Srila Rupa Gosvami has described svayam-rupa in his Laghu-bhagavatamrta, purva-khanda, verse 12, ananyapeksi yad rupam svayam-rupah sa ucyate: the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not depend on other forms. The original form is called svayam-rupa, and it is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam (1.3.28). Krsna's original form as a cowherd boy in Vrndavana is called svayam-rupa. It is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.1):

There is nothing superior to Govinda. He is the ultimate source and the cause of all causes. In Bhagavad-gita (7.7) the Lord says, mattah parataram nanyat: "There is no truth superior to Me.

The tad-ekatma-rupa forms exist simultaneously with the svayam-rupa form and are nondifferent. At the same time, the bodily features and specific activities appear to be different. This tad-ekatma-rupa is also divided into two categories-svamsa and vilasa.

A living entity who is specifically empowered by the Lord with knowledge or strength is technically called avesa-rupa. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 7.11), krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana: unless a devotee is specifically empowered by the Lord, he cannot preach the holy name of the Lord all over the world. This is an explanation of the word avesa-rupa.