“Who is Supreme?” -a Book Establishing the Supremacy of Lord Krishna

In the pandemonium of which among the 330 million demigods of the Vedas to choose and worship and India’s polytheism being one gambit of an anti-Hindu person’s unscrupulous attempts to put down Vedic culture (varnashrama dharma), this book written by Gokula Chandra Prabhu, the disciple of Tridandi Sannyasi Pramam Pujya Srila Bhakti Vikasa Swami Maharaja, is the key to solving this confusion of which of those many headed, many handed, elephant-headed or otherwise “gods” of the Vedas to worship. We are inspired by this book to increase our own Krishna bhakti and our appropriate reverence towards the servants of Lord Krishna, the 330 million demigods. This book amplifies the message of the Bhagavata Gita, a message that the Hindus of India often seem to miss totally, the message being:

Chapter 7: Knowledge of the Absolute

TEXT 20

kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah
prapadyante ‘nya-devatah
tam tam niyamam asthaya
prakrtya niyatah svaya

Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.

TEXT 21

yo yo yam yam tanum bhaktah
sraddhayarcitum icchati
tasya tasyacalam sraddham
tam eva vidadhamy aham

I am in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship the demigods, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to some particular deity.

TEXT 22

sa taya sraddhaya yuktas
tasyaradhanam ihate
labhate ca tatah kaman
mayaiva vihitan hi tan

Endowed with such a faith, he seeks favors of a particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone.

TEXT 23
antavat tu phalam tesam
tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam
devan deva-yajo yanti
mad-bhakta yanti mam api

Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.

And Lord Krishna’s declaration that he is the Supreme Godhead

Bhagavat Gita 10.8
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

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.

na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ
prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ
aham ādir hi devānāṁ
maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ

Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin or opulences, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and sages. Bhagavat Gita 10.2

yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca
vetti loka-maheśvaram
asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu
sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate

He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds – he only, undeluded among men, is freed from all sins. Bhagavat Gita 10.3