How Could Lord Visnu Not Be Omniscient?
By Krishna-kirti das (HDG)

Dear Chakra Readers,

Hari Sauri Prabhu's recent article entitled “Was Srila Prabhupada Omniscient?” caught my attention because of the assertion that Lord Vishnu Himself does not necessarily know everything. The reference he provided (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.7.31 + purport) seems to support his statement. However, I felt that this point needs further elaboration because Lord Vishnu is, after all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so how could He not be omniscient?

Our understanding of what it means to be omniscient should be tempered by this verse and purport: where there is a need, Krsna can give the information required; otherwise, although His expansions (including the jivas) can be or are omniscient, that does not necessarily mean that they know every single thing at every single moment in every single place. Even the omniscient Lord Visnu does not know what is going on in His own impersonal Brahman. (Hari Sauri Prabhu)

To say "the omniscient Lord does not know what is going on" is a linguistically contradictory statement, so in this case we cannot consider the phrase "does not know" to be literally taken as ignorance. The passage below confirms that Lord Vishnu is "the same impersonal Brahman." How, then, can He be ignorant, or not fully aware of it?

My dear Lord, in Your impersonal manifestation of Brahman there are always two opposing elements-knowledge and ignorance. Your multi-energies are continually manifest, but the impersonal Brahman, which is undivided, original, changeless, unlimited and blissful, is the cause of the material manifestation. Because You are the same impersonal Brahman, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (SB 4.9.16)

There could be another discussion about how the impersonal Brahman is Lord Vishnu and not Him on the basis of Bhagavad-gita 9.4 (maya-tatam idam sarvam. . .), but the point being made here is that Lord Vishnu is necessarily fully cognizant of His own Brahman effulgence, because, otherwise, He wouldn't be omniscient, nor would He be omnipotent-His abilities would be limited.

How, then, do we account for the ignorance, or lack of full cognizance described in Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.7.31? The answer is in the purport. The "ignorance" described is not the same as forgetfulness or non-awareness experienced by the jiva (either in the pure or impure state), but rather, this is the Lord's lila.

O Lord Girisa, since the impersonal Brahman effulgence is transcendental to the material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance, the various directors of this material world certainly cannot appreciate it or even know where it is. It is not understandable even to Lord Brahma, Lord Visnu or the King of heaven, Mahendra.

PURPORT

The brahmajyoti is actually the effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. .... Although the impersonal feature of the Absolute is an expansion of the rays of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He does not need to take care of the impersonalists who enter the brahmajyoti. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (9.4), maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina: "In My impersonal feature I pervade this entire universe." Thus the avyakta-murti, the impersonal feature, is certainly an expansion of Krsna's energy. .... "The impersonal Brahman is unknown even to the other directors of the material creation, including Lord Brahma, Lord Indra and even Lord Visnu. This does not mean, however, that Lord Visnu is not omniscient. Lord Visnu is omniscient, but He does not need to understand what is going on in His all-pervading expansion. Therefore in Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that although everything is an expansion of Him (maya tatam idam sarvam), He does not need to take care of everything (na caham tesv avasthitah), since there are various directors like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Indra. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.7.31)

The words "does not need" implies that this is by His desire. There are examples in scripture where the Lord Himself manifests such seeming ignorance. For example, Lord Balaram being unaware of Lord Krishna's impersonation of their cowherd boyfriends and their calves. Or the famous incident of Lord Krishna's pastime of being bound with ropes by Mother Yasoda. While feeding the monkeys, Lord Krishna was looking about, here and there, afraid of being caught, and finally, the Lord was chased and punished by His dear Mother Yasoda. Queen Kunti prayed:

My dear Krishna, Yasoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.31)

Srila Prabhupada explains the difference between the Lord's activities and the activities of the living entities:

The Mayavadi philosopher's presentation is that the living entity enjoys his pastimes by accepting the body of a hog. This theory is not acceptable, however, because the word "pastime" implies voluntary acceptance for enjoyment. Therefore this interpretation is most misleading. When there is enforced acceptance for suffering, it is not a pastime. The Lord's pastimes and the conditioned living entity's acceptance of karmic reaction are not on the same level. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.8 purport)

With regard to the activities of liberated living entities, the Lord explains to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita that although He and Arjuna had many pastimes in previous lives before, He could remember them, but Arjuna could not. Later, Krishna describes that living entities are dependent on the Lord for remembrance and knowledge (mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam); it should be noted in this connection that Krishna does not make a distinction between liberated souls and conditioned souls-all are dependent on Him. In the case of Lord Vishnu, however, He is the Supersoul-the very source of all knowledge. Therefore, whenever the Lord is described as "fearful," "not fully aware," "in ignorance," etc., this is just a manifestation of His lila.

Thank you for your time. Hare Krishna.

Your servant, Krishna-kirti das (HDG)

© CHAKRA 16-August-2000

Go to the “Philosophy Page”