Jay: Grandma, I am confused by the difference between Supreme Spirit, Spirit, Divine Beings and individual souls. Will you please explain them again?
Grandma: Yes, Jay, these are terms you should understand well.
The Supreme Spirit is also called the Supreme Person, the Supreme Being, the Supersoul, the Absolute, Father, Mother, God, Ishvara, and by many other names. The Supreme Spirit is called ParaBrahma, Paramātmā, ParamaShiva, or Krishna in Sanskrit. The Supreme Spirit is the source or the root of everything. There is nothing higher than the Supreme Spirit. Spirit (Brahma or Atmā) is a part of the Supreme Spirit that expands and supports the entire cosmos. Divine Beings (Devas, Devis), such as Vishnu, Brahmā, Mahesha, and many others, are the expansions of Brahma (Spirit). Individual Souls (soul or Jiva), such as all living beings, are the expansions of Divine Beings.
The Supreme Spirit and Spirit do not change and last forever. Divine Beings come out of Spirit and have a very long life span. Individual souls or the living beings have a very limited life span. If you compare the creation with a tree, then the Supreme Lord Krishna (the Supreme Spirit) is the root of the tree. Atmā or Brahma (also spelled as Brahman, Brahm) is the trunk of the tree. The cosmos are the branches of the tree, and the holy books, such as the Vedas, Upanishads, and Gita, Dhammapāda, Torah, Bible, Koran, etc. are its leaves. Individualsouls, such as living beings, are the fruits and flowers of the tree. Do you see how everything
is connected and part of the Supreme Being?
Jay: How about planets, such as the Sun, and the Moon and the stars?
Grandma: The entire visible world, such as the Sun, Moon, Earth, other planets, and galaxies, was created by Lord Brahmā and is
supported by Lord Vishnu and is destroyed by Lord Shiva or Mahesha. Remember that Brahmā, Vishnu, and Mahesha are a part of the energy of the Spirit or Brahma. The light energy of the Sun also comes from Brahma, and Brahma is a part of the Supreme Being, Lord Krishna. The sages tell us that everything is nothing but another form of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Being. Krishna is inside and outside everything. He has actually become everything. The One has become all. He also comes to earth in human form to establish law and order (Dharma) when needed (Gita 4.07- 08).
Chapter 15 summary:
The creation is changeable and does not last forever. It has a
limited life span. Brahma or Atmā does not change and is eternal. It is the cause of all causes. Krishna is called ParaBrahma or the
Supreme Being. He is also called the Absolute because He has no origin. He is the source of Brahma. Everything in the universe comes out of Brahma. The entire visible world and its creatures are created by Brahmā, the creative power of Brahma; sustained by Vishnu’s sustaining power and destroyed by Mahesha.