Category:God's Aspects
Theme Analysis
The philosophical essence of this category focuses on the realization of the Absolute Truth in three distinct but non-different aspects: Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the complete whole, possessing the aspects of eternity (sandhinī), knowledge (saṁvit), and bliss (hlādinī). Those who approach the Lord through philosophical speculation realize His all-pervading, impersonal brahmajyoti aspect, which only covers the feature of eternity. Mystic yogīs who meditate within the heart realize His localized aspect as the Paramātmā, which encompasses eternity and knowledge. However, the ultimate, supreme aspect is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the complete manifestation of sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (eternity, knowledge, and bliss). Just as the sun can be understood through its sunshine, the sun globe, and the sun-god, God's aspects represent different angles of vision of the same nondual truth. Ultimately, the aspect of God one perceives depends on their consciousness: envious demons see His ghastly aspect as death, while pure devotees see His most auspicious, beautiful personal form.
- The Threefold Realization: The Absolute Truth is one nondual truth but is recognized by the tattvavits (knowers of truth) in three aspects: the impersonal Brahman effulgence, the localized Paramātmā, and the Supreme Person, Bhagavān.
- The Sun Analogy: To understand these three aspects, the Vedic literatures give the perfect analogy of the sun: the sunshine (Brahman), the localized sun globe (Paramātmā), and the person of the sun-god within (Bhagavān).
- Eternity, Knowledge, and Bliss: The Lord's complete form is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. His aspect of eternal existence is sandhinī, His aspect of cognizance or knowledge is saṁvit, and His ultimate aspect of spiritual bliss is hlādinī.
- The Hierarchy of Aspects: The impersonal Brahman aspect is not the highest. Above the impersonal feature is the localized Paramātmā feature, and above that is the supreme personal feature of Bhagavān.
- Perception Based on Mentality: The Lord reveals different aspects of Himself depending on the observer. Those who challenge God will ultimately see Him in His ghastly aspect of death, while devotees realize His auspicious, personal form.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: God's Aspects - The Three Phases of the Absolute Truth.
Subcategories
This category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total.
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I
K
Pages in category "God's Aspects"
The following 23 pages are in this category, out of 23 total.
A
- After surpassing the impersonal brahmajyoti and seeing the personal aspect of the Lord and His most auspicious eternal form, the devotee realizes the Absolute Truth in full
- Another aspect of the Lord's instructions is that one who accepts a wife must be a faithful husband and give her full protection
- Another aspect of the teachings of Lord Ramacandra is that although Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His devotees may apparently suffer from material tribulations, they have nothing to do with such tribulations
- As described in the previous mantras, the real or ultimate aspect of the Absolute is His feature as the Personality of Godhead, and His impersonal brahmajyoti feature is a dazzling covering over His face
H
T
- The Absolute Truth may be realized in three phases, but is one nondual truth. Brahman (the glowing effulgence), localized Supersoul, and Bhagavan - the Supreme Person - are three features or aspects of God
- The impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth is not the highest. Above the impersonal feature is the Paramatma feature, and above this is the personal feature of the Absolute Truth, or Bhagavan
- The knowledge of the self and Supreme Self is very confidential and mysterious, but such knowledge and specific realization can be understood if explained with their various aspects by the Lord Himself
- The Lord has different names, and these names indicate different functions. The aspect of the Supreme Lord as the creator is different from the aspect of the Lord as Narayana. Some of the names of the Lord as the creator are conceived by materialistic men
- The S. P. of Godhead is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. Realization of impersonal Brahman is realization of His sat feature, or His aspect of eternity, and Paramatma realization is realization of His sat and cit features, His aspects of eternity and knowledge
- The Supersoul - the localized aspect of Visnu, which is the object of meditation for the mystics - is a plenary portion of Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead
- The tattvavit says that the Supreme Absolute Truth is recognized in three aspects: impersonal Brahman, and Paramatma, the localized Supersoul, and Bhagavan. Bhagavan means the Personality of Godhead. So they are three angles of vision
- Those who are interested in practicing mystic yoga can attain the localized aspect of Paramatma
- Those who are trying to realize the Absolute Truth are categorized according to the aspect of the Absolute Truth upon which they concentrate. Those who concentrate on Brahman, the impersonalists, are called brahmavadis
- Those who challenge God will see Him in His ghastly aspect, but those who are devoted to Him will see Him in His personal form. In any case, everyone will ultimately see God