Nature of the Absolute Truth - The Origin of Everything
The pursuit of perfect knowledge culminates in understanding the ultimate source of all energies. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Vedic literatures thoroughly analyze the nature of the Absolute Truth, confirming that it is not a dead, impersonal force, but a living, blissful Supreme Person.
The Origin of Everything
The primary inquiry of human life begins with the Vedānta-sūtra, which asks about the nature of the supreme source. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the immediate answer provided by the scriptures is that the Absolute Truth is the conscious, living origin from whom the entire cosmic manifestation emanates.
- In the Vedanta-sutra, the first sutra, or code, questions about the Absolute Truth. Athato brahma jijnasa: What is the nature of the Absolute Truth? The next sutra answers that the nature of the Absolute Truth is that He is the origin of everything.
- These are analyzed, what is the nature of the Absolute Truth. Athato brahma jijnasa. How He is? What He is? Immediately the answer is janmady asya yatah - From Him, everything is emanating.
- What is the nature of the Absolute Truth? So that is replied, janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah (SB 1.1.1). Abhijnah means cognizant, living. The Absolute Truth is not dead; it is living. We are pushing forward this theory.
- In the Vedas we understand the nature of the Absolute Truth as anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). He's anandamaya, always in pleasure potency.
The Personal Form and Energies
Because the Absolute Truth is the supreme living entity, He possesses desires, energies, and a transcendental form. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that just as the sun globe distributes heat and light throughout the universe, the Supreme Person eternally enjoys His pleasure potency while His energies maintain the creation.
- The Lord is by nature the reservoir of all pleasures, and because He wants to enjoy pleasure, there must be energies to give Him pleasure or supply Him the impetus for pleasure. This is the perfect philosophical understanding of the Absolute Truth.
- The Vedas confirm that the Supreme Absolute Truth is anandamaya, or full of blissful pleasure, and that He is abhyasat, by nature the reservoir of unlimited auspicious qualities.
- We can study what is the nature of the Absolute Person by studying the sun. The sun globe is localized. The sunshine is spread all over the universe, and within the sun globe there is the sun-god, Vivasvan. Similarly, the original planet is Goloka Vrndavana.
- There is no difference between the name, quality, form, pastimes, entourage and paraphernalia of Lord Krsna and Lord Krsna Himself. That is the absolute nature of the Absolute Truth.
The Failure of Mental Speculation
The vast intellect of the human mind is utterly insufficient for capturing the infinite. Śrīla Prabhupāda observes that mundane philosophers and Māyāvādīs who rely on mental speculation remain trapped by material contamination and can never understand the esoteric, personal features of the Absolute Truth.
- It is very difficult for a person who is too materially affected to understand the personal nature of the Supreme Absolute Truth.
- A person under the influence of the material energy cannot understand the nature and form of the Personality of the Absolute Truth.
- Those who are not in devotional service go on speculating for many, many thousands of years, but they are still unable to understand the nature of the Absolute Truth.
- In the Mayavada school of philosophy, discussions on pure knowledge can throw some light on the real nature of the Absolute Truth, but they are unable to fully reveal the esoteric and personal aspects of the Supreme Absolute Being.
Understanding Through Devotion
To access the Absolute Truth, one must adopt the process of purification. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that through the practice of bhakti-yoga and the systematic study of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the purified senses are fully empowered to perceive and appreciate the supreme transcendental reality.
- The conclusion is, rather, that the senses, mind and intelligence in the gross stage of contamination cannot appreciate the nature of the Absolute Truth, but when purified, the senses, mind and intelligence can understand what the Absolute Truth is.
- By practice of Krsna consciousness yoga, one can know everything in full-namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material nature, and their manifestations with paraphernalia.
- In the Bhagavatam there are twelve cantos, and the rasa-lila is in the tenth. So before one comes to the Tenth Canto, the Bhagavatam tries to convince him of the transcendental nature of the Absolute Truth.
- This (SB 10.9.11) shows the position of a pure devotee, in contrast with others, like jnanis, yogis and the followers of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, in regarding the transcendental nature of the Absolute Truth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully unpacks the profound philosophy of the Vedānta-sūtra to reveal the true nature of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is not a formless, dead energy, but the supremely cognizant, living origin of all existence (janmādy asya yataḥ). Furthermore, He is ānandamaya—by nature full of eternal, blissful pleasure, possessing transcendental energies, forms, and pastimes that are absolutely non-different from Himself. Those who attempt to understand this supreme reality through the blunt instruments of mental speculation and empiric philosophy—such as the Māyāvādīs—remain forever baffled by their own material contamination. The esoteric, personal features of the Absolute Truth remain entirely inaccessible to them. The only effective method for realizing the Absolute Truth is to engage in the purifying process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By submissively hearing the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and engaging the senses in unalloyed devotional service, the conditioned soul is cleansed of all material inebrieties. In this purified state, the devotee directly perceives and eternally relishes the absolute nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa.
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