Kṛṣṇa's Effulgence is the Impersonal Brahman

The theological relationship between the personal form of God and the impersonal spiritual light is a central theme in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava philosophy. The Vedic literatures conclude that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the energetic source, and the impersonal Brahman, or brahmajyoti, is His energy. Specifically, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this all-pervading spiritual effulgence is composed of the blindingly glorious rays emanating from Kṛṣṇa's transcendental body. While impersonalists aspire to merge into this light, pure devotees seek to penetrate it to behold the beautiful form of Śyāmasundara within.

Source of the Brahmajyoti

Contrary to the misconception that the impersonal light is the ultimate truth, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that "Brahman" refers to the bodily rays of Kṛṣṇa. Just as a fire emits light, Kṛṣṇa's sac-cid-ānanda form emits a transcendental effulgence. This effulgence is the realized aspect of the Absolute Truth for those who follow the path of jñāna-yoga.

• Brahman means His (Krsna's) effulgence, bodily rays. You may ask, "What is that bodily rays?" You can see every day. Everyone has got bodily rays according to his quality. You see the sun, the bodily rays, the sunshine.
• Krsna is the source of the impersonal Brahman is confirmed in Brahma-samhita (BS 5.38). The impersonal Brahman is nothing but the effulgence or bodily rays of Krsna, and in those bodily rays there are innumerable universes floating.
• The glowing effulgence of His transcendental form is the impersonal Brahman, which is absolute, complete and unlimited and which displays the varieties of countless planets, with their different opulences, in millions and millions of universes.
• It is because of the effulgence of Krsna's transcendental body that there is light. Whatever light we see is simply borrowed light from Krsna's effulgence. As stated in the Brahma-samhita - 5.40.

Sun and Sunshine Analogy

To help us understand this concept, the śāstras provide the analogy of the sun. Śrīla Prabhupāda illustrates that there is the sun-god (the person), the sun planet (the localized residence), and the sunshine (the all-pervading energy). Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person, Goloka Vṛndāvana is His abode, and the brahmajyoti is the effulgence expanding from Him. One who realizes the sunshine has not necessarily realized the sun-god.

• There is the sun-god, the sun itself and the sunshine which is the shining effulgence of that original sun-god. Similarly, the spiritual effulgence (brahmajyoti), impersonal Brahman, is nothing but the personal effulgence of Krsna.
• This Brahman effulgence is nothing but Krsna's bodily effulgence, just like this effulgence of sun.
• Sun planet is one of the material creation of Krsna. But as the moon planet reflects the sun planet, similarly the sun planet also reflects brahma-jyoti, and the brahma-jyoti comes out of the bodily effulgence of Krsna.
• The manifestation of the impersonal Brahman effulgence, which is without variety, is the rays of Krsna's bodily effulgence. It is exactly like the sun. When the sun is seen by our ordinary eyes, it appears to consist simply of effulgence.

Destination of Impersonalists vs. Devotees

The destination one achieves depends on their object of worship. Impersonalists who meditate on the featureless light may merge into that effulgence, attaining a state of existence without variety. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda often compares this to spiritual suicide because the soul's natural function of service remains dormant. Devotees, however, go beyond the effulgence to the spiritual planets.

• Bhaktas enter even the planet of Krsna very easily, but the less intelligent yogis and jnanis, by their meditation, remain running after Krsna. Even if they enter Krsna's effulgence, they fall down.
• As for those who are impersonalists and who want to commit spiritual suicide by annihilating the individual existence of the living entity, Krsna helps also by absorbing them into His effulgence.
• Highly elevated Mayavadi sannyasis sometimes worship the Radha-Krsna Deity and discuss the pastimes of the Lord, but their purpose is not elevation to Goloka Vrndavana. They want to merge into the Lord’s effulgence.
• Yogis, jnanis, karmis and Vedantists cannot even approach Krsna; they must remain very, very far away from Him and try to enter His bodily effulgence, although this also they are unable to do.

Creation and Maintenance within the Effulgence

This effulgence is not merely a void; it is the substrate of all existence. Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that innumerable universes, including the material cosmic manifestations, float within this vast ocean of light.

• In that effulgence (of Krsna) there are millions of universes, but yogis and jnanis cannot enter that effulgence even after many, many years of austerities, whereas bhaktas can capture Krsna simply by love and affection.
• Just as within the sunshine there are innumerable planets, in the shining effulgence of the body of Krsna there are innumerable planets and universes. We have knowledge of many universes, and in each universe there is a sun.
• You have seen Krsna's effulgence is coming. That is the source of everything. That expansion of that effulgence is the brahmajyoti, and in that brahmajyoti, innumerable spiritual planets, material planets, are generated.

The Covering of the Lord's Face

For the devotee, this glaring effulgence can actually be an obstacle. In Śrī Īśopaniṣad, the devotee prays to the Lord to remove this dazzling covering (hiraṇmayena pātreṇa) so that, as Śrīla Prabhupāda translates, the true, blissful face of the Supreme Personality of Godhead may be seen.

• Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 15 - O my Lord, sustainer of all that lives, Your real face is covered by Your dazzling effulgence. Kindly remove that covering and exhibit Yourself to Your pure devotee.
• My dear Lord, I must admit that due to Your bodily effulgence, unbearable to my eyes, I cannot see You properly. I can fully realize that the influence of Your effulgence has diminished my power.
• The impersonalists do not have the power to go beyond the effulgence of God and arrive at the personality from whom this effulgence is emanating. At the end of Isopanisad, however, there is a hymn to the Personality of Godhead.

Conclusion

The brahmajyoti is the glorious, impersonal feature of Kṛṣṇa, emanating from His transcendental body. While it represents the destination for those seeking liberation from material variety without accepting spiritual variety, it is ultimately a partial realization of the Absolute Truth. As Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently taught, the full realization is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme Person, who exists beyond His effulgence, inviting the soul to an eternal relationship of love and service.

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