Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 20.308
Rudra Is Simultaneously One and Different
“Rudra, Lord Śiva, has various forms, which are transformations brought about by association with māyā. Although Rudra is not on a level with the jīva-tattvas, he still cannot be considered a personal expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
What the purport teaches
- Rudra’s various forms are transformations brought about by association with māyā.
- Rudra is not on the level of the jīva-tattvas, yet he cannot be considered a personal expansion of Kṛṣṇa in the same way as the viṣṇu-tattva.
- The purport explains that Rudra is an expansion of Kṛṣṇa’s personal form, yet differs from the viṣṇu-tattva through association with māyā. This simultaneous oneness and difference is called bhedābheda-tattva or acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.
Try this today
Write “simultaneously one and different” and note that Rudra’s association with māyā accounts for the difference.
Ask yourself
How does holding both oneness and difference help you understand Rudra’s position?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.