Category:God's Impersonal Effulgence
Theme Analysis
The philosophical essence of this category establishes the true position of the brahmajyoti, the impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Lord. The Absolute Truth is realized in three progressive stages: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. The impersonal effulgence is not the ultimate source of reality; rather, it is the dazzling light emanating directly from the transcendental body of the Supreme Person. Remaining satisfied with this first realization is a profound mistake, as it offers only a partial understanding of the Absolute Truth. As confirmed in the Īśopaniṣad, the blinding light of the brahmajyoti actually covers the beautiful face of the Lord. To achieve genuine self-realization, one must penetrate this impersonal effulgence to reach the spiritual planets (Vaikuṇṭhalokas) and associate directly with the Personality of Godhead. Furthermore, merging into the impersonal effulgence (sāyujya-mukti) is the ultimate goal of monist philosophers, but it is also the automatic destination awarded to demons killed by the Lord. Because merging into this light denies the soul the opportunity to render loving devotional service, pure devotees consider it a severe punishment and actively reject it.
- The Origin of the Light: The impersonal Brahman is not a void; it is the glowing brahmajyoti effulgence composed of the personal bodily rays of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even the light of the sun and moon originally emanates from this spiritual glow.
- An Incomplete Realization: Perceiving only the impersonal effulgence provides a partial, incomplete understanding of the Absolute Truth. True perfection is not found in merging into the light, but in seeing the transcendental form of the Lord face-to-face.
- Penetrating the Brahmajyoti: The dazzling impersonal effulgence acts as a covering over the Lord's face. Sincere spiritualists must pray to penetrate this light and travel through it to reach the spiritual planets situated within it.
- The Destination of Enemies: The Supreme Lord is so merciful that when He kills demons, their demoniac activities are destroyed, and they are allowed to merge into His impersonal effulgence—the very same destination sought by severe ascetics and Māyāvādī philosophers.
- The Devotee's Rejection: Because merging into the impersonal effulgence annihilates the opportunity for an active, loving relationship with the Lord, pure devotees view this type of liberation as a punishment and strive instead for eternal service in the Vaikuṇṭha planets.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: God's Impersonal Effulgence - The Divine Rays of the Supreme.
Pages in category "God's Impersonal Effulgence"
The following 39 pages are in this category, out of 39 total.
A
- Although the first realization of the Supreme Absolute Truth is impersonal Brahman, one should not remain satisfied with experiencing the impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Lord
- Although the impersonal effulgence, the brahma-jyotir, is the first realization, one must enter into it, as mentioned in the Isopanisad, to find the Supreme Person, and then one's knowledge is perfect
- Although the Supreme Person is the original cause of all causes, His impersonal effulgence, known as Brahman, is the immediate cause of the material manifestation
B
- Brahman realization begins from the impersonal effulgence, but by further progress of such meditation, manifestation of the Supreme Soul, Paramatma realization, takes place
- By conceiving of the Absolute in this way, one can at the utmost reach the impersonal effulgence of God, known as Brahman, but one cannot make further progress to Bhagavan, the Personality of Godhead
- By following various scriptural paths, one may come to impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The transcendental pleasure derived from merging with or understanding the impersonal Brahman is very extensive because Brahman is ananta
I
- If one is destined to remain in the Lord’s impersonal effulgence, he misses the opportunity to render service to the Personality of Godhead. Therefore devotees consider remaining in the impersonal Brahman effulgence a kind of punishment
- If we simply take one side of the Supreme Personality of Godhead - His impersonal effulgence - that one side does not fully explain the Absolute Truth
- Impersonal Brahman, being formless, is described as adrsya because the impersonal effulgence of brahmajyoti covers the face of the Supreme Lord
- Impersonalists and monists like Astavakra have tried to establish the impersonal effulgence (brahmajyoti) as the Supreme
- In Siddhaloka (Brahmaloka) there live two kinds of living entities - those who are killed by the SP of Godhead due to their having been demons in their previous lives and those who are very fond of enjoying the impersonal effulgence of the Lord
- In that impersonal effulgence there are spiritual planets, which are known as Vaikunthas, chief of which is Krsnaloka
- In this verse (of SB 2.6.27), special stress is given to the person of the Supreme Lord, and not to His impersonal brahmajyoti, as being the source of all supplies
- In this verse (SB 4.31.3) the words pare amale are significant. The realization of Brahman is explained in SB. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases - impersonal effulgence (Brahman), localized Paramatma and the SP of Godhead, Bhagavan
- It is clear that as long as a living entity is a worshiper of a particular demigod, he cannot get direct liberation, or entrance into the kingdom of God, nor can he merge into the impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
T
- The impersonal Brahman effulgence is beyond this material world, and this is called param padam. Aruhya krcchrena param padam. Merging into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord is called param padam
- The impersonalist philosophers are in one sense like the enemies of the Lord because the out-and-out enemies of the Lord and the impersonalists are both allowed to enter only into the impersonal effulgence of the brahma-jyoti
- The impersonalist tries to explain that the impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Lord (brahmajyoti) is beyond these material modes of nature, but at the same time he tries to establish that the Supreme PG is contaminated by the modes of material nature
- The impersonalists sacrifice their individuality so that the living spark can merge into the impersonal effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of the Lord, but the devotee has a specific abode
- The jnanis, the salvationists, who have become frustrated in enjoying the material resources, want to become one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or merge into the impersonal effulgence
- The light of the sun and the moon is also originally emanating from the brahmajyoti, which is the impersonal effulgence of the Lord. BG 1972 purports
- The Mayavadi philosophers recommend merging in the impersonal effulgence of Brahman; that is their ultimate goal, or destination. That merging is also mentioned here. But in spite of merging, one can keep his individuality
- The monist philosopher, after executing severe austerity, merges into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord, but the living entity always wants reciprocation in loving affairs
- The object of the impersonalist is the brahma-jyoti, the impersonal effulgence of the Supreme, but Krsna is the source of that effulgence. Therefore Krsna is everything (brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate) - SB 1.2.11
- The only difference is that a devotee goes directly to the spiritual planets & becomes an associate of the Supreme Lord, whereas demons are promoted to brahmaloka, the impersonal effulgence of the God. Both of them, however, are transcendentally promoted
- The original primeval cause is vigraha, the personal, and the impersonal spiritual effulgence, brahmajyoti, is also an effect of the Supreme Brahman (brahmano hi pratisthaham (BG 14.27)), Lord Krsna
- The path of religion entails making progress on the path of spiritual advancement, ultimately reviving the eternal relation with Lord Visnu in His impersonal effulgence, His localized Paramatma feature, and ultimately His personal feature
- The personified Vedas continued, "Your (the Lord's) enemies also concentrate upon You, thinking always of how to kill You, and yogis undertake great penances and austerities just to attain Your impersonal effulgence"
- The supreme feature of the Absolute Truth is personal - the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The impersonal Brahman is His effulgence, like the light diffused by a powerful fire
- The Supreme Transcendence, the summum bonum, eternally and simultaneously exists in four transcendental features: His personality, His impersonal effulgence, particles of His potency (the living beings), and the principal cause of all causes
- The third feature of the Absolute Truth is Brahman, the all-pervading impersonal effulgence of the Absolute
- The Vaikunthalokas are variegated spiritual planets situated in the Lord’s impersonal bodily effulgence, known as the brahmajyoti
- The word yat (of CC Adi 1.53) refers to Brahman, the impersonal effulgence of the Lord
- This experience (of Brahman realization) is called advaita-vada, or realization of the oneness of the Absolute. The impersonal glowing effulgence of Brahman consists only of the personal bodily rays of the Supreme Godhead, Sri Krsna
- Those who are fond of mental speculation or want to meditate in mystic yoga to find the Absolute Truth must approach the impersonal effulgence of the Lord & His partial representation respectively. Such persons cannot realize the eternal form of the Lord