Text 165] The Lord Instructs Sanatana Gosvami 93
TRANSLATION
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead exists in three principal forms—
svayarn-ripa, tad-ekatma-ripa, and 4vesa-ripa.
PURPORT
Srila Rapa Gosvami has described svayam-rdpa in his Laghu-bhagavatamrta,
Parva-khanda, verse 12, ananyapeksi yad rupam svayarn-ripah sa ucyate: the
original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not depend on other
forms. The original form is called svayarn-rdpa, and it is described in Srimad-
Bhagavatam: krsnas tu bhagavdn svayam (1.3.28). Krsna's original form as a
cowherd boy in Vrndavana is called svayam-rdpa. It is confirmed in Brahma-
samhita (5.1):
isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
There is nothing superior to Govinda. He is the ultimate source and the cause of
all causes. In Bhagavad-gita (7.7) the Lord says, mattah paratararn ndnyat: “There is
no truth superior to Me.”
The tad-ekatma-ripa is also described in the Laghu-bhagavatamrta, Purva-
khanda, verse 14:
yad rapam tad-abhedena
svardpena virajate
akrtyadibhir anyadrk
sa tad-ekatma-rpakah
The tad-ekatma-rdpa forms exist simultaneously with the svayarn-rdpa form and
are nondifferent. At the same time, the bodily features and specific activities ap-
pear to be different. This tad-ekdtma-rupa is also divided into two categories —
svarisa and vilasa.
His avesa form is also explained in the Laghu-bhagavatamrta, verse 18:
jfana-saktyadi-kalaya
yatravisto janardanah
ta 4vesa nigadyante
jiva eva mahattamah
A living entity who is specifically empowered by the Lord with knowledge or
strength is technically called dvesa-rupa. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (An-
