114
THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION
Father Emmanuel:  Is Brahman Kṛṣṇa?
Śrila Prabhupāda:  Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman. Brahman is realized in three aspects: as impersonal Brahman, as localized Paramātmā, and as personal Brahman. Kṛṣṇa is personal, and He is the Supreme Brahman, for God is ultimately a person. In the  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  [1.2.11], this is confirmed:
vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj-jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate
“Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance Brahman, Paramātmā, or Bhagavān.” The feature of the Supreme Personality is the ultimate realization of God. He has all six opulences in full: He is the strongest, the richest, the most beautiful, the most famous, the wisest, and the most renounced.
Father Emmanuel:  Yes, I agree.
Śrila Prabhupāda:  Because God is absolute, His name, His form, and His qualities are also absolute, and they are nondifferent from Him. Therefore to chant God’s holy name means to associate directly with Him. When one associates with God, one acquires godly qualities, and when one is completely purified, one becomes an associate of the Supreme Lord.
Father Emmanuel:  But our understanding of the name of God is limited.
Śrila Prabhupāda:  Yes, we are limited, but God is unlimited. And because He is unlimited, or absolute, He has unlimited names, each of which  is  God. We can understand His names as much as our spiritual understanding is developed.
Father Emmanuel:  May I ask a question? We Christians also preach love of God, and we try to realize love of God and render service to Him with all our heart and all our soul. Now, what is the difference between your movement and ours? Why do you send your disciples to the Western countries to preach love of God when the gospel of Jesus Christ is propounding the same message?
Śrila Prabhupāda:  The problem is that the Christians do not follow the commandments of God. Do you agree?
Father Emmanuel:  Yes, to a large extent you’re right.
Śrila Prabhupāda:  Then what is the meaning of the Christians’ love for