The nature of God is one of the most important philosophical/theological topics to be understood. According to the Vedic scriptures and the tradition of Sanatana Dharma, God transcends all materiality, illusion, faults and defects. God is never – ever – subject to illusion. In this livestream talk, Sri Dharma Prvartaka Acharya discusses the transcendental nature of God by examining two verses from the Srimad Bhagavatam.
śrī-rājovāca
nārāyaṇābhidhānasya
brahmaṇaḥ paramātmanaḥ
niṣṭhām arhatha no vaktuṁ
yūyaṁ hi brahma-vittamāḥ
“King Nimi inquired: Please explain to me the transcendental situation of the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, who is Himself the Absolute Truth and the Supersoul of everyone. You can explain this to me, because you are all most expert in transcendental knowledge. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.3.34)
śrī-pippalāyana uvāca
sthity-udbhava-pralaya-hetur ahetur asya
yat svapna-jāgara-suṣuptiṣu sad bahiś ca
dehendriyāsu-hṛdayāni caranti yena
sañjīvitāni tad avehi paraṁ narendra
“Śrī Pippalāyana said: Nārāyaṇa is the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe, yet He has no prior cause. He pervades the various states of wakefulness, dreaming and unconscious deep sleep and also exists beyond them. By entering the body of every living being as the Supersoul, He enlivens the body, senses, life airs and mental activities, and thus all the subtle and gross organs of the body begin their functions. My dear King, know that Nārāyaṇa to be the Supreme.” (Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.3.35)