98 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 2
the ultimate end must be seeking after the Absolute Truth, and that sort
of engagement will make everyone happy because they will be less engaged
in varieties of sense gratification. And what that Absolute Truth is is
explained as follows.
TEXT 11
aia arate = aaTARay |
PIMA ICUS ICME UCC IC Mast Mined
vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvarn yaj jidnam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate

vadanti—they say; tat—that; tattva-vidah—the learned souls; tattvam—
the Absolute Truth; yat—which; jianam—knowledge; advayam—nondual;
brahma iti-known as Brahman; paramdtmd iti-known as Paramatma;
bhagavan iti known as Bhagavan; sabdyate—it so sounded.

TRANSLATION
Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this
nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan.
PURPORT

The Absolute Truth is both subject and object, and there is no qualita-
tive difference there. Therefore, Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan are
qualitatively one and the same. The same substance is realized as imper-
sonal Brahman by the students of the Upanisads, as localized Paramatma
by the Hiranyagarbhas or the yogis, and as Bhagavan by the devotees. In
other words, Bhagavan or the Personality of Godhead is the last word of
the Absolute Truth. Paramatma is the partial representation of the Person-
ality of Godhead, and impersonal Brahman is the glowing effulgence of
the Personality of Godhead, as the sun rays are to the sun-god. Less
intelligent students of either of the above schools sometimes argue in favor
