Question: What is the intended meaning behind Srila Prabhupada’s use of the word ‘Godhead’?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
- “Fountainhead” was a term sometimes used by Srila Prabhupada to identify the fact that Krishna is the source of everything, both matter and spirit. “Godhead” was used in a similar manner.
- Amongst many controllers, or gods, Krishna is the absolute controller of them all. This is the meaning behind Srila Prabhupada’s use of the word ‘Godhead.‘
“Kåñëa says that “If you want to know Me…” It is not easy to understand Bhagavän, or God. God is not the exact word of Bhagavän; therefore we use the word “Godhead.” “Back to Godhead.” Bhagavän means the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Being. God means the ruler, the controller. But when we come to the supreme controller, He is Bhagavän. You are controller, I am controller. I am controller of my disciples within the Kåñëa conscious society, but I cannot control the whole world. I have got some… You are controller in your home, of your wife, children, servants. But you are also controlled. You are not absolute controller. Therefore Bhagavän means the absolute controller.”
***
– Transcript from a conversation with HG Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu (not his actual writing!)
If you look up the contemporary definition of the English word “Godhead”, you will find out that it means “the Divine nature or essence”, and that is in a way an abstraction of God.
Nonetheless, there is another aspect to the English definition of the nature of God as it relates especially to the Christian concept of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The similar word in German is “Gottheit” [“essential nature of God, or divinity”] which is used ‘in the same vein’.
For Srila Prabhupada, our Trinity is Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. In our Trinity, Bhagavan is the one with whom we are mainly concerned – for ‘the sake of’ Krishna.
Moreover, Bhagavan also includes the Paramatma aspect of our Trinity, as well as the all-pervading Brahman. They are all a part of Godhead.
The other phenomenon, which distinguishes us from the Christian theology, is the belief that all that exists emanates from the energy of God.
There are different potencies, of course.
Sometimes Paramatma and Bhagavan are more prominent because they are in one sense a part of Godhead.
There exists Paramatma, which deals with individual souls. Furthermore, Paramatma deals with Brahma himself as well.
Thus, they should, to some extent, be comprehended within the scope of Godhead.
Being the ultimate source from which everything originates, and the principle generative force of all energies, Godhead is beyond the reach of the established Christian definition of the Trinity.
That said, in the case of Lord Caitanya, nothing is different from Krishna, nevertheless Krishna is different from everything else. We actually see that in Bhagavad Gita, but Lord Caitanya brings it out and allows it to see the light of day.
The famous expression of Srila Prabhupada “the Supreme Personality of Godhead” refers specifically to that aspect, who is Krishna. And then of course, Krishna Himself has further aspects – how He deals with the material world, and how He is His own internal energy.
