The Lord is close and far away at the same time

Lord Krsna is all-spiritual; therefore, He can go and be everywhere at the same time He remains stationary at one place. Confirming this, the Kathopanisad states, asino duram vrajati sayano yati sarvatah, “Even though He is seated at one place, He moves and reaches far distances, and even though He is seen to be resting at one place, He is seen moving everywhere.”

One very relevant example of this is of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (in His babyhood as Nimai) and His mother, Sachidevi. After putting Nimai to sleep, His mother made an offering to Lord Narayana. Although Nimai was sleeping in another room, she saw Him before her, eating the offering at the same time. When she went to see Him in the bedroom, she found Him sound asleep, and when she came again to see the offering, she found Him eating. She became perplexed with wonder. In this way, the Lord can neither be seen nor clearly understood by one’s intelligence.Therefore, for those who are ignorant, He is very far away, but to those who are learned and spiritually advanced, the Lord is the closest in the form of realization, as Supersoul in their hearts. It is also stated in the Isopanisad, tad dure tadv antike, “He is very far away, yet He is very near as well.” Furthermore, it is stated in the Mundaka Upaniasad, durat sudure tad ihantike ca pasyatv ihaiva nihitam guhayam. “The Lord is farthest of the most far for the ignorant, yet He is also the closest of the close to those who have the spiritual powers and see Him in the core of their hearts.” The Lord is so subtle that even though He is seated in everyone’s heart, not even the demigods are able to visualize Him because He is beyond everyone’s understanding.

[Srimad Bhagavad Gita, 13.16, PURPORT by Mahamandaleshwar Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swamiji, KBS0152]