If we analyse the Absolute Truth, we will find that Sri Kṛṣna is the Absolute Principle because He is the Absolute Brahman or Param Brahman (Supreme Brahman). In response to those who claim that the formless, non-variegated Brahman is the Absolute cause, Lord Kṛṣna says in the Bhagavad-gita (14.27):

brahmano hi pratiṣṭhaham
amṛtasyavyayasya ca
sasvatasya ca dharmasya
sukhasyaikantikasya ca

‘‘I am the basis of the formless, impersonal Brahman.’’ Pratiṣṭha means “basis,” “background,” or “in abundance.” Brahman is blissful, but in Kṛṣna that bliss is in abundance. This means that Kṛṣna’s bliss is infinite and is the basis even of brahmananda. Ānandam brahma is a Vedic aphorism, but that ananda, rasa, pleasure and bliss personified is none other than Lord Sri Kṛṣna. The evidence for this is:

raso vai sah, rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati
(Taittiriya Upaniṣad 2.7)

“Those who attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Who is the very Form of bliss, actually become transcendentally blissful.” That is why it is said that the Absolute Truth, Lord Sri Kṛṣna, is also the cause of Brahman. However, Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan are one in principle. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.11):

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jṣanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate

“Those transcendentalists who know the nature of the Adhokṣaja-vastu, which is beyond the reach of the senses, describe that Absolute knowledge or Infinite knowledge with the words of Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan.” Hence, Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan are all identical and full of knowledge. Then what is the difference between them?

In answer to this, it is said that wherever there is Absolute knowledge without personality, that is known as Brahman. It is this formless, non-variegated knowledge which is known as impersonal Brahman by the common man. The scriptures describe it as mahato mahiyan or “bigger than the biggest.” This is a partial understanding of Bhagavan. Paramatma is also a partial representation of Bhagavan. The scriptures describe it as anor aniyan or “smaller than the smallest.” You can get this knowledge by going through the Viṣnu-sahasranama. Apart from this, whatever possesses minuteness, greatness and wholeness is called Bhagavan and that Bhagavan, the Absolute Truth, is Sri Kṛṣna.

Bhagavan is one without a second, but He can have numerous pastimes (lila). In His pastimes of opulence (aisvarya-lila), Sri Kṛṣna is the Absolute Truth Lord Ramacandra, but with different pastimes. Lord Ramacandra’s pastime is that of Maryada-Puruṣottama, which symbolises righteousness, but Lila-Puruṣottama Lord Kṛṣna’s pastimes are sweet. These are pastimes of sweetness (madhurya), beauty and munificence (audarya), and Gaurahari’s pastimes are similar. However, Gaurahari’s lila is predominantly munificence while Kṛṣna’s lila is predominantly sweetness. In principle, Sri Kṛṣna, Narayana, Rama, Gaurahari, Matsya, Kūrma, Varaha and Nṛsimha are all the same. They are all viṣnu-tattva and Their devotees are called Vaiṣnavas. The servants of Rama, Nṛsimha and Narayana are all called Vaiṣnavas. Even the worshippers of the Lord’s incarnations such as Matsya, Kūrma and Varaha are called Vaiṣnavas. That is why it is said that in principle, They are all the same, but there are differences in Their pastimes and according to the pastimes, there are different levels of pleasure.

Among all the pastimes of the Lord, only those of Sri Kṛṣna manifest all the mellows (rasas). Out of innumerable mellows, the scriptures describe twelve important mellows of which the following five are primary—neutrality (santa), servitude (dasya), fraternity (sakhya), parenthood (vatsalya) and conjugal love (madhurya). The secondary mellows are comedy (hasya), wonder (adbhuta), anger (raudra), disgust (bibhatsa), chivalry (vira), mercy (karuna) and fear (bhayanaka). The personification of all twelve mellows is Sri Kṛṣna. These twelve mellows are not manifest in totality in any other Form of the Lord. In principle, however, all avataras (divine descents) are complete. In other avataras of Sri Kṛṣna, one or more mellows are manifest but not all of them. However, one can find all twelve mellows in totality in Sri Kṛṣna. By worshipping Him, one can taste the mellow that corresponds to one’s own rasa. Therefore, the only worshipable object is Sri Kṛṣna. He is the Absolute and Ultimate Truth. Viṣnu means the Ultimate Form of the Absolute Brahman. The Ultimate Form of that Absolute Brahman is Sri Kṛṣna. Sri Kṛṣna is the embodiment of Absolute Bliss. Hence, He attracts other Viṣnu avataras as well as other living entities; He derives pleasure from them and gives pleasure to them. Therefore, the Absolute Truth is Sri Kṛṣna. The word Kṛṣna is composed of kṛṣ and na, meaning one who attracts everybody and gives them bliss. Therefore, in the opinion of the scriptures, Sri Kṛṣna is the Absolute Truth and Param Brahman.

Many people accept sakti as their object of worship, considering it to be the Absolute Truth. To them I want to say that sakti is not an undesirable thing but it can be known only by knowing the possessor thereof. Sakti means “attribute” or “potency.” For example, if an object is conscious, its energy is called spiritual potency and if the object is unconscious, its energy is called material potency. It should be emphasised, however, that sakti has no separate existence. One can know sakti only by knowing its possessor. That is why sakti is called an essential principle, because the identity of sakti is pursuant to the identity of the possessor of sakti.

The Absolute Truth is the possessor of sakti. Therefore, sakti alone cannot be considered to be the Absolute Truth. It is found in the scriptures that sakti-sakimataro ’bhedah, which means that sakti (energy) and saktiman (the possessor of energy) are non-different. For example, you and your energy are non-different because without you there is no independent existence of your energy. You are not energy but its cause, and hence your energy has to work under you. So it can be seen that there is also a difference between you and your energy. Hence by reasoning and scriptural evidence, sakti cannot be considered to be the Absolute Truth. Apart from this, those who consider Ganesa or Sūrya to be the Absolute Truth are few in number. Many people consider Siva to be the Absolute Truth but those who have studied the Vedas and Puranas thoroughly or who are going through the Vedas know that the first puruṣa-avatara, Karanodakasayi Maha-Viṣnu, appeared from Saṅkarṣana. When He glanced over Maya, infinite universes appeared. Karanodakasayi Viṣnu then entered into each of the universes through His plenary expansion, the second puruṣa-avatara, Garbhodakasayi Viṣnu. From His perspiration, Garbhodakasayi Viṣnu created an ocean. Brahma appeared from His lotus-navel and Siva appeared from between His eyebrows. The second puruṣa-avatara again manifested a plenary expansion of Himself as the third puruṣa-avatara, Kṣirodakasayi Viṣnu, Who is the maintainer and protector of all the universes. It is this Viṣnu Who is situated in the hearts of all living entities as the Paramatma. One can find this subject matter described in the Puruṣa-sūkta hymn of the Vedas. It is said in the Brahma-samhita (5.45) that Siva and Govinda are essentially the same:

kṣiram yatha dadhi vikara-viseṣa-yogat
saṣjayate na hi tatah pṛthag asti hetoh
yah sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad
govindam adi-puruṣam tam aham bhajami

If we add sour agents to milk, it turns into yogurt. It is not that milk and yogurt are two different substances. Similarly, when Sri Kṛṣna accepts the mode of ignorance to destroy the cosmic manifestation, He accepts sambhuta or the form of Rudra. Therefore, the Absolute Truth is only Sri Kṛṣna or Govinda.

There is one more matter worth discussing here: Which Kṛṣna is supremely worshipable–Dvarakadhisa Kṛṣna, Mathuradhisa Kṛṣna or Vrajendranandana Kṛṣna?

According to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s school of thought, Vrajendranandana Kṛṣna is the Supreme Worshipable Truth because only in Him are all mellows manifest completely; so much so that even Narayana runs to embrace Kṛṣna on seeing this Form of the Lord—although both Narayana and Kṛṣna are one in principle. This is kṛṣna-tattva. This is the philosophy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu or the Srimad-Bhagavatam.