Text 12] Divinity and Divine Service 99

of their own respective realization, but those who are perfect seers of the
Absolute Truth know well that the above three features of the one
Absolute Truth are different perspective views seen from different angles
of vision.

As it is explained in the first sloka of the First Chapter of the Bhaga-
vatam, the Supreme Truth is self-sufficient, cognizant and freed from the
illusion of relativity. In the relative world the knower is different from the
known, but in the Absolute Truth both the knower and the known are one
and the same thing. In the relative world the knower is the living spirit or
superior energy, whereas the known is inert matter or inferior energy.
Therefore, there is a duality of inferior and superior energy, whereas in the
absolute realm both the knower and the known are of the same superior
energy. There are three kinds of energies of the supreme energetic. There
is no difference between the energy and energetic, but there is a difference
of quality of energies. The absolute realm and the living entities are of the
same superior energy, but the material world is inferior energy. The living
being in contact with the inferior energy is illusioned, thinking he belongs
to the inferior energy. Therefore there is the sense of relativity in the
material world. In the Absolute there is no such sense of difference
between the knower and the known, and therefore everything there is
absolute.

TEXT 12

TRA AM MAITTAAT |
RTA AA AEA AATEC 2 I

tac chraddadhanah munayo
Jiidna-vairagya-yuktaya

pasyanty atmani catmanam
bhaktyd Sruta-grhitaya

tat—that; graddadhanah—seriously inquisitive; munayah—sages; jiana—
knowledge; vairagya—detachment; yuktaya—well equipped with; pasyanti
—see; dtmani—within himself; ca—and; dtmanam—the Paramatma; bhaktyd
—in devotional service; sruta—the Vedas; grhitaya—well received.
