God's Features The Three Aspects of the Absolute Truth
When spiritual seekers begin their inquiry into the Absolute Truth, they often arrive at very different conclusions. Some perceive God as an all-pervading, formless light. Others experience a localized voice or presence within the heart. Still others worship a Supreme Person with a specific name, form, and abode. How can the Absolute Truth be all these things at once? The Vedic literatures resolve this apparent contradiction by explaining the three distinct features of the Absolute. Just as the sun can be experienced as light, a localized disk in the sky, and a specific planet with its own predominating deity, the Supreme Lord is realized in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Śrīla Prabhupāda meticulously explains how partial realization leads to impersonalism, while complete realization culminates in loving devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By understanding these features, as well as how the Lord manifests Himself to manage the material creation, we can achieve perfect, comprehensive spiritual knowledge.
The Three Phases of the Absolute Truth
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam establishes that the Absolute Truth is one non-dual substance (advaya-jñāna), but it is perceived in three distinct features according to the realization of the transcendentalist. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains the progression from impersonal Brahman, to localized Paramātmā, and finally to the Supreme Person.
- In Srimad-Bhagavatam the Absolute Truth is described as the one without a second, but He is realized in three features - impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- The Absolute Truth may be realized in three phases, but is one nondual truth. Brahman (the glowing effulgence), localized Supersoul, and Bhagavan - the Supreme Person - are three features or aspects of God.
- To experience sunlight, as it is not perfection of understanding of the sun, similarly, to experience Brahman is not all. One has to understand the Paramatma feature and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ultimately Krsna.
- Spiritual knowledge means fully understanding the Absolute Truth in three features - impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma and the all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Localized Feature: Paramātmā
While the impersonal Brahman is simply the glowing effulgence of the Lord, the Paramātmā (Supersoul) is His localized feature. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how this feature allows the Lord to be intimately present everywhere, guiding every living entity from within the heart.
- The feature of the Lord by which He is present everywhere is called Paramatma. Atma means the individual soul, and Paramatma means the individual Supersoul; both atma and Paramatma are individual persons.
- The Brahma-samhita states, andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. The Lord is present everywhere, within the heart of every living entity and within each and every atom as well. Thus by this Supersoul feature the Lord is all-pervading.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramatma feature is always present within the hearts of all living entities and from Him come memory, knowledge and forgetfulness. This is indicated here by the word suparnam, which means "friend."
- Krsna is the supreme controller also because the Paramatma feature of Lord Krsna destines all actions and reactions. Without His sanction not a blade of grass can move.
The Ultimate Feature: Bhagavān
The highest and most complete realization of the Absolute Truth is Bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that this personal feature is not imaginary or formless; it is the original, eternal form possessing all beauty, qualities, and pastimes.
- The original, complete feature of the Absolute Truth is Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His plenary representation is Paramatma, Ksirodakasayi Visnu, who is situated in everyone's heart.
- The supreme feature of the Absolute Truth is personal - the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The impersonal Brahman is His effulgence, like the light diffused by a powerful fire.
- We have two hands, two legs, and a head because God Himself has these same features. We have personal forms because we are reflections of God.
- The bhaktas, or the transcendentalists who have realized the Bhagavan feature of the Absolute Truth, are the topmost transcendentalists, although all students who are studying of the Absolute Truth are engaged in the same subject matter.
Features for Material Creation and Control
When the Lord needs to create and manage the material world, He manifests Himself in specific features to interact with the external energy without becoming contaminated. Śrīla Prabhupāda outlines the roles of the three puruṣa-avatāras and how a devotee sees the Lord's hand even in distress.
- A description of the three purusa-avataras is given in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests three features, as Karanodakasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu, in this material manifestation.
- Although these three features of the Lord deal directly with the material energy, none of Them are touched by it. They are all beyond illusion.
- A nondevotee is perturbed in distress, but a devotee welcomes distress as another feature of the Lord. Sarvam khalv idam brahma. A devotee can actually see that there is only the Supreme Personality of Godhead and no second entity.
- Everyone is sure to die, for no one is excused from the hands of death, which is but a feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham).
Conclusion
A systematic study of the Vedic literatures thoroughly resolves the philosophical debates between impersonalists, yogīs, and personalists. As Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly explains, the Absolute Truth is one non-dual substance, but it is realized in three distinct, progressive features: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. The impersonal Brahman is merely the glowing, all-pervading effulgence emanating from the Lord's transcendental body. Those who only realize this feature possess incomplete knowledge, much like someone who understands the sunshine but has no knowledge of the sun planet itself. The second feature is the localized Paramātmā, or Supersoul. In this feature, the Lord exists within the heart of every living entity and within every atom, acting as the supreme controller and the ultimate friend. However, the final, most complete, and most beautiful feature of the Absolute Truth is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this personal feature, the Lord eternally possesses transcendental hands, legs, and a face, engaging in blissful pastimes in His supreme abode. When it is time to manage the material universe, the Lord does not act directly; He manifests Himself in the features of the three puruṣa-avatāras (Kāraṇodakaśāyī, Garbhodakaśāyī, and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu), executing the creation without ever being touched by illusion. Ultimately, for the pure devotee who has fully realized the Bhagavān feature, the entire universe is seen in relation to God. A pure devotee is never perturbed by danger or the prospect of death, knowing with full confidence that even time and distress are simply other features of the supreme, flawless management of the Absolute Truth.
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