svayaá¹-rÅ«pa, tad-ekÄtma-rÅ«pa, ÄveÅ›a — nÄma
prathamei tina-rÅ«pe rahena bhagavÄn
svayam-rÅ«pa - the original form; tat-ekÄtma-rÅ«pa - the same form, nondifferent from svayaá¹-rÅ«pa; ÄveÅ›a - especially empowered; nÄma - named; prathamei - in the beginning; tina-rÅ«pe - in three forms; rahena - remains; bhagavÄn - the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead exists in three principal forms — svayaá¹-rÅ«pa, tad-ekÄtma-rÅ«pa and ÄveÅ›a-rÅ«pa.
ÅšrÄ«la RÅ«pa GosvÄmÄ« has described the svayaá¹-rÅ«pa in his Laghu-bhÄgavatÄmá¹›ta, PÅ«rva-khaṇá¸a, verse 12: ananyÄpeká¹£i yad rÅ«paá¹ svayaá¹-rÅ«paḥ sa ucyate. “The form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that does not depend on other forms is called the svayaá¹-rÅ«pa, the original form.†This form is also described in ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam: kṛṣṇas tu bhagavÄn svayam (1.3.28). “Kṛṣṇa is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.†That Kṛṣṇa’s form as a cowherd boy in Vá¹›ndÄvana is the original form of the Personality of Godhead (svayaá¹-rÅ«pa) is confirmed in the Brahma-saá¹hitÄ (5.1):
Ä«Å›varaḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-Änanda-vigrahaḥ
anÄdir Ädir govindaḥ sarva-kÄraṇa-kÄraṇam
There is nothing superior to Govinda. He is the ultimate source and the cause of all causes. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (7.7), where the Lord says, mattaḥ parataraá¹ nÄnyat: “There is no truth superior to Me.â€
The tad-ekÄtma-rÅ«pa forms are also described in the Laghu-bhÄgavatÄmá¹›ta (PÅ«rva-khaṇá¸a, verse 14):
yad rÅ«paá¹ tad-abhedena svarÅ«peṇa virÄjate
Äká¹›tyÄdibhir anyÄdá¹›k sa tad-ekÄtma-rÅ«pakaḥ
“The tad-ekÄtma-rÅ«pa forms exist simultaneously with the svayaá¹-rÅ«pa form and are nondifferent. At the same time, their bodily features and specific activities appear to be different.†The tad-ekÄtma-rÅ«pa forms are divided into two categories — svÄá¹Å›a and vilÄsa.
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s ÄveÅ›a forms are also explained in the Laghu-bhÄgavatÄmá¹›ta (PÅ«rva 18):
jñÄna-Å›akty-Ädi-kalayÄ yatrÄviá¹£á¹o janÄrdanaḥ
ta ÄveÅ›Ä nigadyante jÄ«vÄ eva mahattamÄḥ
“A living entity who is specifically empowered by the Lord with knowledge or strength is technically called ÄveÅ›a-rÅ«pa.†As stated in the Caitanya-caritÄmá¹›ta (Antya 7.11), kṛṣṇa-Å›akti vinÄ nahe tÄra pravartana: Unless a devotee is specifically empowered by the Lord, he cannot preach the holy name of the Lord all over the world. This is an explanation of the word ÄveÅ›a-rÅ«pa.
