A Summary Description of the Supreme Person's Form
Sun, 08/31/2008 - 18:29 — admin
TEACHER: Perhaps if I give you a brief description of the Supreme Being's form and personality, you will be able to better appreciate their fully spiritual nature. In the Brahma-samhita, it is described that the form of the Supreme Person is (1) eternal, (2) full of knowledge, and (3) full of btiss.6 Let me elaborate on these points.
The Supreme Person's Form is Eternal
The first factor which distinguishes the form of the Supreme Person from that of ordinary living beings is the fact that His form does not undergo change or transition. It is eternal. The bodies which you and I have-like all physical forms-are composed of material energy, and are therefore subject to the laws of physics. As a result, our bodies are constantly undergoing changes. Although the changes are usually gradual, they are nonetheless perceptible. Not on a daily basis, but over the years, we can easily perceive the transformations our bodies undergo. The Supreme Person's form does not undergo this type of transformation, however, because it is not composed of material energy, and is consequently not within the range of physical laws.7 Heat, cold, hard work, and of course the time element, which play such an important role in the transformation of our bodies, have no effect on the form of the Supreme Person. The form of the Supreme Person is purely spiritual in nature. Whereas the forms within the material world are subject to decay, old age, disease, and death, the eternal spiritual form of the Personality of Godhead is forever youthful, ever-fresh, and unchanging.8
There's a very important distinction between the Supreme Being and the ordinary living beings which I would like to draw attention to at this time. Throughout the Vedic literature, it is repeatedly described that we are different from our material bodies.9 It is described that the bodies of the living beings are always subject to various states such as birth, growth, disease, old age, and death, but that the living being within the changing body is not undergoing these changes. The living being is eternally the same and does not change when the body changes. The soul, for example, does not grow when the body grows larger, nor does it become old and feeble when the body becomes old and feeble, nor does it die when the body dies.
There's no such distinction between the form of the Supreme Person and the Supreme Person Himself as there is with the living entities. Although an ordinary person is in fact different from his body, God and His form are one and the same. The Supreme Person is His form.10
In the case of the ordinary living beings, because they are different from their bodies, when their bodies grow old and die, they again enter new material bodies. This is called transmigration of the soul, and it is a direct result of the transformation process which occurs within the bodies of the living beings. After all, ultimately the changes and transformations end in death. Death simply means that, due to certain changes which have occurred in the body, the body is no longer inhabitable by the soul. Therefore, the soul leaves and accepts a new material body.11
There's a saying: “Misery likes company.” So-called religious fanatics are so miserable that they want to create as much havoc in society as possible. They want others to join them in their misery.A Summary Description of the Supreme Person's Form
Science of Identity Foundation – Siddhaswarupananda
TEACHER: Perhaps if I give you a brief description of the Supreme Being's form and personality, you will be able to better appreciate their fully spiritual nature. In the Brahma-samhita, it is described that the form of the Supreme Person is (1) eternal, (2) full of knowledge, and (3) full of btiss.6 Let me elaborate on these points.
The Supreme Person's Form is Eternal
The first factor which distinguishes the form of the Supreme Person from that of ordinary living beings is the fact that His form does not undergo change or transition. It is eternal. The bodies which you and I have-like all physical forms-are composed of material energy, and are therefore subject to the laws of physics. As a result, our bodies are constantly undergoing changes. Although the changes are usually gradual, they are nonetheless perceptible. Not on a daily basis, but over the years, we can easily perceive the transformations our bodies undergo. The Supreme Person's form does not undergo this type of transformation, however, because it is not composed of material energy, and is consequently not within the range of physical laws.7 Heat, cold, hard work, and of course the time element, which play such an important role in the transformation of our bodies, have no effect on the form of the Supreme Person. The form of the Supreme Person is purely spiritual in nature. Whereas the forms within the material world are subject to decay, old age, disease, and death, the eternal spiritual form of the Personality of Godhead is forever youthful, ever-fresh, and unchanging.8
There's a very important distinction between the Supreme Being and the ordinary living beings which I would like to draw attention to at this time. Throughout the Vedic literature, it is repeatedly described that we are different from our material bodies.9 It is described that the bodies of the living beings are always subject to various states such as birth, growth, disease, old age, and death, but that the living being within the changing body is not undergoing these changes. The living being is eternally the same and does not change when the body changes. The soul, for example, does not grow when the body grows larger, nor does it become old and feeble when the body becomes old and feeble, nor does it die when the body dies.
There's no such distinction between the form of the Supreme Person and the Supreme Person Himself as there is with the living entities. Although an ordinary person is in fact different from his body, God and His form are one and the same. The Supreme Person is His form.10
In the case of the ordinary living beings, because they are different from their bodies, when their bodies grow old and die, they again enter new material bodies. This is called transmigration of the soul, and it is a direct result of the transformation process which occurs within the bodies of the living beings. After all, ultimately the changes and transformations end in death. Death simply means that, due to certain changes which have occurred in the body, the body is no longer inhabitable by the soul. Therefore, the soul leaves and accepts a new material body.11