Supreme Absolute Truth is a person

Expressions researched:
"Absolute Supreme Truth is a person" |"Supreme Absolute Truth is a person" |"Supreme Absolute Truth is person" |"Supreme Absolute Truth is personal" |"Supreme Absolute Truth is the person"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

There is a common controversy over whether the Supreme Absolute Truth is personal or impersonal. As far as Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, the Absolute Truth is the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

BG 7.7, Translation and Purport:

O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.

There is a common controversy over whether the Supreme Absolute Truth is personal or impersonal. As far as Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, the Absolute Truth is the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and this is confirmed in every step. In this verse, in particular, it is stressed that the Absolute Truth is a person. That the Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Absolute Truth is also the affirmation of the Brahma-saṁhitā: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ; that is, the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead is Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the primeval Lord, the reservoir of all pleasure, Govinda, and the eternal form of complete bliss and knowledge. These authorities leave no doubt that the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person, the cause of all causes.

The Supreme Absolute Truth is a person, His name is Kṛṣṇa, and He sometimes descends on this earth.

BG 11.54, Purport:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa, who has a body of eternity, knowledge and bliss. He has no beginning, for He is the beginning of everything. He is the cause of all causes."

Elsewhere it is said, yatrāvatīrṇaṁ kṛṣṇākhyaṁ paraṁ brahma narākṛti: "The Supreme Absolute Truth is a person, His name is Kṛṣṇa, and He sometimes descends on this earth." Similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we find a description of all kinds of incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and in this list the name of Kṛṣṇa also appears. But then it is said that this Kṛṣṇa is not an incarnation of God but is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself

CC Madhya-lila

The Supreme Absolute Truth is a person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with all opulences.

CC Madhya 6.140, Translation and Purport:

“Actually, the Supreme Absolute Truth is a person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with all opulences. You are trying to explain Him as impersonal and formless.

Brahman means bṛhattva, the greatest of all. The greatest of all is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He possesses all potencies and opulence in full; therefore the Absolute Truth, the greatest of all, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whether one says "Brahman" or "the Supreme Personality of Godhead," the fact is the same, for they are identical. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). Although the living entities or material nature are sometimes described as Brahman, Parabrahman—the Supreme, the greatest of all Brahmans—is still Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

There are many Vedic hymns which definitely establish that the Supreme Absolute Truth is a person who is not of this material world.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 24:

Kṛṣṇa has no material eyes, but He does have spiritual eyes by which He can see everything and anything. Although He has no material ears, He can hear everything and anything. Having perfect senses, He knows past, future and present. Indeed, He knows everything, but no one can understand Him, for by material senses He cannot be understood. Being the origin of all emanations, He is the supreme, the greatest, the Personality of Godhead.

There are many similar Vedic hymns which definitely establish that the Supreme Absolute Truth is a person who is not of this material world. For instance, in the Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra it is explained that although in each and every Upaniṣad the Supreme Brahman is first viewed as impersonal, at the end the personal form of the Supreme Lord is accepted.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

After speculating in the impersonal philosophical way, when one is mature, when he's actually wise,... So long he cannot understand that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

To understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it requires enough pious activities. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After speculating in the impersonal philosophical way, when one is mature, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān, when he's actually wise,... So long he cannot understand that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha... (Bs. 5.1). brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Bhagavān. That... vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). This is statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata: "Those who know the Absolute Truth, they know that Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, they are one.

Originally the Absolute Supreme Truth is a person. If you want proof from Vedas, there is proof. Bhagavad-gītā is proof.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

We get information from Brahma-saṁhitā, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Just like the sun-god is diffusing the effulgence of his bodily light in this universe, in one universe. Similarly the original person, He is diffusing that light. So those who are less intelligent, they simply can see that light; therefore they say light. But in the Vedic literature there is information that you have to search out the Supreme Person penetrating the light. In the Īśopaniṣad it says, "My dear Lord, please wind up this effulgent light so that I can see Your face actually." That is stated in the Vedic literature. So originally the Absolute Supreme Truth is a person. If you want proof from Vedas, there is proof. Bhagavad-gītā is proof.

The Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. They have written so many nice commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā, Brahma-sūtra, establishing that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

Śaṅkarācārya, who is impersonalist, he has also accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. He has written in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā: nārāyaṇaḥ avyakta, avyaktāt, para avyaktāt. Nārāyaṇaḥ para avyaktāt. "Nārāyaṇa is not a creation of this material world. He's transcendental." He has accepted. And what to speak of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, all. They have written so many nice commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā, Brahma-sūtra, establishing that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is speaking as person. And He is warning the rascals: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "Because I am speaking as a human being, the rascals, they deride." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. They do not know what is My influence, what is My power."

So this Personality of Godhead... It is a fact. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The last word is Bhagavān. From Bhagavān, the expansion is Paramātmā, localized aspect. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). That is expansion. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). That is one of the plenary portions. Viṣṭabhya aham. He enters within this universe, and therefore the universe becomes manifest. Just like I am soul, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13), I enter into this body. You enter into your body. Therefore the body expands. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead enters as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu within each and every universe. Then it becomes manifest. So there is no question of impersonal. The original source is person.

The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, Supersoul, and ultimately, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, Bhagavān, or the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, and secondarily, He is all-pervading Supersoul, and the brahmajyoti effulgence.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, Supersoul, and ultimately, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, Bhagavān, or the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, and secondarily, He is all-pervading Supersoul, and the brahmajyoti effulgence.

So here it is said, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the proprietor of everything and all-powerful, all... He has got all the... All-famous. Nobody can be more famous than God. And all-beautiful, and full of knowledge, and full of renunciation. Full of opulence, at the same time, full of renunciation. Here in the material world you'll find if a rich man has got great opulence, he is not liking to give it up. He's not liking. He does not like to renounce. But in the Supreme Personality of Godhead you'll find full of all opulence, but at the same time, full of renunciation. The six qualifications: proprietor of all opulence, all-famous, all strength, all beauty, all knowledge, and all renunciation. Anywhere you find all these six qualifications in full, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Those who are on the highest planet, on the supreme platform of understanding, tattvataḥ, they realize that the Supreme Absolute Truth is the person, exactly a person like us.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

One who is trying to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth by dint of his sensual knowledge, by , I mean to say, exercising different knowledge, neti neti, they can approach up to the impersonal Brahman. And those who are yogis, those who are trying to find out the Absolute Truth within this body, they can realize up to Paramātmā. Brahmeti paramātmeti. And those who are on the highest planet, on the supreme platform of understanding, tattvataḥ, they realize that the Supreme Absolute Truth is the person, exactly a person like us.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

The Supreme Absolute Truth is person. He's not imperson.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.118-121 -- San Francisco, February 24, 1967:

Lord Caitanya, from different quotations of Vedas, He establishes that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person. He's not imperson. And so far Śaṅkarācārya is concerned, he was ordered to preach Māyāvāda philosophy by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the time being. It is not that this is the only process for realizing the Absolute Truth.

General Lectures

Controller must be a person. He must have brain, He must have desire, He must have capacity to give orders. So many things. So therefore the Vedic information is the Supreme Absolute Truth is a person. He's not impersonal.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

God controls everyone or everything, but He is not controlled by anyone. That is God. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

And He has got form; He's a person. He's not imperson. Because as soon as you speak of controller, it cannot be impersonal. Controller must be a person. He must have brain, He must have desire, He must have capacity to give orders. So many things. So therefore the Vedic information is the Supreme Absolute Truth is a person. He's not impersonal.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

The impersonal feature is one of the features of that person, but ultimately he is person. So without person there cannot be any question of love.

Interview -- September 24, 1968, Seattle:

The Hindu religion, Vedic religion, is divided into two kinds of philosophers. One kinds of philosopher is the impersonalist. They take the Absolute Truth as impersonal, all-pervading impersonal. And the another philosophers, they take that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person. The impersonal feature is one of the features of that person, but ultimately he is person. So without person there cannot be any question of love.

1970 Correspondence

We are printing books like our KRSNA book so that people may know it that the supreme absolute truth is a person.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 24 November, 1970:

We are fighting impersonalism and voidism with pure devotional service. Impersonalism and voidism kills the natural aptitude of devotion which is lying dormant in everyone's heart. Therefore we are printing books like our KRSNA book so that people may know it that the supreme absolute truth is a person. The perfection of every living creature is to render transcendental loving service to that Supreme Person and thereby go back home, back to Godhead.