Page 12 - History of Tirupathi Balaji and comparison of Sri Vaishnava

must become free of the infl uence of the modes to begin to understand who is
Lord Krishna and His expansions such as Narayana and Vishnu. Brahma and
Siva are also subject to the infl uence of the modes.
Although Brahma and Siva are greatly elevated personalities and are almost
on the level of Lord Vishnu, it is not possible for such empowered personalities
to release the conditioned souls from the infl uence of the modes. The modes
keep the living entities in illusion that entangles them in the cycle of birth and
death. Both Brahma and Siva are slightly infl uenced by the modes of passion
and ignorance respectively. This was experienced fi rsthand by Bhrigu. Only
Lord Vishnu is above the control of the modes of nature and thus He is the
master of the material nature and its illusory infl uence. He alone can give release
to the conditioned souls. Siva confi rms that liberation can only be achieved
by the mercy of Lord Vishnu. He says, mukti-pradata sarvesam vishnur eva
na samsayah, “There is no doubt that Vishnu is the deliverer of liberation for
everyone.” The Vedic literature, Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.8, also confi rms this
in the phrase “tam eva viditva, Freedom is possible only by understanding
Krishna.”
Are Lord Krishna and Vishnu the same person or different persons?

There might be some confusion about who is actually the Supreme
Personality of Godhead because reference has been made to Lords Krishna,
Narayana and Vishnu. To understand this transcendental subject, we must
refer to genuine authorities such as Brahma, Bhismadeva, Sukadeva Goswami,
Arjuna, and other recognized and bona fi de Vedic authorities. As human beings
we are limited in our ability to understand the infi nite and transcendental subject
of God’s powers and expansions. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, it is said, “O
brahmanas, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets fl owing
from inexhaustible sources of water.” (SB 1.3.26) Yet, if we submit ourselves to
submissively hearing this knowledge from an authorized teacher who strictly
repeats what is said in the holy scripture, it is possible to have an understanding
up to the limit of our human capability.
In the beginning of his mature realization on the Absolute Truth called the
Brahma Samhita, Lord Brahma states, Krishna who is known as Govinda is the
Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has
no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes. (BS 5.1) Arjuna, the personal
friend and the one Lord Krishna chose to explain His Bhagavad-gita for the
benefi t of future generations, has stated, Arjuna addressed Lord Krishna, You are
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth.
You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great
sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa confi rm this truth about You, and now You
Yourself are declaring it to me. (Bg 10. 12-13)
“O Krishna, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me. Neither
the demigods nor the demons, O Lord, can understand Your personality.” (Bg
10.14) “Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own internal potency, O
Supreme Person, origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, Lord of the
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