Aim

To understand how Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, though all-pervading through His energies, remains a distinct transcendental Person beyond material perception, and how only by pure devotional service can He be realized.

Purport

 Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, fame, pastimes, etc., cannot be understood by material senses. Only to one who is engaged in pure devotional service under proper guidance is He revealed. In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38) it is stated, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti: one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, always within himself and outside himself if one has developed the transcendental loving attitude towards Him. Thus for people in general He is not visible. Here it is said that although He is all-pervading, everywhere present, He is not conceivable by the material senses. This is indicated here by the word avyakta-mūrtinā. But actually, although we cannot see Him, everything is resting in Him. As we have discussed in the Seventh Chapter, the entire material cosmic manifestation is only a combination of His two different energies – the superior, spiritual energy and the inferior, material energy. Just as the sunshine is spread all over the universe, the energy of the Lord is spread all over the creation, and everything is resting in that energy.

Yet one should not conclude that because He is spread all over He has lost His personal existence. To refute such an argument the Lord says, “I am everywhere, and everything is in Me, but still I am aloof.” For example, a king heads a government which is but the manifestation of the king’s energy; the different governmental departments are nothing but the energies of the king, and each department is resting on the king’s power. But still one cannot expect the king to be present in every department personally. That is a crude example. Similarly, all the manifestations that we see and everything that exists, both in this material world and in the spiritual world, are resting on the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The creation takes place by the diffusion of His different energies, and, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam: He is everywhere present by His personal representation, the diffusion of His different energies.

Objectives

 1. To explain why Kṛṣṇa cannot be perceived by material senses.

2. To highlight the role of pure devotional service in realizing Kṛṣṇa.

3. To clarify the meaning of avyakta-mūrtinā (Kṛṣṇa’s inconceivable all-pervading form).

4. To understand how the universe rests on Kṛṣṇa’s energies (material and spiritual).

5. To illustrate with the example of the king and his government how Kṛṣṇa remains aloof though all-pervading.

6. To distinguish between Kṛṣṇa’s impersonal energy and His eternal personal existence.

7. To establish how devotees experience Kṛṣṇa internally and externally through prema (love).8. To affirm that everything in creation is maintained by the diffusion of His energies, yet He remains the Supreme Person.

Key Points / Takeaways

• Kṛṣṇa cannot be known by material senses; only bhakti reveals Him.

• Devotion is the only qualification – under guidance, one realizes His name, form, and pastimes.

•  Avyakta-mūrti – Kṛṣṇa’s inconceivable, all-pervading energy sustains all creation.

•  Everything rests on Him – both the material and spiritual worlds are maintained by His energies.

•  Kṛṣṇa remains a Person – pervading all existence does not negate His eternal form.

• King analogy – like a king’s power pervades the government, Kṛṣṇa’s energies pervade the cosmos.

•  Devotees see Govinda everywhere – by the eyes of love (premāñjana-cchurita), He is visible within and without.

• Conclusion: Kṛṣṇa is both all-pervading through His energies and simultaneously the supreme transcendental Person—Govinda, the ultimate shelter.