Concept of personal God and Advaita

[Venkataramani K.]

On Mon, 20 May 2002 08:53:14 -0500, Stephanie Stean <cerebral_rose at MAC.COM>
wrote:

<<I would like to ask how the Isa Upanisad describes the Ultimate Supreme
as a Personal God?  During my readings, I never interpreted it this way?
And I'm most familiar with the commentary of S. Radhakrishnan.>>

Thank you very much. The only commentary I have read is that of Srila
Prabhupad of ISKCON. I also have the commentary of Sri Aurobindo, but I am
yet to finish reading it. I have not read S.Radhakrishnan's commentary. I
formed this conception that ISopanishad describes the Supreme as a personal
God on the basis of Mantras 15 and 16. Please allow me to reproduce Srila
Prabhupad's translation of the same:

Mantra Fifteen:

hiraNmayena pAtreNa
satyasyApihitaM mukham
tat tvaM pUSann apAvRNu
satya dharmAya dRStaye

Synonyms:

hiraNmayena = by a golden effulgence; pAtreNa = by a dazzling covering;
satyasya = of the Supreme Truth; apihitam = covered; mukham = the face; tat
= that covering; tvaM = Yourself; pUSann = O sustainer; apAvRNu = kindly
remove; satya = pure; dharmAya = unto the devotee; dRStaye = for exhibiting.

Translation:

O my Lord, sustainer of all that lives, Your real face is covered by Your
dazzling effulgence. Kindly remove that covering and exhibit Yourself to
Your pure devotee.

Mantra Sixteen:

pUSann ekarSe yama sUrya prAjApatya
vyUha raSmIn samUha
tejo yat te rUpam kalyANa tamaM
tat te paSyAmi yo sAv asau puruSaH sOham asmi

Synonyms:

pUSann = O maintainer; ekarSe = the primeval philosopher; yama = the
regulating principle; sUrya = the destination of the sUris (great
devotees); prAjApatya = the well-wisher of the prajApatis (progenitors of
mankind); vyUha = kindly remove; raSmIn = the rays; samUha = kindly
withdraw; tejo = effulgence; yat = so that; te = Your; rUpam = form;
kalyANa tamam = most auspicious; tat = that; te = Your; paSyAmi = I may
see; yo = one who is; asau = like the sun; asau = that; puruSaH =
Personality of Godhead; so = myself; aham = I; asmi = am.

Translation:

O my Lord, O primeval philosopher, maintainer of the universe, O regulating
principle, destination of the pure devotees, well-wisher of the progenitors
of mankind, please remove the effulgence of Your transcendental rays so
that I can see Your form of bliss. You are the eternal Supreme Personality
of Godhead, like unto the sun, as am I.

Kindly share your knowledge to my benefit. Which advaita acharya's
translation of Isopanishad would you recommend?

Thank you and regards,
K.Venkataramani