Rise Beyond Impersonalism - VII

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Dear friends, Haribol! In the Bhagavad-gitä (6.46–47) there is a comparative analysis of the three types of Transcendentalists- the worshipers of the impersonal Brahman (jnänis), the worshipers of the Paramätmä feature (yogis) and the devotees of Lord Shri Krishna (bhaktas). It is stated there that the jnänis, those who have cultivated Vedic knowledge, are better than ordinary fruitive workers, that the yogis are still greater than the jnänis, and that among all yogis, those who constantly serve the Lord with all their energies are the topmost. But what exactly is the difference between the 'Personal' and the 'Impersonal' form of the lord? They are like Sun and Sunlight, says this verse from the Ishävasya Upanishad:

 

Hémãkśaram Dedicated toHis Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedänta Swämi Srila PrabhupädaFounder-Achärya: International Society for Krishna Consciousness Rise Beyond Impersonalism - VII

 

püshann ekarshe yama sürya präjäpatya vyüha rashmin samüha tejo yat te rüpam kalyäna-tamam tat te pashyämi yo ’säv asau purushah so ’ham asmi“O my Lord, O primeval philosopher, maintainer of the universe, O regulating principle, destination of the pure devotees, well-wisher of the progenitors of mankind, please remove the effulgence of Your transcendental rays so that I can see Your form of bliss. You are the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead, like unto the sun, as am I.” [isha - 15]

The sun and its rays are one and the same qualitatively. Similarly, the Lord and the living entities are one and the same in quality. The sun is one, but the molecules of the sun’s rays are innumerable. The sun’s rays constitute part of the sun, and the sun and its rays conjointly constitute the complete sun. Within the sun itself resides the sun-god, and similarly within the supreme spiritual planet, Goloka Vrndävana, from which the brahmajyoti effulgence is emanating, the Lord enjoys His eternal pastimes. The brahmajyoti is described in the Brahma-samhitä as the rays emanating from that supreme spiritual planet, Goloka Vrndävana, just as the sun’s rays emanate from the sun globe. Until one surpasses the glare of the brahmajyoti, one cannot receive information of the land of the Lord. The impersonalist philosophers, blinded as they are by the dazzling brahmajyoti, can realize neither the factual abode of the Lord nor His

transcendental form. Limited by their poor fund of knowledge, such impersonalist thinkers cannot understand the all-blissful transcendental form of Lord Krishna. In this prayer, therefore, Shri Ishopanishad petitions the Lord to remove the effulgent rays of the brahmajyoti so that the pure devotee can see His all-blissful transcendental form. Since He is addressed as the primeval philosopher and maintainer and well-wisher of the universe, the Supreme Truth cannot be impersonal. This is the verdict of Shri Ishopanishad. The word püshan (“maintainer”) is especially significant, for although the Lord maintains all beings, He specifically maintains His devotees. After surpassing the impersonal brahmajyoti and seeing the personal aspect of the Lord and His most auspicious eternal form, the devotee realizes the Absolute Truth in full. In his Bhagavat-sandarbha, Shrila Jiva Gosvämi states:

“The complete conception of the Absolute Truth is realized in the Personality of Godhead because He is almighty and possesses full transcendental potencies. The full potency of the Absolute Truth is not realized in the brahmajyoti; therefore Brahman realization is only partial realization of the Personality of Godhead. O learned sages, the first syllable of the word bhagavän (bha) has two meanings: the first is ‘one who fully maintains,’ and the second is ‘guardian.’ The second syllable (ga) means ‘guide,’ ‘leader’ or ‘creator.’ The syllable vän indicates that every being lives in Him and that He also lives in every being. In other words, the transcendental sound bhagavän represents infinite knowledge, potency, energy, opulence, strength and influence—all without a tinge of material inebriety.” Hope you enjoyed this edition of the Hémãkśaram. For any

correspondence, you are invited to write to vedicvisions. Do allow a couple of days for a reply. Haribol!Humbly yours,Friends of Lord Krishna.

 

Please Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare HareAnd Be

Happy.

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