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Actually, all Vedic literature directs the human being toward the perfect stage of devotion. The paths of fruitive activities, speculative knowledge and meditation do not lead one to the perfectional stage, but the Lord actually becomes approachable by the process of devotional service. Therefore, one is recommended throughout the Vedic literature to accept the process of devotional service. Lord Chaitanya quoted in this connection a verse from the Srimad Bhagwatam, Eleventh Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, in which the Lord says, "My dear Uddhava, neither philosophical speculation nor Yoga achievements nor penances can give Me such pleasure as can devotional service practiced by the living entities." He can only be achieved by devotional service, as He is dear only to the devotees. If a person born in the lowest family of humanity is a devotee, then he becomes freed from all contamination. Devotional service is the only path by which to achieve the Supreme Personality of God.
#$p#This is the only perfection accepted in all Vedic literature. As a poor man upon receiving some treasure becomes at once happy, so, when one attains to devotional service, automatically the pains of material existence are vanquished. As one advances in devotional service, one attains love of Godhead, and as he advances in the love for the Supreme he becomes free from all material bondage. The disappearance of poverty and liberation from bondage are not, however, the end results of love of Krishna. Actually, the love of Krishna, love of God, exists in relishing the reciprocation of loving service. In all Vedic literature one will find that attainment of this loving relationship between the Supreme Lord and the living entities is the function of devotional service. Our actual function is devotional service, and our ultimate goal of achievement is love of Godhead. Therefore, in all Vedic literature Krishna is the ultimate center. By knowledge of Krishna all problems of life are solved.
#$p#The Lord said that, according to Padma Purana, there are different Puranas for worshipping different types of demigods; but such indications for worship only bewilder persons into thinking that the demigods are supreme. And yet, if the Puranas are scrutinized and studied it will be found that Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the only Object of worship. For example, in the Markandio Purana there is mention of Devi worship, worship of the goddess Durga or Kali. But in that same Chandika it is also stated that all these demigods-even in the shape of Durga or Kali-are different energies of Vishnu. Therefore, even the study of the Puranas will reveal Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be the only Object of worship.
#$p#The conclusion is that, directly or indirectly, all types of worship are more or less indicating a worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. In the Bhagavad Gita it is confirmed that anyone who worships the demigods is in fact only worshipping Krishna, because the demigods are different parts of the Body of Vishnu, or Krishna. That such worship of demigods is really irregular is also clearly stated in the Bhagavad Gita.
#$p#Srimad Bhagwatam confirms this by the question: What is the object of worshipping the different types of demigods? In Vedic literature there are various divisions of ritualistic activities. One is called Karmakanda, or purely ritualistic activities; another is called Upasana-kanda, or speculating on the Supreme Absolute Truth. What then is the purpose of the ritualistic sections of Vedic literature, and what is the purpose of different mantras or hymns indicating the worship of different types of demigods? And what is the purpose of philosophical speculation on the subject of the Absolute Truth? The Srimad Bhagwatam replies that all these different methods defined in Vedic literature indicate the worship of the Supreme Lord, Vishnu. They are all indirect ways of worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sacrifices contained in the ritualistic portion of the literature are to satisfy the Supreme Lord Vishnu, because Yajna, sacrifice, is specifically meant to satisfy Vishnu. Vishnu's Name is also Yajneshwara, or Lord of the Sacrifices.
#$p#The neophytes are not all on the transcendental level, and therefore, according to their situations in the different modes of material Nature, they are advised to worship different types of demigods so that, gradually, they may rise to the transcendental plane and be engaged in the devotional service of Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For example, it may be said that some of the neophytes are attached to flesh-eating; and for them the Puranas prescribe that they can eat flesh after offering it to the deity Kali.
#$p#The philosophical sections of the Vedic hymns are meant to enable one to distinguish the Supreme Personality of Godhead from Maya. After indicating the position of Maya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is approached in pure devotional service. That is the purpose of philosophical speculation. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad Gita in the Seventh Chapter: Bahunam janmanam ante: "The philosophical speculators and empiric philosophers, after speculating for many, many births, ultimately come unto the Supreme Lord Krishna, and accept that Vasudeva (Krishna) is everything." Therefore, all Vedic rituals and different types of worship or philosophical speculation ultimately aim at Krishna.
#$p#The Lord then told Sanatan Goswami about Krishna's multiforms and His unlimited opulence. He also described the nature of the spiritual manifestation, the material manifestation, and the manifestation of the living entity. He also informed Sanatan Goswami that the planets in the Spiritual Sky, known as Vaikunthas, and the Universes of the material manifestation, are to be known as different types of manifestations; for they are creative manifestations of the two different types of energies-namely, the material energy and the spiritual energy. Therefore, as far as Krishna Himself is concerned, He is directly situated in His spiritual energy, or specifically in His internal potency.
#$p#To help us understand the difference between the manifestation of the spiritual energy and the material energy, there is clear analysis of the two in the Second Canto of Srimad Bhagwatam. Also, Sukadeva Goswami, by commenting on Verse One of the Tenth Canto, makes a similar clear, analytical study. Lord Chaitanya accepts Sukadeva Goswami. as an authorized commentator on the Srimad Bhagwatam. Therefore He quotes his writing in this connection; and He explains that in the Tenth Canto of the Bhagwatam the life and activities of Krishna are described because Krishna is the Shelter of all other manifestations. Therefore Sukadeva Goswami worshipped and offered his obeisances unto Krishna, the Shelter of everything.
#$p#This purport maintains that in this world there are two different principles: the one principle is the origin, or the shelter of everything, and the other principle is the deduction from the original principle. The Supreme Truth is the shelter of all manifestations. That Supreme Truth is called Asraya. All other principles, which remain under the control of the Asraya-tattwa, or the Absolute Truth, are called Asrita, or subordinate corollaries and reactions. The purpose of the material manifestation is to give the conditioned soul a chance to become liberated and return to the Asraya-tattwa, or the Absolute Truth.
#$p#So everything that is in the cosmic Creation is dependent on the Asraya-tattwa, the Supreme Absolute Truth. As such, the creative manifestation, or Vishnu manifestation, the different types of demigods and manifestations of energy, the living entities, the material elements—everything is dependent on Krishna, the Supreme Truth. Srimad Bhagwatam indicates that everything, directly and indirectly, has Krishna as the Supreme Shelter. Therefore the analytical study of Krishna is the perfect knowledge, as is confirmed in the Bhagavad Gita.
#$p#Lord Chaitanya described the different features of Lord Krishna in the following manner, and asked Sanatan Goswami to hear attentively: He said that Krishna originally is the Son of Nanda Maharaj, and He is the Absolute Supreme Truth. He is the Cause of all causes, and He is the Origin of all emanations and all incarnations, yet there in Vraja or Goloka Vrindaban He is just like a young boy. His Form is eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge absolute. He is the Shelter of everything, and He is the Proprietor or Master of everything.
#$p#In this connection Lord Chaitanya gives evidence from Brahma Samhita, Fifth Chapter, 1st verse, which states that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His Body is full of knowledge, eternal and blissful. He is the Original Person, known as Govinda, and He is the Cause of all causes. Therefore, Krishna is the Original Personality of Godhead; He is full of all six opulences, and His Abode is known as Goloka Vrindaban, the highest planetary system in the Spiritual Sky.
#$p#Lord Chaitanya also quotes a verse from the Srimad Bhagwatam, First Canto, Third Chapter, in which it is stated clearly that all the incarnations described in that particular verse are either direct expansions of Krishna, or are, indirectly, expansions of the expansions of Krishna. But the Krishna Name mentioned there is the Original Personality of Godhead, and He appears on this Earth, in this Universe or in any other Universe, when there is a disturbance created by the demons, who are always trying to disrupt the administration of the demigods.
#$p#To understand Krishna there are three different processes: the process of empiric philosophical speculation, the process of meditation in the mystic Yoga system, and the process of Krishna Consciousness, or devotional service. Accordingly, in these different processes: 1) by empiric philosophical speculation, the impersonal Brahman feature of Krishna is understood; 2) by the
process of meditation or Yoga mysticism, the feature of the Supersoul, the All-pervading expansion of Krishna, is understood; and 3) by devotional service in full Krishna Consciousness, the Original Personality of Godhead, Krishna is realized.
#$p#In this connection Lord Chaitanya quotes first from the Srimad Bhagwatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, which states that those who are knowers of the Absolute Truth describe the Absolute Truth in three features: some describe the Absolute as impersonal Brahman, and some describe the Absolute Truth as the localized All-pervading Supersoul, and some know that the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. In other words, Brahman, the impersonal manifestation, and Paramatma, the localized manifestation, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are One and the same; but, according to the different processes adopted, He is realized in different features—Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan.
#$p#Impersonal Brahman realization is simple realization of the effulgence emanating from the transcendental Body of Krishna. We compare this effulgence of the transcendental Body of Krishna to the sunshine: just as the sun disc is there, the sun planet is there, and the Sungod is there, and the sunshine is the shining effulgence of that original Sungod. Similarly, Brahmajyoti, the spiritual effulgence, impersonal Brahman, is nothing but the Personal effulgence of Krishna.
To support this analysis Lord Chaitanya quotes one important verse from Brahma Samhita, where Lord Brahma says: "I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, by Whose Personal effulgence there is the unlimited manifestation of the Brahmajyoti, and in that Brahmajyoti (the impersonal manifestation of Krishna's Bodily effulgence) there are innumerable Universes, each full of innumerable planets."
#$p#Lord Chaitanya further says that the Paramatma, the All-pervading feature situated in everyone's body, is but a partial manifestation or expansion of Krishna. But because Krishna is the Soul of the soul, there He is called Paramatma, Supreme Self. Lord Chaitanya now quoted a verse from Srimad Bhagwatam concerning the talks of Maharaj Parikshit and Sukadeva Goswami. In that verse it is understood that Maharaj Parikshit, while hearing about the transcendental Pastimes of Krishna in Vrindaban, inquired from his Spiritual Master, Sukadeva Goswami, as to why the inhabitants of Vrindaban were so much attached to Krishna. To this question Sukadeva Goswami answered that Krishna should be known as the Soul of all souls. He is the Soul of all individual souls, and He is also the soul of the localized Paramatma. He was acting just like a human being to attract persons to Him and to show that He is not formless.
#$p#He is as good as other living beings, but He is the Supreme and other living beings are all subordinate to Him. All living beings therefore can enjoy spiritual bliss, eternal life and full knowledge in His association. Lord Chaitanya also quotes a verse from Bhagavad Gita, in which the Supreme Lord speaks to Arjuna about His different kinds of opulences, saying that He Himself enters into this Universe by one of His plenary portions, Garbodakshayee Vishnu, and He also enters into each Universe as the Kshirodakshayee Vishnu, and then expands Himself as Supersoul in everyone's heart. Therefore, He says, if anyone wants to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth in perfection, he must take to the process of devotional service in full Krishna Consciousness. Then it will be possible for him to understand the last word of the Absolute Truth.
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In truth, all Vedic literature directs the human being toward the perfect stage of devotion. The paths of fruitive activities, speculative knowledge, and meditation do not lead one to the perfectional stage, but the Lord is actually approachable by one who follows the process of devotional service. Therefore all Vedic literature recommends that one accept this process. In this regard, Caitanya Mahāprabhu quoted from the Lord’s instructions to Uddhava in #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (11.14.20-21):
#dl##dd##i#na sādhayati māṁ yogo na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo yathā bhaktir mamorjitā#/i##/dd##/dl#
#dl##dd##i#bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ śraddhayātmā priyaḥ satām#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#bhaktiḥ punāti man-niṣṭhā śva-pākān api sambhavāt#/i##/dd##/dl#
“My dear Uddhava, neither philosophical speculation nor meditational #i#yoga#/i# nor penances can give Me such pleasure as devotional service practiced by the living entities. I am dear only to My devotees, and I can be achieved only by devotional service. Even an extremely lowborn person will become free from all contamination if he takes to My devotional service.” Devotional service is the only path by which one can achieve the Supreme Person.
#$p#Devotional service is the only perfection accepted by all Vedic literatures. Just as when a poor man receives some treasure he becomes happy, when one attains to devotional service his material pains are automatically vanquished. As one advances in devotional service, he attains love of Godhead, and as he advances in this love, he becomes free from all material bondage. One should not think, however, that the disappearance of poverty and the liberation from bondage are the goals of devotional service. Love of Kṛṣṇa, love of God, is itself the goal, and it consists in relishing the reciprocation of loving service with the Lord. In all Vedic literatures we find that the attainment of this loving relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Lord is the goal of devotional service. Our actual function is devotional service, and our ultimate goal is love of Godhead. Therefore in all Vedic literatures Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate center, and through knowledge of Kṛṣṇa all problems of life are solved.
#$p#Caitanya Mahāprabhu then quoted a verse from the #i#Padma Purāṇa#/i#: “There are many different #i#Purāṇas#/i# with instructions for worshiping different types of demigods, but such instructions only bewilder people into thinking that the demigods are supreme. Yet if one carefully studies the #i#Purāṇas#/i#, he will find that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the only object of worship.” For example, in the #i#Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa#/i# there is mention of Devī worship, or worship of the goddess Durgā, or Kālī, but in this same #i#Purāṇa#/i# it is also stated that all the demigods—even Durgā—are but different energies of Viṣṇu. Thus the study of the #i#Purāṇas#/i# reveals Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be the only object of worship.
#$p#The conclusion is that, directly or indirectly, all types of worship are more or less directed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. The #i#Bhagavad-gītā#/i# (9.23) confirms that one who worships the demigods is in fact only worshiping Kṛṣṇa because the demigods are but different parts of the body of Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, but that such worship is irregular. #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (11.21.42–43) confirms this irregularity by answering the question “What is the purpose of the different types of worship described in the Vedic literature?” In the Vedic literature there are various divisions: one is called the #i#karma-kāṇḍa#/i#, which describes purely ritualistic activities, and another is the #i#jñāna-kāṇḍa#/i#, which describes speculation on the Supreme Absolute Truth. What then is the purpose of the ritualistic sections of the Vedic literature, and what is the purpose of the #i#upāsanā-kāṇḍa#/i#, which contains different mantras or hymns for worshiping various demigods? And what is the purpose of philosophical speculation on the subject of the Absolute Truth? #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# replies that in actuality all of these methods defined in the Vedic literature indicate the worship of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. In other words, they are all indirect ways of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sacrifices contained in the ritualistic portions of this literature are meant for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. Indeed, because #i#yajña#/i#, sacrifice, is specifically meant for satisfying Viṣṇu, another name for Viṣṇu is Yajñeśvara, or Lord of sacrifices.
#$p#Since neophytes are not on the transcendental level, the Vedic literature advises them to worship different types of demigods according to their situation in the different modes of material nature. The idea is that gradually such neophytes may rise to the transcendental plane and engage in the service of Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For example, the #i#Purāṇas#/i# advise the neophytes attached to eating flesh to eat it only after offering it to the goddess Kālī.
#$p#The philosophical sections of the Vedic hymns are intended to enable one to distinguish the Supreme Lord from #i#māyā#/i#. After one understands the position of #i#māyā#/i#, one can approach the Supreme Lord in pure devotional service. That is the actual purpose of philosophical speculation, and Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the #i#Bhagavad-gītā#/i# (7.19): “After speculating for many, many births, the philosophical speculators and empiric philosophers ultimately surrender unto Me, Vāsudeva, and accept that I am everything.” It can thus be seen that all Vedic rituals and different types of worship and philosophical speculation ultimately aim at Kṛṣṇa.
#$p#Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told Sanātana Gosvāmī about Kṛṣṇa’s multiforms and His unlimited opulence. He also described the nature of the spiritual manifestation, the material manifestation and the manifestation of the living entity. In addition, He informed Sanātana Gosvāmī that the planets in the spiritual sky, known as Vaikuṇṭhas, and the universes of the material sky are different types of manifestations, for they are created by different energies, namely the spiritual energy and the material energy, respectively. As far as Kṛṣṇa Himself is concerned, He is directly situated in His spiritual energy, or specifically in His internal potency.
#$p#To help us understand the difference between the spiritual energy and the material energy, the Second Canto of #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# gives a clear analysis of the two. Śrīdhara Svāmī also gives a clear analytical study in his commentary on the first verse of the Tenth Canto of #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i#. Accepting Śrīdhara Svāmī as an authorized commentator on #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i#, Caitanya Mahāprabhu quoted his commentary as follows: “The Tenth Canto of the #i#Bhāgavatam#/i# describes the life and activities of Kṛṣṇa because He is the shelter of all manifestations. Knowing Kṛṣṇa to be the shelter of everything, I worship Him and offer Him my obeisances.”
#$p#In this world there are two kinds of principles operating: One principle is the origin or shelter of everything, and all other principles are derived from this original principle. The Supreme Truth is the #i#āśraya#/i#, the shelter of all manifestations. All other principles, which remain under the control of the #i#āśraya-tattva#/i#, or the Absolute Truth, are called #i#āśrita#/i#, or subordinate corollaries and reactions. The purpose of the material manifestation is to give the conditioned souls a chance to become liberated and return to the #i#āśraya-tattva#/i#, or the Absolute Truth. Since everything in the cosmic creation, which is manifested by Kṛṣṇa’s Viṣṇu expansions, is dependent on the #i#āśraya-tattva#/i#, the various demigods and manifestations of energy, the living entities, and all material elements are dependent on Kṛṣṇa, for Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Truth. Thus #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# indicates that everything is sheltered by Kṛṣṇa directly and indirectly. Consequently perfect knowledge can be had only by an analytical study of Kṛṣṇa, as confirmed in the #i#Bhagavad-gītā#/i#.
#$p#Lord Caitanya then asked Sanātana Gosvāmī to listen attentively as He described the different features of Kṛṣṇa. First the Lord informed him that Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is the Absolute Supreme Truth—the cause of all causes and the origin of all emanations and incarnations. Yet in Vraja, or Goloka Vṛndāvana, He is just like a young boy. His form is eternal, full of bliss, and full of knowledge absolute. He is both the shelter of everything and the proprietor as well.
#$p#In this connection Lord Caitanya gave evidence from the #i#Brahma-saṁhitā#/i# (5.1):
#dl##dd##i#īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam#/i##/dd##/dl#
“Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with a body full of knowledge, eternality and bliss. He has no origin. He is the original person, known as Govinda, and is the cause of all causes.” In this way, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave evidence that Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, full in all six opulences. His abode, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, is the highest planet in the spiritual sky.
#$p#In addition, Lord Caitanya quoted a verse from #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (1.3.28):
#dl##dd##i#ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge#/i##/dd##/dl#
“All the incarnations described previously are either direct expansions of Kṛṣṇa or, indirectly, expansions of the expansions of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. He appears on earth, in this universe or any other universe, when there is a disturbance created by the demons, who are always trying to disrupt the administration of the demigods.”
#$p#There are three different processes by which Kṛṣṇa can be understood: the empiric process of philosophical speculation, the process of meditation according to the mystic #i#yoga#/i# system, and the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or devotional service. By philosophical speculation, the impersonal Brahman feature of Kṛṣṇa is understood; by meditation, or mystic #i#yoga#/i#, the Supersoul, the all-pervading expansion of Kṛṣṇa, is understood; and by devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the original Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is realized. In this connection, Lord Caitanya quoted a verse from #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (1.2.11):
#dl##dd##i#vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate#/i##/dd##/dl#
“Those who are knowers of the Absolute Truth describe the Absolute Truth in three features: the impersonal Brahman, the localized, all-pervading Supersoul, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.” In other words, Brahman, the impersonal manifestation, Paramātmā, the localized manifestation, and Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are one and the same. But according to the process adopted, He is realized as Brahman, Paramātmāor Bhagavān.
#$p#By realizing the impersonal Brahman, one simply realizes the effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa. This effulgence is compared to the sunshine. There is the sun-god, the sun itself, and the sunshine, which is the effulgence of that original sun-god. Similarly, the spiritual effulgence (#i#brahma-jyoti#/i#), the impersonal Brahman, is nothing but the personal effulgence of Kṛṣṇa. To support this analysis, Lord Caitanya quoted an important verse from the #i#Brahma-saṁhitā#/i# (5.40), in which Lord Brahmā says:
#dl##dd##i#yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi#/i##/dd##/dl#
“I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, whose personal effulgence is the unlimited #i#brahma-jyoti#/i#. In that #i#brahma-jyoti#/i# there are innumerable universes, each filled with innumerable planets.”
#$p#Caitanya Mahāprabhu further explained that the Paramātmā, the all-pervading feature situated in everyone’s body, is but a partial manifestation or expansion of Kṛṣṇa. It is for this reason that Kṛṣṇa is sometimes called Paramātmā, the Supreme Self, the soul of all souls. In this regard Lord Caitanya quoted another verse from #i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# (10.14.55), concerning the talks between Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. While hearing the transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from his spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, as to why the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana were so much attached to Kṛṣṇa. To this question Śukadeva Gosvāmī answered:
#dl##dd##i#kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam ātmānam akhilātmanām#/i##/dd#
#dd##i#jagad-dhitāya so ’py atra dehīvābhāti māyayā#/i##/dd##/dl#
“Kṛṣṇa should be known as the soul of all souls, for He is the soul of all individual souls and the soul of the localized Paramātmā as well. At Vṛndāvana He acted just like a human being to attract people to Him and show that He is not formless.” ([[SB 10.14.55|#i#Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam#/i# 10.14.55]]) The Supreme Lord is as much an individual as other living beings, but He is different in that He is the Supreme and all other living beings are subordinate to Him. All other living beings can enjoy spiritual bliss, eternal life and full knowledge in His association.
#$p#Next Lord Caitanya quoted a verse from the #i#Bhagavad-gītā#/i# (10.42) in which Kṛṣṇa, while telling Arjuna of His different opulences, indicates that He Himself enters this universe by one of His plenary portions, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and also enters into each universe as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and then expands Himself as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart. Lord Caitanya then said that if anyone wants to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth in perfection, he must take to the process of devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then it will be possible for him to understand the last word of the Absolute Truth.
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