After the rise of Christianity in Rome, the Romans gave a distinctive name to Jesus in recognition of His divinity. He was called ‘Persona’, meaning one who is Divine. The English word ‘person’ is derived from ‘Persona’.
The Indian term Vyakti is related to the term ‘Person’. Vyakti means the one that makes manifest the Unmanifested. What is it that is unmanifest? That is the Atma (the Cosmic Spirit). Man is described as the sacred embodiment of the Divine (Pavitra-atma swarupa), because he manifests the divinity inherent in him.
God is the very embodiment of Prema (Love). Man is the spark of the Divine. You may find a man without anger, without truth or without peace, but you cannot find anyone in the world devoid of love. Love is present equally in all human beings as the one effulgent divine quality. This love may be expressed in different ways, but its nature is the same.
Man is thus an aspect of the Cosmic Consciousness. Unfortunately, however, because man directs his love towards worldly objects, he is unable to recognise his divinity. His mind gets polluted because of association with the external world. As a result, even his love gets tainted and his mind becomes incapable of cherishing the beauteous form of the Lord. Only when he directs his love towards God will man be able to experience the Divine within him. (SSS Vol.22)