1. Om

    Om is also representation of Krsna. That is also accepted. But that is not ultimate. Ultimate is Krsna. Just like there is some vibration, some source. You go, go, proceed, wherefrom this vibration is coming. If you find whether here is a horn, from this…, or conchshell, here is vibration. So that unless you reach that point… That is ultimate, not that vibration. Suppose I am vibrating conchshell. There is a huge sound. But is that vibration ultimate? Or the conchshell wherefrom the vibration is emanating, the conchshell is ultimate?

    The conchshell sound is going beyond this temple. Does it mean that conchshell sound is bigger than the conchshell? The vibration of the conchshell, apparently it seem to be very great, but does it mean it is great? The great is the conchshell wherefrom the vibration is coming. That is the ultimate source. So omkara vibration is all over the universe. That’s all right. But wherefrom it is coming? That you have to search out. When you search out, you’ll find Krsna. Therefore Krsna is the ultimate, not the vibration. Is that clear? Yes. The same example: The sunshine, all over the universe it is spread. Does it make it is greater than the sun? The sun is the source of the sunshine. So similarly, brahmano ‘ham pratistha [Bg 14.27], “I am the source of Brahman, the effulgence.” That’s a fact. Brahman is not greater than Krsna. Krsna is greater than Brahman. Mattah parataro nasti. You will find in the Bhagavad-gita, “There is no more greater truth than Me.” These people, they cannot understand. Less intelligent.

    The same example: Because they see that the sunshine is spreading all over the universe, therefore it is more important, greater than the sun planet. But actually it is not. The simple truth. And if you go into the sun planet you will find Vivasvan, the sun-god, is there. The sun planet is so dazzling due to his presence. Similarly, with all impersonal conception, when you reach Krsna, then you reach to the goal.

    From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.46-62 — December 16, 1968, Los Angeles