The radiance shines beyond the “shell,” the envelope of the material galaxies. Because we are deprived of the ability to see this radiance, we sometimes call it unmanifest. It is the ultimate goal of the impersonalists, of those who believe that God is only a formless Supreme Spiritual Being, for they choose to merge with it. This radiance is limitless, immeasurable, infinite.

Just as the sun and its rays cannot be separated, so it is with Lord Krishna and the radiance, or dazzling radiance, or absolute light, which emanates from his body. This is why the Lord makes it clear that this radiance is none other than Himself, and that it emanates from His spiritual energy or inner power.

This radiance, this dazzling radiance, this absolute light, is composed of a set of tiny particles also called spiritual sparks, or in other words, the living beings or spiritual beings that each of us is.

The expression “I am the radiance” can also be applied to living beings, who can also claim to be part of this dazzling radiance, this absolute light, since all together they compose it.

It is to serve Krishna that we were brought into existence.

The embodied spiritual being that each of us truly is belongs to the Lord's internal energy and is therefore also identical to Him, but never equals or surpasses Him.

Krishna, God, and other beings all possess their own individuality. Spiritual beings distinct from God can also exercise a certain creative power with the help of material energy, but none of their creations will equal or surpass those of Lord Krishna. Only unreasonable, insane minds claim to be one with God, and thus allow themselves to be led astray by illusory energy. In their delusion, they have no recourse but to recognize the Lord's supremacy and voluntarily engage in His loving service, for that is what they were created to do.

If they do not return to this original duty, the world will know neither peace nor tranquility.

In truth, material creation is temporarily manifested and then destroyed for the sole purpose of instructing the spiritual being embodied and conditioned by material nature and the energy of illusion, who remains attached to the ephemeral. It is therefore also intended to enable them to achieve spiritual realization, whereas beings attached to the fruits of their actions see the pursuit of sense pleasure as the primary goal of their existence and are unaware that the material universe is a world of perpetual suffering and danger.

Let us always remember that material creation exists solely for the salvation of the conditioned souls that we all are. It is indeed for this purpose that, out of His causeless mercy, the Lord descends upon various planets of this material world and unfolds His spiritual and absolute acts there.