Pradyumna: "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan."

Prabhupada:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvaṁ yaj jñanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate
[SB 1.2.11]

So the Absolute Truth is realized in three different features, according to the capacity of realization of the Person. Those who are trying to approach the Absolute Truth by exercise of the senses, they can reach up to the point of impersonal Brahman. Those who are searching out the Absolute Truth by meditation, by mystic yogic practices, they can realize the Paramatma feature of the Absolute Truth. And those who are engaged in devotional service, they realize the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Actually, we have to reach to the point of Personality of Godhead, person. Before that, Brahman realization and Paramatma realization, that is partial realization of the Absolute Truth, because Krṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gita, brahmaṇaḥ; ahaṁ pratiṣṭha. The impersonal Brahman is resting on Krṣṇa. Just like the sunshine. Sunshine is very all-embracing, wide, widely spread all over the universe, the sunshine. But the sunshine is resting on the sun globe. We see the sun globe, localized. It is floating in one corner of this universal sky. But the sunshine is covering the whole universe. That does not mean the sunshine is more important than the sun globe. And if you can penetrate within the sun globe, then you'll find there is sun-god.

That is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. Krṣṇa says that "This yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, as they are mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita, it was first explained to the sun-god, Vivasvan." The sastra gives us the name of the predominating deity of the sun globe. Just like any gentleman can know or give the name of your president, Mr. Nixon. He might not have seen, but he knows that the present president of U.S.A is Mr. Nixon. Similarly, actually, those who are in knowledge, they know who are the predominating deities of the different planets. They know. Not to speak of others, Krṣṇa, who can know better than Him? Vedahaṁ samatitani [Bg. 7.26]. Krṣṇa knows past, present, and future. So He's saying that imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. "This imperishable yoga system, bhakti-yoga..." It is imperishable, avyayam. This very word is very significant. Bhakti-yoga is imperishable. Other yoga systems may be perishable, but bhakti-yoga is not perishable. Whatever you execute in this life, bhakti-yoga, that becomes your permanent asset, so that in the next life you can begin from the point where you ended in this life. If you can finish in this life, cent percent, that is very nice. If not,... Suppose you have finished fifty percent. Still it is permanent asset. It will never be lost. Therefore Krṣṇa says avyayam, inexhaustible. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1].

So here we find that the Absolute Truth is realized as Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. Bhagavan is the ultimate, the last word in the understanding of the Absolute Truth. Unless you come to the point of Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krṣṇa... Bhagavan means original Bhagavan is Krṣṇa. Krṣṇas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. All other Bhagavans, They are expansions, plenary or part of the plenary expansion of Bhagavan, Krṣṇa. Krṣṇas tu bhagavan svayam. So in the spiritual world also one has to go farther and farther until he reaches to the point of Krṣṇa. That is ultimate progress. It is said therefore in the Bhagavad-gita,

bahunaṁ janmanam ante
jñanavan maṁ prapadyate
vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti
sa mahatma sudurlabhaḥ;
[Bg. 7.19]

After many, many births, understanding the Brahman... Brahman understanding is certainly transcendental, but because Brahman is only partial realization of the Absolute Truth, only the eternity... The Absolute Truth is eternal, blissful, knowledgeable, cognizant. So Brahman realization means realization of the eternity portion. Paramatma-realization is knowledgeable. Paramatma knows everything. Paramatma is present in everyone's heart, and He knows everyone's activities. But actual realization, complete realization, means ananda, sac-cid-ananda. That ananda-realization is in Krṣṇa-realization. Anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). Krṣṇa is by nature jolly, always full of bliss. You have seen the picture of Krṣṇa. He's always tri-bhaṅga-murari, with two hands, with, playing on flute, surrounded by the gopis, enjoying. That is blissfulness.

So brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11], step by step. But if you approach Krṣṇa and try to understand Him through devotional service, then automatically you understand Brahman and Paramatma. There is no need of separate endeavor for understanding Brahman and Paramatma. Anyone who knows Krṣṇa, tattvataḥ;, in fact... Krṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gita,

manuṣyaṇaṁ sahasreṣu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanaṁ
kascin maṁ vetti tattvataḥ;
[Bg. 7.3]

So one has to know Krṣṇa in tattvataḥ;, as He is. So this tattvataḥ; means accept the process of devotional service. Tattvataḥ;, Krṣṇa as He is, cannot be understood by the other methods, namely by mental speculation or mystic yogic exercises. Krṣṇa cannot be understood in that way. If we want to understand Krṣṇa, then we have to accept the Krṣṇa method, bhakti method. That is plainly spoken by Krṣṇa: bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Krṣṇa does not say that you can know Him by mental exercises or yogic practices. No. Yogi can know... Tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ; [SB 12.13.1]. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ;. Yogi also, by meditation, they see Krṣṇa. That is real yoga. As it is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, the first-class yogi is he who always thinks of Krṣṇa within himself.

yoginam api sarveṣaṁ
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo maṁ
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ;
[Bg. 6.47]

That is first-class yogi.

So you are thinking of Krṣṇa by chanting Hare Krṣṇa because the more you practice, immediately with your chanting, the name, the form, the quality, the pastimes, everything will be revealed. As we go on cleansing our dirty heart by chanting Hare Krṣṇa mantra, and as we chant faultless, offenseless harer nama, Krṣṇa reveals. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ; [Brs. 1.2.234]. By service attitude, if you chant Hare Krṣṇa mantra without any offense, then Krṣṇa will reveal Himself. You cannot try to see Krṣṇa by your speculation or yogic practice. If you simply submissively, surrendering yourself, chant His holy name... There is no difference between Krṣṇa's name and Krṣṇa. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoḥ; [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. People generally ask that what is the meaning of chanting this Hare Krṣṇa mantra. We explain, you know, chanting of Hare Krṣṇa mantra means immediately, directly associating with Krṣṇa. One has to approach Krṣṇa by yogic practice or mental speculation for many, many births. Bahunaṁ janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. They can come to the conclusion that "Here is Krṣṇa." Vasudevaḥ; sarvam iti. But if you take to this chanting of Hare Krṣṇa mantra without any offense, then immediately you contact Krṣṇa. You save so much time. Why should you wait for many, many births?

That is the gift of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is in the sastra. Caitanya Mahaprabhu does not give you anything which is not in the sastra. He's acarya, although He's God Himself. He can make sastra. Whatever He does, whatever He speaks, that is sastra. But still, because He's playing the part of acarya, He immediately gives Vedic evidences. That is the way of acarya. Acaryas will never say, "I think." "It is in my opinion." No. Such things are not accepted. No personal opinion. It must be supported by Vedic evidences. That is called parampara system, genuine system of understanding. As Krṣṇa says, evaṁ parampara-praptam imaṁ rajarṣayo viduḥ; [Bg. 4.2]. No change. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. We do not change. We have no power to change. Then where is the authority of Bhagavad-gita? I am a third-class man, and if I change the statements in the Bhagavad-gita, then where is the authority of Bhagavad-gita? That is going on. Therefore it is practically... You have got experience that there are hundreds of Bhagavad-gita editions in the Western countries, but because we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is, our sale is better than all others. There is a report from the trade manager of Macmillan. He says, "While other editions are dwindling, going down, this edition is coming up." They published our, this present enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita, fifty thousand in the month of August. They are going to print again, second edition, August, September, October. So the reason is that if we present things as they are, it will be accepted. Without any adulteration. Sometimes, you know, people say that I have done miracles. They say everywhere. But I do not know anything, miracles or magic. If there is any miracle, that miracle is that we present things as they are. That's all. Without any adulteration. So that should be the principle. Present as it is. It will be accepted.

So Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramatmeti. We, we do not present Brahma-jñana. Brahma-jñana automatically comes if one is conversant with the knowledge of Krṣṇa. Then he can understand that this Brahman effulgence is the bodily rays of Krṣṇa.

yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-
koṭiṣv aseṣa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam
tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aseṣa-bhutaṁ
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami
[Bs. 5.40]

So we immediately understand that this brahmajyoti, impersonal effulgence of brahmajyoti is the rays of Krṣṇa's body. Yasya prabha [Bs. 5.40]. Krṣṇa also confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita: brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭha. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ; [Bg. 10.8]. Krṣṇa says everything is emanating from Him. The Brahman is also emanation from Him. Paramatma is also expansion of Krṣṇa.

So therefore if you understand Krṣṇa, tattvataḥ;, yo maṁ vetti tattvataḥ;... Tattva is that Krṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, is originally a person. Nityo nityanaṁ cetanas cetananam (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He's the supreme eternal nitya. He's the supreme living being. As we are living beings, living entities, Krṣṇa is also living entity. He's not a dead stone. He's living entity. And as we have got all the propensities of living entity, He has got all the propensities of living entity. Here we are pervertedly... A young boy likes to love a young girl. A young girl likes to love a young boy. But wherefrom these natural propensities come? Because it is there in Krṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ; [Bg. 10.8]. So there cannot be any question of impersonalism. Because by studying the sample living entity, you can understand the chief living entity. Krṣṇa is the chief living entity, supreme living entity. So we are samples. Whatever propensities we have got, Krṣṇa has also got. But we have got in a limited proportion. Krṣṇa has got unlimited proportion. The... Take the same example. The loving propensity, yupat..., yupatidvan yatha yuna,(?) this is natural. But we may finish... Because it is perverted, we may finish these loving propensities within time and space. But Krṣṇa's loving propensity is not finished within time and space. It is eternal. That is the difference between Krṣṇa and ourself.

So if we actually study Krṣṇa,... The Bhagavad-gita is the Krṣṇa-science, and it is further explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. So the Bhaga..., Bhagava..., Srimad-Bhagavatam is explaining in tattva, in fact, in truth, what is Krṣṇa. So if we learn Krṣṇa, if we understand Krṣṇa, then our life is fulfilled. Tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. This is our only business. Try to understand what is Krṣṇa, what is Bhagavan. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñate sarvam idaṁ vijñataṁ bhavati. If you simply try to understand Krṣṇa through authorities, through Krṣṇa, through acaryas, not mental concoction, manufacturing something... Krṣṇa should be understood through the authorities. Krṣṇa's love affair with Radharaṇi should be understood through the authorities. Not that because we see Krṣṇa is just like a young boy, Radharaṇi is young girl, if we see here, it is very nice... Of course, it is very nice, but if we do not try to understand Krṣṇa through the authorities, we shall be misled. Therefore in the beginning one should not try to understand the loving affairs of Krṣṇa with the gopis. Then... Because it appears like ordinary dealings. But if we do not go through the authorities, we shall take Krṣṇa as ordinary boy or man, as it is warned in the Bhagavad-gita, avajananti maṁ muḍha manuṣiṁ tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. Because He's acting just like a young boy, if we do not try to understand tattvataḥ;, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11], in fact, in truth, through the authorities... Because here it is: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11]. Tattva-vit. Yei krṣṇa-tattva-vetta sei guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128].

So guru means krṣṇa-tattva-vit, one who knows about Krṣṇa. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He explains about Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa explains about Himself. The Gosvamis, Ṣaḍ Gosvamis, they are explaining about Krṣṇa. And in their parampara system, the acaryas, they are also explaining Krṣṇa. So if we do not go through these tattva-vits, then we'll misunderstand Krṣṇa. Therefore Narottama dasa Ṭhakura says, rupa-raghunatha-pade hoibe akuti, kabe hama bujhabo se jugala-piriti. All of a sudden, if you become a knower of the jugala-piriti, love of Radha-Krṣṇa, then there is chance of becoming fallen. There is chance. So we should... Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11]. We must approach the tattva-vit, one who knows the truth; through them, through him, we should try to understand Krṣṇa. Not simply by

Therefore they're ma..., committing so many mistakes. Even scholars like Dr. Radhakrishnan and others, they're committing so many mistakes. Because they do not go through tattva-vit. There are so many political leaders who are commenting on Krṣṇa's book without knowing Krṣṇa, without any knowledge of Krṣṇa. Just see their impudency. Without knowing Krṣṇa, they want to make trade with Krṣṇa. That is not very good. You cannot make trade commodity, Krṣṇa as trade commodity. You cannot handle Krṣṇa by your whims. Let you be handled by the Krṣṇa's whims. Then you'll be successful. Then... My Guru Maharaja used to say that "Don't try to see Krṣṇa; do something so that Krṣṇa may see you." That is wanted. If Krṣṇa, if you can draw little attention of Krṣṇa, yat karuṇya-katakṣa-vaibhavavatam, katakṣa-vaibhavavatam... Prabodhananda Sarasvati says... If you somehow or other you can draw little attention of Krṣṇa, your life is successful. Immediately. And how you can draw? Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Simply by serving Krṣṇa. Take service, take to service of Krṣṇa, as it is ordered by the spiritual master. Because spiritual master is the representative of Krṣṇa. We cannot approach Krṣṇa directly. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadaḥ; **. If you have bona fide spiritual master, representative of Krṣṇa, it is also not very difficult. Everyone can become representative of Krṣṇa. How? If you simply carry the message of Krṣṇa without any adulteration. That's all.

Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, amara ajñaya guru haña [Cc. Madhya 7.128], "You become a spiritual master under My order." So if you carry out the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krṣṇa, then you become guru. Amara ajñaya guru haña. Unfortunately, we do not wish to carry out order of the acaryas. We manufacture our own ways. We have got practical experience how a great institution was lost by whimsical ways. Without carrying out the order of the spiritual master, they manufactured something and the whole thing was lost. Therefore Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura stresses very much on the words of the spiritual master. Vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana [Bg. 2.41]. If you stick to the order of spiritual master, then, without caring for your own convenience or inconvenience, then you become perfect.

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthaḥ;
prakasante mahatmanaḥ;
[SU 6.23]

This is the confirmation of all authorities. We have to carry out very faithfully the order of the bona fide representative of Krṣṇa. Then our life is successful. Then we can understand Krṣṇa in truth. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11]. We have to hear from the tattva-vit, not from the so-called scholars and politicians. No. One who knows the truth, you have to hear from him. And if you stick to that principle, then you understand everything very clearly.

Thank you very much. (end)

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