We understand . . . we try to understand the Absolute Truth from the dear friend and devotee of Krsna. You can say Krsna is not directly present. How your knowledge can be perfect? (break) . . . my knowledge is not perfect. But because I hear from the dear friend and devotee of Kṛṣṇa, therefore whatever I speak, that is perfect. I am not manufacturing. I may be imperfect—I am imperfect, actually I am imperfect—but I am carrying the message, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says: "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead"; we say: "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Kṛṣṇa says that, "You surrender unto Me"; we say, "Just surrender unto Kṛṣṇa."
So therefore, because there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's statement and my statement, therefore our knowledge is perfect. Personally I may not be perfect, but because we are carrying the message of Kṛṣṇa and presenting as it is, therefore it is perfect. This is our process. That is the recognized process, Vaidic process, śrota paramparā.
So those who are anxious to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of imperfect knowledge, this is right conclusion. If your senses are imperfect, whatever your knowledge may be, that is imperfect, because you are gathering knowledge from . . . by imperfect senses. You know the story of studying . . . blind man studying an elephant. So blind man is going; somebody is catching the leg. So they, "Oh, elephant is just like a pillar, a column." And somebody is studying the tail, somebody is studying the trunk. So different knowledge, because they have no eyes. And one who sees the elephant as it is, he can understand that elephant is neither a column, nor a trunk, nor this; he is a complete body.
Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of blind knowledge, they come to the understanding of impersonal Brahman, brahmeti. That is also truth, just like you touch the elephant, a blind man touching the elephant, but because he hasn't got eyes he is concluding that elephant is like . . . just like a column. But he has touched.
Similarly, either the impersonalist or the yogī or the bhakta, they have come to the Absolute Truth; therefore it is called advaya-jñāna. There is no difference between impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference. But still there is difference. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva: inconceivable one and simultaneously different.
The same example can be given, that when the sunshine enters into your room, it means that sun has entered, but at the same time the sun is far, far away from you. Similarly, to understand Brahman means the Absolute Truth is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). If you simply try to understand impersonal Brahman, then you simply understand sat aṁśa, the eternity; paramātmā, citaṁśa; and ānandāṁśa is Kṛṣṇa. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12).
Kṛṣṇa is the supreme bliss. We therefore see Kṛṣṇa always enjoying: jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī. That is Kṛṣṇa. He is always in company with Rādhārāṇī, and kuñja-bihārī, and enjoying Her company in different kuñjas. And gopī-jana-vallabha, He is very dear to the gopīs or the gopas, gopī jana, in Vṛndāvana. Gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. And because He loves the gopīs and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana so much, as soon as there is some danger, He is prepared. He lifted the Govardhana Hill for them.
They did not know except Kṛṣṇa. Indra, the demigod Indra, wanted to punish the residents of Vṛndāvana, because on the word of Kṛṣṇa they stopped Indra-yajña. So Indra became very angry: "Who is this boy, cowherd boy? He has stopped my yajña." So the demigods become very angry if the particular type of yajña is not performed. But Kṛṣṇa proved that,"Your anger is not even comparable with the . . . my little finger's end, that's all." So this was compromise; therefore this is Indra-yajña story, Govardhana Hill pūjā.
So gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. And yaśodā-nandana. When you address Kṛṣṇa as the son of Yaśodā, He becomes very, very glad. If you address Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12)," as Arjuna did, "Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān śāśvataṁ puruṣam adyam," they're all the Vedic hymns; they're praying for Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is very, very pleased if you address Kṛṣṇa as yaśodā-nandana, nanda-nandana, rādhā-mādhava. He is so pleased, immediate response. He likes it.
Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always worshiped by everyone as sublime, but nobody wants to chastise You. But He wants to be chastised also, and that power is given to Mother Yaśodā. He wants! He disgusted some that, "Everyone praise Me; nobody comes to chastise Me." You see? "Ah, here is another devotee, 'Yes, I am prepared to chastise You.' " Just like in Vaikuṇṭha there is no fight, but Kṛṣṇa wanted to fight. Therefore some of His devotee, Jaya and Vijaya, they came as Rāvaṇa, and he fought with Kṛṣṇa, Rāmacandra. Otherwise, who can fight with Rāmacandra? He is also devotee when he is satisfying. Kṛṣṇa wanted to fight; the devotee is prepared, "Yes, I shall fight You." And He'll kill you. "This is my pleasure." This is devotee.
So these are tattva-jñānī, tattva-jñāna, kṛṣṇa jñāna. These are truths. People should devote to understand this tattva-jñāna. But those who are not very advanced, they conclude the Absolute Truth is nirākāra, impersonal Brahman. Or a little advanced than them, the yogīs, they see Paramātmā within heart. They, they are also the same truth, advaya-jñāna. But if you want real bliss, if you want to talk with this Absolute Truth face to face and treat with Him as friend, as son, as lover, that is Bhagavān. Not impersonal Brahman, neither Paramātmā. That will not get.
Therefore it is said here, "The Absolute Truth is one." Either you call Him nirākāra Brahman or call you . . . him localized Paramātmā; He's in my heart, everyone's heart, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). But if you want to take advantage, full association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Vadanti tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam. This is very important verse.
So tattva-darśīs are that, nondual; there is no difference. The same example, that there is the sun planet, there is sun god, whose bodily effulgence is the sunshine; and the sun globe, localized; and the sunshine. All these three taken together is one, light, but the sun god is different from the sunshine; the sun globe is different from the sun god. Similarly, this brahma-jyotir is nothing but Kṛṣṇa's personal effulgence. Yasya prabhā.
Yasya prabhā (Bs. 5.40), you can . . . we can say: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that He is providing brahma-jyotir." Well, why not? If some creation of Kṛṣṇa, the sunlight and moonlight, is so powerful that it expands all over the universe, so how much powerful is Kṛṣṇa? Brahmano 'ham pratiṣṭha. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: "I am the source of this brahma-jyotir." Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Now, how to understand the Absolute Truth? The next verse says:
- tac chraddadhāna munayo
- jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā
- paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ
- bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā
- (SB 1.2.12)
These are very important words. The Absolute Truth can be understood, can be known, by whom? Śraddadhāna munayo. Śraddadhāna. Tac chraddadhāna: those who are faithful. That is the beginning. If one is not faithful, if he does not believe in God, for him it is . . . it is to be forgotten.
He cannot understand what is Absolute Truth. Atheist ,who does not believe in God, who has no faith, he cannot receive; he is not possible. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They are narādhamāḥ, or always constantly engaged in sinful activities. They cannot accept. Chraddadhāna, ādau śraddhā, those who have got faith, that is the beginning.