90 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 8

Since both cause and effect are the Supreme Lord, there is no difference
between cause and effect. Consequently the ornaments and weapons of
the Lord, being expansions of His spiritual energy, are not different
from Him. There is no difference between the Lord and His variously
presented energies. This is also confirmed in the Padma Purana:

nama cintamanih krsnas
caitanya-rasa-vigrahah

ptrnah suddho nitya-mukto
*bhinnatvan ndma-naminoh

The holy name of the Lord is fully identical with the Lord, not partially.
The word piirna means “complete.” The Lord is omnipotent and
omniscient, and similarly, His name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and
everything pertaining to Him are complete, pure, eternal and free from
material contamination. The prayer to the ornaments and carriers of the
Lord is not false, for they are as good as the Lord. Since the Lord is all-
pervasive, He exists in everything, and everything exists in Him.
Therefore even worship of the Lord’s weapons or ornaments has the
same potency as worship of the Lord. Mayavadis refuse to accept the
form of the Lord, or they say that the form of the Lord is maya, or false,
but one should note very carefully that this is not acceptable. Although
the Lord’s original form and His impersonal expansion are one, the Lord
maintains His form, qualities and abode eternally. Therefore this prayer
says, patu sarvaih svariipair nah sada sarvatra sarva-gah: ‘‘May the
Lord, who is all-pervasive in His various forms, protect us everywhere.”
The Lord is always present everywhere by His name, form, qualities, at-
tributes and paraphernalia, and they all have equal power to protect the
devotees. Srila Madhvacarya explains this as follows:

eka eva paro visnur
bhisdheti dhvajesv ajah

tat-tac-chakti-pradatvena
svayam eva vyavasthitah

satyendnena mam devah
patu sarvesvaro harih
