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Abheda means

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Bheda means distinct, and abheda means one. We should not take one part of the philosophy, that "Everything is one." No. Everything is one, that is a fact, and still, they are different.
Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

This is called acintya-bhedābheda philosophy, simultaneously one and different. As part of the body, the anus or the genital, it is part of the body, and the brain is also part of the body. Both of them are part of the body, but still, brain is superior than the anus and genital. So in this way, and upon this philosophy... It is called acintya-bhedābheda. Bheda means distinct, and abheda means one. We should not take one part of the philosophy, that "Everything is one." No. Everything is one, that is a fact, and still, they are different. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Thirteenth Chapter. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "In My impersonal form I am all-pervading," jagad avyakta, "but," mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4), "everything is maintained by Me," mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ, "but I am not there." Just like the jail department is also part of the government, but the president does not live in the jail. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni. If the president says that "The jail department is also my department," that does not mean that president has to live in the jail. It is a gross example. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, God, is everywhere. Not everywhere; His energy is acting everywhere.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Abheda means one.
Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

The example we have given many times, that we are in the sunshine. Now there is sunshine, that is also Brahman, or heat and light. But the heat and light here, ninety-three millions miles away from the sun, and the heat and light in the sun—a difference. That temperature is different. So when you go to the sun-god, that position, and to enjoy heat and light from ninety-three millions miles away, that is also difference. Although heat and light is there in the sun globe and heat and light in the sunshine, but still, sunshine is not the sun globe. Sun globe is not the sun-god. Similarly... This is a crude example. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is acintya-bhedābheda-tattva: everything is God, and everything is not God. Bheda-abheda. Bheda means not, different, and abheda means one. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Acintya... For us, how we can adjust, at the same time one and different? Therefore it is acintya. Not cintya, cintanīya. In our present sense it is difficult to adjust things how we are one and different with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

Bheda means different, and abheda means one. So jīva is one and different simultaneous. He is one in quality; he is different in quantity.
Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa, taṭastha-śakti acintya bhedābheda, taṭastha-śakti prakāśa. The jīva is the manifestation of the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has many potencies. Parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport)—in the Vedic injunction. The Absolute Truth has many varieties of energy. Those energies are consolidated into three divisions: spiritual energy, material energy and marginal energy. So these jīvas are products of this marginal energy, bhedābheda prakāśa. Bhedābheda means... bheda means different, and abheda means one. So jīva is one and different simultaneous. He is one in quality; he is different in quantity. So when you are free from all these designations,

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate
(CC Madhya 19.170)

At that time, when we are purified, when we have purified our senses, when in that sense we shall engage ourself in the matter of satisfying the owner of the senses, Hṛṣīkeśa—Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa—that is called bhakti. Bhakti is not a sentiment. Bhakti is practical, by purified senses ... (end)

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Acintya means inconceivable, bheda means different, and abheda means nondifferent.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

So the Gosvāmī's siddhānta, that Kṛṣṇa is one. There is no rivalry with Kṛṣṇa. God is one. Eka-brahma dvitīya nāsti. There cannot be many Gods. So when God, Kṛṣṇa, wants to enjoy His pleasure potency, that is Rādhārāṇī. So He manifests Himself, manifests His energy... His energy and He, there is no difference. Śakti-śaktimator abhedaḥ. The śāstra says śakti and the śaktimat—means one who possesses the śakti (śakti means power, potency)—they are equal. There is no difference. Just like the sun. Sun is the powerful, and the sunshine is the power. So there is heat in the sun and there is heat also in the sunshine. There is light in the sun and there is light in the sunshine also. Therefore qualitatively they are one so far heat and light is concerned. But the temperature of the sun and the temperature of the sunshine may be different. May be not. Actually there is difference. This is the basic principle of all philosophies. Acintya-bhedābheda. Acintya means inconceivable, bheda means different, and abheda means nondifferent. The whole situation... The one is there, God, but He has expanded Himself in different way. Eko bahu syām.

Bheda means difference, and abheda means one. Two philosophies are going on.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

Bhedābheda-prakāśa. Bheda means difference, and abheda means one. Two philosophies are going on. The Māyāvādīs, they say, "We are the same." So 'ham: "I am the same." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am the Supreme Brahman." But the Vedic literature says, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, but Kṛṣṇa, or God, is Param Brahman. In the Vedas there is no such thing as ahaṁ paraṁ brahmāsmi. No. They are misusing. The... Instead of understanding... Brahman, every one of us, we are Brahman. There is no doubt about it. But unfortunately, by mistake, by illusion, I am thinking, "I am this body." So spiritual education means first of all one has to understand that ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman. I am not this body." That is the beginning of spiritual education.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Bheda means different, and abheda means one. So simultaneously one and different.
Conversation with Mr. Wadell -- July 10, 1973, London:

Mr. Wadell: In what respect do you consider yourself different from God?

Prabhupāda: Do you think I am also equal with God?

Mr. Wadell: If you, what I want to know is what you feel your relationship to God is.

Prabhupāda: My relationship is just like father and the son. The son is not different from the father; at the same time, he is different from the father.

Mr. Wadell: Yes...

Prabhupāda: The same relationship. We are all sons of God. Therefore, simultaneously, we are one and different. As son, the ingredient, the same. But he is father, we are son, we are different. This is called the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda. Bheda means different, and abheda means one. So simultaneously one and different.

Mr. Wadell: May I ask you another question, which is, I have a mortal father, a man, who you know my parents, father and mother. Do you think that my father is in any way different in his parentage of me from God in His parentage of me.

Prabhupāda: No, everyone. Not only your father, your grandfather, your, or grandson, the same relationship: simultaneously one and different... Because we are spirit soul and God is the supreme soul. All the souls have come, emanated from Him. He is the supreme soul and Paramātmā. The exact word used in the Vedic language, Paramātmā, Parabrahma, Parameśvara. This word param. Param means supreme.

Page Title:Abheda means
Compiler:Rishab, Visnu Murti
Created:21 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=5, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:6