The Only Solution for the World's Problems

We hear many people giving their opinions as to what will solve the world's problems, and we certainly applaud them for thinking in terms of what will benefit the entire human society. But the fact of the matter is that unless we penetrate to the root cause of the world's problems any solution that we may implement will have benefits that are at best only temporary. Just as an electric lamp produces no light if it is not plugged into electricity, in a similar way because the present global society is unplugged from its source, it is totally enveloped in darkness. That source is the Supreme Person, who is described in all revealed scriptures and who is personally experienced at every minute by those who have awakened their inner consciousness, their Krishna consciousness. Only when the world society harmonizes itself with that Supreme Person by hearing, understanding, and following His teachings as He so clearly reveals them in the Bhagavad-gita, will there emerge a world society in which all people can be peaceful and happy.

Until then everyone must suffer like anything. Isn't it a pity? So now do something about it. Please help us save the world.

Srila Prabhupada and Disciples Offering a Global Solution

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: We Are God. Correct Me If I Am Wrong.

I have read your post that we are not God, and I have a doubt about this.

That we are all God is the essence of advaita (non-dual) philosophy. Advaita (non-duality) is on the spiritual level, not on the physical level. For example even though all humans are different having unique personalities, they are one because they are all humans. Another example is that of the supreme court and the normal court. Although physically there is difference, internally they are the same because the basic quality of all courts is to give justice.

Similarly while we and God are different on the physical level, how we are different on the spiritual level? So I feel that we are all one of the spiritual level and different on the physical level.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thank you,
Uday

Answer: Qualitatively God--Quantitatively Not God.

God is different from us both physically and spiritually. Regarding the physical level, when Krishna was here on this earth 5,000 years ago, once He reached His teenage years He maintained the body of a 16 year old youth throughout His entire time span on this planet of 125 years. We are not able to that. We are forced to age by the laws of material nature. Krishna, not being under the laws of material nature, is completely free to do whatever He pleases without any restraints.

And spiritually there is also a gulf of difference. In essence we are all spiritual. We are not material. These material bodies are just coverings of our actual unique spiritual identities. Krishna is the Complete Whole. All of existence is present within Him. And we are the tiny parts and parcels of that Complete Whole. Krishna is like the fire, and we are like the sparks. The qualities of heat and light are present in both, but the quantity is vastly different. You can cook a meal on a fire, but you cannot do so on a spark.

Lord Caitanya taught the sublime philosophy which is combination of dualism (dvaita) and non-dualism (advaita). His philosophy is called acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, that the Absolute Truth is simultaneously one and different. This can be understood in the following way:

God is eternal, full of bliss, and full of knowledge. We are also eternal, full of bliss, and full of knowledge. Therefore qualitatively we are God.

But God is also the supplier of all the necessities of all the living beings. God is the maintainer, and we are the maintained. You cannot say that you are feeding all living beings throughout all of existence. Only God can do this. Therefore, quantitatively we are not God.

It is just like a drop of water and the ocean. The drop of ocean water is also ocean. But is not THE ocean. It is qualitatively one with the ocean because the chemical composition of the drop and the chemical composition of the entire ocean is the same. But quantitatively there is a gulf of difference. You can float a battleship on the ocean, but you cannot float it on a drop of water.

You will realize your relationship with God not by thinking that you are God. You will only realize your qualtiative oneness with God when you realize that quantitatively you very tiny and He is very, very. You are His eternal servant. When you fully absorb yourself in His service, then you are liberated.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari