As you reach for your soap in the morning, ponder for a moment about what ingredients have gone into making it. The chemical procedure for making a basic soap is simple. Take caustic soda, add oil and some perfume. Mix them and you end up with some kind of soap.
What will happen if you keep containers of caustic soda and oil next to each other and wait?
Nothing. They will not mix on their own.
Surprisingly many so-called intelligent people believe that material nature is working on its own, with no one controlling it. The Bhagavad-gita (16.8) describes such people in this way: “They say that this world is unreal, with no foundation, no God in
control. They say it is produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust.”
Coming back to soap. It is clear that without the superior touch of labor, soap cannot be manufactured. If someone claims that keeping soda and oil containers side-by-side will automatically produce soap, then is that intelligence?
Today we hear the scientists saying the same assertion: two or more things can combine automatically. But where is one single case of inert elements mixing with each other without a superior energy impelling them to do so?
A few decades ago, corporate businesses were using teletype technology. If an operator would press ‘A’ on one machine then immediately another machine connected to it through teletype technology would also type ‘A’. Now of course we have much more advanced methods for transferring data from one place to another. But, continuing our analogy, if two unconnected typewriters are set up next to each other, then how can we expect a similar result like teletype. Machinery can never act on its own.
So, it is common sense to conclude that without the touch of the living entity nothing can be done. As man is necessary for activating his tiny machines in his tiny factories, the Supreme Person is necessary for activating this gigantic machinery called as Mother Nature.
The Bhagavad-gita states (10.8): “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.”
The Brahma-samhita states (5.1): “There are many personalities possessing the qualities of Bhagavan, but Krsna is the Supreme because none can excel Him. He is the Supreme Person, and His body is eternal, full of knowledge, and bliss. He is the primeval Lord Govinda and the cause of all causes.” And how exactly Lord Sri Krsna executes this function is also described in the Bhagavad-gita (9.10): “This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.”
Maya means “by My,” adhi means “from above” and aksa means “eyes.” Thus, mayadhyaksena prakrtih means “under My eyes.” Everything is done under Krsna’s supervision. For example, in India the Prime Minister’s governmental business is carried out by his ministers. The uninvolved Prime Minister merely remains present. Still it is a fact that unless he gives orders, the ministers are incapable of enforcing any law. In the same way unless Sri Krsna gives His support as the supervisor, material nature (personified as Durga Devi) cannot do anything.
So we revise our equation:
Caustic Soda + Oil + Touch of Spiritual Energy = Soap (Syamananda Dasa)