The Nature of God

Brahm — The Supreme God

Discover Brahm, the Supreme God mentioned in the Vedas. Learn about Nirakar, Paramatma, and Bhagavan Krishna, the source of all divine descensions.

JKP Literature

09 Nov 2025 — 8 min read

According to the "Bible of Bibles" by Kersey Graves, there are 11 major religions prevalent in the world today. While their methods may differ, they all believe in one Supreme Authority. That Supreme God is the Lord of the entire creation. He is addressed by various names: God, Paramatma (परमात्मा), Khuda (ख़ुदा), or Allah (अल्लाह). Whatever the name, the entity is One.

The Vedas refer to this Supreme God as Brahm (ब्रह्म • brahma). Vedic philosophy states there are only three eternal entities in existence:

Brahm (God)
Jeev (The Individual Soul)
Maya (The Material Energy)

All three are eternal (anadi). However, Brahm is the Master of both the Jeev and Maya.

Brahm and Jeev are both sentient (conscious).
Maya is insentient (inert). Although Maya is eternal, the world (sansara) created by it is temporary.

The jeev and Brahm are both conscious and eternal. Other than these two similarities there are vast number of differences between them. Listed in Table 1 are a few of those differences.

Table 1: A Comparative View of Jeev and Brahm

The Definition of "Brahm"

The Vedas define the word Brahma as the one possessing two specific capacities:

वृहति वृंहयति इति तत्परं ब्रह्म । vṛhati vṛṁhayati iti tatparaṁ brahma | (-Rahasya Agnāya Brāhmaṇa)
"The one who is infinitely big, and who makes others big."

How big is He?

"Big" is a relative term. A mountain is big, but the ocean is bigger. The sky is bigger than the ocean. But Brahm is bigger than the biggest. If He were not, how could this infinitely large universe merge into Him during dissolution (pralay)? The Vedas declare:

सत्यं ज्ञानमनंतम् ब्रह्म । -वेद
satyaṁ jñānamanaṁtam brahma । - veda
"He is infinitely big"

That means His vastness cannot be measured.

Who does He make big?

He makes the Jeev big. When a soul fully surrenders to Him, Brahm bestows all His powers upon that soul. Such a soul becomes a Saint. Although the scriptures say

न तत्स्मश्चाभ्यधिकश्च दृश्यते । श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद् ६-८
na tatsmaścābhyadhikaśca dr̥śyate । śvetāśvataropaniṣad 6-8
"No one is equal to or greater than God".

out of sheer graciousness, the Lord makes the insignificant jeev equivalent to Himself.

जानत तुमहिं तुमहिं है जाई ॥ jānata tumahiṁ tumahiṁ hai jāī ||
"Those who know You, become You."

Brahm bestows all His powers upon those jeev who fully surrender to Him. Such jeev are called Mayateet jeev are also referred to as genuine saint.

The Three Forms of Brahm

While God is One, Saint Ved Vyas says He manifests in three distinct aspects to reciprocate with different types of seekers.

Nirakar Brahm

The imperceptible, formless aspect of Supreme God is called Nirakar Brahm (निराकार ब्रह्म • nirākāra brahma). All powers of God are dormant in this state except for the power of

sat (सत् • sat): Unlimited Existence,
chit (चित् • cit): Unlimited Knowledge and
anand (आनन्द • ānanda): Unlimited Bliss.

This form is known as Sachidananda (सच्चिदानंद • saccidānaṁda) . The followers of the path of gyan worship this aspect of God to attain sayujya mukti (merging into the light of God).

Sakar Brahm

This is the perceivable divine personal form of God called Sakar Brahm (साकार ब्रह्म • sākāra brahma). This form is again divided into two forms based on the exhibited characteristics.

Paramatma

Parmatma (परमात्मा • paramātmā ) is endowed with form, name, attributes and abode. It is a majestic form of God with four arms also known as MahaVishnu (महाविष्णु • mahāviṣṇu).

Those who pursue the path of yoga worship this form of God. MahaVishnu 's divine abode is called Vaikuṇṭha. Devotees of this form attain unlimited divine bliss, unlimited divine knowledge and go to Vaikuṇṭha where they enjoy the association and beholding the divine vision of God constantly. This bliss is far superior to the bliss of sayujya mukti.

Bhagavan

Bhagavan (भगवान् • bhagavān) is the most generous and adorable form of the Supreme Lord. As Bhagawan, God descends in a human-like form (like Ram or Krishna). Here, He hides His almightiness instead reveals the unique Power of Divine Love though His form, name, attributes, pastimes and associates.

Devotees of Bhagavan forget His "Godliness" and love Him as a son, friend, or beloved (bhav).
The bliss of this love is so intoxicating that devotees reject even Liberation (Mukti) and Vaikuntha.

The nectar of this form of God and freedom of loving Him, without an inkling of His divine status as almighty God, is unfathomable. That is why devotees reject the bliss of liberation and the bliss of Vaikuṇṭha.

Difference in Powers exhibited by Brahm, Paramatma and Bhagavan

Even atma gyanis (see Gyan) reject their brahmanand and become bhakt. A few examples of gyanis are Shukdev Paramhans, King Janak, Shri-Krishna's friend Uddhav. On the flip side there not even a single bhakt who has tasted the nectar of divine love and then switched to follow path of gyan.

Lord Rama offered Hanuman Ji mukti as a reward for his selfless service. Hanuman Ji refused to take it, saying:

भवबंधच्छिदे तस्मै स्पृहयामि नमुक्तये। भवान्प्रभुरहं दास इति यत्र विलुप्यते॥ bhavabaṁdhacchide tasmai spr̥hayāmi namuktaye | bhavānprabhurahaṁ dāsa iti yatra vilupyate || (Valmiki Ramayana)
"I do not desire liberation where the relationship of 'You are my Master and I am Your servant' ceases to exist."

Descensions of Brahm

Brahm has existed in all these three forms since eternity. Vedas reveal that The Supreme God is known as Lord Krishna. He is referred to as Lord Krishna Himself or Swayam Shri Krishna (स्वयं श्रीकृष्ण • svayaṁ śrīkr̥ṣṇa).

Time after time Swayam Shri Krishna descends in earth. That’s why all other forms of God are called Avatar (अवतार • avatāra ) or descents, whereas Swayam Shri Krishna is called Avatari (अवतारी • avatārī ) which means source of the descensions.

Although every Avatar, being a swansh of Shri Krishna, is endowed with all of His powers yet, they reveal only those powers which are needed in that Avatar. Management of creation, establishing dharma etc. is done by swansh and saints.

The Bhagavatam says,

यस्यैक निःश्वसितकालमथावलम्ब्य जीवन्ति लोमविलजाः जगदण्ड नाथा।
विष्णुर्महान्स इह यस्य कलाविशेषो, गोविंदमादि पुरुषं तमहं भजामि ॥
yasyaika niḥśvasitakālamathāvalambya jīvanti lōmavilajāḥ jagadaṇḍa nāthā.
viṣṇurmahānsa iha yasya kalāviśēṣō, gōvindamādi puruṣṁ tamahṁ bhajāmi .
Brahma Samhita (5.48)
"At the time of creation The Supreme Lord reveals one of His powers called kala (कला • kalā ). Karanarnavashayi Mahavishnu (कार्णार्णवाशायी महाविष्णु • kārṇārṇavāśāyī mahāviṣṇu)."

Since, He is the first manifestation of Shri Krishna He is also referred to as Pratham Purush (प्रथम पुरुष • prathama puruṣa ).

Garbhodashayi Mahavishnu (गर्भोदशायी महाविष्णु • garbhodaśāyī mahāviṣṇu ) is in turn the revelation of one power of Karanarnavashayi MahaVishnu. Since, He is the second manifestation of Shri Krishna He is also referred to as Dwitiya purush (द्वितीय पुरुष • dvitīya puruṣa).

Kshirodashayi MahaVishnu (क्षीरोदशायी महाविष्णु • kṣīrodaśāyī mahāviṣṇu ) is the revelation of one power of Garbhodashayi Mahavishnu. Since, He is the third manifestation of Shri Krishna He is also referred to as Tritiya Purush (त्रितीय पुरुष • tritīya puruṣa).

The Dashavataras (10 Avatars like Matsya, Kurma, Narsimha) are descensions of the Third Purush (Kshirodashayi Mahavishnu). They appear in every age (Yuga) to establish Dharma so they are called Yugavatara (युगावतार • yugāvatāra).

The Secret: When Does Krishna Descend?

While Vishnu Avatars descend frequently, Swayam Shri Krishna descends only once in a Kalpa (4.32 billion years).

Yugavatara Krishna: In every Dwapara Yuga, Vishnu descends as Krishna to perform majestic pastimes (like the Mahabharata). In every kalp there are 994 dwapar yug. Yugavatara Shri Kṛishna descends in 993 dwapar yug.
Swayam Shri Krishna: Once in a kalp (during the 28th Dwapara Yuga of the 7th Manvantara), Swayam Shri Krishna descends with Shri Radha.

Only Swayam Shri Krishna reveals the Maharaas and the intimate nectar of Divine Love. This is why scriptures clarify that attaining Shri Krishna is the ultimate goal, achievable only through selfless Sadhana Bhakti.

Clarifying the confusion

Being uninformed of this secret, many think Mahavishnu is "Supreme God."

Scriptures clarify that Kshirodashayi MahaVishnu is on the fourth level of supremacy.

Bhagavan-Shri Krishna is the Supreme-Brahm. One can attain the bliss of divine-love only upon attaining Lord Krishna. And this bliss is attained only with His grace.

His grace is attained by exclusively, sincerely and constantly practicing Sadhana Bhakti. Also, one must desire exclusively for the Lord's happiness. Selfless love is essential to practice devotion and receive the grace of Brahm Lord Krishna.