The brahmajyoti, impersonal jyoti, is bodily effulgence. The brahmajyoti is resting on Kṛṣṇa. Brahmaṇo aham pratiṣṭha, Kṛṣṇa says. Just like the illumination in this room, prakāśa, is resting on this bulb. Although the illuminating light is spread all over this room, that is not original. The original is the bulb. Similarly, and from the śāstra we find:
- yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-
- koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam
- tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ
- (Bs. 5.40)
That brahma ananta aśeṣa-bhūtam: unlimited. Yasya prabhā. This brahmajyoti is only effulgence of Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore, we have to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11), Bhāgavata says. The Absolute Truth is one—that is Kṛṣṇa . . . (indistinct) . . . but He is known in different features: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti. One who is trying to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth by dint of his sensual knowledge, by, I mean to say, exercising different knowledge, neti neti, they can approach up to the impersonal Brahma.
And those who are yogīs, those who are trying to find out the Absolute Truth within this body, they can realize up to Paramātmā. Brahmeti paramātmeti. And those who are on the highest planet, on the supreme platform of understanding, tattvataḥ, they realize that the Supreme Absolute Truth is the person, exactly a person like us.