Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Eternal Form of the Supreme


Hare Krishna!

The Srimad Bhagavatam explains that the Supreme has three aspects – the impersonal Brahman, the all pervasive localized Paramatma, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Bhagavan, Krishna. The Bhagavan aspect is the most superior of the three because it’s the source of the other two.

Thus, impersonalism is not totally bogus. Just that its incomplete. Similarly, the realization of the Paramatma located within the heart of every living entity is also partial. But the realization of Krishna is the complete realization of God since by realizing Krishna the other two aspects are also realized. But by understanding the other two factors, Krishna is still not realized.

Now, coming to Mayavada. The problem with Mayavada is that it denies the Bhagavan aspect! It claims that the impersonal Brahman is the Supreme realization of the Absolute Truth. That sometimes the Supreme Brahman gets covered by ignorance and is then called as the Lord! And when the Brahman is covered by ignorance to a large degree, its called the jiva. I am not going into the exact specifics here, but the point I am making is that the Mayavadis say that there is no such thing as an eternal sat-chit-ananda form of the Supreme. Instead, they say, that “Lord” is the term that refers to the Supreme Brahman covered by ignorance. This “Lord”, they say, has a material body.

Vaishnavas do not deny the impersonal aspect of Krishna (Brahman is the bodily effulgence of Krishna) nor do they deny that there are similarities between the Lord and the jiva. They understand that there are a lot similarities but at the same time a lot of differences too. But the Mayavadis deny the sat-chit-ananda form of Krishna! This is the main flaw of the Mayavada philosophy. They are thus the greatest offenders unto the lotus feet of Krishna.

I want to emphasize that the main problem with Mayavada is the concept that the Supreme does not have a sat-chit-ananda form. The contention is not about what is the nature of the various forms of the Supreme. The contention is that the Supreme has an eternal sat-chit-ananda form. The Mayavadis deny it, but the Vaishnavas assert it. Vaishnavas understand that Krishna can take any form as he likes since He is the Supreme controller and all energies are His servants. Therefore, He might take on any form whether so-called material or spiritual, but in all circumstances He is the Supreme controller. He is not controlled. But the point is that the Supreme has an original sat-chit-ananda form (Mayavadis deny this). And Krishna is that Supreme. He may take any form He wishes, but His original form is the form of Krishna. And the form of Krishna is eternal.

Yours in the service of Krishna,
Abhijit.

No comments: