He Is All Attractive

Is Krsna a Hindu God? No, for God is God, and though He is absolute, He has many names. One characteristic of God is that He is all-attractive, and the name Krsna denotes that all-attractive quality. So Krsna means God, and He is ultimately the same God worshiped by all religions everywhere. He is called Krsna in Bhagavad-gita, Yahweh in the Old Testament, and Jehovah in the New Testament. Lord Caitanya taught that God has invested all His potencies in all His names, and we should not consider that one name is any better than another.

Krsna is God, and He appeared on earth in His all-attractive feature or personal form to attract all species of life. In the Gita (14.4), Krsna clearly states, "It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." Thus He is the God not only of Hindus, Christians and Jews, but also of lions, fish and trees. Just as the sun, although it rises in the East, cannot be called an Indian sun, similarly Krsna appeared in India, but in no way can He be called an eastern God. He is always present everywhere. Nowhere does He ever claim that He is a Hindu God or that He can take birth only in India. Krsna belongs to everyone. How else could so many persons in America relish transcendental bliss in Krsna consciousness? Krsna consciousness was unknown there five years ago and is just beginning to be recognized as a religion.

When Lord Caitanya, an incarnation of Krsna appeared in India five hundred years ago, He made lions, tigers, elephants-all animals-jump in ecstatic love for God. Just by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and by hearing these sacred names of God, all living entities become purified.

Krsna consciousness is the eternal science of God, the living entity and nature. This science is true in all places and at all times, and, being transcendental, it is beyond the temporary designations of material time and space.

Many people ask if Hinduism is an Indian religion. The term "Hindu" itself is foreign to India and has nothing to do with the religion. The term "Hindu" was used by the Muslims to refer to the people living beyond the Indus River, or the "Hindus" River as they called it, since they were unable to pronounce the "I" at the beginning of "Indus." Another term for Krsna consciousness is sanatana-dharma, or the eternal occupation of the living entity, namely to render service. Every bona fide religion teaches us to serve God. But since the term "Hindu" is unrelated to the actual practices of the worshipers across the Indus, it has been applied to any number of beliefs and practices in India, only some of which are in harmony with this Krsna consciousness movement.

If one's goal is God, he will adopt whatever means are necessary to reach that end. Just as in material life, if one's goal is to learn advanced technology and the best facilities for learning technology are in America, one will arrange to enroll in an American school. Similarly, if one's goal is God, one must seek out that best process for realizing God in order to be successful. The Vedic literatures provide the most complete information about God in the world. According to the Vedas, the chanting of the holy name is the easiest means for contacting God in the present age. Therefore one must be practical and test out which process is actually bringing love of God, both by personal experience and by the results of others. Then one will find success.