Prayers by the Personified Vedas
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ality of Godhead, but because the living entities are His parts and parcels, sometimes the word  ātmā  is applied to them also. The living entities are therefore called  jivātmā , and the Supreme Lord is called  Paramātmā . Both the  Paramātmā  and  jivātmā  are within this material world, and therefore this material has a purpose other than sense gratification. The conception of a life of sense gratification is illusion, but the conception of service by the  jivātmā  to the  Paramātmā , even in this material world, is not at all illusory. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person is fully aware of this fact, and thus he does not take this material world to be false, but acts in the reality of transcendental service. The devotee therefore sees everything in this material world as an opportunity to serve the Lord. He does not reject anything as material, but dovetails everything in the service of the Lord. Thus a devotee is always in the transcendental position, and everything that he uses becomes spiritually purified by being used in the service of the Lord.
Śrīdhara Svāmi has composed a nice verse in this regard: “I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is always manifested as reality even within this material world, which is considered by some to be false.” The conception of the falsity of this material world is due to lack of knowledge, but a person advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead in everything. This is actually realization of the Vedic aphorism,  sarvam khalv idam brahma : “Everything is Brahman.”
The personified  Vedas  continued: “Dear Lord, less intelligent men take to other ways of self-realization, but actually there is no chance to become purified from material contamination or to stop the repeated cycle of birth and death unless one is a thoroughly pure devotee. Our dear Lord, everything is resting on Your different potencies; and everyone is supported by You, as is stated in the  Vedas (eko bahūnām yo vidadhāti kāmān) . Therefore Your Lordship is the supporter and maintainer of all living entities—demigods, human beings and animals. Everyone is supported by You, and You are also situated in everyone’s heart. In other words, You are the root of the whole creation. Therefore those who are engaged in Your devotional service without deviation always worship You. Such devotees actually pour water on the root of the universal tree. By devotional service, therefore, one satisfies not only the Personality of Godhead but also all others, because everyone is maintained and supported by Him. Because he understands the all-pervasive feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee is the most practical philanthropist and altruist. Such pure devotees, thoroughly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, very easily overcome the cycle of birth and death, and they as much as jump over the head of death.”