SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 14 Text 27
brahmano hi pratisthaham
amrtasyavyayasya ca
sasvatasya ca dharmasya
sukhasyaikantikasya ca

brahmanah--of the impersonal brahmajyoti; hi--certainly; pratistha--the rest; aham--I am; amrtasya--of the immortal; avyayasya--of the imperishable; ca--also; sasvatasya--of the eternal; ca--and; dharmasya--of the constitutional position; sukhasya--of happiness; aikantikasya--ultimate; ca--also.

TRANSLATION

And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; Brahman is the beginning of transcendental realization. Paramatma, the Supersoul, is the middle, the second stage in transcendental realization, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, both Paramatma and the impersonal Brahman are within the Supreme Person. He then goes on to point out; This attainment of the Brahman conception of life is the first stage in self-realization. At this stage the Brahman-realized person is transcendental to the material position, but he is not actually perfect in Brahman realization. If he wants, he can continue to stay in the Brahman position and then gradually rise up to Paramatma realization and then to the realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

When I chant my japa I find it rather easy to realize the Lord around me in nature. Seeing Krishna within takes a little more concentration but, when successful, a since of "being loved" comes almost at once. Of course, this is all dependent on how well I can leave my own petty concerns behind and truly listen to the holy names as I chant them.