Another feature of Bhagavad-gītā is that the actual truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. The Absolute Truth is realized in three features—impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth means perfect knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. If one understands Kṛṣṇa, then all the departments of knowledge are part and parcel of that understanding. Kṛṣṇa is transcendental, for He is always situated in His eternal internal potency.
(Bhagavad-Gita---18:78----purport).
Serving the Absolute Truth means rendering service unto the Absolute Personality of Godhead under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, who is a transparent via medium between the Lord and the neophyte devotee. The neophyte devotee has no ability to approach the Absolute Personality of Godhead by the strength of his present imperfect material senses, and therefore under the direction of the spiritual master he is trained in transcendental service of the Lord. And by such training, even for some days, the neophyte devotee gets intelligence in such transcendental service, which leads him ultimately to get free from perpetual inhabitation in the material worlds and to be promoted to the transcendental world to become one of the liberated associates of the Lord in the kingdom of God.
(Srimad Bhagavatam----1:6:23----purport).
In the Bhāgavatam also there is a list of many incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Kṛṣṇa is described as the original Personality of Godhead, from whom many, many incarnations and Personalities of Godhead expand:
ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ
kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam
indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ
mṛḍayanti yuge yuge
"All the lists of the incarnations of Godhead submitted herewith are either plenary expansions or parts of the plenary expansions of the Supreme Godhead, but Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself." (S.B.1:3:28)
Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, the source of both the Supersoul and the impersonal Brahman.
(Bhagavad-Gita---2:2----purport).
Bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of asaṁśayaṁ-samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead.
(Bhagavad-Gita---7:1----purport).
The Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead is full of all opulences, and therefore He has a transcendental form of full existence, knowledge and bliss.
(Srimad Bhagavatam----summary).
In Vedic literatures, it is said that the Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, is the chief amongst all living personalities. All living beings, beginning from the first created being, Brahmā, down to the smallest ant, are individual living beings. And above Brahmā, there are even other living beings with individual capacities, and the Personality of Godhead is also a similar living being. And He is an individual as are the other living beings. But the Supreme Lord, or the supreme living being, has the greatest intelligence, and He possesses supermost inconceivable energies of all different varieties. If a man's brain can produce a space satellite, one can very easily imagine how brains higher than man can produce similarly wonderful things which are far superior.
(Srimad Bhagavatam----1:1:1----purport).
Perfect vision of the Absolute Truth is possible only by the linking process of devotional service. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. One can perfectly realize theAbsolute Truth Personality of Godhead only by the process of devotional service, and one can enter into the kingdom of God by such perfect knowledge. Imperfect realization of the Absolute by the partial approach of the impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā does not permit anyone to enter into the kingdom of God. Śrī Nārada advised Śrīla Vyāsadeva to become absorbed in transcendental meditation on the Personality of Godhead and His activities. Śrīla Vyāsadeva did not take notice of the effulgence of Brahman because that is not absolute vision.
(Srimad Bhagavatam----1:7:4----purport).
In the Vedas also it is said that a person cannot know the Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead simply by dint of mundane education or intellectual gymnastics. One can know the Supreme Truth if one has unflinching faith in the bona fide spiritual master as well as in the Lord. Such a faithful person, even though illiterate in the mundane sense, can know the Lord automatically by the mercy of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said that the Lord reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone, and He keeps Himself concealed from the faithless by His yoga-māyā potency.
(Srimad Bhagavatam----2:9:32----purport).
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, only through devotional service (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (B.G.18:55). As stated in the Bhāgavatam, the object of devotional service is mām, Kṛṣṇa. And, as explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, to understand Kṛṣṇa means to understand Kṛṣṇa in His personal form with His internal energy, His external energy, His expansions and His incarnations. There are many diverse departments of knowledge in understanding Kṛṣṇa. Sāṅkhya philosophy is especially meant for persons who are conditioned by this material world. It is generally understood by the paramparā system, or by disciplic succession, to be the science of devotional service.
(Srimad Bhagavatam----3:26:1----purport).
What is the particular attraction that makes the Supreme Lord enthusiastic to accept devotional service, and what is the nature of such service? The Vedic scriptures inform us that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is self-sufficient, and that māyā, nescience, can never influence Him at all. Therefore the potency that overcomes the Supreme must be purely spiritual. Such a potency cannot be anything of the material manifestation. The bliss enjoyed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be of material composition, like the impersonalist conception of the bliss of Brahman. Devotional service is reciprocation between two, and therefore it cannot be located simply within one's self.
(Sri Caitanya Caritamrta----1:4:60----purport).
Bhakti is so sublime that only through bhakti can one understand the constitutional position of the Lord. That is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55): bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. "One can understand the Supreme Lord through devotional service, and by no other process." There are different processes of understanding the Absolute Truth, but if a person wants to understand the Supreme Lord as He is, he has to take to the process of bhakti-yoga. There are other mystic processes, such as karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and dhyāna-yoga, but it is not possible to understand the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, except through His devotional service.
(Narada Bhakti Sutra).
Spiritual knowledge means fully understanding the Absolute Truth in three features—impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and the all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately when one takes shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engages in the Lord's service, the resultant knowledge is called vijñāna, special knowledge, or the practical application of spiritual knowledge.
(Sri Caitanya Caritamrta----2:25:103----purport).
As explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Kṛṣṇa has His eternal, blissful form that is full of knowledge, and all Vaiṣṇava ācāryas accept this. That is the proper understanding of the Absolute Truth.
(Sri Caitanya Caritamrta----2:25:35----purport).
If a person is engaged in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the devotional service of the Lord, it is to be understood that he has understood all the Vedic knowledge. In the Vaiṣṇava paramparā it is said that if one is engaged in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no need for any other spiritual process for understanding the Supreme Absolute Truth. He has already come to the point, because he is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. He has ended all preliminary processes of understanding.
(Bhagavad-Gita---15:19----purport).
The Supreme Truth is realized in three aspects: as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and at last as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So at the last stage of understanding the Absolute Truth, one comes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A common man or even a liberated man who has realized impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā may not understand God's personality. Such men, therefore, may endeavor to understand the Supreme Person from the verses of Bhagavad-gītā, which are being spoken by this person, Kṛṣṇa.
(Bhagavad-Gita---10:15----purport).
Therefore, both the yogas are interdependent, as religion and philosophy. Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation. The ultimate goal is Kṛṣṇa, because the philosophers who are also sincerely searching after the Absolute Truth come in the end to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. The whole process is to understand the real position of the self in relation to the Superself. The indirect process is philosophical speculation, by which, gradually, one may come to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness; and the other process is directly connecting everything with Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Of these two, the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is better because it does not depend on purifying the senses by a philosophical process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is itself the purifying process, and by the direct method of devotional service it is simultaneously easy and sublime.
(Bhagavad-Gita---3:3----purport).
Since the entire Vedic literature deals with the subject of Brahman, Kṛṣṇa is therefore the ultimate goal of Vedic understanding. The impersonal brahmajyoti rests on the personal form of the Lord. Therefore although the impersonal effulgence, the brahmajyoti, is the first realization, one must enter into it, as mentioned in the Īśopaniṣad, to find the Supreme Person, and then one’s knowledge is perfect. The Bhagavad-gītā (7.19) also confirms this: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. One’s search for the Absolute Truth by dint of speculative knowledge is complete when one comes to the point of understanding Kṛṣṇa and surrenders unto Him. That is the real point of perfectional knowledge.
(Sri Caitanya Caritamrta----1:7:140----purport).
Replies
सीतानाथ समारम्भां रामानन्दार्य मध्यमाम्।
अस्मदाचार्य पर्यन्तां वन्दे श्रीगुरू परम्पराम् ।।
Both Śrī Hari Narayan and Śrī Krishnā are the incarnation of the Perfect Supreme Personality of the GodHead Śrī Rāma.
Their is no difference between Avatar and Avatari as पूर्णमद: पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् concept always apply. Like wise their is no difference between Śrī Rāma himself and his incarnations like Śrī Hari Narayan, Śrī Krishnā etc.
To think bigger and smaller is just a mere satisfaction of one's Ego and nothing else.
That's Śrī Rāma who incarnates himself as Vishnu;
(Śrī Vālmiki Rāmāyaṇa 7.104.9)
"After my prayers in the begining of the creation, Oh Rama ! You forsaken Your durdharsa (the swarupa which is difficult to be achieved for many) i.e. eternal Bhava (the eternal two armed Śrī Rāma form) and assumed the form of Vishnu for the sake of protection and sustenance of all the beings."
One thing I want to say here is that Śrī Ramayana is an incarnation of Vedas so it has the same Authority as Vedas;
As said;
(श्रीमद् वाल्मिकी रामायण-मङ्गलाचरण एवं अगस्त्य-संहिता)
जो दशरथ के पुत्र हैं वे ही वेदवेद्य अर्थात वेदों से जाने जाने वाले परम पुरुष हैं, उनके प्रकट होने पर वेद ही साक्षात् श्रीरामायण रुप में प्राचेतसश्रीवाल्मीकि मुनि के श्रीमुख से अवतीर्ण हुए। भगवान शिव स्वयं कहते हैं, हे देवी! श्रीरामायण स्वयं वेद ही है इसमें कोई संशय नहीं है।
Śrīmad Valmiki Ramayana is Veda itself as said in Valmiki Ramayan;
In Skandh Puran also;
(स्कन्द पुराण उ० ख० रा० मा०अ० ५-६४ )
In Mantra Ramayana aslo;
So Ramayana's authority (Śrīmad Valmiki Ramayana & Śrīmad Rāmcharit Manas, as Tuslidas ji maharaj is incarnation of Śrī Valmiki muni as mentioned in scriptures) is same is of Vedas.
Now, Back to point,
It's Śrī Rāma himself from whom Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha gets incarnated.
(Śrīmad Ramcharit Manas, Balkand)
Meaning :- Many Lord Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu appear from the mere part of Śrī Rāma.
Same is mentioned in Skandh Puran uttarkhand in Narad Sanathkumar Dialogue;
अर्थ:~सम्पूर्ण जगत् के अभीष्ट मनोरथोंको सिद्ध करनेवाले, ब्रह्मा, विष्णु और महेश आदि देवता जिनके अभिन्न अंशमात्र हैं, उन परम विशुद्ध सच्चिदानन्दमय परमात्मदेव श्रीरामचन्द्रजीको मैं नमस्कार करता हूँ तथा उन्हींके भजन -चिन्तनमें मन लगाता हूँ।
Same in Bhardwaj Samhita;
(Śrī Bhardwaj Samhita)
Śrī Hari Narayana is an incarnation of Śrī Rāma and shines in Vaikunth in the form of conch, chakra, mace with Four Arms. There are many incarnations of Śrī Rāma differentiating by Kalas, part, Vibhuti etc. But Śrī Rāma himself is ParBrahma who is devoid of Maya in his two armed form (human form).
As Śrī Rāma himself says;
(श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये अद्भुतोत्तरकाण्डे भगवद्धनूमत्संवादो नाम चतुर्दशः सर्गः)
The Lord of the infinite worlds, who is inseparable Narayan, is my supreme form and maintains the universe.
As said in Śrīmad Kurm Puran;
(Śrīmad Kurm Puran)
मत्स्य, कूर्म, वाराह अतुल तेजमय श्रीनृसिंह तथा वामन, यामदग्नि परशुराम, भ्राता बलदेव जी के सहित कंश के शत्रु श्रीकृष्ण भगवान, करुणामय वपु बौद्ध, म्लेक्ष विध्वंसक श्रीकल्कि ये दश अवतार और अन्य भी जो अवतार में परिगणित है पृथु ऋषभादि ये सब सूर्यकुल में उत्पन्न जिस पर पुरुष के अन्शकला से उत्पन्न होते हैं, उस व्याप्त ब्रह्म तेज रूप विमल सुखमय श्रीरामचन्द्र महाराज को मैं नमस्कार करता हूँ।
Even Veda Narāyan saying same thing;
(इति पञ्चब्रह्मोपनिषत् यजुर्वेदीय श्रुति)
मैं अखंड आनंद के कारक भगवान श्री रामचंद्र के चरणों की वंदना करता हूं, जहां ब्रह्मा आदि समेत पांच ब्रह्म (श्रीशिव, श्रीहरि विष्णु, श्रीगणेश, भगवती दुर्गा और श्रीसूर्य) सदैव विश्राम (आश्रय) पाते हैं।
(यजुर्वेद श्रुति श्रीराम रहस्योपनिषद)
अर्थ:~
वेद आदि सभी शास्त्रों में परमतत्त्व ब्रह्मस्वरूप 'तारक राम' ही है। राम ही परमब्रह्म है। राम ही परमतप स्वरूप है। राम ही परमतत्त्व हैं। राम ही तारकब्रह्म हैं।
हनुमान जी ने श्रीहरि विष्णु के भक्त और अन्य ऋषियों को उपदेश दिया "मैं स्वयं, श्री गणेश, देवी सरस्वती, देवी दुर्गा, सभी क्षेत्र पाल, सूर्य, चंद्रमा ,भगवान श्रीहरि नारायण, भगवान नरसिंह, भगवान वासुदेव (श्री कृष्ण), भगवान वराह, आदि सभी जन भगवान श्रीराम के अंश हैं। लक्ष्मण, शत्रुघ्न, भरत, विभीषण, सुग्रीव, अंगद, जाम्बवंत और प्रणव (ॐ) भी भगवान श्रीराम के अंश मात्र हैं।
(Atharvaveda Shruti Krishnopanishad)
That Śrī Rāma, who transformed himself (incarnated) as Krishna, attained Sarvaatmakta (सार्वभौमिकता) by his very lila (divine exploits, pastimes); and thus deities-sages-masses were completely satisfied on this earth. I make prostration before that same Śrī Rāma.
(Brihad Brahma Samhita 2.7.8, Śrī Hari Narayan to Brahma)
The supreme cause of the four vyuhas, such as Vasudeva. Śrī Rāma, the shelter of the twenty-four avtars, is my refuge.
One thing has become clear from here that the same Supreme Soul who is called Śrī Rāma is established in all forms as said in Vedavataar Śrīmad Valmiki Rāmayana,
(Śrīmad Valmiki Rāmayana 7.119.32)
Śrī Rāma is the eternal akshar brahman mentioned in Vedas who is the innerself (heart) of all Gods.
(स्वयंवेद श्रीमद् वाल्मीकि रामायण ५.३९.५३)
"Who else is greater than Śrī Rāmā? and who else is equal to even Lakshmana? (means no one is greater than him)
(श्रीपद्मपुराण, पातालखण्ड ३५/५१ क )
No God is superior than Lord Rama; No penance has greater fruit than Lord Rama.
Only Lord Śrī Rāma is pervaded in all forms, that's why no one can be small or big. If you are down grading any form of Śrī Rāma, it means that you are down grading Śrī Rāma through them which will not be tolerated at all. The one with eight arms lord is also ours, the one with four arms lord is also ours, the one with two arms is also ours, the Jagannath with half arms is also ours and the one without arms i.e. Shaligram is also ours.
One thing to note here is that the Supreme Soul who pervades is the two armed has been called the root of all. Let's understand through Proofs;
(Narad Panchratra Śrī Padma Samhita)
Concluding meaning is that, In the Sun (the divine light/effulgence), there is the original primeval-form of Śrī Hari having one face and two hands with bow and arrow."
Same is their in Narad Panchratra Anand Samhita and Sundari Tantra;
(इति आनंद संहिता एवं सुंदरी तंत्र)
Wherever in the Vedas there has been a discussion of Parambrahma Paramatma, the word Dwibhuja has been used for them.
(Rig ved 10.81.3)
Here the word Bhāubhyam (बाहुभ्यां) has been used in Dwi-Vachan representing two armes.
Even in Purush Sukta of Vedas the sanskrit word used for arms has been used in Dwi-Vachan, (10 & 11th mantra)
So the Purush Sukta is exclusively dedicated to Śrī Rāma but as Śrī Hari Narayan and Śrī Krishnā are his incarnations so this applies to them as well as their is no difference between Avatar and Avatari.
Same like many Shloka are in Vedas which clearly speak up the same thing.
(Atharvaveda 13.2.23)
(Krishna Yajurved Shvetashvatara Upanishad 3.3)
(Shukla Yajurveda 17.19)
So from here it has been clear that the two armed form of God his Original Source of everything,
As Tulsidas Maharaj has written in Ramcharit Manas,
जो वेदों और पुराणों में पुरुष प्रसिद्ध हैं, प्रकाश के भंडार हैं, सब रूपों में प्रकट हैं, जीव, माया और जगत् सबके स्वामी हैं, वे ही रघुकुल मणि राम मेरे स्वामी हैं - ऐसा कहकर शिव ने उनको मस्तक नवाया।
That's why he has written;
In short, the whole universe (including Devi, Devata and Panch Brahma) are illuminated by the only one illuminator i.e. Śrī Rāma.
As Śrī Parashara Smriti clearly says;
(इति पराशर स्मृति वचने)
अर्थ- भगवान श्रीरामभद्र ही परंब्रह्म परमात्मा है, जो भी कुछ स्थूल और सूक्ष्म वस्तु है उनमें से कुछ भी श्रीराम से परे नहीं है इसीलिए ब्रह्मा, विष्णु, शिव ये सभी तथा इंद्र, अग्नि, वरुण, यम, सूर्य, चंद्र, स्वर्ग, भूमि, आकाश, पवन, जल ये सब भगवान श्रीरामचंद्र के तेज से ही प्रतिष्ठित हुए हैं तथा भूत, भविष्य और वर्तमान ये तीनों काल तथा इन तीनों कालमें जो कुछ उत्पन्न होगा और उत्पन्न हुआ है, वो सब श्रीराम से ही उत्पन्न हुआ है।
So from here we can conclude that Śrī Rāma is alone Par Brahma who resides in the heart of all Gods.
As Tulsidas Maharaj has cleared in Śrīmad Rāmcharit Manas that;
Who so ever is big is bigger by the praise of Śrī Rāma.
As Valmiki Rāmayana says;
(Śrī Valmiki Rāmayana 5.39.53)
"Who else is greater than Śrī Rāmā? and who else is equal to even Lakshmana?
[Means Śrī Rāmā is free from anyone equal to or greater than him, and there is none equal to even Lakshmana.]"
Same is their in Śrīmad Bhagwat mahapurana;
(इति श्रीमद्भागवत पुराण ९.११.२०)
परीक्षित्! भगवान श्रीरघुवर के समान और कोई नहीं है, फिर उनसे बढ़कर तो हो ही कैसे सकता है। उन्होंने देवताओंकी प्रार्थनासे ही यह लीला-विग्रह धारण किया था। ऐसी स्थितिमें रघुवंश-शिरोमणि के लिये यह कोई बड़े गौरवकी बात नहीं है कि उन्होंने अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंसे राक्षसोंको मार डाला या समुद्रपर पुल बाँध दिया। भला, उन्हें शत्रुओंको मारनेके लिये बंदरोंकी सहायताकी भी आवश्यकता थी क्या? यह सब उनकी लीला ही है।
One thing should always be noted that anything which applies to Śrī Rāma will be applied to his incarnations too as their is no difference between Avatar and Avatari.
आनंद भाष्यकार श्रीमद जगद्गुरु रामानंदाचार्य भगवान की जय 🚩
भगवान श्रीलक्ष्मी नारायण की जय 🚩
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