Pradyumna: Translation: "Lord Brahma saw in the Vaikuntha planet, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Lord of the entire devotee community, the Lord of the goddess of fortune, the Lord of all sacrifices, and the Lord of the universe, and who is served by the foremost servitors like Nanda, Sunanda, Prabala, and Arhana, His immediate associates." [SB 2.9.15]

Prabhupada: So here, as Brahma saw God, His abode, His associates, so anyone can see also. Brahma is also living being. Just like if Mr. Nixon can become president, you can also become president. But not that you can become God. You can become president, but you cannot become God. That is not possible. A foolish conclusion is that "If I can become president, then I can become also God." But these associates of God, they are equally... We have already heard how their bodily features are. They are also of the same color. They are also same color.

Pradyumna: The devotees?

Bhanu: Syama...

Devotee (1): Text eleven. [SB 2.9.11]

Sudama: "The inhabitants of the Vaikuntha planets are described as having a glowing, sky-bluish complexion."

Prabhupada: Yes, syamavadatah, syama, syama. Syamasundara. Krsna is known, therefore, Syamasundara. This is the sky color. You can understand. Because the sky has no own color, because the color of Krsna is spread as brahmajyoti, that is being reflected in the sky. This is the color of God. Syamasundara, therefore called. Yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam govindam adi-purusam tam aham... So we can see at least the color of the Lord. Here it is said "sky-bluish." How can you deny? Who can say that "I have not..." If you have seen... Just like the sunshine. Sunshine is whitish. So in the sunshine, you can see the whitish color. So you can at least imagine what is the color of the sun planet, what is the color of the predominating deity there. A little intelligence required. So if the sky... When clear sky, you see bluish sky. That is reflection of Krsna's bodily effulgence. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. Yasya prabha, by expansion of the bodily effulgence, the brahmajyoti... In that brahmajyoti there are many universes, in that brahmajyoti, jagad-anda-koti. The sky's bluish effulgence is there. Above this material sky there is another sky whose reflection you simply can see little. Just like outside there is a brilliant light, so you can get little reflection within your room, similarly, this universe is dark and covered. It is covered, round, surrounded. But outside that universe... Or this universe is floating in that effulgence. It is reflected. The sky is reflected bluish. This is the... Let the so-called scientist challenge it. Here is a description from the Bhagavata: yasya prabha [Bs. 5.40].

Syamasundara: Stratosphere?

Prabhupada: Yes. It will take forty thousands of years with the speed of 18,000 miles per hour. No, or... Some estimation. Anyway, forty thousands of years. So who is going to live for forty thousand years to see and go and see and come back? They cannot go even to the moon planet, theorizing. How they can go? But this is fact. If you have got power, you go and see. But they cannot go a few miles, and they are proud that "We have known everything. We know everything." This is their foolishness. Our knowledge is so imperfect; still, we are proud of our knowledge: "Oh, I have known everything. I know everything. I am God. I am God." So, and foolish like that... Just like a foolish child, he is declaring himself, "I am God," and there are so many followers: "Oh, he is God, he is God." That's it. They do not know what is God. At least we know what is God in this sense, that our God, when... Actually He is God. Therefore, at the age of seven years, He lifted a big mountain on the finger. So we accept this God. When He was young man He married sixteen thousand wives. These are the unique instances. And why shall I accept a cheap God who cannot provide even one wife? We are not... Because he cannot provide it, he does not marry. So this kind of God we don't accept.

Pradyumna: "When we speak of the king, it is naturally understood that the king is accompanied by his confidential associates like his secretary, private secretary, aide-de-camp, ministers, advisors, etc."

Prabhupada: Otherwise what is the meaning of king? "God is imperson. God is zero"what is this nonsense God? If our great conception, king or president, we understand is a great personality, if in this tiny material world in one corner of this planet there is a big president like Nixon and he has got secretary, his staff, his this and that, so many things, and why God should be without any associates, nirakara, nirvisesa, zero? What kind of God? He must be associated with so many associates. Then?

Pradyumna: "So also, when we see the Lord, we see Him with His different energies, associates, and confidential servitors, etc. So the Supreme Lord who is the leader of all living entities, the Lord of all devotee sects, the Lord of all opulences, the Lord of sacrifices, and the enjoyer of everything in this entire creation, is not only the Supreme Person, but also He is always surrounded by His immediate associates, all engaged in their loving, transcendental service to Him."

Prabhupada: Sriya-pati. Sriya, the goddess of fortune. He is not only satvatam patim. He is not only the Lord of the devotees. So therefore if we accept the Lord of everything, then where is the question of our poverty? If your father is very big man, very rich man, then where is the question of poverty? So devotee renounces. But a devotee has got all the opulences of the Supreme Lord, background. So he doesn't want to be opulent himself, but the background is all-opulent. If need be... Just like a small child, a very rich man's son. So he may remain a simple child, but all the property of his father is there on his back. If there is need, the father will spend all the property for the child. So the child does not require to acquire property. That is bhakti. If you simply become devotee... Because Krsna, the Supreme Lord, is described here, satvatam patim... Satvata, a devotee. Then you get everything. If you know Krsna, then you know everything. If you get Krsna, then you get everything. Why should you try to get this thing, that thing, that thing? Simply try to get Krsna, Krsna's protection. Then you get everything. You simply try to know Krsna; then you know everything. Sriya-pati. Sriyah patim yajna-patim jagat-patim.

Devotee: All glories to you, Srila Prabhupada. (end)