Category:God Is The Impersonal Brahman
Theme Analysis
The philosophical essence of this category establishes that the impersonal Brahman (or brahma-jyotir) is not the ultimate Absolute Truth, but rather the glowing effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently references the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.11) to explain that the Absolute Truth is realized in three progressive phases: the impersonal Brahman, the localized Paramātmā, and ultimately the Supreme Person, Bhagavān. Because the impersonal Brahman is a subordinate, partial feature of the Lord, merging into it (sāyujya-mukti) is considered an incomplete and inferior realization. The full, perfect understanding of the Absolute Truth is achieved only when one transcends the dazzling, impersonal effulgence and directly engages in the loving devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- The Three Phases of Realization: The Absolute Truth is one, but according to the capacity of the seeker, He is realized in three stages: as the all-pervading impersonal Brahman by jñānīs, as the localized Paramātmā by yogīs, and as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by bhaktas.
- The Source of Brahman: The impersonal Brahman is not the origin; it is the bodily rays or effulgence of Kṛṣṇa, just as sunshine is the localized effulgence of the sun globe. Therefore, Bhagavān is the source of Brahman.
- An Incomplete Realization: Meditating upon or merging into the impersonal Brahman is an imperfect, vague realization of the Absolute Truth. Because it lacks spiritual variegatedness and bliss (ānanda), the soul often falls back into material existence.
- The Superiority of Devotional Service: The transcendental pleasure of serving the Supreme Person far outweighs the static peace of merging into the Brahman effulgence. A pure devotee naturally bypasses the impersonal conception to relish a direct, loving relationship with the Lord.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: God Is The Impersonal Brahman - The Radiant Effulgence of the Supreme Lord.
Subcategories
This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total.
G
Pages in category "God Is The Impersonal Brahman"
The following 58 pages are in this category, out of 58 total.
A
- According to one's capacity for understanding, the Absolute Truth is revealed either as the impersonal Brahman, as the localized Paramatma, or ultimately as Bhagavan
- Although impersonal Brahman, Paramatma Brahman and Brahman as the Supreme Person are all on the same transcendental platform, the personal feature of the Supreme Brahman is the ultimate goal and last word in transcendence
- An impersonalist may be aware of the impersonal Brahman feature of the Absolute Truth, but his activities are on the impersonal platform
- Arjuna inquired: Which is considered to be more perfect: those who are properly engaged in Your devotional service, or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested? BG 12.1 - 1972
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita (7.19), vasudevah sarvam iti: Vasudeva extends everywhere as the impersonal Brahman
H
- He (the Lord) gives shelter to the impersonalists in His impersonal Brahman effulgence, whereas He gives shelter to the devotees in His personal abodes known as the Vaikunthalokas
- He (the Lord) is not only worshipable as the impersonal Brahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the localized Paramatma, but as the form of the incarnation of the Vedas as well. BG 1972 purports
I
- I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has no material qualities but who accepts the three qualities goodness, passion and ignorance within this material world. I also offer my respectful obeisances unto the impersonal Brahman effulgence
- I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is endowed with great power. The glowing effulgence of His transcendental form is the impersonal Brahman, which is absolute, complete and unlimited - BS 5.40
- If one sees or understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the other two features of the Absolute Truth - namely impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma - are also automatically understood
- Imperfect realization of the Absolute by the partial approach of the impersonal Brahman or localized Paramatma does not permit anyone to enter into the kingdom of God
- Impersonal Brahman is a subordinate feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and since impersonal Brahman worshipers desire to merge into the Brahman effulgence, they cannot be considered followers of bhagavad-dharma
- In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is understood in three phases of realization: the impersonal Brahman, the localized Paramatma and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- In Srimad-Bhagavatam the Absolute Truth is described as the one without a second, but He is realized in three features - impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma and the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- In the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the absolute truth is one, and He is manifested as impersonal Brahman, Paramatma (supersoul), and Bhagavan (the Supreme Personality of Godhead). Here is a spiritual distinction
- It is not very difficult to merge into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord, Brahman, if one has satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- It is said that the Absolute Truth appears in three features - namely, impersonal Brahman, localized Supersoul and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna
M
- Mukti means liberation and merging into the impersonal Brahman effulgence. Bhakti means rendering transcendental service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- My dear Lord, in Your impersonal manifestation of Brahman there are always two opposing elements - knowledge and ignorance
- My dear Lord, the impersonal Brahman spreads everywhere, like the sunshine or the sky. And that impersonal Brahman, which spreads throughout the universe and in which the entire universe is manifested, is You
O
- O most auspicious lord, you have ordained the heavenly planets, the spiritual Vaikuntha planets and the impersonal Brahman sphere as the respective destinations of the performers of auspicious activities
- One cannot understand the six transcendental opulences of the Lord (Krsna) simply by understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead as impersonal Brahman
- One who is dazzled by the effulgence of the impersonal brahma-jyotir cannot know the personal transcendence; therefore in the Isopanisad it is prayed that the Lord shift His dazzling effulgence so that the devotee can see the real reality
S
- Sayujya is generally demanded by Mayavadi philosophers; they demand to become one with the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Lord
- Since the Lord is very kind to everyone, the impersonalists, who accept bhakti as the means of merging in the existence of the Lord in His impersonal brahma-jyotir, are also awarded their desired destination
- Sukadeva Gosvami says, ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya. The impersonalists meditate upon the impersonal Brahman & thus feel some transcendental bliss, but Sukadeva Gosvami points out that the source of that transcendental bliss is here - Krsna
T
- The Absolute Truth appears to neophytes as impersonal Brahman and to advanced mystic yogis as Paramatma, the Supersoul, but devotees, who are further advanced, understand the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Lord, Visnu
- The Absolute Truth is ultimately understood as Bhagavan, partially understood as Paramatma and vaguely understood as the impersonal Brahman
- The Bhagavatam has enunciated that the Absolute Truth is present in three features - in the beginning as the impersonal Brahman, in the next stage as the Paramatma in everyone's heart, at last, as the ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth, Bhagavan
- The brahmajyoti is not separate from the Lord, as the glowing sun ray is not independent of the sun disc. Therefore one who desires to merge into the supreme impersonal brahmajyoti must also worship the Lord by bhakti-yoga
- The conception of God as some ruling power or as the impersonal Brahman can be reached by persons who are in the inferior energy of the Lord, but the Personality of Godhead cannot be conceived unless one is in the transcendental position
- The conceptions of the impersonal Brahman and the localized Supersoul are contained within the understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- 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 impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Absolute Truth consists of the bodily rays of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The impersonal Brahman, which is the glowing effulgence of the body of the Supreme Lord, may be called the immediate cause, but the cause of all causes, or the remote cause, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The impersonalist wants to attain the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Lord, but that is not at all congenial to the living sparks, parts and parcels of the Lord. Therefore, the impersonalists again fall down and get material forms
- The jnana-yoga system aims at the impersonal Brahman effulgence, and the hatha-yoga system aims at the localized personal aspect, the Paramatma feature of the Absolute Truth
- The karmis, under the direction of Vedic instructions, try to elevate themselves to higher planetary systems. The jnanis try to merge into the existence of Brahman, the impersonal feature of the Lord
- The Lord says that at the time of death, whoever thinks of Him, either as Brahman or Paramatma or the Personality of Godhead, certainly he enters into the spiritual sky and there is no doubt about it. One should not disbelieve it
- The nondevotee impersonalists imagine the material forms of the Lord, and ultimately they merge in the impersonal brahma-jyotir of the Lord
- The real tattva, Absolute Truth, is Bhagavan, but due to incomplete realization of the Absolute Truth, people sometimes describe the same Visnu as impersonal Brahman or localized Paramatma
- The sense of a separated existence from Krsna is called maya (ma-not, ya-this). Some think that we have nothing to do with Krsna, that Krsna is only a great historical personality and that the Absolute is the impersonal Brahman. BG 1972 purports
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead alone is complete transcendental knowledge, but according to the different processes of understanding He appears differently, either as impersonal Brahman, as Paramatma, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The Supreme Truth is realized in 3 aspects: as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma and as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So at the last stage of understanding the Absolute Truth, one comes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. BG 1972 purports
- The transcendental bliss derived from devotional service, cannot be compared to the happiness derived by karmis by elevating themselves to the heavenly planets or by jnanis or yogis, who enjoy oneness with the supreme impersonal Brahman
- The Vedas said, "My dear Lord, yogis meditate upon Your localized features, and thus they achieve the spiritual perfection of being merged in the impersonal brahma-jyoti. Persons who treat You as an enemy achieve the same perfection without meditating"
- The words and mind of the conditioned soul cannot approach the SPG, for material names and forms are not applicable to the Lord, who is entirely spiritual, beyond the conception of gross and subtle forms. The impersonal Brahman is another of His forms
- There is no evidence in the scriptures stating that by cultivating knowledge or worshiping the impersonal Brahman one can become a personal associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Those who are not purely sanctified may be attracted by different features of the Lord, like the impersonal brahmajyoti and localized Paramatma, but a pure devotee directly takes to the service of the Supreme Lord. BG 1972 purports
U
- Unless one accepts all the features of the Absolute Truth - namely impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead - one's knowledge is imperfect
- Unless one comes to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his realization of impersonal Brahman is imperfect
Y
- You know: due to the heat in the sunshine the planets are rotating, resting on the sunshine. Similarly, there is a shining effulgence from the body of God, Krsna. That is called brahmajyoti, impersonal Brahman
- Your multienergies are continually manifest, but the impersonal Brahman, which is undivided, original, changeless, unlimited and blissful, is the cause of the material manifestation