Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. The same object. So the Brahman realization is impersonal realization. Just like the sun, the sun globe, and the sunshine. They are one, but the sunshine, realization of the sunshine, is not realization of the sun globe. Or realization of the sun globe is not realization of the sun god who is within the sun globe. Vivasvān. His name is Vivasvān. The present predominating Deity in the sun planet, his name is Vivasvān. And his son Manu is called Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. So at the... This is very nice example, that the sunshine, the sun globe and the sun god. They are all one, but still, the sun globe is not the person, sun god; neither the sunshine is not the person sun, although they are one. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, inconceivably one and different simultaneously.
Sun globe (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The original God is person, not imperson. Imperson is a feature. Just like the sunshine. This is an imperson, but the sunshine is coming from the sun globe. That is local place, and within the sun globe there is sun god. He's person. He's not imperson. Similarly, the impersonal feature, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11), Absolute Truth... The imperson is a feature of God, aṅga-jyoti. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). It is the bodily rays, impersonal Brahman. But God is person. Here He said that na tu eva aham.
So living entity, living being, is energy of the Supreme Lord. Energy. Just like the sun and the sunshine. Sunshine is the energy of the sun globe. Similarly, we living entities, we are also energies of the Supreme Lord. What is this sunshine? It is a combination of a very small shining particles, molecular. That is sunshine. It looks like one homogeneous thing, but they are small particles. That is scientific understanding. Similarly, we are also a small particle of the Supreme Lord. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). We are a small particle. How much small? What is the magnitude?
And one whose knowledge is perfect... Vedas also confirm it... Just like in the Īśopaniṣad, there is a verse in which it is stated that "Please withdraw Your effulgence so that I can see Your real face." Just like the sun globe. You cannot see it perfectly due to the dazzling sunshine. But the sun globe is there, and in the glow there are living entities, and there is a principal head man, god. They are not man because their body is made of fire. So similarly, the first, impersonal impression, Brahman, then further advanced, Supersoul, and when further advanced, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). First realization, Brahman, impersonal; the second realization is Paramātmā, Supersoul; and the last realization is the personal form of God, Kṛṣṇa.
So in the first stage... Just like the example we have given many times that the sunshine, sun globe and the sun-god. We are, every one of us, experienced what is sunshine. That means the sun, the sunshine and sun globe..., sun globe, the sunshine and sun-god, although it is one, the sunshine portion we can easily understand. But nobody of us has gone to the sun globe. Therefore there cannot be any direct perception of the sun globe. Rather, if we attempt to go to the sun globe, on the way we shall be finished. But the sun globe is not different from the sunshine. And still, the sunshine is not the sun globe. Being in the sunshine, you cannot say that you have seen the sun globe. You can simply understand that it is of the same quality, namely, as the sunshine has light and heat, the sun globe has also light and heat. So although the quality is the same, the quantity is different. The temperature in the sun globe is very, very high. Similarly, tattva, the Absolute Truth, the first realization is impersonal Brahman. That can be realized by ordinary man. Not ordinary man, a little advanced can understand what is the sunshine. But to have experience of the sunshine, we can put some theories, but directly it cannot be experienced. So again, within the sun globe there is the predominating deity, sun-god. Actually the heat and light is coming from the body of the sun-god. So those who are expert in studying the sun, the sun-god, the sun globe and the sunshine—this is an example—similarly, there is possibility of understanding God, His Paramātmā feature, all-pervading feature, as well as His Brahman feature.
Similarly, the potency of the soul is so powerful that it is maintaining the whole body. Similarly, the potency of God is maintaining the whole universe. Just like on account of the presence of the soul the body is maintained, similarly, on account of presence of God the whole universe or the cosmic manifestation is maintained. As I am, a small particle of spiritual identity, I am maintaining this body so sound and healthy, similarly, the presence of the Supreme Soul Kṛṣṇa, or God, is maintaining the whole material cosmic manifestation. Every one of us can perceive the presence of the soul and presence of God.
So this so-called birth and death is due to the covering of māyā. The marginal potency. We are... Kṛṣṇa has got many potencies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). That is the Vedic instruction. The Absolute Truth has multi-energies. Whatever we see... Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat. Whatever little we are seeing, that is simply distribution of the energy of the Supreme. Exactly the same way: the sunshine and the sun globe, and the sun-god. Sun-god, from him... Not only sun-god, there are other living entities also. Their body is glowing. They have got fiery body. As we have got earthly body... Earth is prominent in this planet. Similarly, in the sun planet, the fire is prominent. As earth is one of the five elements, fire is also another one of the five elements. These things will be explained that the soul is never burned by the fire.
We are eternally individual. It is not that by the influence of māyā you have been cut into pieces. No. Here it is said you cannot be cut. Another, it cannot be burned. If you study one verse of Bhagavad-gītā, you understand so many things. It cannot be burned. Now if it cannot be burned, then in fire also there is soul. The materialists say that in the sun globe, it is impossible to have living entities there. No. Because it cannot be burned. So impossible, possible. So this Vedic knowledge that sun planet is a planet just like other planets, and it is fiery, and the residents are also fiery body. So why one should be astonished that there is living entity? Then why they should deny that there is no living entity?
So in the Brahman effulgence it is, simply being cin-mātra, simply spirit, there is no varieties of spirit. It is simply spirit. Just like the sky. The sky is also matter. But in the sky, there is no variety. If you want varieties, even in this material world, then you have to take shelter of a planet, either you come to the earthly planet or go to the moon planet or sun planet. Similarly, the Brahman effulgence is the glowing rays from the body of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Just like the sunshine is glowing effulgence from the sun globe, and within the sun globe, there is the sun-god, similarly, there is, in the spiritual world, there is Brahman effulgence, impersonal, and within the Brahman effulgence, there are spiritual planets. They are called Vaikuṇṭhalokas. And the topmost of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas is Kṛṣṇaloka. So from Kṛṣṇa's body, the Brahman effulgence is coming out. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Everything is existing in that Brahman effulgence. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Everything existing on His effulgence, Brahman effulgence...
Just like the whole material world, innumerable planets, they are existing on the sunshine. The sunshine is impersonal effulgence of the sun globe, and there are millions of planets resting on the sunshine. Everything is happening on, on account of the sunshine. Similarly the Brahman effulgence coming out, the rays coming out from the body of Kṛṣṇa, and everything is resting on that Brahman effulgence. Actually, different types of energies. Just like from the sunshine there are different types of colors, energies. That is creating this material world. Just like we can experience practically.
So here, this beginning of spiritual understanding, that spirit, the Supreme Spirit, cannot be cut into pieces. Nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. Now try to understand. We are thinking, the modern scientists, they are thinking that there cannot be any life in the sun globe. No. There is life. We get information from Vedic literature that there is life. There are also human beings like us. But they're made of fire. That's all. Because we have got teeny experience that "How in the fire a living entity can live?" To answer this problem, Kṛṣṇa says that nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ.
Why not in other planets? Where is the difference between this planet and that planet? This is also made of five elements. And that is also meant of, made of five elements. Here, the earthly element is very prominent. And the sun globe, the fire element is very prominent. So this material world is made of these five elements. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). So Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-gataḥ. The living entities are everywhere. Kṛṣṇa is also within everyone. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Kṛṣṇa is within this universe. Kṛṣṇa is within your heart.
So about the soul and about God, the Supreme Soul, this is the problem of the material world. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ (SB 7.5.32), niṣkiñcanānām... What is that? Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat. This is very important verse. It says that urukramāṅghrim. Urukramāṅghrim is the name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Uru means big, and krama means activities. One whose activities are very great. Whose activities are very great? Just try to understand. Now see, the big planet, biggest planets in the universe, the sun globe, is floating in the corner of the sky. So whose activities these are? Who has caused this floating? This is called urukrama, big activity. Not that because you have some way or other balanced some millions of dollars in the bank and you have become Rockefeller or Ford, that does not mean you are very big worker. Here is the big worker. Millions of planets are floating in the air by His arrangement. He is called Urukrama, big worker. So Bhāgavata says, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim (SB 7.5.32). If anyone understands urukramāṅghrim, or the Supreme Lord, for him to understand the existence of soul is not very difficult. Just like one who has seen the sun globe, for him to understand what is sunshine is not very difficult. But one who is perpetually in the darkness, neither has seen the sunshine nor has seen the sun globe, for him, what is light, what is sun, it is very difficult to understand.
So according to Bhāgavata, Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal. Paramātmā feature is partial representation. How it is? Just like the sun. Sun is the chief planet, and his reflection is in every water reservoir. If you put here thousands and millions of waterpots, in each pot you'll find the reflection of the sun. So Paramātmā, Supersoul, is the reflection or partial representation of the sun. So this is Paramātmā experience. And Brahman experience is just like the sunshine. Sunshine. Sunshine is all-pervading. Everywhere sunshine is there, but still, sunshine is not important. Important is the sun globe. Similarly, Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when one realizes His effulgent bodily rays, that is Brahman conception.
Then what is that Supreme? The conception of Supreme... For the impersonalist, the impersonal Brahman effulgence is the Supreme. Just like light. When you come to the sunshine, that is light, but the devotees, they are not satisfied with the sunshine. They want to penetrate into the sun planet and see the sun-god. That is devotee's position. And one who cannot do so, he is satisfied with the sunshine. Everything is light. Sunshine is light, sun globe is light, and if you enter in the sun globe, there is also light.
Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The Lord is full bliss, eternal knowledge. So the impersonalists they are satisfied with only knowledge, jñāna, light, that's all. Knowledge is light. But farther advanced, say, the yogis, they want to see the localized, just like the sun globe. And the devotees, they want to see the person who is predominating over the sun globe. This is a crude example.
Treatment. Similarly, it is said in the śāstras that ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our senses are very imperfect. That we can understand. For example, we are daily seeing the sun globe, but our experience is just like a disc because my eyes cannot see things placed in long distance, neither can see which is very near. Just like the eyelid is just attached to the eye, but I cannot see. This is imperfect. Neither we can see very close, neither we can see very long distance point, neither we can see in darkness. There are so many conditions. If those conditions are fulfilled, then our senses can act. Therefore it is to be understood that our senses are imperfect.
Just like we general, people in general, we can see the sunshine, but everyone knows.... At least, scientists know that the sunshine is coming from the sun globe. If you have got power to go to the sun globe, you can see what actually the sun globe is. And if you go still further, penetrate into the sun globe, then you will see there is a sun god, sun god. His name is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: Vivasvān. In the beginning of this chapter, Fourth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa said, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). So within the sun globe there is the person, the predominating deity whose name is Vivasvān. So it requires a little qualification, how to go to the sun planet. Sun planet is a fact. It is not fictitious. We are every day seeing. But we have no such power to go to the sun planet. Neither we have got the power to enter into the sun planet. That is inability.
The Vaiṣṇavism is directly. Directly... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you go directly... Just like if you reach the sun planet or the predominating deity of, namely, the sun god, Vivasvān, then naturally you know what is sunshine and what is sun globe. Similarly, if you directly go, if you directly can understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then you understand what is impersonal Brahman and what is localized aspect, Paramātmā. It is... Brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā. Kṛṣṇa says.
What is this Brahman? Just like the sunshine is situated on the sun globe. Sunshine, although it is very big, it is covering the whole universe, but it is coming from the sun globe.
Just like... Try to understand that there is sun, the sun globe, and within the sun globe, there is the sun deity, and outside the sun globe, there is sunshine. All of them are light. The... Within the sun globe, there is light, and in the outside the sun globe, there is light, and the sunshine is also light, but still, there are differences. Another example is: just like if you try to observe a mountain from distant place, it will appear as a hazy cloud. And if you go still nearer, you will find something, greenish rock. The subject of observation is the same thing, but you are looking in different way on account of your different angle of vision.
Just like the sun and the sunshine. What is the difference? The difference is... You see the sun globe. That is also number one. And what is the sunshine? The sunshine is a combination of very, very small, atomic, bright particles, the sunshine. Molecules. In the science they are called molecules. But there are many millions of small atomic parts combined together. That appears to be sunshine. So eka, the sun is one, but the sunshine means combination of many small atomic particles. Similarly, God is one, and we, part and parcel of God, we are many. Try to understand this. This is authoritative statement. So quality, the sun and the small atomic molecule particle, both of them are bright shining. But the sun as it is and the small particle, they are not equal. Equal in quality, not in quantity.
As it is explained in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, eka-deśa-sthitasya agneḥ. Just like fire is situated in one place. Eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā. But it is illuminating. Everyone, we can understand. The same thing: just like the sun globe is situated in one corner of the sky, but the sunshine is illuminated. Eka-deśa-sthitasyāgneḥ. The agni, or the fire, is situated in one place, but the illumination is distributing. So just like the sunshine is spread all over the universe, but it is.... We can see every day. The sun globe is situated in one place. Not that the sun globe is distributed, spread all over the universe. The sunshine. Similarly, there is fire.
This is called acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. In the sunshine you feel the presence of the sun, but if you are able to enter in the sun globe, you can meet the sungod also. Actually, the sunshine means the rays of the body of the person living in the sun globe.
Generally, they are recommended—five: the sun-god, the Gaṇeśa, the Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva and Durgā, and... The sun-god I have already said. Five, pañcopāsanam. Five: the sun-god, the Gaṇeśa, and the Durgā-devī, then Lord Śiva, and then Viṣṇu. This is also gradual evolutionary. People in the most lowest stage of humanity, they are struck with wonder by the power. As soon as there is some electricity, they feel some power. So when there are power worshipers... The modern scientists, they are power worshiper. They have gone up to the sun-god. Not god, the sun globe. The power is received from the sunshine. So this is one stage, power. In this way, one after another, when one comes to the supreme powerful, Viṣṇu, because that is the ultimate powerful...
Yes. Impersonal... Just like sunshine and the sun disc and the inhabitants of the sun globe. In one sense, they are one unit. You cannot separate sunshine from the sun disc or the sun disc from the inhabitants or the predominating deity of sun planet. They are all in light, but still there is difference. Sunshine is coming within your room. Although the sun disc and the sunshine is not different, still, when you realize what is sunshine, that does not mean you realize what is the sun disc. This is very practical. To understand what is sunshine does not mean to understand what is sun disc. You can have some idea: "The sun disc is also light, and it has got heat. It is illuminating." These ideas you can get, but not exactly what is the temperature of that sun disc, how you can live there. There are so many things to learn. Therefore, impersonal Brahman, understanding of impersonal Brahman, is not perfect knowledge.
Exactly... Knowledge of sunshine is not perfect knowledge of sun. That you can understand very easily. Suppose daily you are having sunshine within your room. Does it mean you know what is sun disc or what is the inhabitants of the sun globe? No. Nobody knows. Similarly, impersonal knowledge of the Absolute Truth is like that. That is not complete knowledge. Although it is light, sunshine is also light, sun disc is also light and the inhabitants there, they also must be light. Otherwise, how can they live? They also must be fiery. Because the inhabitants there, they are also fiery, without being fire how you can live in fire? Sun is fire; everyone knows it. The temperature is very high. So one, without having a body suitable to that temperature, how they can live there?
There are different stages or phases of understanding. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is that. It is one, but it is realized into different phases: as Brahman, as Paramātmā and as Bhagavān. So if you understand Brahman, that is also partial understanding. If you understand Paramātmā... Brahman is understood by the philosophical speculation, Māyāvāda philosophy, or jñāna-mārga. Then you can understand partially. Just like to understand the sunshine is partial understanding of the sun. It is not full understanding. Full understanding, if you have got power to go to the sun globe, to see the predominating deity there, Vivasvān, the sun-god, then it is full understanding. If you think that understanding the sunshine you have understand the whole feature of the sun globe, that is wrong. Similarly, to understand Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is also partial understanding.
As in this planet there may be many presidents, but formerly there was one president only, so similarly, in each planet there is a president. In the sun planet we receive this knowledge from Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "I first of all spoke this science of Bhagavad-gītā to Vivasvān." Vivasvān means the president of the sun globe, and his son is Manu. This is the time. This time is going on. It is called Vaivasvata Manu period. Vaivasvata means from Vivasvān, the son of Vivasvān. He is called Vaivasvata Manu.
So these are the different features of Kṛṣṇa knowledge. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is one, but one who is trying to understand Him by the dint of his personal knowledge, he approaches up to impersonal Brahman; one who is trying to understand Him as the localized Paramātmā feature, by the yogis, He is known to them as Paramātmā, or Antaryāmī; but those who are in direct contact with Kṛṣṇa, they are realizing as the most lovable object, the most beautiful personality, most opulent personality, Kṛṣṇa. But the object is the same. The example is generally given: just like the sunshine, the sun globe, and sun-god. The sunshine is all-pervading, all over the universe, and the sun globe is localized. But within the sun globe, there is a person who is called Sūrya-nārāyaṇa, or the sun-god. These are facts. Don't think that there is no living entity in the sun planet.
Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1), "First of all, I said this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the sun-god"? If there is no living entity, how Kṛṣṇa says there is a sun-god? And if we are to believe Kṛṣṇa and the Bhagavad-gītā, we have to accept it that the sun globe is not without living entities. It is also the same, just like we have got hundred of thousands, millions of living entities here. So in this way, we have to acquire the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. That is brahma-jñāna, paramātma-jñāna, and bhagavat-tattva-jñāna. And when we realize... Not only hear theoretically, jñānam... That is... Theoretical knowledge is jñānam. But sa-vijñānam, when we actually perceive, when we actually understand what is the position of the Personality of Godhead, that is called vijñānam. Jñānaṁ sa-vijñānam. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ (BG 7.2). Aśeṣataḥ, descriptive, not summarized.
One example can be given in this connection. Just like the sun globe and the sun-god and the sunshine. The sunshine is also light, and there is temperature, and the sun globe is also light, and there is temperature, and within the sun globe, there is the personality known as sun-god, that is also light and temperature. But all this light and temperature, there are degrees. The sunshine degree of temperature and light is less than the sun globe, and the sun globe temperature and light is less than the sun-god. So when you reach the sun-god, then you understand the complete temperature and light. That completeness is realized by this word, bhagavān. Therefore the words are used here, asaṁśayaṁ samagram: "You can understand Me in full, asaṁśayam, and without any doubt." So if you are interested to understand the Absolute Truth, God, then you must take to bhakti-yoga. And if we want to understand the Absolute Truth with some doubt, and not in complete, then we may take jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga.
If you can go within the sun globe and see the origin of shining, brightening principle, the sun-god, that is siddhi. Similarly, to merge into the Brahman is not siddhi. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Actually, it is a fact. Bhāgavata, whatever it says, that is real fact. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. If one thinks that "Now I am merged in the brahmajyoti, so I am now vimukta. I am now mukta. I am now liberated," so that Bhāgavata says, "He is thinking like that, he's liberated. He is not liberated." Vimukta-mānina. Just like if I think am millionaire, does it mean I have become millionaire. I am not millionaire. Vimukta-mānina. Why? Tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32).
So yasyaika, yasya prabhā. This brahmajyoti, brahma-jñāna, is just like the rays. As the sunshine is the rays of the sun globe, similarly, the rays of the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is brahmajyoti. And within that brahmajyoti, there are innumerable universes. So in each universe... We have given the picture in our title cover of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So in each universe there are innumerable planets. In this way, this is a partial expansion, partial exhibition of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Or take another example. The sunshine is impersonal, but the sun is personal. Sun is not imperson. Wherefrom the sunshine is coming? It is coming from the sun globe. And within the sun globe there is the sun-god. His name is there also—Vivasvān. Name means person. As the sun is person and we worship the sun, Savitā... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam... So this is the worship of the sun-god, the morning sunrise. So the sun-god is also person.
So 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, Vivasvān. Similarly, the original planet is Goloka Vṛndāvana. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Original, the Goloka Vṛndāvana, the abode of Kṛṣṇa. So take it... Just like sun globe. And within the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet there is the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, just like exactly within the sun the person, sun-god, his name is Vivasvān.
We have already explained that Kṛṣṇa has multi-energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). That is the Vedic version, that the Absolute Truth, Supreme Person, has got multi-energies. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa also: whatever we are experiencing, that is simply Kṛṣṇa's energy. Just like we can experience the heat and light from the sun. We can understand the constitution of the sun globe. Although we are ninety-three million miles, away from the sun, but by his energy, heat and light, we can understand what is the sun. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, He has got multi-energies.
So how we can see the greatness of God with these material eyes? It is not possible. As you are understanding about the sun by authoritative statement of the geometry, that this sun globe is so great, so many hundred thousands greater than the... But you are seeing just like a disk. So how to get the knowledge of the sun? By receiving through the ear. That's all. Simply you have to receive the knowledge from the authority. It is not that practically you are experimenting by going to the sun, that it is so great and so long, so broad. That is not possible.
Just like we get complete information of the sun globe from geography or from authoritative sources, scientist, astrologer, astronomer, mathematician, so similarly, you can get information what is the form of individual soul, what is the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are there. But His form is not like your form or my form. The Brahma-saṁhitā says, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). His form is full of bliss, and full of knowledge, and eternal. But this body, this body, our body, is neither eternal, neither full of knowledge, neither blissful. So we can distinguish what is the form of God. Sac-cid-ānanda. Sat. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda means full of blissfulness.
We can see that the sunshine is resting on the sun globe. Sun globe is localized, but sunshine is very big. It is distributed all over the universe. But that does not mean that sunshine is more important than the sun globe. The sun globe is important, and the still more important is the sun-god. Within the sun globe there is sun-god, Vivasvān. He is a person. And there is also other living entities, their, all their bodies are made of fire. Here in the material science, they sterilize. They, they are under the impression that when there is too strong temperature, the microbes die, or when there is too cold, the microbes die.
It is wrong conception, foolish conception. So the president of the sun planet, He is the original person from where this sunshine and heat is coming. He is the person. And the population there, they are made so that their bodily effulgence is the heat and light, and that is being manifested in the sun globe.
So if we accept Kṛṣṇa's authority, then we can understand the sun globe, which the scientists are trying to understand but they have failed. But if we believe the words of Kṛṣṇa, then from here you can study what is the sun globe. This is a fact. You cannot imagine. You are tiny. You cannot become Dr. Frog within the well and try to understand Atlantic Ocean. That is not possible. Here the defect is, one is a small frog in the well and he is trying to understand the Atlantic Ocean. Three feet water. His jurisdiction is three feet water, and he is trying to understand Atlantic Ocean. That is the defect.
The other day, while coming here, we saw how within a second the sun arose from the sea water. Not from the sea... It looks like that. Immediately, within a second, the whole world became illuminated. Immediately, within a second. So the, what is this illumination? It is the expansion of the sunshine. But because the expansion is there it does not mean the sun globe is finished. The sun globe is there, and within the sun globe the sun-god is there or the predominating personality of the sun globe is there.
Just like the sun globe is the source of sunshine. Sunshine is very big, all pervading. And sun appears to be located in some place. But which is important, the sunshine is important or the sun globe is important? Because the sunshine is emanating from the sun it has no independent existence. As soon as the sun disappears, there is no sunshine. So wherever there is sun, there is sunshine. Therefore sunshine is dependent on the sun.
So, we can realize in the beginning the sunshine. Then, if we are able to approach the sun planet, that also not possible, but still, we can hope. But still, you have to enter the sun planet, and there is sun-god. From the sun-god the glaring effulgence, the sunshine, is coming. Although the sunshine and the sun globe and within the sun globe the sun-god, they are of the same thing, quality, light and heat, still, there are degrees of light and heat. You can touch the sunshine but you cannot touch the sun globe, neither you can enter the sun globe. That requires a different power.
So this is material, and now this sun shining and the sun globe is also stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, that
- yac cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ
- rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ
- yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakro
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Now this sun globe, it is very powerful planet within this universe. Therefore it is called the king of all planets. Yac cakṣur eṣa savitā. Savitā means the sun planet. Sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ. Unlimited power, aśeṣa-tejāḥ. But still, this sun planet is also moving in its orbit. The sun planet has got its orbit.
In the material world we have got experience that sunshine, jyoti, prakāśa... But wherefrom the sunshine comes? Sunshine is also a reflection of another jyoti, or illumination. That illumination is called brahmajyoti. And wherefrom that brahmajyoti emanates? That emanates from Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sunshine is emanation from the sun globe, and the sun globe is fiery, illuminated, on account of the persons within the sun globe. They have got some bodily rays. That rays is emanating from their body. Therefore the whole sun planet looks like fiery planet. And from there the illumination comes, and it is reflecting on the moon, and the moon is illuminating the whole dark night. This is called pūrṇimā. So one is borrowing the illumination from the other.
Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord who is all-pervasive. Everywhere He is present. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, He is Viṣṇu also in His Paramātmā feature. Kṛṣṇa has got three features. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, He is known in three features or three angle of visions. One is Brahman, all-pervasive Brahman. Sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. So Brahman means His effulgence, bodily rays. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). His prabhā, His bodily rays... You may ask, "What is that bodily rays?" You can see every day. Everyone has got bodily rays according to his quality. You see the sun, the bodily rays, the sunshine. There is sun-god within the sun globe whose name is Vivasvān.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So this is the position. Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. Here is Kṛṣṇa. Who is that? The Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman. The jñānīs, they want to appreciate the Supreme Brahman. Satām. Brahma-sukha, brahma-sukha. They are after brahma-sukha. Here is the source of brahma-sukha. Brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā. So here is the... Just like the light, illumination—there is a source of light, the sunshine, illumination. The source is the sun globe. Similarly, the brahmajyoti, what is the source? Kṛṣṇa says, brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā: "I am the source. From Me it is coming."
This is very important verse. So tattva-darśīs are that, nondual; there is no difference. The same example, that there is the sun planet; there is sun-god, whose bodily effulgence is the sunshine; and the sun globe, localized; and the sunshine. All these three taken together is one light, but the sun-god is different from the sunshine; the sun globe is different from the sun-god. Similarly, this brahmajyoti is nothing but Kṛṣṇa's personal effulgence. Yasya prabhā. Yasya prabhā (Bs. 5.40), you can, you can say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that He is providing brahmajyoti." Well, why not? If some creation of Kṛṣṇa, the sunlight and moonlight, is so powerful that it expands all over the universe, so how much powerful is Kṛṣṇa? Brahmano 'ham pratiṣṭha. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the source of this brahmajyoti." Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11).
Actually, we have to reach to the point of Personality of Godhead, person. Before that, Brahman realization and Paramātmā realization, that is partial realization of the Absolute Truth, because Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. The impersonal Brahman is resting on Kṛṣṇa. 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-gītā, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Kṛṣṇa says that "This yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, as they are mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, it was first explained to the sun-god, Vivasvān." The śāstra 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.
The Bhāgavata recommends that in the human form of life, the only necessity is to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That includes so many other things. The Absolute Truth is experienced by different persons from different angle of vision. That is explained here. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). That is the Absolute Truth—Brahman or Parabrahman—which is nondual. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Advayam means without any duality. When we say Brahman, impersonal Brahman, or when we speak Paramātmā, or when we speak of Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no difference between these three terms. Just like sunshine and the sun globe and the sun-god. According to Bhagavad-gītā, we have got the name of the predominating deity in the sun globe. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). This is said in the Bhagavad-gītā. First of all Kṛṣṇa says, "Long, long ago, millions of years ago, I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā to Vivasvān." Vivasvān means the present predominating deity of the sun globe. Just like we have got a president, similarly, but he has got a particular name, similarly, the president of the sun globe is called Sūrya, Sūryadeva. But he has got a particular name. So at the present moment, the predominating deity of the sun globe is called Vivasvān.
So at the present moment, the predominating deity of the sun globe is called Vivasvān. So this Vivasvān or the sun-god and the sun globe and the sunshine, they are not different. All of them are light. Without light in the sun globe, how so much light is emanating? So therefore the inhabitants of the sun globe, their body is made of fire. Therefore everything is glowing. And we, from distant place, we see the sun globe also glowing. And the sunshine is also glowing. Similarly, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, they are one, the glowing or the light, but still, there is difference. What is that difference? If you remain in the sunshine... Every one of us, we remain in the sunshine. That does not mean that I am in the sun globe or I have seen the predominating deity, Vivasvān. Similarly, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11), you can realize the Absolute Truth in three features: Brahman, Paramātmā... (break)... brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. The same Absolute Truth is realized from three angles of vision.
So brahmeti paramātmeti. If we try to understand the Absolute Truth, then we can approach only up to the impersonal feature. Just like if we simply want to come to the light, so we can see the sunshine is light. But if we want to study what is the sun globe and if we want to study what is the predominating deity in the sun globe, that is different thing. That is, simply coming to the light, sunshine, will not help you. You must have strength and process to go to the sun globe. The same example: One can understand impersonal Brahman by dint of his speculative knowledge, but he cannot understand Paramātmā, who is situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣ... (BG 18.61). That is Paramātmā feature.
So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is the highest perfection of life. Paraṁ Brahman. Paraṁ Brahman. Brahman, impersonal effulgence. Just like the sunshine. Then localized sun, the sun globe. Then further, if you able to enter the sun globe, you'll find there is a predominating deity. There are also cities and palaces—everything, just like this planet. But this planet is made prominently of earth, and that planet is one of the elements, material elements, earth, water, fire, air. So if this planet is made of earth, why not other planet made of fire? What is the scientific reason to deny it?
So there are stages. So those who are first class... Here it is stated ato vai kavayaḥ. Kavayaḥ means first class. Ato vai kavayo nityam. Perpetually, eternally. Bhaktiṁ paramayā mudā. Devotional service. Transcendental, paramayā. The devotional service... For the third-class devotee, the devotional service is also third class. And the, although third class, first class, second class, we are distinguishing, it is not ordinary material first class, second class... Even in the spiritual world there is such divisions. The same division. Just like in the light, in the sunlight, there is division: the sunshine, the sun globe, and the sun-god. There are three divisions. It is not that because you are in the sunshine you know what is the sun globe or what is sun god. That is another stage. Similarly, just to become a devotee on the devotional service, there are stages. Stages. That is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī. So uttama-adhikārī, uttama-adhikārī means first class. He's firmly convinced, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Nobody can deviate. He can convert others to understand Kṛṣṇa, that He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But nobody can convert him that Kṛṣṇa is not God. That is not possible. That is first class.
So anyway, brahma-darśanam. Brahma-darśanam means the preliminary understanding of the Absolute Truth. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). In the preliminary understanding, impersonal Brahman is realized; and if you make further progress, then you are, you realize the localized aspect, Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). In your heart you will see. And, further progress means you'll see Viṣṇu, or Lord Kṛṣṇa-brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti. The one thing, thing is one, absolute, but a different capacity. Just like the... I have given several times, that the sun and the sunshine and the sun globe and the inhabitants of the sun globe, they are one, but at the same time different. To become in the sunshine does not mean that you are in the sun globe. That requires a very good qualification, how to... They cannot enter even into the moon planet and what to speak of entering the sun planet. It is fiery. So, as it is not possible for ordinary man, but there is sun planet and there are inhabitants also.
So, as by different position one can understand complete sun... Ordinary men, those who are in the sunshine, they cannot understand what is the temperature in the sun globe. And even if you go nearer to the sun globe, it is very difficult to enter into the, within the planet. Similarly, the first understanding of the Absolute Truth is impersonal Brahman, brahma-darśanam. Then, if you can make further progress, then you will see that Absolute Truth within your heart by yoga system. And if you make further advance, then you see Him eye to eye and give your service, render your service personally. These are the stages.
So the Absolute cannot be imperson. Imperson is one of the features of the Absolute Truth, but the Absolute Truth, in the original understanding, He is person. As Kṛṣṇa says, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā. The impersonal Brahman is situated in Him. It is His personal rays, effulgence of His bodily rays. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). He has got His bodily effulgence, just like the sunshine is the effulgence of the sun globe, and the sun globe, within the sun globe there is sun-god, Vivasvān. That is also... We get information from the Bhagavad-gītā, the sun, sun planet, is not impersonal, not a lump of matter. There is the predominating Deity in the sun globe, and his name is also given in the Bhagavad-gītā-Vivasvān. Vivasvān manave prāha. Prāha, he explained Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore he's a person. As we get, get this experience that from the sun globe, within the sun globe there is a person, and, due to the effulgence of that personal rays of the sun-god, or the population there, every people being glowing, the whole sun planet is so powerful, glowing, and the glow is distributed all over the universe, similarly, there is a glowing effulgence of the Supreme Person. That is called brahmajyoti. That brahmajyoti is impersonal, but the brahmajyoti is resting on the Personality of Kṛṣṇa.
Akhilaṁ jagat. The vast universal form which you are seeing, it is nothing but parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ: it is the manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Person. How? The example is given, eka-deśa-sthitasyāgneḥ. Just like fire. Take the example of the sun, the biggest fire within this universe. It is situated in a place. The sun is not distributed. The sunshine is distributed. The sunshine may be covering the whole universe, but that is not very important. The sun globe is important. It is localized. Similarly, as the sun is distributing heat and light, remaining itself in one place, similarly Kṛṣṇa is playing with gopīs in Goloka Vṛndāvana, and His shine is creating the whole universe. Not that Kṛṣṇa is playing there, He is enjoying, therefore He is absent. No. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is Goloka Vṛndāvana, but He is present everywhere. That is Kṛṣṇa. I am sitting here, you are sitting here. You are not in your apartment. That is my position. But Kṛṣṇa's position is that although He is always in Goloka Vṛndāvana, He is present everywhere.
Just like you are seeing the sunlight, but suppose if you are able to go to the sun planet, that will be still more extensive knowledge. But not only going to the sun planet, if you can meet the president of the sun globe... Everywhere there is a presiding deity. Just like you have got your president in your country, or in my country we have got a president. Similarly, in every planet there is one presiding deity. They are called demigods, and they have got their different names. We get all this information from... Take, for example, the sun planet. The sun planet is presided over by one gentleman whose name is Vivasvān. Vivasvān, Vaivasvata. And his son is Manu. These things are described. In Bhagavad-gītā also you'll find.
It is not possible. So Vyāsadeva saw the pūrṇaṁ puruṣam. Pūrṇaṁ puruṣaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. And he saw māyā also, but māyā is not conquering over him. Because Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇam, māyā cannot conquer. In full light there cannot be darkness. Any amount of darkness, you put before the sunshine, there is no possibility... It cannot stand. Within the sun globe, within the orbit of the sun, any amount of... Because the sun globe is so big and the orbit is so big that the whole universal darkness you bring there, there will be no darkness. Just imagine. It is not imagine; it is fact.
We have got many evidences. I do not know why these rascal scientists say that there is no life in other planet. Why? The other planet is also made of the pañca-bhūta, pṛthvī-ap-tejas-vāyu-ākāśa. They are not different. Maybe something is very prominent. Just like in the sun globe, the fire is prominent. Fire is also one of the five elements: pṛthvī-ap-tejas. That does not mean there is no life. There must be. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa talked with the sun-god, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1)? And the living entity, nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. The living entity is not burned by the fire. It is not dried up, it is not moistened. This is stated. So why there will be no life in the sun globe? There must be.
Now there is sunshine, that is also Brahman, or heat and light. But the heat and light here, ninety-three millions miles away from the sun, and the heat and light in the sun—a difference. That temperature is different. So when you go to the sun-god, that position, and to enjoy heat and light from ninety-three millions miles away, that is also difference. Although heat and light is there in the sun globe and heat and light in the sunshine, but still, sunshine is not the sun globe. Sun globe is not the sun-god. Similarly... This is a crude example. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is acintya-bhedābheda-tattva: everything is God, and everything is not God. Bheda-abheda. Bheda means not, different, and abheda means one. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Acintya... For us, how we can adjust, at the same time one and different? Therefore it is acintya. Not cintya, cintanīya. In our present sense it is difficult to adjust things how we are one and different with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.
The energetic is aloof. Just like the sun, we can very easily understand. The example is just before us. The sun is there, the sunshine is there, and within the sun-globe there is the sun-god. But we, so-called scientists, we are studying the sun from ninety-three millions of miles away, and we are taking very pride that we are studying the sun. If you have studied sun, why don't you go there? Go there, and enter into the sun planet. This is a material thing. And what to speak of the spiritual thing?
So the sunshine is working because the sun globe is there, the sun-god is there. Similarly, the material energy is working. This cosmic manifestation made of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego, these are the eight ingredients of this material manifestation. So these eight material elements, they are energies, separated energies. Bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. And, because the energetic is there behind this energy... Just like electric power. We are using electric power, but behind this electric power there is the powerhouse and there is the engineer who is producing the power. The rascals, they do not understand this. They simply see the power. But behind the power there is the power-maker, the source of power.
That may be beginning. To realize the energy of God, that is formless. Just like the sun. The sunshine is formless, but the sun globe is not formless, or the person, the predominating Deity within the sunglobe, he is not formless. The sunshine is formless. So this formless realization... Just like the sun. Sun is also light. Sun is also heat. The sunshine is also light, sunshine is also heat. But this heat and light, energy of the sun, they are not actually the sun. It is only the energy.
Pāvakaḥ. Dahati pāvakaḥ. So the modern scientists, they say that there is no life in the sun planet, sun globe. But that is not a fact. What is sun globe? It is a fiery planet, that's all. But the spirit soul can live in the fire, and he gets a fiery body. Just like here, on this planet, on earth, we have got this earthly body. It may be very beautiful, but it is earth. Simply by nature's manipulation. Just like we are coming... Karandhara showed me.
This is brahma-jñāna. Brahman... Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Everything Brahman, but there is division-brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Just like the sun. The sunshine is impersonal, but the sun globe is localized and the sun-god is person, but the same sun. Similarly, you have to understand Brahman. When you cannot understand the real nature of Brahman, then it is nirākāra. And when you partially understand, Paramātmā, then localized.
But actually the Absolute Truth, absolute person, is Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Kṛṣṇa says, "There is no more superior truth above Me." So you realize the Absolute Truth in different stages, in the beginning as impersonal Brahman, impersonal Brahman. Just like you realize the sun as impersonal sunlight, then localized sun globe. But if you are able to enter into the sun globe, then you see the sun-god, Vivasvān. It is up to your power. But actually, from the person, sun-god, the light is coming. This is practical. The sun-god... Within the sun globe there is sun-god, Vivasvān. He is a person, Sūrya-nārāyaṇa. And there are persons also in that globe. They are living in the Sūryaloka. Similarly, there are person in the Candraloka. I do not know which Candraloka these people are going; they find no person there. But they say one side is dark.
The example we have given many times, that the sun is there. The first realization is that we come in touch with the sunshine. That is very easy. Anyone can come in light of the sunshine. It is open to everyone. Then the another feature of the sunshine is the sun globe. That is not so easily available. You cannot go to the sun globe. According to the modern scientific conclusion, we can understand that the sun globe is away from us by 93,000,000's of miles, and still, we cannot tolerate the temperature. And what will be your position if you go to the sun globe? Before reaching sun globe even by some millions of... We are already apart 93,000,000 miles, and suppose when there is three million miles apart from ninety, then the temperatures is so high that we will be finished. We cannot approach the sun globe even, and what to speak of entering into the sun globe? That requires a different body. Of course, there are living entities in the sun globe, within the sun globe. And there is the predominating deity also, the president. You may call. There is a state. Just like you have got here, United State, there is state also. And there is also president, and the president's name is Vivasvān. Everything is there in the śāstra. We read from Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa said, "I spoke to Vivasvān, the president or the predominating deity in the sun globe." So this is all fact. It is not fiction. You are seeing the sun globe, and you are seeing that the sunshine is coming from the sun globe.
The origin is the sun globe, or the sun-god. As soon as the sun disappears, there is no more sunshine. Therefore sunshine is not ādya. Sunshine is dependent on the sun globe. Similarly, this Brahman effulgence is dependent on the body of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā. Similarly, Paramātmā is also Kṛṣṇa's expansion. Ekaṁ bahu syām. That is the Vedic instruction. He becomes many—as many living entities are there. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam... (Bs. 5.33). Ādyam again. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam. That ananta-rūpam, as Paramātmā or incarnation. Advaitam acyutam. But it does not mean that, because Kṛṣṇa has become many, it does not mean that, because Kṛṣṇa has become many, it does not mean Kṛṣṇa is finished. No. Kṛṣṇa is there. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation).
And one means you cannot enter into the spiritual planets. There are so many, not devotees but spiritualists; they want to become one. That oneness means that you remain outside the spiritual planet in the brahmajyoti, in the rays. We are part and parcel of the rays. Just like I have given the example: the sun rays means combination of so many bright, minute, atomic particles. Similarly, we can remain as atomic soul outside. Just like this sunshine is outside the sphere of the sun globe. It is outside. It is not... Inside also, that is brightness, but the sunshine is outside the sun globe, and inside there is sun-god. That information we get from Bhagavad-gītā. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). The sun planet is also a planet like this, but it is fiery planet. And it is earthly planet. The sun planet is fire. But fire and earth is the same material element. Bhūmir āpaḥ analaḥ. Analaḥ. Analaḥ means fire. So either it is made of earth or it is made of fire or it is made of water or it is made of air or prominent, it is all material.
Just like we have explained several times that we have got experience of the sunshine. Because sunshine is very easily approached. But that understanding of the sunshine is not real understanding of the sun globe or sun planet or the sun-god. That is not perfect understanding. It is partial understanding that you can understand the sun globe is full of heat and light. That's all. But how much heat, what is the temperature of heat, how much light is there, and where is the source of heat and light, that is not possible to understand. Everyone will admit this, that simply by seeing, because the sunshine is entering your room from the window, that does not mean you know everything of the sun. Similarly, this impersonal understanding of the Absolute Truth is like that.
If there is nothing, if there is no sun-god, predominating deity or the president of the sun globe, then how Kṛṣṇa could speak with him? In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān. Just like we talk. We are talking with you. We are not talking in the sky, vacant. We are talking with persons. These are intelligent. These require intelligence. So how we can imagine that "How the sun-god can be person? It is a fiery, big fire substance, and how one can live?" This is also foolishness. "Because I cannot live in the fire, therefore nobody can live in the fire." That is my foolishness. My body is not so made. Just like you cannot live in the water. It does not mean that there is no living entity in the water. It requires intelligence. Similarly, if you cannot live in the fire, it does not mean that nobody lives there. Yes. There are living entities whose body is so made. Just like the fish and other aquatics, they live. Their body is so made. This is intelligent study. Otherwise, if you simply compare with my intelligence, my position, my circumstances, and we'll conclude all others like that, that is blindness. That is not... Blindness.
So similarly, impersonal realization of God, that is imperfect exactly like the understanding of the sunshine is not understanding of the sun globe and the sun-god. Everyone can understand. It is not very difficult. If you think that "Because I have seen sunshine, then I have seen everything. I have known everything of the sun..." No. You do not know even how big the sun globe is. And when you read books, when you read scientific books, you can understand it is fourteen hundred times bigger than this planet. So ultimately God is person. He is not imperson. Impersonal understanding is imperfect, partial understanding, that if God, Kṛṣṇa, is sac-cid-ānanda vigraha... Sat, cit, ānanda (Bs. 5.1). So impersonal understanding of Kṛṣṇa means you understand only the sat portion. The two other portion, cit and ānanda, you do not know. You do not know.
Now, if actually a philosophical minded man is there, if he simply makes research, "Wherefrom this nice taste came in the water?" he can see God because ultimately he has to come to God. If he researches, make research, "Wherefrom the sunshine came...?" You can say the sunshine is coming from the sun globe, but for further research work, you cannot go even there. But if you are actually student, philosophical minded, if you make darśana... Philosophy means darśana. Darśana means seeing. See more, see more, see more. In this way you will ultimately come. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ... Then he will come to this conclusion: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). If you are actually serious student, research worker, then after executing research work for many, many birth, when you are actually wise, jñānavān, then you will surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).
I have given several times this example: Just like the sunshine, the sun globe, and the sun-god, Nārāyaṇa, within the sun globe, that is one thing. One thing means that Nārāyaṇa within the sun globe, his bodily effulgence is so glowing and bright. This is called sun's blazing effulgence. So the sunshine is also expansion of that glowing effulgence. So they are one thing. Just like fire. Fire, direct fire, temperature, and just outside the fire, temperature, and the heat of the fire outside—although they are one, but the temperature different. Similarly, the sun-god and the sun globe and the sunshine, they are one, but different temperature. So one who knows this... That means one who knows that the Brahman effulgence is just like the sunshine outside, and the Paramātmā feature is the expansion of the Supreme Lord everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu.
That Brahman world go, not this material world. Yasya prabhā (Bs. 5.40). What is that Brahman world? The Brahman world means where there is complete effulgence, bodily rays of Kṛṣṇa. That is Brahman world. Just like here the bodily rays of the sun makes it clear, so brilliant, what we can see. Then what is the sunshine? It is the bodily rays of the sun. Why don't you believe that? The example is there, you learn. If a material thing like the sun globe or the sun-god, he has got so much bodily effulgence that it is keeping lighted all over the universe, just imagine what is the bodily brilliance of Kṛṣṇa.
"That Absolute Truth is realized... They are one, but realized in three different phases." Just like the example is given, I have given several times, that the sun, the sun globe and the sun-god. There is... Within the sun globe there is sun-god. His name is Vivasvān. As you refer to Bhagavad-gītā, in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find the predominating deity or the president of the sun globe. His name is Vivasvān. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Kṛṣṇa says that many millions of years ago He went to the sun globe and He preached this Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god, the president of the sun globe, Vivasvān. So there are living entities. The sun-god is the living entity. The difference is that the living entities there, the body is made of fire. As our body is made of earth, dirt, their body is made of fire. Therefore they are so glowing, everything.
The reconciliation I have explained several times. Just like the sun globe, the sun-god and the sunshine. They are one, the light and heat. But still, sunshine is not the sun globe, and sun globe is not the sun-god. This is reconciliation. Anyone can understand. The three things, they are one by heat and light, but at the same time when the sunshine is within your room it does not mean the sun globe is within your room or the sun-god is within your room. This is the reconciliation.
So so far the activities are concerned, the same. But the difference is that God is great; we are small. That is the difference. God can create the so many planets. Just like the sun globe, it is... There are other globes also. They are bigger than sun. Anyway, the sun is very big. So God has created this big globe, means fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth—or even this earth—floating in the air. You can float a big 747 airplane also floating in the air, but you cannot make a globe like sun and floating in the air. That is the difference between you and God. The creative power is there. Because we are part and parcel, the value is there. Just like gold mine and a small particle of gold. So small particle has... It will be called gold, and it has got some value. But not as good as the gold mine. This is the difference between God and ourself.
Any question? (break) Yes. There are stages of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to time, circumstances, and people, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is understood in different measure. Actually, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that one should understand that God is great and we are minute particles of God. Just like the sun globe and the sunshine. The sunshine is the combination of brilliant molecular atoms, sunshine. Similarly, we are molecular sparks, spiritual sparks, but the quality of the molecule of the sunshine and the sun is the same—light. Similarly, we, although very minute particle of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but qualitatively we are one. Quantitatively we are different. So if one understands that we are small particles of the Supreme Lord and our business is to dovetail our consciousness with His consciousness, that is perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like effulgence of the sun-god's body is the sunshine. We can very easily understand. This is a material thing. There is sun-god. The sun-god, his name is Vivasvān. Everything is there. Imaṁ vivasvān, imaṁ vivasvān yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam. Kṛṣṇa says that "I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā to Vivasvān." Vivasvān is the name of the person who is predominating in the sun globe. So we have to know from Kṛṣṇa that sun globe is not vacant. When the king is there, the other things are also; the kingdom is also there. That is a planet with fire, just like this planet is earth predominant, and that planet is fire predominant. And there are five elements: earth, water, fire... Somewhere the water predominates, somewhere the fire predominates, somewhere... We can experience. Just like on the sea, beach we go. We are standing where the earth is predominant, but just a few yards after, the water is predominant. But on the earth there are so many living entities—birds, beasts, human being—why not in the water?
But Kṛṣṇa could talk. Kṛṣṇa can go anywhere. And when there is sun-god, then "god" means not alone. A king does not mean alone. King means he has got his kingdom, he has got his subjects, he has got minister, he has got military strength. Everything is there. So similarly, if we accept Kṛṣṇa's statement that "I spoke to sun-god," the sun-god is there in the sun globe, and he has his kingdom, so dazzling kingdom. It looks like fire, blazing. But don't think it is impersonal. Impersonal? How Kṛṣṇa could talk with him? There is no question of impersonality.
Kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama. Kṛṣṇa is just like sun. If you want that "In the sunshine or in the sun globe I shall inject darkness," it is not possible. It will be a failure. Sun is so bright that even a big darkness cannot enter. At night it is big darkness, but sun is so strong that as soon as there is glimpse of the sun, immediately whole darkness gone. You haven't got to drive the darkness by separate endeavor. Simply await for the sun rising. Immediately finish. So māyā is darkness. So if you bring Kṛṣṇa within your heart, all māyā will be finished. No more māyā. This is the process. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Sun planet is also shining. The heat and light is there. And in the sunshine there is heat and light and shining. But the temperature in the sun globe is different from this temperature. And if you have got strength, then you can see who is reigning over that sun planet. In the Vedic literature you will find his name. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). The name of the predominating deity, or the president of the sun globe, is Vivasvān. His name is also there. His address is also there. The God is there. God's name is there. God's address is there. Now if you have got power to go there, you can go. Just like Indira Gandhi or the President's name is there, address is there, but if you are fit to see him or her, that depends on you. Not that because you cannot see the President or Indira Gandhi, she is nirākāra. This is foolishness. This is foolishness. Why God should be nirākāra?
Just like the sun globe. The sun globe is fiery. The moon, moon planet, it is very pleasing. There is also fire, but it is surrounded by cold atmosphere; therefore it is very pleasing. So vibhūti-bhinnam. Each every planet has got different atmosphere. And each and every planet, there are different kinds of living entities just suitable for that atmosphere. Don't think that in the sun planet there is no life. There is also life. If there is no life, how Kṛṣṇa says that imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1)? Vivasvate means... The king of sun planet is known as Vivasvān. So Kṛṣṇa spoke with him, so how you can say there is no life? This is material world, many millions of universes. In another place it is said, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-bilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48).
Just like the sun. Sun is localized. You can see every day. Sun globe is located at a certain place in the outer space, but the sunshine is all-pervading. Sun is present everywhere by his all-pervasive sunshine. Similarly, Viṣṇu, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is in His abode which is called Viṣṇuloka, or the kingdom of God, or Kṛṣṇaloka, whatever you may understand. He has got His particular abode. But at the same time, by His different energies, He is all-pervading.
Yasya prabhā, that spiritual world is full of effulgence. Just like we have got example: the sun planet, sun globe, there is no darkness. There is always light. On account of presence of the sun, we are getting so much light and heat; just imagine what is the position in the sun globe, sun planet. It is always light. This is the example. Similarly, in the spiritual world, it is only light. Not only this light, but the light of knowledge. Therefore śāstra says, tamasi mā: "Don't remain in the darkness." Jyotir gama: "Come into the light."
And if we simply understand that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam... (SB 1.3.28). Without going into the details, if we accept simply this fact, that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, and everything is the exhibition of His different energies," vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19), if you simply understand, even if blindly, that everything, whatever we see, that is exhibition of Kṛṣṇa's energy... Just like in this material world the practical example is, whatever we see, the trees and the plants and buildings, the chemicals, the... Everything is generating from the sunlight, energy of the sun globe.
In the Bhagavad-gītā this is explained from the very beginning. It is said there, avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. That thing is immortal which is spread all over your body. That thing which is spread all over your body, that is consciousness. If you pinch any part of your body, you'll be conscious that there is some pain. Therefore the Bhagavad-gītā is aiming at this consciousness. And what is this consciousness? This consciousness is the illumination of the soul. Just like the sunshine is the illumination, light, of the sun globe. The sun globe is situated in one of the corners of this universe, but its illumination is distributed all over the universe. Similarly you, as spark of the Supreme soul... The dimension is also mentioned.
Just like this light is there. Light is in one localized place. Then another... These examples are very easy to be understood, that the sun... Sun globe you see in the morning. It is there, but the heat and light is expanded, two energies. With the sunshine, with the sunlight, we get light, sunshine, and at night we are shivering in cold, and there is heat—no more shivering. So two things are emanating from the sun, two energies: heat and light.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
And the sun globe, that is also light. And the sun-god, that is also light. But this light, sunshine light, or sunshine temperature, is not as good as the temperature in the sun globe. Similarly, if you make progress...
To reach impersonal feature of the sun or the sunshine is not approaching the sun. It is approaching and not approaching. It is approaching in the sense that directly in touch with his energy, but still, the sun globe and the sun-god is far away. Similarly, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). To approach the impersonal feature of Brahman is not sufficient. We have to approach Kṛṣṇa. So the Rādhārāṇī, the personal,... His energy's also personal. So mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). If we take shelter of His external energy, where forgetfulness, Kṛṣṇa, is very prominent, then we become far and far away from Kṛṣṇa. But if we take shelter of the internal energy of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī, because She's directly serving Kṛṣṇa... Just like in Vṛndāvana, they always speak of Rādhārāṇī because they have taken shelter of Rādhārāṇī to approach Kṛṣṇa very easily.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Just like the sunshine. Sunshine and the sun globe or the sun-god—they are of the same quality, heat and light. But the sunshine is not the sun globe, neither the sun globe is the sun-god. It is this; therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda, inconceivable one and different simultaneously.
Just like the sun and the sunshine. So in the sun globe there is heat and light, and the sunshine, there is heat and light. So, so far heat and light is concerned, they are one. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency, ānanda-cinmaya, ahlādinī... It is already described, rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmāt.
So there is no quarrel between the impersonalists or personalists or the Paramātmā-ists. There is no question of quarreling. The example is present daily in our daily experience. Just like the sunlight, sun, sun globe, and the sun-god. Within the sun globe, there is sun-god. So which one is the chief? That we have to consider. The sun-god or the sun globe or the sunshine? Everything is light. Sunshine is also light, sun globe also light, and the original source of this light, the sun-god, is also light. So sunshine is impersonal, sun globe is localized, and the sun-god is personal. If you be satisfied that "I am in the sunshine," be satisfied.
So there are three kinds of energies. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has got unlimited energies, just like in the sun there is unlimited energy. You can imagine if so much energy is possible in a material thing which is created by God, or Kṛṣṇa, how much energy Kṛṣṇa has got. That can be easily... (break) ...partial energy is there in the sun globe. For millions and trillions of years the waves of heat and light emanating from the sun, and still, it is as good as before. Similarly, we can understand from this example that the Supreme Personality has got unlimited energy. The example is given also, just like fire.
There is another śakti, avidyā, avidyā-śakti. That avidyā-śakti is for these living entities, not for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is never covered by avidyā. Just like I... (break) ...the cloud has covered your eyes. You say, "The cloud has covered the sun." That is nonsense. Sun is very, very, very, very big. What is the cloud? Maybe hundred miles' spread. But the sun globe is fourteen lakhs... (break) ...that correct? So how the cloud, hundred miles' spreading cloud, can cover the sun? It is foolishness that "God is covered by māyā." No. God is never covered by māyā. But God's particles, they are covered by māyā.
So this expansion of energy, that is impersonal. But Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. These foolish people, they do not understand Him. We see daily that the sunshine is so expansive, all over the universe, but it is..., the source of sunshine is the sun globe. That we see. So which is important? The sunshine or the sun globe? That we can see practically. And which is important, the sun globe or the sun-god? We can see every day. So similarly, God the person is important. God person is important. God... Just like the sun-god is important, and because he has his place, residential quarter, in the sun globe—the next important. And because his effulgence is distributed all over the universe, next important. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śakti.
So this whole cosmic manifestation is nothing but expansion of the potency or energy of Kṛṣṇa. This is the conclusion. This expansion of the energy, that is impersonal. Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal: the original source, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā. The sunshine is coming from the sun globe, but the sun globe is more important than the sunshine. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's personality is more important than His impersonal feature, expansion of His energy. In this way, if we understand, then it is very easy, what is the difference between impersonal and personal understanding of the Absolute Truth.
We were discussing this verse last Sunday night. So the example is given: just like fire is localized in a place but the heat and light is expanded. The vivid example we can see, the sun. The sun globe is situated in one place—every one of us, we can see—and the heat and light is distributed throughout the whole universe. According to our Vedic conception, the sun is moving round, not the sun is the center. It is in the center of the universe, but it is going round. Kala-cakra.
So His potency... So His potency must be also spiritual. Just like the sun globe is reservoir of heat and light. Everyone will know. So His potency... The sun globe potency, sunshine, is also heat and light. It is not different from the sun. Śakti means potency. Śakti śaktimat abheda.
Just like knowledge of the sun planet, knowledge of the sun god and knowledge of the sunshine, they... Knowledge is the same—heat and light—but the heat and light which you receive from sunshine is different from the heat and light from the sun globe, and the heat and light in the sun globe is different from the sun-god. But heat and light is there, either you realize Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. So a devotee means he is concerned with Bhagavān. That's all. So devotee is also mahātmā; those who are jñānīs, after Brahman, they are also mahātmā; and the yogis, they are also mahātmā; but one who has understood Kṛṣṇa perfectly and surrendered to Him-vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19)—that mahātmā is very rare to be found.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
So these planets are covered by the brahmajyoti effulgence. So here it is prayed that hiraṇmayena pātreṇa satyasya apihitam. Apihitam means covered. Just like you cannot see the sun globe on account of this dazzling sunshine, similarly, the Kṛṣṇa planet, here you have the picture. From the Kṛṣṇa planet the effulgence is coming out. So one has to penetrate this effulgence. That is being prayed here. Hiraṇmayena pātreṇa satyasya. The real Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, His planet is covered by the Brahman effulgence. So the devotee is praying, "Kindly move it. Wind it so that I can see You really.
Festival Lectures
Actually, it is not marble. Or from spiritual vision, everything being Kṛṣṇa, so Kṛṣṇa can accept your service even through the marble, even through the water, even through the fire. Why not? Energy. Just like if you come to the sunshine, energy of sun, you immediately touch the sun globe. Is it not? Because the beams are coming from the sun globe so as soon as you touch the sunshine, sunbeam, you touch the sun immediately. And there are yogis who can reach the sun planet through the beams of sun. Because the spirit soul is very, very small. Smaller than the atom. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). And the spirit soul can go everywhere. And it is, the speed of spirit soul is greater than the mind.
Initiation Lectures
This is a verse from Viṣṇu Purāṇa. It is stated there that viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā, "The energy of the Supreme Lord is spiritual." Energy and the energetic, they are nondifferent. Just like the sunshine is the energy of the sun globe, but the quality of sunshine and the sun globe is the same. It is not different. The sunshine is bright, illuminating, hot. Similarly, we can understand the sun globe, the temperature may be very high, but the quality is the same.
They say God and the living entities are one. So this acintya-bhedābheda philosophy adjusts that "God and the living creatures, they are simultaneously one and different." They are one in quality, just like the energy and the energetic, the sun globe and the sunshine. In quality, in sunshine there is heat, there is illumination, light. In the sun globe also, there is heat, there is illumination. But the degrees are quite different. You can bear the heat and illumination of the sunshine, but you cannot go to the sun globe or you can bear the heat and temperature there.
They are one in quality, just like the energy and the energetic, the sun globe and the sunshine. In quality, in sunshine there is heat, there is illumination, light. In the sun globe also, there is heat, there is illumination. But the degrees are quite different. You can bear the heat and illumination of the sunshine, but you cannot go to the sun globe or you can bear the heat and temperature there. The scientist says that so many millions miles away, if somebody goes or some planet goes near the sun globe, it will immediately burn into ashes.
General Lectures
And in the Bhagavad-gītā also Kṛṣṇa explains Himself, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everyone." Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate: "Everything emanates from Me, all the energies." Just like from the sun globe the energies are coming out incessantly just like flows of water, and everything is being created in this material world through the sunshine, similarly, the shining principle which is emanating from Kṛṣṇa, which is known as brahmajyoti, is the origin of everything. So kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).
Now this simultaneously one and different, just take the same example, land. Somebody says, "Oh, I saw that portion is water." And somebody says, "No. I saw that some portion is land." So simultaneously one and different. Simultaneously one and different. Our position is... Because we are spirit soul and Kṛṣṇa, God, is spirit... He is whole spirit and I am particle of that spirit. Just like sun, the sun globe, and the sunshine, molecules of shining particles, they are also sunlight. The combination of those atomic particles of sunshine giving us the sunshine rays. So we are also shining just like the particles of the sun globe, but we are not equal to the complete sun. The glowing particles, molecules of the sunshine, is not equal in quantity with the sun globe, but in quality it is the same. Similarly, we living entities, we are minute particles of that supreme spirit soul, Kṛṣṇa or God.
Similarly, māyā cannot cover the supreme whole. Māyā can cover the small particles of Brahman. The theory, the Māyāvāda theory that "I am now covered by māyā. As soon as I am uncovered I become one with the whole..." We are one with the whole in the same way. Just like the sunshine and the sun globe, there is no difference in quality.
I am also Brahman. Because I am part and parcel of Brahman, therefore I am also Brahman. Just like part and parcel, a little particle of gold is also gold. It is no other thing. Similarly, we are also particle of Brahman or the Supreme. Just like the molecules of sunshine, they are also as illuminating as the sun globe, but they are very small. Similarly, we living entities, we are also the same as God. But He is just like as big as the sun globe or the deity in the sun globe, but we are small particles, the molecules of sunshine. This is the comparison between the Supreme and us. We cannot become the Supreme. At least, we don't find in authorized Vedic literature that a living entity can become as powerful as God.
Just like sun planet, there is sunshine. The sunshine is impersonal, but if you have got power to enter into the sun globe, then you will find there, there are so many persons, they have got fiery body. It is not a fact in other planets there is no life. That is a nonsense. Every planet there is life, but they have got different situation, different atmosphere. The moon planet is very cold. Even the modern scientists, they agree that the temperature in the moon planet is below two hundred degree zero. So it is very cold. Similarly, sun planet is very hot. Similarly, there are other planets which is made of air, some planets made of water. These five elements, earth, water, air, ether, this is the, these are the ingredients of material world.
So the whole process is how to get out of this darkness. How to get out of this darkness. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). The world of light is the kingdom of God, or Kṛṣṇaloka. Everything. Because just like you find day. What is this day? Day means a planet which is called sun globe appears. That is day. That means when your, this planet, world planet, turns and comes in front of the sun, it is day. Actually, it is darkness, but when we come in front of light, it is day. So there, in the spiritual planet, all planets are illuminating.
Just like the sunshine, wherefrom it has come? From the sun planet. Everyone knows it. Although you cannot go there, it is far, far beyond your reach, but you can understand that the sunshine is coming from the sun globe. There is no doubt about it. Similarly this vibration, this shining, is coming from Kṛṣṇa, Goloka. Golokera prema-dhana. And prema-dhana means this chanting is in love with Kṛṣṇa. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāy. "I've no attachment for this." Why should one be attached to this? That is explained in the next line: viṣaya-viṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale. Hiyā means heart. Our heart is always burning. Why? In touch with this material sense gratificatory process.
Therefore he is the king of all planets. These are described in Brahma-saṁhitā. Aśeṣa-tejaḥ, unlimited potencies or unlimited heat. There is no limit how much heat is there in the sun globe. So that sun also rotating. Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakro. That sun is also rotating under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. The sun is rotating; it has got its orbit. It is rotating sixteen thousand miles per second. It is rotating. That you cannot deny. These are facts described. So somebody has arranged how the sun is rotating.
This material world means creation of the energy of the sunshine. Every one of you—you are all scientific students—you know that all these planets, they are rotating on account of heat and light of the sun. And similarly, the whole creation, material and spiritual creation, they are manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Lord. Just like the sunshine is the energy of the sun globe, similarly, there is a supreme planet which is called Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka. These things are mentioned in the Vedic literature, Brahma-sūtra, Brahma-saṁhitā. If you want, you can read them. There is immense literature for this information. So we are praying to the energy of the Supreme Lord and the Supreme Lord, "Please pick me up. Please pick me up. I am in this transcend..., the bodily concept of life. I am in this material existence. I am suffering.
Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, He has got rays from His body. Just like you see the sunshine. The sunshine is the rays of the body of the sun-god. That you are seeing every day. You can see only the sun globe. But if you have got power, as you are trying to go to the moon planet, similarly, if some day if you get such scientific power and you can go through the sun planet, then you can see there sun-god. It is not imagination; it is a fact. Just like in every planet there is a predominating man. Take for example in this planet, the president of United States is to be a predominating personality. Similarly, in every planet there is a predominating personality, and the predominating personality in the sun globe is called Vivasvān.
As soon as there is no sunshine, there is no leaves, no greenness. So everything is depending on sunshine. The sunshine is also depending on Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of all causes. That is Kṛṣṇa realization. You can realize Him personally, you can realize Him impersonally, and you can realize Him localized. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "Arjuna, that Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated, localized, in everyone's heart." Just like the sun globe is there, and the sun globe's effulgence is the impersonal representation of the sun-god. And suppose there are five millions of people standing in the sunshine, and everyone will see the sun is above his head. That is localized. You go five thousand miles away and ask your friend here, "Where is the sun?" Your friend will say that "It is on my head." And you will also see it is on your head. As it is materially possible, why not spiritually? So spiritually, Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. Simply you have to realize it.
Why mind? It is a fact. Why do you say "mind"? Can you say that "Oh, because the sunshine has come within my room, the sun planet has come"? Everyone will say you are a fool. It is not mind. It is a fact. The sunshine is light, and the sun globe is light. So light is there, both, but still, there is difference between sunshine and the sun globe. That difference. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy everywhere. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
There is no duality. Although there is variety, but there is no duality. Here in the material world, as soon as there is variety, there is duality. But in the spiritual world, there is variety, but there is no duality. How is that? There is crude example. Many, you can try to understand. Just like this sun. You are seeing every day, sun. Now the sun means there are three divisions: the sunlight, sunshine; the sun globe; and the sun deity. Don't think in the sun planet there is no living entities. That is a wrong conception. As in this planet there are living entities, similarly, in the sun planet also, there are living entities, but their bodies are differently constructed. Just like your body is differently constructed.
Then the next question is, "What is the sun globe?" If you have got power, if you have got capacity to manufacture some machine... Just like you are trying to go to the moon planet. Similarly, if you can have some capacity to enter into the sun planet, then you study what is the sun planet. And then again, further if you study, then what are the living entities in the sun planet? And when you study the living entities in the sun planet, who is the head? Who is the chief of the living entities in the sun planet? Just like we are foreigners. We have come here.
You see? But the sun is ninety million miles or something like that away. Still, the temperature is so high. You see. And it is the estimation that so many millions of miles, if we go nearer to the sun, immediately we shall be burned into ashes, the temperature is so high. Therefore it is said, aśeṣa-tejāḥ. Aśeṣa-tejāḥ. So in this way, if you simply study this sun... There are three phases: the sunlight, or sunshine; the sun globe; and then the living entities who are in the sun planet. There are living entities. Because it is impossible to go... You cannot go even near the sunlight, sunshi..., globe. You cannot go even to the moon planet.
And in the same way, if you study the sun globe, you'll find the same quality: light, illumination, and temperature. And if you go further, if you study the living entity, you'll find the same thing: temperature and light. But there is difference still, varieties. You cannot say... When the sunlight enters within your room through the window, you cannot say, "I have got the sun now. Sun is within my room." That is nonsense. No. Sun is far, far away, but his energy has entered your room. So much you can say, but if you think that because the sunlight is within the room... Sunlight within your room? Sunlight, if it comes a few millions miles nearer this planet, it will be finished. What about your room? The temperature is so high.
So these are gradual processes, but... Just like if you actually serious about studying the sun subject matter, then you have to study the sunlight, then sun globe, then enter into sun planet and try to understand; similarly, if you want to understand the Absolute Truth, you have to make progress in that way: Brahman realization, Paramātmā realization, then personal, Bhagavān realization. The crude example: as in the sun there is a supreme person, Sūrya-nārāyaṇa, or the predominating deity in the sun globe, and then the sun globe is there, and then the sunlight is there, similarly, Absolute Truth means the, in the beginning, the Supreme Personality of Godhead—person—and then His plenary expansion. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Plenary expansion. That person is not like us. Just like I am sitting here, but I am not in my apartment. God is not like that, person.
So Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of the material energy, the spiritual energy. And by combination of this material energy and spiritual energy, the whole cosmic manifestation is there. There are two kinds of energies working. Everyone can experience. Just like in my body, I am the spirit soul, and the body is matter, material. When combined together it is working wonderfully. A man is becoming a great leader, a great scientist, a great philosopher, how? So long the spiritual spark is there. As soon as the spiritual spark is gone, the same very body is no longer a great leader, a great scientist, or great philosopher. So both these energies are products of Kṛṣṇa's body. Just like the sunshine is the energy of the sun globe, and within the sun globe there is the sun-god also.
At present, the predominating leader, or the principle deity, in the sun planet is called Vivasvān. So he's a person. He's a person, and his globe is the sun globe. And from the sun globe, there is sunshine. Similarly, there is a planet which is known as Goloka Vṛndāvana. In the spiritual world there are millions of planets there. As we have got millions of planets here in this material world, millions of universes, similarly, the spiritual world there are millions of planets, globes, which are called Vaikuṇṭhalokas. And the topmost of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas is called Goloka Vṛndāvana or Kṛṣṇaloka. That is the original abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And from that globe, there is effulgence, which is bodily effulgence of Kṛṣṇa. We get this information from Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagadāṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Yasya prabhā. The brahmajyoti is the bodily effulgence of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Exactly the sunshine is the bodily effulgence of Vivasvān, it is being emanating, it is emanating from the sun globe, similarly, the brahmajyoti is emanating from Kṛṣṇaloka.
And the predominating deity, or the person, in the sun globe is called Vivasvān. So Vivasvān, his son is Manu. Manu means the father of the mankind. Manuṣya. The Sanskrit word, the man, called manuṣya. That means "of Manu." Man or manuṣya, these words have come from Manu. This Manu happened to be the son of Vivasvān. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. Vivasvān manave prāhur manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt.
And if you make further progress, then we can see... The same example. We are seeing the Himalayan Mountain from a distant place but if we make further advance, further, nearer, we see different thing. And when actually in the Himalayan Mountain, the thing is altogether different. Similarly, when you understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead from distance... Just like you cannot understand the sun globe from here. Although sunshine is light, sun globe is light, still we cannot understand what is sun globe from distant place.
The God is just like sun, kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama, and the sunshine, light, is the brahmajyoti. Impersonal brahmajyoti is just like the sunshine, and Paramātmā is just like the sun globe. To understand the Absolute Truth we have to make progress from impersonal Brahman to localized Paramātmā and then, from Paramātmā, to this Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
There are so many living entities, and they are all part and parcel of God. Just like the sunshine and sun globe and the sun-god. The sun-god is within the sun globe, and the inhabitants of the sun globe, they are all very glowing, luminous. On account of their bodily glowing, the whole sun planet is glowing. On account of the sun planet glowing, the sunshine, which is reaching us from 93,000,000's of miles—we feel the heat and the light. This is an ordinary material thing. So just imagine what is the potential of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So we cannot imagine what is the potential power, energy of the Supreme Person, just like we cannot estimate what is the temperature of the sun globe, sun-god. It is in our front. We have got aeroplanes. We can go there. But before going there we will be finished, the temperature is so high. Everyone knows it. So if the ordinary sun-god or sun globe is such high temperature, how much higher temperature is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His potency, His power. We say God is almighty, all-powerful, but we have no idea what is meant by "all-powerful." We think that all-powerful means "I am so much powerful. He may be ten times powerful than me." Or somebody says, "twenty times." "All right, let us compromise.
The Supreme Lord is śaktimān. Just like the sun and the sunshine and the Sun-god, and practically they are one. From the Sun-god there is... The abode of the Sun-god is the sun globe, and the shining of the sun globe is also sunshine. So in one sense they are one, in other sense they are different. Just like the sunshine is reaching here, it does not mean the sun globe is reaching here. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am spread." So sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, everything is Kṛṣṇa. But at the same time, if you commit mistake... The same way, "Because the sunshine is here, therefore sun is here." That is a mistake. This is viśiṣṭa-advaita. They are all one, advaya-jnana, but still they're different. Advaita-viśiṣṭa. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jnanam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Advayam means advaya, advaita, no difference, the same thing.
But viśiṣṭa. This is Brahman, this is Paramātmā, viśiṣṭa. Advaita but viśiṣṭa. A specific reference: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, they are one. But still, you cannot say Brahman is Bhagavān. The same example: the sunshine and the sun globe, they are one. Unless there is appearance of the sun globe, sun planet, you cannot have sunshine. So in that sense, they are one, but still if you take sunshine as the sun globe, that is not correct.
Yes. But still there is specific differences. That is called viśiṣṭa. One with specific difference. And the Māyāvādī philosophers, they say, "No, there is no specific difference. This is māyā." But we Vaiṣṇava, we don't say that. That sunshine is sunshine, sun globe is sun globe, and Sun-god is Sun-god. But taken together, they are all one. Diversity in unity. That is viśiṣṭa-advaitavāda. So actually, all the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Nimbārka, and Viṣṇu Svāmī, there is no difference of opinion, but they have explained the Absolute Truth more vividly in their own angle of vision. Otherwise there is no difference. They never say that God and the living being are one. They will never say that. That is not Vaiṣṇava philosophy. That is Māyāvāda philosophy. So the propounder of Māyāvāda philosophy is Śaṅkarācārya and other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, practically they are all one opinion. There is no, they differ from Śaṅkarācārya.
So Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Absolute Truth can be realized in the beginning as impersonal Brahman, which is the objective of the jñānīs, and next, Paramātmā, which is the objective of the yogis, and at last, the last word in the absolute understanding is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimate issue is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just like we understand that in the sun globe there is the Supreme Person or the sūrya-nārāyaṇa, or the chief person within the sun planet. His name is also given in the Bhagavad-gītā-Vivasvān. The Lord says in the Fourth Chapter, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "I first of all explained this science, this yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā, to Vivasvān, the sun-god." Vivasvān manave prāhur manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. And Vivasvān, the sun-god, he explained to Manu, and Manu explained to his son.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: There are eight kinds: aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti. Prāpti, now you are sitting here, now you have left something in London, you simply... (laughter). No telephone call; stretch your hand and get it. Prāpti. They can go by the beams of the sun in the sun globe. Prāpti. Then mahimā, you can become bigger than the biggest.
Prabhupāda: Yes, but spirit is, according to our philosophy, the spirit is realized in three phases, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The supreme spirit is realized in three phases. An example is given, just like you see from a distant place the mountain, you see just like a hazy cloud. You go forward, you will see something, substance, green, and if you enter it you'll see so many trees, so many animals. So you are seeing the same object but according to your understanding, somebody is saying, "Oh, it is a cloud." Somebody is saying, "It is some green (indistinct)," and somebody is saying, "No, it is very nice place." It is a question of where he is standing, to understand God. So those who are standing in distant place, for them imperson. Just like we are seeing the sunshine imperson, and the sun globe localized, and if you have got capacity to enter into the sun globe, you'll see sun god. Similarly, God is realized in three capacities, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Either impersonal Brahman, or localized Paramātmā, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But if you somehow or other approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You can not enter in Kṛṣṇa's place without being a purified bhakta. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. He never says that by jñāna or by karma or by yoga one can understand Him. It is clearly stated, in many śāstra, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) only through devotional service one can understand Kṛṣṇa. The personal abode of Kṛṣṇa is especially reserved for the bhaktas. Therefore all jñānīs, yogis, karmīs, they cannot; they remain outside, that there is the sunshine and the sun. To enter into the sun is not so easy thing, but sunshine anyone can remain. The temperature is not so hot; you can tolerate it. But although the sunshine and the sun not different, in the sunshine, sun globe, if you enter, if you have go the power to enter, the same light and same temperature... Not same, I mean to say, temperature and light. So the temperature of sunshine, light and temperature, is not the same as the temperature and light in the sun globe. (break)
Prabhupāda: Even the impersonal Brahman, that Brahman, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: everything is Brahman, unlimited. Why He should be limited? Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) everything is emanation from Him and resting in Him. That is His impersonal conception. Everywhere He is there. And personal is localized, and..., but from the person, the impersonal effulgence come out. That we understand from the Bhagavad-gītā: brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. As the big sunshine comes from the localized sun globe—the sun globe is situated in one place, but this, the rays of the sun is distributed all over the universe—similarly, impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth is that by His transcendental rays, prabhā, yasya prabhā prabhavata (Bs. 5.40), illumination.
Prabhupāda: That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "All the sky, air, fire, air, land, water, everything, that is My expansion." Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam means everything. And mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "They are staying on Me." Just like the sunshine is on the sun. As soon as sun sinks, the sun, there is no sunshine. Similarly, the sunshine appears to be very big and the sun globe appears to be small, but the whole sunshine is depending on the sun globe. Similarly, the whole exhibition of impersonal representation—earth, water, air, fire, sky, so on, they are all depending on God. There..., therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "Everything that you see, that is My expansion, and everything is resting on these elements." Therefore He says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni, nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "But personally I am not there." And standing on this vast land or in the ocean he is in God, but personally he cannot see.
| Page Title: | Sun globe (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Archana, Partha-sarathi, Rishab |
| Created: | 15 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=144, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 144 |