What is the difference between transcendental subject matter (adhoksaja) and spiritual subject matter (aprakrta)?

We can realize the Supreme Lord only by devotional service. The Supreme Lord, who is transcendental, cannot be known by any other means. We achieve devotion simply by the mercy of the Supreme Lord and His devotees. We cannot understand the science of the Absolute Truth without the Lord’s mercy. Chaitanya -caritamrita states, “if one receives but a tiny bit of the Lord’s favor by dint of devotional service, he can understand the nature of the Supreme Persoality of Godhead.” (Madhya 6.83)

There is no such thing as devotional service if the Personality of Godhead is ignored, because the Personaity of Godhead is the indispensable factor in devotional service.

We understand from the following Bhagwatam verse, beginning, “anartha upasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje,” that all anarthas are destroyed when we engage in the Supreme Lord’s service. That is why Adhoksaja has four arms: He destroys all java’s anarthas with His weappons. In the adhoksaja conception, awe and reverence is prominent.

From the external viewpoint, the spiritual objet appears mundane, but it is not. In the conception of aprakrta or spiritual object, there is no feeling of awe and reverence; the devotee feels only intimacy. There are no anarthas in the conception of aprakrta. After our anarthas are completely vanquished, the aprakrta conception manifests. That aprakrta or spiritual object is the two-armed form of Krsna playing a flute. He is served with love and devotion.

According to the understanding of para, vyuha, vaibhava, antaryami, and archa, the para cannot be anyone other than Krsna. The word aprakrta is applicable only to the Absolute Truth Krsna. The word adhoksaja is applicable to vyuha and vaibhava. The word aparoksa, indirect, is applicable to antaryami. Words like paroksa, direct, and pratyaksa, face-to-face, are applicable to archa.