EDITORIAL
September 18, 2000 VNN6256 Comment on this story
Omniscience
BY ASAMORDHVA DAS
EDITORIAL, Sep 18 (VNN) — Having digested some articles on the topic of OMNISCIENCE in regards to guru-tattva I would like to submit the following thoughts as I think the two parties; one who claims that the guru must know everything otherwise why pray to him or glorify him as Ôsakshad Hari', and the other party who claims that guru is NOT God and only acts in a capacity to link others up to Him, allowing God to discern and arrange things beyond the immediate perspective of the venerable Vaishnava. However, I think a definition is in order to clear the air and allow Vaishnavas of the same tradition to agree and work accordingly.
“Everything that is mysterious is known to you because you worship the creator and destroyer of the material world and the maintainer of the spiritual world, the original Personality of Godhead.”
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Omniscience in the true sense of the term would define knowing absolutely everything, from the movements of every single blade of grass up and down the universe as well as all past, present and future events, unfailingly. This type of definition could only be possible for the Person of God. It is not within human capacity.
Omniscience in the perspective that the party of the protagonists harbour is a different type of omniscience which I will not in my capacity be able to elaborate on as it is entirely beyond my grasp and yet we know that the real Vaishnava has this ability which is to see into the heart of the jiva and certain events past and future. For instance our Srila Prabhupada proclaimed of the sage Vyasadeva," great sages like Vyasadeva are liberated souls, and therefore they can see clearly past and future.
In the first Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, fifth chapter it is said of Narada Muni by the sage Vyasadeva,"Everything that is mysterious is known to you because you worship the creator and destroyer of the material world and the maintainer of the spiritual world, the original Personality of Godhead." And further to that in the subsequent verse, " Like the sun, Your Goodness can travel everywhere in the three worlds, and like the air you can penetrate the internal region of everyone. As such, you are as good as the all-pervasive Supersoul."
Taking it from the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam we can conclude that devotees of the highest caliber can and do perceive the inner mind of the individual. How many times have we seen devotees have their questions answered in a class of a mahabhagavat without even having to raise their hand. We could write books of experiences that our devotees have had with mahabhagavats whose knowledge easily goes beyond the reckoning of our mundane logic and intelligence. To deny this fact would be to deny the words of the sage Vyasadeva and Sukadeva Goswami. Therefore our prayers do not go in vain. They are heard and no doubt answered as well. But to place the devotee in God's position is faulty on our part. The pure devotee does not enter the hearts of every living being and direct their wanderings. That is the job of the Supersoul, althought to compare a devotee to the Supersoul is not inappropriate from the standpoint that such bona fide Vaishnavas can and do read our minds and thoughts. When we come forward they no doubt know the angle of our persuasion. They know if sincerity is there or not. In fact they know our own self better than we do! That is why we must have complete faith in their instructions and guidance. Krishna gives them that power. But why would he want to bother them with His perspective of knowing all that is. He gives the devotee the ability to know what needs to be known. The final score of the USC vs.UCLA football game, the number of Mexicans crossing the US border on the 23rd of May, 2000, and the amount of fuel left in my car is not something that the devotee requires to know, unless it is something the pure devotee needs to know.
The Lord is controlled by love and therefore at the beck and call of the Vaishnava. To have the Lord at one's disposal by virtue of incessant and infallible love automatically puts all knowledge at one's command. But by common logic we should not see the devotee in the absolute position of God. The devotee only wants to serve God and in that service everything is given to him that is required, externally and internally. You cannot cheat a devotee. He knows your heart and therefore whether you are sincere or not. His proclamations are perfect in this regard. He makes no mistake. He is directed by Krishna. His words are channeled from Transcendence. We can wholeheartedly surrender and serve him without the least fear. Our live should be in his hands. He is fully capable of caring for everyone. His love is Krishna's love manifest. To shun or avoid such a person is tatamount to the grossest ignorance, which is no doubt why those adherants to mahabhagavats find it so painful to see other so-called Vaishnavas spurning their master and advising others to respect such an uttama-bhagavat from a distance.
Once a devotee recognizes and opens up his heart willingly to the mahabhagavat then naturally the repair work so needed on the heart begins to manifest. Submission and surrender with an open-heart on the part of the disciple is all the real vaishnava-guru wants. At that point he can take his scapel and remove so much encrusted cakes of ignorance and fear from the core of the sadaka's heart and prepare him for entering the real realm of pure love and affection.
If we know there is nothing to hide from the vision of the Vaishnava then we should not be ashamed any more. If he knows us as we really are and yet accepts us in that condition, then the only next thing to do is follow his every word and pray for his mercy. We should know that nothing is hidden from his vision in regards to our relationship. Who can better help us? None.
A mother may not know the real reason a child crys. A father may not really know his son fails in school. But the Vaishnava knows our inner heart and the reason for our acting as we do. He is so tolerant and forgiving, particually if he knows we will never leave his lotus feet ever, and only want to please him.
So, in conclusion let us only pray that Krishna can give us the ability to see who amoungst us is the actual Vaishnava and worship and honour him within our minds at every second. He is our only hope.
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