Text 32]
Divinity and Divine Service
129
In the Vedic literatures ( śruti ) it is said that there are two birds in one tree.* One of them is eating the fruit of the tree, while the other is witnessing the actions. The witness is the Lord, and the fruit eater is the living entity. The fruit eater (living entity) has forgotten his real identity and is overwhelmed in the fruitive activities of the material conditions, but the Lord (Paramātmā) is always full in transcendental knowledge. That is the difference between the Supersoul and the conditioned soul. The conditioned soul, living entity, is controlled by the laws of nature, while the Paramātmā or the Supersoul is the controller of the material energy.
TEXT 32
यथा हवहितो वह्निर्दरुच्चेकः स्वयोनिषु । नानेव भाति विश्वात्मा भूतेषु च तथा पुमान् ॥३२॥
yathā hy avahito vahnir dāruṣu ekaḥ sva-yoniṣu nāneva bhāti viśvātmā bhūteṣu ca tathā pumān
yathā —as much as;  hi —exactly like;  avahitaḥ —surcharged with;  vahniḥ —fire;  dāruṣu —in the wood;  ekaḥ —one;  sva-yoniṣu —the source of manifestation;  nānā iva —like different entities;  bhāti —illuminates;  viśvātmā —the Lord as Paramātmā;  bhūteṣu —in the living entities;  ca —and;  tathā —in the same way;  pumān —the Absolute Person.
TRANSLATION
The Lord, as Supersoul, pervades all things, just as fire permeates wood, and so He appears to be of many varieties, though He is the absolute one without a second.
* dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṁ vṛkṣaṁ pariṣasvajāte tayor anyaḥ pippalaṁ svādv atty anaśnann anye 'bhicākaśīti (Śruti mantra)