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Sri Isopanisad: Mantra Five

The mantra describes contradictory characteristics of the Supreme Lord - that he walks but doesn't walk, is far away but also very close, and is inside everything yet outside. Srila Prabhupada explains these contradictions establish the inconceivable nature of the Lord. The impersonalists only accept the impersonal features while the dualists only accept the personal features, but followers of Lord Caitanya accept both. Because of his contradictory nature, materialists become confused and try to ignore the Lord, seeing him as an ordinary person in some cases due to his extraordinary pastimes. The Lord accepts our service as he likes through extraordinary means like the Deity, which can be appreciated by devotees as his mercy.

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99 views2 pages

Sri Isopanisad: Mantra Five

The mantra describes contradictory characteristics of the Supreme Lord - that he walks but doesn't walk, is far away but also very close, and is inside everything yet outside. Srila Prabhupada explains these contradictions establish the inconceivable nature of the Lord. The impersonalists only accept the impersonal features while the dualists only accept the personal features, but followers of Lord Caitanya accept both. Because of his contradictory nature, materialists become confused and try to ignore the Lord, seeing him as an ordinary person in some cases due to his extraordinary pastimes. The Lord accepts our service as he likes through extraordinary means like the Deity, which can be appreciated by devotees as his mercy.

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Jejixev
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SRI ISOPANISAD

Mantra Five

1. Verse mentions another three further interesting and apparently contradictory


characteristics of the Supreme Lord:
a) Walks, but doesn't walk
b) Far away, but very close also
c) Inside everything, but also outside

Srila Prabhupada explains in lecture on verse 5: "Just like crude example I give you, that
the sun and, at noontime, it is on your head and somebody walking eastern side or
western side, he also sees the sun is also walking with him. Long ago, about forty years
ago, when I was householder, my second son, he was four years old. He was walking
with me, and he said, “Oh, father, why the moon is coming with us?” This is very
intelligent. Yes. So similarly, if a material object can walk so swift... You have seen. You
are going on aeroplane or train, you’ll see the moon or sun is going with you. So how it
is not possible that Krsna cannot walk? Although He’s situated... But you ask your
friend, “Where is the sun? Where is the moon?” He’ll say, “Oh, it is on my head.”

So you cannot say that the sun is walking, but at the same time it is.

2. Para One: Srila Prabhupada explains that these contradictions are being presented to
establish the inconceivable nature of the Lord.

The impersonalists accept only the impersonal features (eg He doesn't walk), and
overlook the personal. The dualists accept only the personal and overlook the impersonal,
but the followers of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu accept both.

3. Para Two: We cannot see Him, but that does not mean He doesn't exist. He is far
away, but He can be here with us any time.

4. Para Three: Because of the Lord's contradictory nature the materialists become
confused about Him and try to ignore Him. They are fond of thinking He is an ordinary
person, because He does some things which appear ordinary.

In His pastimes sometimes Lord Krsna acted like an examplary ordinary person (eg
showing respect to His elders). Other times He did things which were clearly
superhuman (Universal Form).

5. Para Four: On this basis He can accept our service as He likes, even thought the ways
may be inconceivable to the ordinary person — eg as the Deity. (Give some examples of
the extraordinary nature of the Deity)

6. Para Five: This is the mercy of the Lord, and can be appreciated by the devotees.

7. Para Six: He reciprocates according to how we approach Him.


8. Para Seven: 'Saguna', 'nirguna' must be understood. They are often misunderstood.

9. Para Eight: Story of Lord Nrsimhadeva. He appeared by His inconceivable potencies.


He can do anything indirectly through His potencies, but sometimes He appears
personally to do things. This is to please His devotees.

10. Para Nine: Summary. Both impersonal and personal have to be understood.

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