Mantra Fifteen 81

Perfect knowledge means to know the root of Brahman.
The root of Brahman is Lord Sri Krsna, and in scriptures such
as the Srimad-Bhagavatam the science of Krsna is perfectly
claborated. In the Bhagavatam, the author, Srila Vyasadeva,
has established by realization that the Supreme Truth is described
cither as Brahman, Paramatman or Bhagavan. But he has never
said that the Supreme Truth is anywhere described as jiva, the
ordinary living entity. Therefore the living entity is not the all-
powerful Supreme Truth. Otherwise, there would be no need of
prayer by the entity for the Lord to remove the dazzling cover
in order to see His real face.

The conclusion is, therefore, that in the absence of potent
manifestations of the Supreme Truth, the impersonal Brahman
is realized. Similarly, when there is realization of the material
potencies of the Lord, with little or no information of the
spiritual potency, it is called Paramatman realization. Therefore,
both Brahman and Paramatman realization of the Absolute
ruth are partial realizations. But when one realizes the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, in full potency after the
removal of the hiranmaya-patra, as is prayed for in this mantra,
then he realizes that Vasudevah sarvam iti: Lord Sri Krsna,
known as Vasudeva, is everything—Brahman, Paramatman and
Bhagavan. He is Bhagavan, the root, and Brahman and Param-
atman are His branches.

In the Bhagavad-gita there is a comparative analysis of the
three grades of transcendentalists, known as jiidnins, the wor-
shipers of the impersonal Brahman, the yogis, or worshipers of
the Paramatman feature, and bhaktas, or devotees of Lord Sri
Krsna. It is stated in the Gita that amongst all lypes of transcen-
dentalists, one who is a jfidni, who has cultured the Vedic
knowledge, is supreme. Yet the yogis are still more than the
jiianins. The yogis are far superior to fruitive workers as well.
And amongst all kinds of yogis, “the one who constantly serves
the Lord with all his energy is topmost.”

The summary is that a philosopher is better than a laboring
