgetfulness? That is impossible
- This prayer is given to remind the Lord of the devotee's sacrifices, but even if there is no such reminder, the Lord does not forget the service rendered by His pure devotee